Safety squat bar!

[Daniel.308]

Hey guys

Well I trained on Monday and after I finished squats I felt my lower back all cramped up and like a throbbing bone pain (I think it was either from the butt wink or leaning too far forward during squats)...

My flexibility is pretty poor (according to my osteopath), he said that I have really tight glute and hip flexors...

I have tried everything to adjust me leaning too far forward such as; wider stance, narrower stance, angle of feet, low bar (can't get the hang of it as it doesn't sit right on my back), high bar all in different combinations...

Every time I squat it effects my other lifts the past 2 weeks as my back feels like shit (as I said before it is like a throbbing bone pain I THINK)...

I spent all of Wednesday trying to figure out my squat technique through different ways of what I read on the net (Oliver gave quite a few suggestions too which I failed at)...

I don't think the buttwink is causing the lower back pain as much as what the leaning forward would be...

Here's a video of how I normally squat (HIGH BAR, shoulder width stance, 35degrees);

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md9-3w7zxvk&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Daniel Squat[/ame]

Anyways these are my thoughts on resolving the issues;

1. The osteopath has given me a daily stretching routine to do to improve my hip flexors and glute flexibility

2. Regular appointments with the osteopath

3. Invest in this for when I get my home gym - Safety Squat Bar Olympic 220cm

I was reading up a fair bit about them and what I have interpreted is that the weight is shifted forward so you can lean back and have a erect straight posture, though the weight is focused more so on the quads (as it is like a front squat yet the bar is on your back)...

Just curious as to what you guys think as I am struggling pretty bad in my other lifts (especially deadlifts) as the pain is annoying as fuck, and think I will develop serious injuries if I keep going...

Please educate me ausbb!

 

[Goosey]

What's your rep/set template?

One thing I do notice is you or your glutes are not pushing your hip forward on the way up.

Use a 12/10/8 rep setup with the goblet squat, you have a 30kg dumb-bell?

 

[Daniel.308]

What's your rep/set template?

One thing I do notice is you or your glutes are not pushing your hip forward on the way up.

Use a 12/10/8 rep setup with the goblet squat, you have a 30kg dumb-bell?

I am doing 3x10 Monday, 5x5 Wednesday, 1x20 Friday...

I am investing in a home gym and don't have the cash for dumbbells...

 

[Goosey]

How much were you lifting in the video?
What rep/set template was it and was that at the beginning or the end?

Your form does not look good at that weight and you are going too low.

 

[Daniel.308]

How much were you lifting in the video?
What rep/set template was it and was that at the beginning or the end?

Your form does not look good at that weight and you are going too low.

It was 82.5kg, and I thought we wanted to squat deep? I'm confused.

 

[And the Ugly]

You're not going too low. At the moment your flexibility doesn't really permit you going that low without buttwink, but that depth is good once you get more mobile.

Your buttwink isn't all that bad, but it's there and combined with probably similar problems on your DL day you're causing yourself the back pain.
Don't squat or DL with a weight that forces you into lumbar flexion.

The safety squat bar won't fix it. Back the weight off, start working on hamstring, glute and hip flexor mobility. Spinal erector strength with hyper-extensions, supermans and good mornings if you can do them properly.
Unloaded squats and DL's with perfect form, really nice and low will help stretch out everything.

When you go back to weighted exercises, move gradually up until you find the maximum weight you can move without your lumbar spine going into flexion -- that's your new max weight.

And if you're squatting 3 times a week that's probably aggrovating the back pain. Give yourself a week off and then start back with lower frequency until you can squat with good form and no pain.

 

[Goosey]

It was 82.5kg, and I thought we wanted to squat deep? I'm confused.

It's quite difficult to give a detailed response as it also seems difficult for you to answer my questions in detail.

All I'll say is, research ways of strengthening the hamstring, glute and lumber musculature through it's full range.

Throw out the stretching.

Stiff legged dead-lifting is an excellent exercise, some machines that isolate the musculature are also excellent.

But from the limited info you have given it looks like " glute firing" is an issue.

Good luck.

 

[dave]

Stiff legged dead-lifting is an excellent exercise

That is a good suggestion.

start working on hamstring, glute and hip flexor mobility.

So is this.

If you have a foam roller and or ball learn some self massage techniques. Look into the Magnificent Mobility DVD for some good warmup exercises to help you with mobility. If you have some chronic hip flexor tightness some static stretches will help for it.

 

[HIThopper]

An SSB will ruin you for sure, that bar is brutal so I think everyone should buy one LOL

Cant view vid at work but will take a look at home tonight

 

[unt0uchable]

Master the low bar squat and your issue will go away

Prior to a lower back scare (which turned out to be nothing) I was high bar squatting and after EVERY session my lower back would feel really sore and tight. I used to have a lot of forward lean and would tend to go onto my toes

Once I started low bar squatting this lower back pain dissappeared

Either buy or "find" Rippetoes SS and watch his squatting video over and over. Take a week off and get back to it

 

[Daniel.308]

I have read all of starting strength...

I just thought I would go on to the safety squat bar for the mean time (as I don't want to waste my time stretching and preparing myself to squat) I want to get strong and want to workout NOW...

So I thought I should buy the squat bar which will eliminate me leaning forward and putting more stress on my back and in the mean time work on my mobility to be able to then develop enough mobility to squat with a normal bar...

Wether I am squatting 82.5kg or 20kg my form is the same, I am certain it is a mobility issue...

Are the any disadvantages to working out with the squat bar besides putting more emphasis on my quads rather than glutes?

Cheers!

 

[HIThopper]

I have read all of starting strength...

I just thought I would go on to the safety squat bar for the mean time (as I don't want to waste my time stretching and preparing myself to squat) I want to get strong and want to workout NOW...

So I thought I should buy the squat bar which will eliminate me leaning forward and putting more stress on my back and in the mean time work on my mobility to be able to then develop enough mobility to squat with a normal bar...

Wether I am squatting 82.5kg or 20kg my form is the same, I am certain it is a mobility issue...

Are the any disadvantages to working out with the squat bar besides putting more emphasis on my quads rather than glutes?

Cheers!

WOW you have no idea about an SSB at all do you!!

The SSB will absolutely put more stress on your back, thats why its so damn effective, the camber throws you forward constantly and the pad being high up on your neck makes about every back muscle work twice as hard as a straight bar. It does not work your quads harder than a straight bar either.This is mostly dictated by stance/technique.

Spend time on your back squat, I like box squattting to teach newbs, do ALOT of sets with low reps, higher reps sets will look like shit when fatigued.Post e new vid every week.

 

[Daniel.308]

WOW you have no idea about an SSB at all do you!!

The SSB will absolutely put more stress on your back, thats why its so damn effective, the camber throws you forward constantly and the pad being high up on your neck makes about every back muscle work twice as hard as a straight bar. It does not work your quads harder than a straight bar either.This is mostly dictated by stance/technique.

Spend time on your back squat, I like box squattting to teach newbs, do ALOT of sets with low reps, higher reps sets will look like shit when fatigued.Post e new vid every week.

I think I worded my sentence wrong... What I meant was it will NOT put as much pressure on my back as a straight bar - it will do this by assisting me to squat in a straight erect posture as opposed to doing a Goodmorning whilst "coming out of the hole"... I think the way it will do this is through distributing the weight further in front of the bodys mid line axis (hence making me lean back as opposed to leaning forward (Goodmorning)... Which will then put less strain on my back as it is STRAIGHT...

If I have miss understood please explain...

Thanks

 

[Christian]

Who cares buy it you don't need a forums approval for anything

 

[Daniel.308]

Who cares buy it you don't need a forums approval for anything

IDE like various opinions and experiences!!!

 

[HIThopper]

My experience is the SSB will make you strong. It tends to be WAAYY harder to squat with than a straight bar. I agree, buy one they are immensley useful, you dont need anyones approval to buy one and use it, but just dont expect it to be easy, that thing is brutal.

 

[Daniel.308]

My experience is the SSB will make you strong. It tends to be WAAYY harder to squat with than a straight bar. I agree, buy one they are immensley useful, you dont need anyones approval to buy one and use it, but just dont expect it to be easy, that thing is brutal.

In what way is it brutal? Good, bad, injury causing etc?

Cheers

 

[GHOSTrun]

S/S Bar will not make any difference to the lack of flexibility which is preventing you from squatting deep correctly. You can see in your video when you go low you lose the arch in your back. Physio is correct in that stretching your calves, hamstrings and glutes will help, but you've been told what to do so why do you need to keep going back and paying them money for the same shit? IMO learn how to front squat deep and it will solve all your squatting problems. Also if your back is hurting go and get a CT scan (free under Medicare, save $600 woo-hoo!) you may have a bulging disc (or two in my case lol), with that said I don't know if 80kg squats can cause bulging discs

Stick with it

-mike

 

[GHOSTrun]

In what way is it brutal? Good, bad, injury causing etc?

Cheers

It's like front squatting, the weight is forward and your back has to work harder to keep you upright thus making you stronger. It's a worthwhile investment

 

[Christian]

S/S Bar will not make any difference to the lack of flexibility which is preventing you from squatting deep correctly. You can see in your video when you go low you lose the arch in your back. Physio is correct in that stretching your calves, hamstrings and glutes will help, but you've been told what to do so why do you need to keep going back and paying them money for the same shit? IMO learn how to front squat deep and it will solve all your squatting problems. Also if your back is hurting go and get a CT scan (free under Medicare, save $600 woo-hoo!) you may have a bulging disc (or two in my case lol), with that said I don't know if 80kg squats can cause bulging discs

Stick with it

-mike

This is the last thing he needs mike, he doesnt have a buldging disc, his back is not fucked i know your only joking but he already thinks it is... I doubt you can fuck your back so bad form butt wink from sfa weight.

He has the same pain in the same places as i did when i had the same issues before i went to the physio/osteo.

Front squats help you sit up rightmore because why? The weight is more far forward? Well the safety bar squat brings the weight where? More far forward..

Daniel just by the thing someone delete this thread and squat ffs. Too much winging and moaning over nothing.