Back tweak in squat

[Joe-Swinscoe]

Hello,
I tweaked my back today squatting. It happened at the top of rep 2. Is it something that I have done wrong during the rep, or is it just a tough shit, bad luck back tweak?

Squat 147.5 w/ back tweak - YouTube


I am 5’11 220lbs, 37, this is 147.5kg / 324.5 lbs, and was to be a PR set of 5. I used to tweak my back regularly, but haven’t for the past year since following SS. This one doesn’t feel too bad, I think I’ll be ok in a few days and am planning to DL through it on Friday, but would appreciate some feedback on whether it’s user error or just something that happens sometimes.

Many thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Both of these squats are high, and the 2nd rep you raised your chin. But this may have nothing to do with it -- sometimes you just tweak your back. Are you doing situps or back extensions?

[Jason Donaldson]

I used to tweak my back regularly, but haven’t for the past year since following SS. This one doesn’t feel too bad, I think I’ll be ok in a few days and am planning to DL through it on Friday, but would appreciate some feedback on whether it’s user error or just something that happens sometimes.

I used to tweak my back (and neck) a lot, too. Valuable lessons I've learned from getting strong is how little tweaks actually mean, how much of their impact has to do with how you respond mentally, and how much continuing to train fixes them.

On the rare occasions I do randomly get them anymore, I invariably find that the deadlift helps immensely, as if it pulls everything right back into place, so to speak.

Your plan is solid.

[Maybach]

Before I mark the free space on my bingo card, what is your deadlift at?

[Joe-Swinscoe]

Both of these squats are high, and the 2nd rep you raised your chin. But this may have nothing to do with it -- sometimes you just tweak your back. Are you doing situps or back extensions?

I haven't being doing sit ups or back extensions, I have been trying to avoid wriggling my back around. I am hurt right now but am moving around ok , I am finding the only way to get up and down, or pick things up off the floor pain free, is to move like in the squat model. Any tilting or twisting is hurting a lot. I feel that if I hurt my back like this before I started training I would not have been able to cope with it as well as I am now, so thank you.

Noted about squat depth, I will go deeper.

I used to tweak my back (and neck) a lot, too. Valuable lessons I've learned from getting strong is how little tweaks actually mean, how much of their impact has to do with how you respond mentally, and how much continuing to train fixes them.

On the rare occasions I do randomly get them anymore, I invariably find that the deadlift helps immensely, as if it pulls everything right back into place, so to speak.

Your plan is solid.

Thanks, I hope that it does help. What you say makes sense and it feels like it would work.

Before I mark the free space on my bingo card, what is your deadlift at?

Like everyone, my deadlift isn't high enough. I hit a PR single at a recreational meet a fortnight ago of 180kg. Last Friday at the gym I did 165kg x 5 reps, and had planned to do 167.5 x 5 this coming Friday.

Many thanks.

[Maybach]

Like everyone, my deadlift isn't high enough. I hit a PR single at a recreational meet a fortnight ago of 180kg. Last Friday at the gym I did 165kg x 5 reps, and had planned to do 167.5 x 5 this coming Friday.

That's not too bad, actually. Careful to keep it pushed ahead of the squat if you're only deadlifting once a week. Mid 300s (~140 kg) is too light to let them get closer than like 20 kilos or so.

Your upper back appears to be a little soft: your elbows are "dipping" as you approach the bottom, which indicates your back isn't as tight as it could be. A lot of "motion" in an area that should be almost completely rigid. Focus on keeping your shoulders tight back into the bar. I sometimes think of "shrugging" the bar up, as if the effort I'm using to push my shoulders back is actually part of moving the bar. You might try that. Pretty sure that's at least partially to blame.

[Shiva Kaul]

I used to tweak my back (and neck) a lot, too. Valuable lessons I've learned from getting strong is how little tweaks actually mean, how much of their impact has to do with how you respond mentally, and how much continuing to train fixes them.

On the rare occasions I do randomly get them anymore, I invariably find that the deadlift helps immensely, as if it pulls everything right back into place, so to speak.

Your plan is solid.

Agreed. Last weekend, I also tweaked my back - by just unracking the bar. Couldn't sleep, move, or walk. Had difficulty getting out of chairs until yesterday. But, on Monday, I rack-pulled 365x5. Wednesday, 405x5 off the floor. Today 455x5, and after this weekend I should be in working shape.