If your lower back is hurting as you describe, you are doing something wrong. Post a video here of your squat and deadlift form taken during your work sets and let me see where the problem might be.
Member
Back ache
I have just completed my third workout on the SS program and have a constant lower back ache. It's not muscle soreness, it's just that same old back ache I'm sure everyone has experienced at some point.
I've read an article that states lower back aching is down to lack of movement, in 8 out of 10 cases. Muscle imbalance is a concept used in this article. I have no idea how to determine where the imbalance is, if that is the issue or how I would solve it.
I'm an IT student so I do a lot of sitting around, but other than 3 workouts a week on this program is there anything else I should be doing (or not doing)? I'm only 20 and hate the fact I get this aching. If it was soreness I'd know I worked out hard but it's not and it comes as soon as I start squatting, making deadlifts very uncomfortable.
It is aching as I type, so you can understand my concern I'm sure.
Any advice would be appreciated.
TMPHBITEU
If your lower back is hurting as you describe, you are doing something wrong. Post a video here of your squat and deadlift form taken during your work sets and let me see where the problem might be.
Member
Lumbar extension is something I'm very aware of, I've just been analysing my deadlift position without weight and can feel the tightness and aching is coming after I've had my spine in lumbar extension.
Perhaps what I'm perceiving as an ache is just unused muscles (erector.s) becoming fatigued very quickly?
I started last Tuesday so my next workout day is Tuesday 26th. Squats started to feel heavy yesterday and if my legs aren't feeling too sore tomorrow I'll skip a days rest. So I'll get a video of my squats up tomorrow hopefully. Deadlifts will be on Wednesday or Thursday depending on the above, so expect a video on one of them days.
Thanks.
Member
I apologize for the hijack, but I basically have the same query.
I believe my pain is mostly muscular, and massage really relieves the symptoms. I get horrible knots.... mostly I feel it in the erectors and deep muscles that underlie the lats (whether or not that is an anatomically correct description I do not know).
Here are my vids....
http://youtube.com/user/Kiknskreem
[youtube]o1E2UixyUpU[/youtube]
[youtube]pmaYuEfn6Ww[/youtube]
TMPHBITEU
The video Kiknskreem posted is just the bench press.
The pain you are describing may be just normal muscular pain, but one of the things you have to learn to be a lifter is how to distinguish normal soreness from injury. Until that is learned, it is probably best to err on the side of conservative. Post your video, but get your back checked too.
Member
All three lifts are on that link Mark.... there are icons for them underneath but here's the links to each directly...Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe
http://youtube.com/watch?v=o1E2UixyUpU
http://youtube.com/watch?v=pmaYuEfn6Ww
Regarding what you say about it being normal muscular pain... I've had it consistently while lifting heavy for over a year, and I just plan my heavy squatting and pulling carefully and back off when I need to. I take Ibueprofen on an as needed basis, and I think it really may be exacerbated by the fact that I wait tables so I am on my feet for hours at a time.
Anyway, just thought I'd take the opportunity to get my vids checked by you in case there is something obvious that I'm doing that may be a contributory factor. Thanks.
TMPHBITEU
The deadlift showed some asymmetry (hips out to the right) that resolved itself as the weight got heavier. I think it was an artifact of the alternate grip. Good back angle (best I can tell from the camera angle) on the last 2 attempts.
The squat shows a tendency to pull the chest up and consequently the hips forward a little past halfway up. This pulls the knee angle more acute and takes hamstring tension away, blunting the hell out of your hip extension at that point. This is often related to your chin-up position, and is one of the reasons I teach a downward gaze/ normal anatomical neck position.
Member
Possible remedies?
If I understand what you are telling me it sounds like I should try to stay sitting back a bit more and keep my hips down for longer during the ascent, as well as lowering my eye position?
TMPHBITEU
"Hips down during the ascent" is not the way to think about it. Driving the hips up without raising the chest is the way to preserve the back angle for as long as possible, thus allowing the hamstrings to work more effectively as hip extensors.
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