# Lower Back Pain when doing squats



## Metzer (Jun 20, 2011)

Noticed for the last few weeks then when I do squats, I get pains in my lower back,

Same thing when doing the leg press. Could it be my superdrol/trenazone/andro cycle or my actual form?

I keep my back straight when squatting down, maybe leaning forward very slightly, knees never come past toes..

Cheers


----------



## Glassback (Jun 18, 2010)

God this made me cringe reading it... just the title did.

Lower back pain - right is it down either legs? If so how far down does it go?


----------



## invisiblekid (Jun 18, 2006)

Potentially lower back pumps or a form issue.

Do you feel your back rounding at all? Have you only experienced the problem since starting a cycle?


----------



## Metzer (Jun 20, 2011)

Not down the legs, only like above the hips / lower back. Gets painful to a point where I have to limit the weight on what I do


----------



## MusclesBound (Jul 5, 2011)

How much do you weigh and how much are you squatting/leg pressing? Also, what lower back exercises do you do? And finally, whats your training split? Do u train legs following a back day?


----------



## Metzer (Jun 20, 2011)

Well during this cycle I've gone a lot heavier than usual, my back is straight, I guess I lean forward naturally when at the bottom of the squat


----------



## ginjaninja (Sep 20, 2011)

I get terrible lower back pain with squats, even with an experienced 'squatter' monitoring my form. I have been disgnosed with mild scoliosis which is a lateral curvature of the spine though so that's likely the contributing factor. I now avoid any exercise that puts a lot of compression weight on my spine and have moved to heavy leg presses and lots of walking lunges etc and get no real pain. Perhaps you have trapped a nerve? My training partner developed a bit of sciatica that caused pain in his lower back through most lower body exercises. Consult your GP just in case there is a more serious underlying injury that you could aggravate.


----------



## Metzer (Jun 20, 2011)

MusclesBound said:


> How much do you weigh and how much are you squatting/leg pressing? Also, what lower back exercises do you do? And finally, whats your training split? Do u train legs following a back day?


I weight 87kg, squatting 80-90kg , 8-10 reps,

Leg press I do 120 kg 8-10 reps

I think I did train legs the day after back (did back on Tues, legs yesterday),

I normally train 2-3 days in a row followed by a rest day and repeat, so it just depends what body part is to be done on that day - differs quite a bit


----------



## Redbeard85 (Mar 26, 2011)

Post a vid mate, so we can see what your form is like...the weight isn't to heavy, you should be able to do that, it may just be your form, or not giving enough rest...or something totally different...


----------



## MusclesBound (Jul 5, 2011)

Metzer said:


> I think I did train legs the day after back


This probably contributed then. I train back Tuesday's and legs Wednesday's but I alternate either doing heavy deadlifts on the Tuesday or heavy squats on the Wednesday. If you went heavy on back your lumbar muscle would not be able to support your squat.


----------



## invisiblekid (Jun 18, 2006)

I have degeneration of discs at multiple points in my spine, but still manage to squat 160kg now and again for reps. The key is stabilisers and adequate rest. I do a 3 day split on Monday Wednesday and Friday. Pull (back) and Legs are always done with at least 2 days rest between them - i.e. back Monday and Legs Friday or visa versa.

If you're leaning forward get it sorted asap. Do you use shoes with a large heel like Adidas shocks? If so, get rid and get some flat soles. This helped me greatly.

Oh and stretch. A lot. Especially immediately after your leg routine and the days afterwards.


----------



## Guest (Aug 25, 2011)

How old are you?

As you get older, i.e over 25 you start developing degeneration of the spine. It is nothing serious just part of being human. But you need to be aware of it as you age.

I am no doc, but it is very possible that you have either torn muscles in the lower back or perhaps a collapsed disc. If it is the latter then you really do need to stay off the squats and do the leg presses instead.

See you GP and see if you can get a cat scan of your back, it will let you know. He/she will probaly recommend an x ray but that will tell you jack sh!t.


----------



## H10dst (Apr 18, 2010)

I get this too although mine starts at my lower back and goes via my bum cheeks to the back of my hamstring area. Don't even go that heavy maybe a plate a side?


----------



## bossdog (Aug 25, 2011)

H10dst said:


> I get this too although mine starts at my lower back and goes via my bum cheeks to the back of my hamstring area. Don't even go that heavy maybe a plate a side?


Exactly what I got now,did squats and 2 weeks ago been aching since,getting dressed for work this morning sneezed and bang felt like I'd had electric shock in my back,been Docs today she thinks it's sciatica got to rest up for a week and see how it goes


----------



## dazc (Oct 4, 2009)

id put money on it being your going too low.

correct form isnt to parrellel, or **** to grass, its whatever you have the capacity for.

lower back pain when squatting, unless there is injury present, is almost always from squatting past a break point. and i dont mean lots or rounding of the back, or large amounts of posterior pelvic tilt, i mean the smallest amount percievable of change in shape of the back.

the muscles in the back, especially the erectors, but importantly also muscles like the multifidus are contracted to resist flexion of the spine, when you hit break point, ie there is for some reason no more range left in the hips, the back goes into extension to provide the rest of the ROM and those muscles are literally torn apart.

it puts the discs under uneaven load, and also wear the facet joints. it is an injury waiting to happen.

you shouldnt have soreness or pain, or much of anything, in the lower back when squatting


----------



## dazc (Oct 4, 2009)

H10dst said:


> I get this too although mine starts at my lower back and goes via my bum cheeks to the back of my hamstring area. Don't even go that heavy maybe a plate a side?


there is a dysfunction somewhere in the body, very likely a tethered sciatic nerve. often due to a subclinical spasm in something like piriformis or hamstring. But equally its cause can lie much further up the body in the shoulders, and be referred via the myofascial slings in the back. usually onto the opposite side but can be equally just as much in both.

the body works as a unit, and you cannot isolate the root cause of a problem to an area just because thats where the pain is, as thats just the symptom


----------



## bossdog (Aug 25, 2011)

Had this pain a few weeks now some days very bad, ain't trained a few weeks so p ssed off.gonna try and see a chiropractor next week fingers crossed he can help


----------

