Problems Keeping My Back Straight

Bigger Stronger Leaner Beginners
1

Today when I squatted I had a round back, so I decided to do some bodyweight squats to see if I could even keep my back straight. My upper back was straight, but im not sure if my lower back was. I really focused on “back straight, butt back” and when I got close to parallel I could really feel a strain on my hip flexors.

Should I do the Third-World Squat a couple times a day and continue lifting, or what? Should I stop lifting for a couple weeks while I try to get more flexible? Also, does anyone know of a video that shows good lower back position during the squat? I would like to see a good video, because maybe i’ll see my back isn’t rounded or if it is.

I lift in Chuck Taylors, so would that make it harder for me to hit parallel with a straight back?

Also, when I deadlift, I find it extremely difficult to keep my back straight. So much that im not sure if I even have a straight back when im doing my heavy lifts. Can you guys give me any advice on that subject? Would tight hip flexors also be a problem with that?

Edit: Also when I squat, I tend to lean forward more then I think I should. Would this also be related to tight hips/hamstrings?

2

I have experienced similar problems. I found that the third world squat is a great program to overcome this. For one set, take the Chucks off and squat/deadlift barefoot and see if it makes a difference. Ir probably won’t as Chucks have a low heel, but it may.

Check the link at the bottom. People have done my work for me and found vids on form

Check it out-vhttp://www.T-Nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=1688495

3

your shoes are fine…

First off
Buy Eric Cressey’s Magnificent Mobility
yeah yeah its fucking expensive but do it, there is even a specific drill in it focusses on increasing squat depth while keeping tight form

another problem you might be having is your mind not being able to controll your body all the time yet, don’t worry itll come. But in the time being DONT dead or squat with a rounded back, you might be able to get away with it, but then again you might get hurt really badly (like me) and massively regret it!

Also check out the Squat RX videos on youtube(just search squat RX) i beleive epidose number 1 is all about keeping your low back straight.

another good thing is to face a wall with your feet maybe 6 inches away at first and to throw up your hands on the wall…from there squat down as far as you can, youll have to choice but to stay straight back there…gradually decrease the distance between your feet and the wall.

hope this was helpful

4

^ Cool, thanks for both of your replies. It seems my lower back is rounded, so I will try incorporating some flexibility work into my day. However, for the time being, what should I be doing in terms of squatting, since I cannot currently keep my lower back arched when im squatting?

5

I just thought of something, when your squatting, should you be focusing on keeping your torso tight? Right now I find it hard to focus on keeping my overall body tight while im lifitng, so I was wondering if keeping the body tight would help with form.

Also, when squatting, your supposed to focus on sitting back, not down, right?

I know im asking a lot of questions, but I really want to be strong one day, and I know that I need good form for safety and strength reasons, so the more I learn now the better off i’ll be later.

6

[quote]fisch wrote:
^ Cool, thanks for both of your replies. It seems my lower back is rounded, so I will try incorporating some flexibility work into my day. However, for the time being, what should I be doing in terms of squatting, since I cannot currently keep my lower back arched when im squatting?[/quote]

in the time being you should:
Buy magnificent Mobility
And until that ships and your mobility comes around for legs you can do

Bulgarian squats (this will help get you ass in gear)
Lunges
and maybe Hack squats

[quote]fisch wrote:
I just thought of something, when your squatting, should you be focusing on keeping your torso tight? Right now I find it hard to focus on keeping my overall body tight while im lifitng, so I was wondering if keeping the body tight would help with form.

Also, when squatting, your supposed to focus on sitting back, not down, right?

I know im asking a lot of questions, but I really want to be strong one day, and I know that I need good form for safety and strength reasons, so the more I learn now the better off i’ll be later.[/quote]

focus on squezing your upper back together and keep your core tight and out

Focussing on sitting back may help you, but i always find it hard to get the depth i want if i sit back a lot, so for me i think of sitting back AND down, im no squat expert, but i did suffer similar problems as you

7

[quote]fisch wrote:
I just thought of something, when your squatting, should you be focusing on keeping your torso tight? Right now I find it hard to focus on keeping my overall body tight while im lifitng, so I was wondering if keeping the body tight would help with form.

Also, when squatting, your supposed to focus on sitting back, not down, right?

I know im asking a lot of questions, but I really want to be strong one day, and I know that I need good form for safety and strength reasons, so the more I learn now the better off i’ll be later.[/quote]

My squats been coming along, but I’ll still catch myself going ‘tail under’ especially with body weight squats.

The one thing that has been helping me is focusing on keeping my butt tight. I’ll try to purposefully hyperextend and hold my back arch as I go down. I just think chest up. When I reach the bottom, I’ll feel a good stretch in my glutes and I can maintain good body tension and keep a good back position. If I start to relax my butt at the bottom, I lose the good back arch and I feel the loss of body tension.

For powerlifting style squats, you are supposed to sit back. The farther you sit back and the straighter your shins, the more you will have to lean forward to keep the bar over your heels and stay balanced. For the olympic squat, your knees will come further out over your feet and your shins will be at a pretty sharp angle relative to your feet. This puts your butt pretty much at your ankles and your torso will stay more upright with the bar still over your heels… The further your butt goes back the more you will have to lean forward to stay balanced.

I would keep squatting because you will never learn if you stop practicing it. Go as low as you feel comfortable, even if it is above parallel. The depth will come with time and maybe some more work on flexibility.

I’ve been doing a lot of leg swings, especially to the side to warm up before I squat. The other stretch I’ve been doing a lot for hip mobility is called the pinch squat. Squat down in front of a power rack, pole, or doorway and use it to pull your chest upright and butt toward your ankles. You should feel a pretty nasty stretch in your hip flexors.