1 x 4 100lb squat at 117ish BW. First set in SL 5x5 (didn't do last rep since my toe started to cramp...)
OK, my adductors keep hurting each time I do weighted squats. It sure seems like there's no real flexibility issues (right?), but I'm clearly doing good morning squats in the last 2 reps especially. I'm guessing this is a core tightness issue? I'm doing the valsalva, but I imagine I'm not particularly good at it/simply don't have the required core strength? Does this have anything to do with why my goddamn adductors hurt (not shooting pain, just more pain than soreness)? I stretch them every day and foam roll every other day. WTF is going on? Maybe it's a glute issue? I feel like I might not be activating those consistently - any tips on how to do so? Any other general form issues?
@msmat A couple of thoughts before I run to my meeting:
- Stand up straight, pull the bar across your back, and breathe into your stomach to brace your core before you start.
- I have recently started cueing "chest out" when I start out of the hole. That gets my chest moving up and the rest follows.
@msmat I've had similar issues with leaning too far forward as well. Something that helps me, along with what everyone else has suggested is to really push the bar into your shoulders, if that makes sense. This helps me remember to keep my chest up. Good luck!
@msmat It looks like your squat is turning into a good morning on the way up. Like others have said, you probably need to drop down the weight and when you come back up really focus on moving your hips and shoulders up at the same time. I had that issue and for me what was wrong is that my quads were weak so my hamstrings were trying to take up the slack so I really focused on letting my quads do the work.
@msmat Have you tried high bar squats? You're supposed to be mostly upright using that position, so you will have less issues with leaning forward. Otherwise, check out what proper form looks like with the low bar squat. Allan Thrall has really great videos on squatting, this is his video on high vs. low bar. You can check out his form and the way he describes how each should be.
@bornfree7777 Oh boy, I can't high bar at all - presumably because I have a lean issue lol. Maybe I'll try some super lightweight high bars a bit more to get used to keeping my chest up. I have seen thralls squat video (and like most other squat form videos since its always been my most uncomfortable lift), but clearly they haven't taken.
@msmat I would think that the leaning is a bigger issue with low bar squats because you're supposed to lean forward a little and stick your butt out. But since you can't control your leaning, you don't know how far is too far.
With high bar, you shouldn't really be leaning forward and you shouldn't be sticking your butt out. It's more of a sitting down movement and you know you're leaning forward when you feel the weight on your toes. I think it would be easier for you to tell when you're leaning and be able to adjust if you switch to high bar.
@msmat You're definitely leaning way too far forward, as you mentioned. I think you need to drop down in weight a bit and really work on keeping your chest up and out. You can also use goblet squats to work on mobility, which really helped me when I was starting out.
In regards to your pain, is it closer to the groin area of the adductors or closer to your mid thigh? I had pain in the groin area on one side that really affected my squats. I completely resolved it by doing goblet squats, "third world" squat sits, the butterfly stretch and this sort of inverted butterfly stretch.
@dawn16 Thanks for the tips! I definitely won't progress any further until I fix the forward lean. Do you have any cues that help with keeping the chest up? I seem to not have this issue with goblet squats
Adductor pain is close to the groin area, but I can do "third world" squats for like days on end without issue, and can touch my knees to the ground with the closest butterfly stretch. I have been working on the inverted butterfly lately though, so hopefully that'll help a bit.
@msmat As far as keeping your chest up, what's helped me is to really focus on activating my abs. You can do this by tucking your butt and tilting your hips up toward your ribs when you first load the bar onto your shoulders. Try to keep your hips tipped toward your ribs as you squat, this makes it pretty difficult to lean forward. The whole tucked butt/tipped hips is the common ballet posture. If I'm not making sense, look up videos of how to have a ballerinas posture. Hopefully this helps!
@msmat Hm, leaning forward was never my issue so I don't know any specific cues for that. Others may have some suggestions! Even though it can feel disappointing to drop in weight a bit, I think it will be important for you to avoid injury. Maybe dedicate some time at the beginning of a work out to start at a very light weight (maybe just the bar) and work up in 5-10 lb increments and notice when the leaning forward issue pops up. Better for your ego to be bruised than for your body to be broken (lol)!
And I loooooove the inverted butterfly (there is probably an actual name for it that I don't know). It definitely the most intense adductor stretch I know of and I really do think it made a huge difference for me.
@dawn16 You're right - I really shouldn't let my ego get the best of me (I'm just so close to BW gahhh). I think I'll spend my next gym day figuring out my sticking point (I think the lean really creeps up around 90lb, but I'll certainly test it).
@msmat Deadlifts are awesome!! They're by far my best lift.
Good luck with your squats!
Edit: I watched the video one more time and I figured I should mention this because it might be helpful to you. When you come back up from your squat, your hips come all the way up and then your chest comes up. These things (the hinge at the knees and the hinge at the hips) should ideally be happening in unison.
