Crossfit Journal / Kelly's Squat article

[MAD9692]

Rip- After reading Kelly's Midline Stabilization Part 4: The Squat article - I am confused as all hell. I've been putting my back in extension just like on page 25 in SS. And although I know I have a bit of butt winking going on when I get to the bottom of my squat- everythings been progressing just fine.
Is Kelly saying that our keeping our backs in extension is not good for our backs?

[Mark Rippetoe]

He's not saying that at all. He's saying that placing our backs in overextension is a misunderstanding of the active hip idea, and that very flexible people have a problem with it. He uses the term "neutral back" where I use the term "normal anatomical position". I use the concept of an active concentric lumbar contraction to get you to keep the back in lumbar extension -- my "normal anatomical position", his "neutral back" -- when hamstring tension is trying to pull it into flexion, and you have to understand the subtleties of the application of the concept so that you don't overextend at the top of the squat when the hamstrings are not competing for lumbar control with the erectors.

[isis]

Do you agree with the part at the end of the video where Kelly talks about moving the hips first when beginning to squat, as if closing a car door with your butt? And tells people not to shoot their knees forward at the beginning?

[dirkh]

So this would actually mean that flexible people should only "try to overextend the back" at the bottom of the squat, where the hamstrings begin to pull it into flexion, right?

I recently developed some pain in the lower back from squatting and since I have a little hyperlordosis, I assume that it may be associated with overextending the back on the first 2/3 of the way down and/or the last 2/3 of the way up.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't think he specifically says "not to shoot the knees forward at the top." He and I phrase things differently because of our different backgrounds, but we generally mean the same things, in this instance that knees and hips unlock at the same time. And it's likely that a failure to stabilize the normal anatomical lumbar curve with your abs would have produced an extension injury. Don't do that.