Does your back tighten up and ache after squatting? Are you doing all the normal stuff like bracing your core and pushing your knees out but still over working your back? Then these next 2 minutes will be a game changer for you.
Back pain during the squatting pattern is the single most common problem that we help lifters eliminate. For proof, head over to our google reviews and check it out. Several are from people just like yourself who have used this system to eliminate back pain and hit PR's.
First let's talk about the most common reason we see people over work their back during squats. It's not what you think.
The Cause
The concept of "neutral spine" has been talked about for years now, so there's probably some merit to it. However, the demonization of a flexed back during lifts has driven people to value hyperextension over a more neutral position. Here's what it looks like when someone is hyperextended during a squat:
As you can see, it doesn't look that bad. Chances are your squat looks pretty good too. The problem is you're not putting your core in a good position to use your hip muscles and your back ends up taking up the extra work!
So how do you fix it?
The Fix
The first step is to ensure 3 areas of mobility are optimal.
Ankle Mobility
Hip Mobility
Rib Cage Mobility
When these three areas of your body move the way they were intended, you have a shot at putting yourself in position to use your core and hips appropriately and eliminate back pain from your squat training.
There's one more thing you need to know though. If your mobility is great, but your bracing pattern isn't, you may still overuse your back. You need to learn to stack your ribs and hips and then maintain this position while squatting. Here's what stacked ribs and hips looks like:
You need to stack your ribs over your hips so that you lock in a "canister" position. This position allows you to stabilize your core with more abs and less back.
The proper way to get started addressing your mobility and stacking your core is to first understand what YOU specifically need to work on. Meeting with a Performance Physical Therapist, one on one for an hour will give you a clear picture of your mobility and strength limitations, as well as a personalized plan to fix it.
You can spend time frustrating yourself without a plan that is personalized to you, or you can understand in one hour exactly what areas of mobility and strength are lacking that are forcing you to overuse your back during squats. If you want to speak to a Performance Physical Therapist over the phone, free of charge with no obligation to buy anything, call us today at (469)626-7254. Let our front desk know you want to speak to a PT about your specific problem and we will help you get back on track to eliminating your frustrating back pain so you can train without pain.
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