[quote]StrikeT wrote:
Eric,
Both of my knees buckle inward when I squat heavy.
I also feel pain on the top left part of my left knee after squating.
Do you have any routines that address these issues.
Thanks[/quote]
Yes - two of them! Check out the Neanderthal No More series and just substitute barbell reverse lunges with a front squat grip for the front squats.
Eric,
You mean do front squats with a front squat grip, right.
Can I ask why you substitute the reverse lunges?
[quote]Eric Cressey wrote:
It could be a few things: adhesion in the soft tissue, referred pain from elsewhere, or even a small strain. Have you checked the alignment of your pelvis? If you’re elevated on one side, it can definitely lead to tweaks in the hamstrings very easily.
Could you please describe in a little more detail where the pain is located? Medial? Lateral?
[/quote]
It comes and goes but even after complete weeks off from the gym it can still bug me so I dont think it is a strain.
The tightness is located in the medial hamstring region about 1/2-3/4 the way to my glutes from my knee.
When you lay your hamstring straight and massage it you can feel that line of denser tissue down the middle(I am not that up to par on anatomy so I hope you get what I mean). It is right along this ridge.
Sometimes I cant notice it at all until I really sit down into a dead or oly lift. Once I stand up it completely vanishes and the more I sit back the worse it seems to get.
Only other thing I can think of is when I stand naturally my left leg is slightly farther back in my stance then my right leg. My right leg being the one that has the hamstring that is giving me problems.
[quote]StrikeT wrote:
Eric,
You mean do front squats with a front squat grip, right.
Can I ask why you substitute the reverse lunges?[/quote]
Nope; it means to do a reverse lunge where the barbell is held as you would for a front squat. It’ll keep you more upright and emphasize proper posture while taking some of the stress off that knee (more emphasis will be on the posterior chain).
Maybe this qualifies as “stupid question for the day” but…
I don’t get DOMS on upperbody anymore. Lower body is Ridiculous DOMS. I NEVER go to failure, although the reps allow serious struggle on the last rep of the last set.
I do 6x5 and 10x3 (as I said, very close to failure but no fail), but on upper body days…I feel no soreness or anything. In your opinion…is the a good or bad thing, and if bad, do you have any ideas on how to improve it?
I also mix up the exercises/parameters every 4-5 weeks and take a back off week every 5th week or so.
Thanks.
[quote]blam wrote:
It comes and goes but even after complete weeks off from the gym it can still bug me so I dont think it is a strain.
The tightness is located in the medial hamstring region about 1/2-3/4 the way to my glutes from my knee.
When you lay your hamstring straight and massage it you can feel that line of denser tissue down the middle(I am not that up to par on anatomy so I hope you get what I mean). It is right along this ridge.
Sometimes I cant notice it at all until I really sit down into a dead or oly lift. Once I stand up it completely vanishes and the more I sit back the worse it seems to get.
Only other thing I can think of is when I stand naturally my left leg is slightly farther back in my stance then my right leg. My right leg being the one that has the hamstring that is giving me problems.[/quote]
Try doing a ton of stretching on the right side for the hip flexors (especially the ITB/TFL), piriformis, and adductors. It might even be an issue with the distal aspect of the adductor magnus. Loosen up those hips and see what shakes free; I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
If you have access, get an ART session and have 'em focus on these areas.
Eric,
Here’s another thing: I constantly feel tighness in my lower back (or 3/4 down from the bottom of my neck) and in upper traps as well.
Can all this be related?
Any suggestions?
[quote]Trailblazer wrote:
Maybe this qualifies as “stupid question for the day” but…
I don’t get DOMS on upperbody anymore. Lower body is Ridiculous DOMS. I NEVER go to failure, although the reps allow serious struggle on the last rep of the last set.
I do 6x5 and 10x3 (as I said, very close to failure but no fail), but on upper body days…I feel no soreness or anything. In your opinion…is the a good or bad thing, and if bad, do you have any ideas on how to improve it?
I also mix up the exercises/parameters every 4-5 weeks and take a back off week every 5th week or so.
Thanks.[/quote]
I definitely wouldn’t use soreness as a measure of progress. Still, you might want to consider rotating your exercises a bit more frequently, especially if you’re pretty experienced.
[quote]StrikeT wrote:
Eric,
Here’s another thing: I constantly feel tighness in my lower back (or 3/4 down from the bottom of my neck) and in upper traps as well.
Can all this be related?
Any suggestions?[/quote]
Yes. Just read over that series and you’ll see that everything is related (and begin to understand HOW they’re related).