These are partial squats.
Hi, this is my third stab at SSNLP. Yesterday, 24 hrs after squatting I started experiencing pain in my lower back, both sides. Last night and all day today the pain was very intense and I couldn't make outside my house let alone going to the gym. In the evening I managed to take a brief walk to engage the muscles a little bit. I am applying ice packs and I feel the pain has receded a bit, although it's still hurting a lot.
I am puzzled as to what caused the inflammation (?). Perhaps, as the weight are getting a bit heavier I am paying the price of an unpolished technique. Not sure how to proceed: should I crawl to the gym and squat empty barbell until it gets better? Rest until there is no pain?
I uploaded two videos and I would greatly appreciate it if someone with more experience or a coach could tell me something about recovering and perhaps check out what is wrong with my technique. Thank you so much for your time and for the work you put into this forum.
6 April 2021 (set 3, side view) - YouTube
Squats April 6 (set 2, 285lb) - YouTube
These are partial squats.
Thank you for your reply. Thought so when I watched myself in the video. Hated it.
It’s the first time I reach 285 and I was feeling insecure under the barbell. I’ll def work on that. Perhaps I can deload 10% and work my way up again.
But do you think this has something to do with my lumbar pain?
It’s slightly better today but I am still incapacitated, having trouble leaving the bed, seating down or standing up from chairs. It’s very debilitating and I think I’m gonna miss at least a whole week of training :-(
You aren’t tight. The result is that you are pulling your chest up into extension when coming out of the hole, rather than being in extension through the entire movement. That’s putting strain on your lower back. There are other things going on, but that one is the most obvious next to the partial squat.
It maybe be how you are wearing your shirt but It looks to me like your belt is higher than optimum
All of the above.
But what about the details that aren't just the squat? You posted your situation in a post a month ago. What are your lifts right now for each, current programming, how many pounds added per session on each lift, and how long of a recovery are you taking between each set?
The reason that these details are important is that at 53 (same as me), it's also possible that you are bumping up against your current volume capacity for the squat and deadlift combined. That can happen as you're doing your squats every session and your deads every (or every other) session if you're following the program and you've been a) greedy, or b) not recovering sufficiently (which goes back to The First Three Questions).
From the looks of things, since you're only squatting 25lbs higher than your post of a month ago, you aren't being greedy, but YNDTP either, unless you're only adding 2.5lbs per session, which you shouldn't be yet, since you were in an "easy...not too hard phase" less than one month ago.
OP- I don’t mean to be mean here, but, your technique is exceptionally poor. Every single rep in this set was high, loose, and depth and overall form was markedly different on every single rep. This weight far exceeds your capabilities right now, and your technique is “slightly educated trash”. You certainly have a decent idea of what it is supposed to look like, and you have obviously been training hard to be able to have 285 on the bar for this set. I certainly commend you for that.
I’d highly recommend finding a competent coach that can guide you through back rehab and take over coaching you when things are working again.
Ok, great. Really helpful. Thank you.
First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to watch the videos and post comments. I actually had a laugh reading that my technique was "slightly educated trash", oh shit !!! :-))) Of course I don't mind, in fact it's motivating, because I do want to get it right.
I intend to get some online coaching ASAP, hopefully next month. And, yes, I am resting about 7-8 mins between sets. DL is 310 (once or twice a week, depending on the rotation); Press 95-100 lb; bench 145 (not happy with this but it's improving). Main problem is sleep, I'm on assignment right now and I am lucky when can get 7 straight hours in the sack.
My injury is 90% better and I was back at the gym yesterday. I took 60 lb off from my squats in the first set (225) and then added 20 lb for my second and third sets (245 lb). Technique is still shyte but at least I feel I can control everything better. Tomorrow I am gonna try concentrating the chest problem and being tighter overall. Also, after watching myself in the new videos below, I'm thinking that I can go down go down another couple of inches to make sure I reach below parallel. Although, it d¡dn't look too bad.
17 April 2021 - YouTube
17 April 2021 - YouTube