Lower back fatigue

[Nostromo]

Hi Team,

I've been on the program for 3 months and I am already the strongest I have been in my entire life.

I have noticed that when I workout in the evenings my lower back feels very fatigued after my Squat work sets. It's not pain, just sort of a dull pressure... the same feeling I would get shaving over a low sink, or doing a whole sink full of dishes.

I work as a web developer so I am sitting in a chair for 8-10 hours a day before the workout. I only have issues on weekdays so I am wondering if this is part of the problem. My weekend workouts are usually great.

Thoughts or advice?

[MikeC1]

Completely normal. It's a little more striking if you use an excessive lean-forward style. It eventually subsides after some more months of lifting have passed.

[Corrie]

Completely normal. It's a little more striking if you use an excessive lean-forward style. It eventually subsides after some more months of lifting have passed.

I noticed that I'm getting more lower back fatigue and I think it's because I'm closing my hip angle (lean forward, back coming closer to parallel with the floor) at the bottom of the squat to avoid letting my knees track forwards.

Is that a bad thing or should I be ok doing that?

[cmrocks]

That's good to know. I've been experiencing that same sort of dull pain. It's quite noticable for about two hours after I do deadlifts then it mostly goes away. I'm assuming it's just because these exercises hit ones lower back quite hard.

[stonerider]

if you have to sit in a chair all day, you could try "active sitting"

sit at the edge of the seat

[MikeC1]

I noticed that I'm getting more lower back fatigue and I think it's because I'm closing my hip angle (lean forward, back coming closer to parallel with the floor) at the bottom of the squat to avoid letting my knees track forwards.

Is that a bad thing or should I be ok doing that?

It's one way to squat. I personally wouldn't recommend it. What's wrong with having your knees go forward?

[Corrie]

It's one way to squat. I personally wouldn't recommend it. What's wrong with having your knees go forward?

I don't know, it just seems like the number one thing that is pointed out on form checks - "your knees are travelling forwards", "your knees are sliding forwards" etc.

I always just got the impression that it was a bad thing.

[Michael Wolf]

I don't know, it just seems like the number one thing that is pointed out on form checks - "your knees are travelling forwards", "your knees are sliding forwards" etc.

I always just got the impression that it was a bad thing.

Rip wants you to have your knees as far forward as they'll go during the rep, already there by the time you're 1/3 to 1/2 way down into the squat. It's not so much how far forward they end up that's the issue, as WHEN they get there.

Get them there by the time you're 1/2 way down into your squat, then shove them out the rest of the way.

[Carlos Daniel]

Rip wants you to have your knees as far forward as they'll go during the rep, already there by the time you're 1/3 to 1/2 way down into the squat. It's not so much how far forward they end up that's the issue, as WHEN they get there.

Get them there by the time you're 1/2 way down into your squat, then shove them out the rest of the way.

This.

[Corrie]

Rip wants you to have your knees as far forward as they'll go during the rep, already there by the time you're 1/3 to 1/2 way down into the squat. It's not so much how far forward they end up that's the issue, as WHEN they get there.

Get them there by the time you're 1/2 way down into your squat, then shove them out the rest of the way.

Thanks for that, I have read every word in the book and spent a lot of time on the boards and I didn't really put two and two together.
Now I get it that you're setting your knees early (even if they are in front of the toes) but not letting them track forwards through the lift. I think I always got conflicting messages when I read those things.

This is good stuff, thanks.