Reply With QuoteCould easily be a form issue.
Member
Was this injury or did I do something wrong?
Hello, everyone. I know the amount of times something like this gets posted, and believe me, I did search the forums and do some outside research before deciding to create an account and post. I can't find anything that closely relates to my issues, and I am curious to hear the thoughts of those who know more than I do.
I've lifted on a program that utilizes Progressive Overload on compound lifts since 2015. (It's Mike Matthews' Bigger, Leaner, Stronger if anyone has heard of it.) While I did not see the rapid progress of SS, I did add weight to the bar every week while I was bulking/maintaining and stayed relatively close to those numbers while in a deficit. My muscles got used to the Stress-recovery adaptation Rip talks about in SS, at least moreso than someone who just walked into a gym and dicked around for three years.
In April of last year, I broke my wrist and couldn't work out until late July. After stripping off the initial body fat that came with being sedentary, I was 5'10", 160 lbs, and 10% BF, or a prime candidate for Starting Strength. However, I was apprehensive, because I had been squatting, deadlifting, bench pressing, and pressing while I was in shape (at around 170) and could move decent weight relative to my size at the time (Bench 270, Deadlift 365, Squat 315, Press 175).
Here is where my story differs: I READ THE BOOK. I TRIED THE PROGRAM. I gathered that I could still get something from it, despite being "trained." My numbers at the start (including the de-training from my inactive period) were as follows: Squat- 215 x5, Deadlift (with new Rip form--much more difficult) 275 x5, Bench 205 x5, Press 145 x5. I did the whole GOMAD, close to 5000 cals thing. I went from 160 to 174 within a month. Everything seemed to be going well.
However, as I began to squat more than ever before, I noticed a sharp pain in both my hip flexors as I would begin the ascension part of the squat. It was like a pinching sensation. It began only when I was squatting, but it quickly became and issue even when I was trying to walk and do day-to-day tasks. I stalled on squat at 285x5 before I decided enough was enough and quit.
I've since lessened to workload on my quads and the pain for the most part has gone away, (completely in my right quad but I still feel something in my left occasionally) and I'm contemplating starting SS over again. My question is this: Was I simply injured the first time, or had I exhausted my novice progression on the squat? I feel as if my potential for recovery from the stress of adding 5 pounds to the bar each workout was lowered because of my previous years of training, but according to what the book says, I should have still had at least a month more of 5 pound jumps to go. Is hip flexor pain a result of bad squat form?
Furthermore, if I were to retry SS, should I be weary of this pain flaring up again at around the same weight? I'm back down to 160 and 10% is BF, so I know I 'should' be on the program, but if the program isn't going to work optimally due to my circumstances, I need to know where to go from there.
Thanks.
✓ Member
Could easily be a form issue.
Member
Yes, indeed. Very easily.Originally Posted by Jeff Illingworth
Member
Like Jeff and Satch say, yeah, probably a form issue. It usually is. A couple questions to think about as you explore what to do next:
- How different was your form when you squatted 315 (I assume that's a 1RM?) before Doing The Program? Did your hips hurt then?
- Did you really stall at 285 or was it the pain that made you decide to stop? Or maybe another way of putting it, did you ever miss any reps?
- Based on what I'm reading your squat progressed as scheduled, but what about deadlifts? Did they progress? Did they hurt?
Regardless of the answers, you were not untrained when you began the program. But more important than how much Novice Linear Progression you have left is getting your form checked by a coach.
Member
Hey, Ryan. Thanks for the thoughtful response!
My form when I squatted 315 (Yes, it was 1RM) was drastically different. I was doing high-bar squats, but I was still going to depth. I never experienced any hip pain, though my knees did cave a bit during those days. When I switched to the SS Squat, I felt more stable than ever (no knee-knock, no froward lean, etc) but the pain came. It should be noted that volume was significantly lower on my prior-to-SS work (3 sets of 4-6 reps only 1x a week).
I did stall at 285, but I'm convinced it was completely due to the pain. I had a mental fear of the pain at the bottom of every rep, and when I eventually did miss reps, it was because the pain hurt to where I couldn't drive out of the bottom.
Deadlifts went from about 275 to 310 in my weeks on The Program, and I never had any pain or issues with them, except when my hip pain got really bad before I stopped all together. I made 5 pound jumps every workout until backing off to DLing 1x a week for phase 2.
I will for sure try and find someone to look at my form ASAP
✓ Member
Post a form check video if you can't get in with a coach soon. A lot of times the knees sliding forward and back can get the hips aggravated.
Member
If you meant "forward", I think that's a major red flag, because a low-bar squat involves a lot of forward lean. Do you video your sets? If not how do you know what your form is like? Kinesthesia's not at all reliable with new movements.
Member
I did mean "forward." And what I meant by that had nothing to do with my torso (as I think you are referring to?) I used to have a problem where, right as I would push out of the bottom, my weight would shift to the front of my feet and my entire body would lurch forward a bit, which I assume was a huge issue. But that went away.
I just squatted today and I did video it, but I'm hesitant to post because the only way I could get it done was with the camera a few inches from the ground and from the side angle, which is apparently a no-go in the technique forum. I would still be willing to post if any of you guys think you might be able to help me with it...You can see my entire body from the side view with plenty of light; the camera just sits kind of low. I think the form looks decent myself, but, then again, I have clearly been doing something wrong in the past. More importantly, I felt good and had no pain, so hopefully that means a step in the right direction.
✓ Member
This is not the technique forum. Post the link.
Member
$5 says you aren't keeping your knees jammed out
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