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Thread: Already failed squats after two weeks and might have injured myself

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2024
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    Question Already failed squats after two weeks and might have injured myself

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    Hello and thank you for reading.

    38 year 5'10 male.

    (Cue weird numbers because converted from kilos.)

    Bodyweight: 164 lbs -> 170 lbs
    Deadlift: 1x5 132 lbs -> 154 lbs
    Bench: 3x5 100 lbs -> 121 lbs
    Press: 3x5 44 lbs -> 66 lbs
    Squat: 3x5 121 lbs -> 143 lbs (read on)
    Chins: 3x10 +0 lbs -> 3x5 +22 lbs

    Perception: Progressing on squats feels much harder than on the other exercises.

    Sleep: I cannot function with less than 8 hours, so I get 9.

    Eating: I'm living on a surplus of chicken, rice, beans, eggs, milk, yoghurt, and broccoli. Gained 6 lbs so far.

    Failure event: I managed squatting 3x5 at 143 lbs in the penultimate workout. My training log has "fuck" written in it because of how hard I struggled on the last set. I also felt some mild irritation in my lower left belly. Today I tried for 3x5 at 148 lbs. I failed on the first set (4 reps). Fifth rep I got down but couldn't get up, dived out from under the bar and had the safety rails of my rack catch it. Second set 3 reps, third set 2 reps. I waited 8 minutes between sets. During the last two reps I felt a sharp, burning, intense pain in my lower left belly region. The area still feels warm and irritated three hours later but does not hurt. I didn't have any pain issues in the following exercises.

    Image with location of pain: https://i.imgur.com/MKSnziR.jpeg

    Questions:

    - Why do I fail miserably on squats while the other lifts are progressing?
    - What to do about the belly pain? See a doctor before squatting again? Form check video with warmup weight? Form check video with working weight?


    Thank you!

  2. #2
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    Jul 2007
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    Default

    You are about 50 pounds underweight. You may have an inguinal hernia, and this should be checked. Were you wearing a belt?

  3. #3
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    Jul 2024
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    Thank you for your time, Mark.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    You are about 50 pounds underweight.
    I agree. But you aren't implying that I have to gain 50 pounds upfront before being able to progress on my baby weights, no?
    As far as I understood weight gain and linear progression should go hand in hand, and I gained 3 lbs per week so far.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    You may have an inguinal hernia, and this should be checked.
    will do

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Were you wearing a belt?
    no

  4. #4
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    Jul 2024
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    The doctor ruled out a hernia - nothing to feel, no protrusions, and nothing to see in the ultrasound. He also noted
    that the location of the pain would be unusually high for a hernia. I left without a diagnosis.

    I could get a second opinion from a doctor specialized in sports injuries but getting an appointment takes months.

    I also found a nine year old post on reddit where a user claims to have fixed the issue with planks (link to post).

    I did some test squats and the area flares up during the upwards movement of the lift when I go near the weight I failed at the last time.
    Aside from all that I've gained another 4 lbs of bodyweight and added 5-10 lbs to all other lifts each workout. What's the intelligent next move, Coach?

  5. #5
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    Train through it, like we all do.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Train through it, like we all do.
    Appreciated. As a beginner it's hard to know when sucking it up is the way to go and when it would be fundamentally stupid.

    Hopefully in a few weeks I can check in with all my lifts being on track.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tuna View Post
    Appreciated. As a beginner it's hard to know when sucking it up is the way to go and when it would be fundamentally stupid.

    Hopefully in a few weeks I can check in with all my lifts being on track.
    Consider hiring a coach. Less wheel spinning and more progress.

  8. #8
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    Jul 2024
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    Hello Coach

    I've gained another 4 lbs of bodyweight and increased all my lifts. Squats remain a frustrating problem. The burning pain starts when going above 140 lbs (the weight feels easy now, though). The pain gets worse and worse as I try to go up in weight. I don't know how to progress.

    Here is a video with 145 lbs. (If here is the wrong location to post it I'll go to the Technique forum.)

    https://youtube.com/shorts/jH1t4VVj2pM

    I felt a mild burning sensation on rep 1, 2, 4, 5 and a sharp burning sensation on rep 3 (hence the pause at the top). Am I "good morning squatting"? Hopefully it's a form issue because then I could work on it. Again, thank you for your time.

  9. #9
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    May be time for an MRI on that area.

  10. #10
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    Jul 2024
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    starting strength coach development program
    Damn. I'll get an appointment ASAP but this will set me back weeks at least. My bench is already higher than my squat. How do I train in the meantime? Try microjumps? I have 0.5 kg (1.1 lbs) plates.

    I forgot to mention: the precise moment where the pain sets in is during the upwards movement when the upper body begins to stand up. Can you draw any conclusions from that?

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