The video is not good enough to tell much, except that you fail to stand up straight between reps, thus never unloading the moment force from your lumbar spine. Can you not see this? How was the injury 12 months ago acquired?
Hi Rip,
I'll try to keep this short. 28y/o male, 90kg, 185cm. Weightlifting about 4 years but only got very serious in last 12 months.
Have had a history of back pain (L4/5 herniation approx 12 months ago), trying to strengthen up in order to fix my back, yet I keep re-injuring it. Discovered your works and have read SS a couple times. Confident that I'm now squatting much better than before yet again today I feel I've hurt it quite bad
Video of the set is below - 2nd set of 3 in the squat (novice training), attempting 112.5kg (current PR). After that set I felt some pain in the low back area but did the 3rd set anyway at the same weight. Did presses after that but stopped there - had back extensions planned but was too sore by that time.
Now I'm stiff and sore, and furious at myself for hurting it again and concerned it will really affect my progress. I'm also desperate to know what I did wrong because I try so damn hard to get my form right. I'm icing it at present (20 min on/20 min off) and considering seeing a physio tomorrow
Any help or advice is much appreciated.
Last edited by Mark Rippetoe; 03-24-2011 at 01:59 PM. Reason: Nutswinging removed.
The video is not good enough to tell much, except that you fail to stand up straight between reps, thus never unloading the moment force from your lumbar spine. Can you not see this? How was the injury 12 months ago acquired?
Thanks Mark. I was previously advised in the technique forum not to stand up straight between reps, and I can't remember mention of it either way in SS - though I will re-read.
I know it's a crappy video, if I'd known I was going to injure during that set I would have made more effort to get a better shot but of course I hadn't planned on getting hurt.
Previous injury I suspect was from poor deadlift form, but back then I knew less than 1/10th of what I do now so it's hard to say for sure. Could it be that as well as the standing up issue, i'm just putting too much load on my back? Currently deadlifting once a week, whereas in PPST and elsewhere you've recommended in the latter stages of novice training to DL every 5th workout or as infrequently as once every 2 weeks.
I'm very focused on my low back health, I regularly (3-4 times a week) lie on a tennis ball to massage out my upper glutes and foam roll ITB, as well as daily hip flexor/psoas/quad stretching in attempt to correct APT
Is icing and anti-inflammatories (Voltaren) the right thing to be doing at this stage, as well as having a few days off back work before getting back into it? Assuming (hoping) it's just a muscular strain and nothing more serious. Thanks!
I had the same issue as OP, in terms of never standing up straight. Killed my back, too. So I spent a couple days watching vids, re-reading SS etc. It turns out my bar placement was about 1" too low, so my body was constantly trying to lean over to stop the bar from slipping. I reset the weight, got myself comfortable with the new bar position, and haven't had any issues since.
Thanks Rip, and Mike C. Guess I'll take this burning cold ice pack off then
Hi Rip, sorry last question I promise, do you think my form and problematic back would be helped by using a belt? Cheers
No. You have to stand up, and a belt will not help you stand up.
Excellent, thanks again