Squat Question...

[BeachBuff]

I love them, I do, those squat sessions with my leg workouts, but I have this weird thing happening and need some advice. After I do squats it feels like my back, spinal columns are compressed. So, I bend over and pull my head to my knees and I feel and hear all my disks or the cartilidge in between like stretch back out. Along with getting a nice rush with this action I feel it puts things "back in place".
Am I doing something wrong? Is this as bad as I think it could be? Is there something I should be taking to support those essential tissues/fluids?
I do not squat that heavy yet, either, 80 pounds has been my maximum squat so far. Mainly because I don't have a rack. That is all I can throw over my head.
I do use a Gold's gym pad on my barbell, but just got it. It is happening with or without that.
I also do squat as low as I can go.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[spatts]

I would need to see your form. The spine is designed to handle compressive force; however, most people instigate some shearing force through poor form.

Anything involving your spine/discs is important, IMO.

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

first off- do you have a pre-existing back injury??? than I would avoid squats.

Without seeing your form- here are a couple things you could check for- are you bouncing at the top or bottom of the movement?? or if your squatting to the floor- try just going to parellel...& look into using a weight belt- it will increase pressure on your abs & help stabilize your back.

good luck

 

[vixenbabe]

Relating to what Spatts and MSBH already said:

Do you have someone you can TRUST who can watch you perforn while you squat?? I know I would have been hurting and lost if I was alone when I first started doing 'em in my workouts! It's always nice to have a second set of experienced eyes!

Core training is also soooo important...

 

[BeachBuff]

I agree, the back is important.
I will get a belt, for sure.
I do not have any back problems, but I have had whiplash a few times and I pulled my lotisimus dorsi once. Neither of these have been affected. Just the compresion of disks.
I drink a lot of water too, so I don't think that is the problem. Do you think taking anything for joints would help and what we be good?
I don't bounce, but I do my squats more like the guys and less wide, opposed to how the ladies talk about "frog stance" squats.
I am truly baffled. I hope I don't need to start seeing a chiropractor already, I just started working out 4 months ago.
BB

 

[Backlash]

I know exactly what you're talking about. After many exercises, inlcuding squats, I need to stretch out my back (mostly lower back) by lying on my back and pulling my knees up to my chest. I then feel and hear my back stretching out.

I do have a history of back problems, and finally found out by MRI that I have 3 cracked discs (not herniated though, thankfully). I just recently (this past summer) started doing squats, and I believe they are helping strengthen my back and making the problem better, not worse.

I wouldn't avoid squats - just make SURE you have proper form.

 

[BeachBuff]

Thank you BackLash. It sounds the same. The other thing I do to stretch it out is hanging from my chin-up/pull-up bar and bringing my knees up.
So, I will keep up the squats and the ab exercises to strengthen these parts of my body.
BB