Temp squat subsitute = deadlift?

[roy2]

I am having a recurring pain behind my right knee (hamstring tendon irriation?) when I hit below parallel on my squats. The pain is rather minor and has been bothering me for the last couple of months, but today when doing my warmup squat sets the pain hit me harder, forcing me to not finish my squats today. I have decided I need to take a couple weeks off from squatting to let the problem hopefully work itself out.

I am running the 5x5 and I am able to deadlift with no irritation, so I am thinking about replacing squats with deadlifts for the next couple of weeks to maintain some kind of lower body growth over this squatting layoff. I am dl'ing twice a week right now and thinking about shooting for three times a week if I don't squat for a while. My legs are too little and weak.... It would be pretty demoralizing to not work them out at least a little bit for the next couple weeks.

Silly idea?

 

[stevius]

Well, it's a substitute with a limited role. It isn't a replacement, obviously. I'm no injury expert so find out as much as possible, which you are doing obviously.

You do know that growing and training aren't fully related right? Two weeks off is nothing, so you really need to prioritize fixing the injury. You make it look like you've been training through the pain which is a big no-no in the long run. Always pay big attention to small problems before they get out of hand. This should have been done two months ago. You can't just pretend it isn't there, the training volume and intensity has to come down first. Don't unnecessarily endanger yourself and make yourself suffer- healing is very important, not chipping away every week.

Again find out as much as you can, do light squats if you can and carry on deadlifting, but the injury or niggle (if that's all it is) must get priority for the sake of your future in lifting.

All the best!

 

[roy2]

Since returning to lifting from my layoff I had been playing with some different foot positions for squatting, and I figured that the pain/irritation was something that would just get worked out as I got in a groove. This apparently is not the cause, as the pain has persisted. I would never work through major pain. This has been more of an irritation then anything else, until today, which of course made me realize I need to a break from squatting. Light weight squats irritated the joint, so they (except maybe bw squats) are out of the question for a while at least.

Also, I know that training and growing are not fully related, but at this point in my training a layoff would not help as much as being able to keep lifting. I have been able to progressively add weights to the majority of my lifts just about every day I am in the gym. I have good momentum at this point.

Just figured I'd elabortate. I hear you though.

 

[stevius]

Ok, I think the hamstring works to pull back on your shin bone and stabilizes the knee as you sink past parallel, so- as you suggested- it could be something to do with the hamstring tendon.

Anyway, I hope you get your problem sorted out. I know I would be very disappointed if I had to stop doing squats. With any luck it's something simple that just needs a bit of rest.

 

[blut wump]

You could consider box squats. I have a knee problem from an injury last October which causes me to avoid normal, Oly-style squats. I can box squat in PL-style just fine, though.

If you do take up box-squatting, be mindful of your hips until they acclimatize to it.