Stiff hamstrigs and quads and squats

[cnicolea]

Hi everyone I would just like to say my eating this week is great I'm feeling more and more ENEREGY and completing my bootcamps like a champ.

My question is about squats . My form is crappy because I am stiff stiff stiff my lower back is stiff as well. I'm wondering is this becasue I just have the shittiest form or that I may just be too dam stiff . I need some ideas on how I should go about getting my body ready for squats.

Thank you

 

[trex74]

Hi everyone I would just like to say my eating this week is great I'm feeling more and more ENEREGY and completing my bootcamps like a champ.

My question is about squats . My form is crappy because I am stiff stiff stiff my lower back is stiff as well. I'm wondering is this becasue I just have the shittiest form or that I may just be too dam stiff . I need some ideas on how I should go about getting my body ready for squats.

Thank you

Are you warming up enough first?
Try doing some cardio for 5 minutes or so to warm up.
For me, my shoulders get super stiff, and so warm up my shoulders as well before squats. I do the shoulder dislocation exercises
How to Perform Shoulders Dislocations | StrongLifts.com
You could also do the squat stretch shown here
How to Squat with Proper Technique without Injuring Yourself | StrongLifts.com
I also do a few light warmup sets of leg extensions to get things going.

 

[hesnobradpitt]

Yes i agree with trex look at stretching and more warm up .

Are you sore any where you shouldn't be after that would suggest form .

And welcome to the board great to meet you .


Brad.

 

[cnicolea]

in terms of my weight load do you think I should just go low and concentrate on my form or start adding weight. Currently just doing like 30 to the ground with 20lb bar . I'm going to concentrate on more stretching and longer stretching this evening

 

[RottenWillow]

Hi everyone I would just like to say my eating this week is great I'm feeling more and more ENEREGY and completing my bootcamps like a champ.

My question is about squats . My form is crappy because I am stiff stiff stiff my lower back is stiff as well. I'm wondering is this becasue I just have the shittiest form or that I may just be too dam stiff . I need some ideas on how I should go about getting my body ready for squats.

Thank you

Ok you can hurt yourself serious squatting incorrectly. This is not like improper barbell curls. Please locate one of the videos in the weight lifting section on squats and review it carefully.There may well even be links to form vids in the START HERE stickie at the top of our forum. Please review those.


Then choose a very light weight, let's say 45lbs to start, and concentrate above all on perfect form. There really aren't any reasons for a newbie to go deeper than about 1 inch below parallel.

 

[trex74]

in terms of my weight load do you think I should just go low and concentrate on my form or start adding weight. Currently just doing like 30 to the ground with 20lb bar . I'm going to concentrate on more stretching and longer stretching this evening

Just make sure to warm up your muscles before you stretch, if you stretch them cold, you could really hurt yourself and put yourself out of the game for a while- do at least 5 minutes of vigorous cardio before you stretch

 

[AAP]

As you suspect, you should perfect the form and motion range your body goes through before adding weight to the bar.

Also, try placing a board or 10 lb plates under your heels, this can make a huge difference in your form as well. Many people simply lack enough flexibility in the achilles tendon (sp?) area to begin with and in order to get low enough in the squat position their body compensates by going in an unnatural movement.

Last but not least, try the Smith machine for squats and see if that makes a better difference. Some people are simply unable to squat no matter what.

When your body is trying to tell you something along the lines of "hey, this ain't working for us and it isn't a natural way we move" try to listen. Input from your own body trumps the input of 1000 gurus.

 

[RottenWillow]

When your body is trying to tell you something along the lines of "hey, this ain't working for us and it isn't a natural way we move" try to listen. Input from your own body trumps the input of 1000 gurus.

Excellent advise.