Where should you 'feel' squats?

[Josh K]

Hey Coaches,

As the weight is getting heavier, I'm noticing more and more that the only place I feel taxed inbetween and after sets of squats is my lower back. Rest times should be 'as long as you need' and I now understand completely what that means. My rest times are now essentially just waiting for my lower back to 'calm down' for lack of a better expression. It's not painful, it just feels incredibly tight and worn out but when I do deadlifts, my back doesn't feel nearly as fried. I figured it would have been the other way around.

Have any of you found this to be your experience too?

Thanks for your time!

[Michael Wolf]

I have felt this before, as recently as a few months ago. I have a scoliosis, and my right lumbar and thoracic erectors can get hypertonic as a result. I find regular massage, rolling in between massages on the taped lacrosse balls or MWOD gemini or rumble roller, and icing to help.

[Sean Herbison]

Make very sure your form isn't the problem first. Get some video and have other people look at it. Maybe you have perfect form, but it's always a good place to start.

[Nick Klemetson]

I have this as well. Foam rolling and ice does the trick.

It only happens every once in awhile though. I'm not sure why or what causes it to flare up when it does. It might be the tiniest shift of the bar or fraction of an inch of forward knee motion that sets it off.

[hollismb]

Are you wearing a belt?

[afatgoat]

I have felt this before, as recently as a few months ago. I have a scoliosis, and my right lumbar and thoracic erectors can get hypertonic as a result. I find regular massage, rolling in between massages on the taped lacrosse balls or MWOD gemini or rumble roller, and icing to help.

This and stretching out overly tight hip flexors at the end of the day. Jam a thumb in until it's uncomfortable and queesy, lie on your back and pull your knee to your chest. Forget the exact connections but they can pull on lower 4 and si joint when overly tight.

[Tom Campitelli]

This and stretching out overly tight hip flexors at the end of the day.

This is unlikely to be a cause of back pain, especially squatting induced back pain.

[hollismb]

This is unlikely to be a cause of back pain, especially squatting induced back pain.

A tight psoas can cause lower back pain due to its connection to the spine in the lower back, but indeed probably wouldn't be the cause here. I'm assuming he's talking about pain in the erectors from trying to keep his back in extension.

[afatgoat]

This is unlikely to be a cause of back pain, especially squatting induced back pain.

Probably not going to be the direct cause, but can aggravate an already slipped disk in surprising ways.

[Tom Campitelli]

Indeed, I would be surprised.