Getting Lordosis whilst doing SS

[Carvalio]

I am getting an exaggerated lordosis as the weeks go by. I have made some decent gains in the last few weeks and my lower back is extremely strained and tight after workouts, not to mention the little strain on the abs to balance this out has left me with a bad posture. Not an injury strain but I can really feel it after squats, deadlifts don't seem to hit my lower back much anymore in comparison.

I go into a lordosis like shape for squatting to prevent back injury but I feel I'm getting stuck in this position, pelvis is now tilted down and I have to squeeze my glutes to correct it, which isn't practical long term.

What are good stretches for the lower back? Or should I combat it with ab workouts? It's starting to affect just standing about, not to mention the bulking belly I am starting to attain not helping the situation either.


I have tried the hip flexor exercises suggested but I do not think this is the cause anymore as they have stretched well and not fixed the problem.

[Dastardly]

Post a video of your squat, this shouldn't be happening. Squats greatly strengthen glutes, so your hips should be permanently thrust forwards from glute activation.

In addition, good technique in the squat, deadlift & press will greatly strengthen abs, keeping your anterior abdomen nice and rigid in normal standing.

Good technique in squats, deadlift, bench press, rows & pull ups will greatly strengthen the mid/upper back, improve thoracic mobility and teach you to keep your chest big and out at all times.

If your posture is becoming fucked up, Im guessing there was a problem in the first place or you are using horrible technique.

[Carvalio]

Afraid I can't post a video anytime soon, but it's definitely something I need to do

Using a mirror I can tilt my pelvis down or up a lot whilst keeping everything else stationary in the squat position, I have been 'sticking my ass out' and letting it tilt forward it seems, I am going to assume that good form would be to keep it as parallel as possible, even if at this point it means squeezing the glutes a bit?

Gaining all these muscles its hard to keep up with controlling them!

[Tom Campitelli]

not to mention the little strain on the abs to balance this out has left me with a bad posture.

If you abs are not getting worked pretty hard then you are performing the lifts incorrectly.

[Tamara Reynolds]

If you cannot manage to make a simple video for form check, then you should probably stop lifting. Because what you are describing sounds like an absolute train wreck, and it doesn't seem like you have any idea what your body should be doing on these lifts.

[veryhrm]

OP, i was/am in the same boat (i think). When i first started i really had to focus on spinal erector tension when i set up for each squat to prevent rounding, but after a few months i realized that i was hyperextending my lower back. Now i just focus on tightening the torso w/ valsalva. It feels better on the lower back.

I'm not entirely happy w/ what's going on since i think i actually move my lumbar in the first half of the movement but the lower half on the descent and the whole way up feel stable.

Though i haven't researched what's said about this on the board, but the tension on the spinal erectors seems like it would be a lot higher when your torso is at 45degrees in the hole than it is when it is nearly vertical at the top. So some amount of pre-tensioning for position / feel makes sense but there's no way (that i can see) where that tension will stay constant during the rep.

Also i haven't tried a belt yet. Trying a velcro belt in the store on a few occasions for air squats didn't feel particularly good on the flab, but i may have to bite the bullet lest i wreck myself.

[Dastardly]

If you are a big guy (I think I remember some photos of your gut), velcro belt wont be much good. If you do get a velcro, make sure to get the harbinger one where the velcro strip is the same width as the belt.

[judo.dave]

OP, i was/am in the same boat (i think). When i first started i really had to focus on spinal erector tension when i set up for each squat to prevent rounding, but after a few months i realized that i was hyperextending my lower back. Now i just focus on tightening the torso w/ valsalva. It feels better on the lower back.

Seconded. I thought locking the lower back in neutral alignment meant "extend into lordosis and squeeze it there", which sucks, is wrong and is dangerous.

I fixed the issue by squeezing my glutes at the top before locking my abs and lower back.

Carvalio: post a form check video or find a coach to take a look at your form in person.

[dsiomtw]

Seconded. I thought locking the lower back in neutral alignment meant "extend into lordosis and squeeze it there", which sucks, is wrong and is dangerous.

I fixed the issue by squeezing my glutes at the top before locking my abs and lower back.

I know this thread is old as hell but I stumbled across it as I just realized I have the same problem for the same reason. "extend into lordosis and squeeze it there" couldn't describe what I do any better. Aside from fixing this, and doing some flexor stretches, is there anything else that can/should be done to fix the lordosis?