T Nation

Lower Back Tightness After Lower Body Movements. Front Squat Form Check

Injuries and Rehab
#1

I do have a history of back issues but I’m far removed from experiencing any real pain day to day.

I’ve been adding the squat to the beginning of every upper body workout. I’ve also scaled it back on the weight quite a bit as my lower back feels blah. I’m not in pain but I just don’t like how tight I feel.

I guess my question is do you see anything extremely off? I forgot my straps so I resorted to zombie front squats. I feel like I’m bracing appropriately. I’m sitting at work today and while I’m not in pain, my QL’s (I think) feel tighter than I’d like. No real leg soreness but at the same time I wasn’t pushing myself weight wise.

I feel like I’m writing too much as it is. Here’s the vid. Thanks in advance.

I’ve done the whole physio thing and I can’t say it helped. I know my legs have a lot more push in them but my lower back seems to be the limiting factor.

#2

Bad pelvic tilt is putting you in a bad position so you can’t brace properly. Your lower back is having to work extra hard to support your because it’s hard to use you abs/obliques/glutes in that position.

Check out these pics.

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Too much arch is bad. You have too much arch.

Heres just the hips. Bad vs good.

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Skeleton hips.

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Here’s a video about pelvic tilt. Everybody thinks they have this down. Nobody thinks they need to do this.

Here’s a video about bracing in the squat.

2 Likes
#3

That’s a great post

1 Like
#4

Thank you so much for the reply! I’ve watched the videos and the hard part is I don’t think being in pelvic tilt is unique to just exercising. It’s my general day to day posture.

It may not appear like it but I did exhale and try to brace before descending into the squat. I’m not sure I can get to ‘neutral’ so to speak. I may have to just ditch squatting altogether.

I’ll work on the pelvic tilts in the interim but I’m not confident I can even get to neutral doing a goblet squat. I don’t know what to do besides remove working my body altogether.

1 Like
#5

Hang in there! I think you’ve got some tight muscle(s) in your hips that are giving you some trouble.

Think back to when you worked with the physio, can you remember what they were trying to work on, or what they said your “problem” was?