starting strength gym
Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Squat form check please (low back fatigue from racking)

  1. #1

    Default Squat form check please (low back fatigue from racking)

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
    • starting strength seminar jume 2024
    • starting strength seminar august 2024
    Hi everyone,

    I could really use a form check. I am coming back after 2 months of inactivity. In Feb, I squatted 235 lbs. Picked it up at 185 lbs in May and today did 205 lbs.

    I am still learning the LB. One of the main issues I have been struggling with is lower back fatigue when racking the bar after the set. I have no problems when doing the squat itself, but when I rack it back, I feel like I am going to fold in half forwards. I feel a lot of tension in the low back. This could be because I don't have my hips under me or something, I don't know how to explain it clearly.

    When I did HB in the past, I did not feel this low back fatigue while racking the bar. My hips were directly in a straight line under my shoulders, while in the LB I feel I am bent over at the top, which means my hips are pushed out. Can someone give me a pointer on what I am doing wrong and how I can fix this?

    Am I supposed to inhale and hold my breath while waking forwards to rerack? That could be a reason too, because I am not holding the air down and am just gasping because the last rep is always hard.

    Set 1, 2, and 3 (together with breaks cut out) Set 2 has the best camera angle among the three.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    New York, NY
    Posts
    649

    Default

    Before each rep, take a big breath and bear down hard on your abs. Do this *before* you start the descent of your reps. Shove your knees out harder as you go down and cut your depth a bit - aim for just below parallel. Right now you are doing the re-rack rather loose and twisting such that only one side is racked at a time (not recommended). Once the set is done you can take another breath before re-racking. This will help you keep some tightness as you walk the bar in. As you walk the bar in do it all the way into the rack. Walk straight in until the bar hits both uprights at the same time. Once it does, your feet will both be under your hips and you can squat down to lower the bar on the hooks.
    __________________________________________________
    Science for Fitness:
    Online Strength Coaching, Nutrition Coaching, & In-Person Training

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Vienna, VA
    Posts
    132

    Default

    Walk the bar all the way in to the uprights, and then squat the bar down to the pins. You are trying to gingerly set the bar on the pins. This is heavy metal; don't be afraid to hit the uprights hard.

  4. #4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Hayden-William Courtland View Post
    Before each rep, take a big breath and bear down hard on your abs. Do this *before* you start the descent of your reps. Shove your knees out harder as you go down and cut your depth a bit - aim for just below parallel. Right now you are doing the re-rack rather loose and twisting such that only one side is racked at a time (not recommended). Once the set is done you can take another breath before re-racking. This will help you keep some tightness as you walk the bar in. As you walk the bar in do it all the way into the rack. Walk straight in until the bar hits both uprights at the same time. Once it does, your feet will both be under your hips and you can squat down to lower the bar on the hooks.
    Hi Hayden,

    Thanks so much for the feedback. That makes a lot of sense. I will fix that and hopefully it should solve the problem.

    Quote Originally Posted by BastiatBB View Post
    Walk the bar all the way in to the uprights, and then squat the bar down to the pins. You are trying to gingerly set the bar on the pins. This is heavy metal; don't be afraid to hit the uprights hard.
    Thanks BastiatBB, yeah that's what Coach Hayden said. That actually makes sense and should solve the fatigue problem. Thanks!

  5. #5

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Hayden-William Courtland View Post
    Before each rep, take a big breath and bear down hard on your abs. Do this *before* you start the descent of your reps. Shove your knees out harder as you go down and cut your depth a bit - aim for just below parallel. Right now you are doing the re-rack rather loose and twisting such that only one side is racked at a time (not recommended). Once the set is done you can take another breath before re-racking. This will help you keep some tightness as you walk the bar in. As you walk the bar in do it all the way into the rack. Walk straight in until the bar hits both uprights at the same time. Once it does, your feet will both be under your hips and you can squat down to lower the bar on the hooks.
    Hayden, this worked like a magic. That low back fatigue is gone! I did as you asked: took a deep breath and braced before slamming both ends of the bar on the squat rack at the same time.

    Did you notice any other thing in my form that needs to be fixed before putting on more weight? Any other feedback? Thanks!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •