The three big lifts I am having issues with are the Squat, Bench, and DL. I cant determine whether it has to do with my hips, core, lower back, knee or ankle mobility or even my scapula. With the squats I was told from a friend that towards the end of every set on my last rep he said that I am leaning and tilting to the left as I go up from the squat and this occurs with the front squat.
On another day I was told with my back squat that I am hyperextending my back more on my left lower back side as I come up than my right side which if you were to look through a side view the bar would not be held in a straight line. The next day, my left lower lat and even the left side of my ribs (side and lower back part) were very tender and sore but only the left lower side only. Im also using a belt as well. This occurs with and even without the belt.
As for the deadlift, its similiar. I feel as if there are some hip rotation involved on my left side. I am starting to do more anti rotation core exercises but Im starting to think it may be something else. I dont think its knee related because I point my toes out and drive my knees out on the way down and up. But for the squat I am thinking that my width is too wide but I tried narrowing my width but it slightly helped a little but on the long run I dont think it will help.
Once I finish my squats my lower back becomes very sore as if I just finished a lower back workout. I then go on to RDL’s in which I am starting to notice significantly over time that I just cant seem to say balance with the bar. For example, the bar is hanging lower on one side than the other and at times becomes very difficult for me to keep the bar grinding on the shins on the way up. I always feel a sense of mechanical issues when doing these especially as I come up. I have never encountered such issues like this with my training but I am starting to conclude that overtime the injuries and the inability to stay tight and perform the workouts correctly are getting worst. I was never expecting to have technical issues like this with my training because I am very hard on my technique but its creeping up on me and it came out of no where.
I’m gonna second the need for videos but if you’re worried about a unilateral weakness in the legs/hips a set of bulgarian split squats should confirm that.
I wish I could give videos but here is one that is similar buts not me at all. However, mine has a little tilting with the bar on the left side. For your info, the link is not me just an idea
I had a similar problem in the past when squatting where my right side would always raise faster than my left side. My right side erector and lats always felt more sore. I thought that maybe if I tighten my left side more and raise the left side faster, it would fix the problem. That only worked until the weight got heavy when I went back to my strongest position where the right side went up faster and my left knee would move out a bit more than my right side.
It wasn’t until I had a technique overhaul where I learned to get everything tight that the problem went away. I squatted in a similar manner where I hyperextended my back and relied on my erectors and hamstrings to drive out of the hole. To develop the stability to control the bar and your body, you need to strengthen your abs, hips, shoulders and get them involved in the lift.
The first thing you need to learn is to brace your abs. Do a lot of work to build your ab strength so that it helps to resist hyperextension when you squat. It will take awhile for your ab strength to catch up so expect for this to take some time. It could take a couple months or longer.
The second thing you need to build is your hip strength. You need to learn to fire you gluteus medius and hip flexors together and you won’t be able to do this well unless you know how to brace your abs. The hip strength comes from learning to use your erectors, abs, gluteus medius, hip flexors and gluteus maximus together throughout the entire lift.
The third thing is to build your shoulder strength so you can pull your shoulder blades down. The general advice is to pull the elbows down with the lats but that won’t get you very tight if you don’t anchor your shoulder blades down to your spine and rib cage by pulling them down. Do a lot of pull down work where you focus on pulling your shoulder blades down while keeping your chest up.
I can’t put a timeline on this since it depends on how much time and effort you’re willing to commit to just these things and whether you’re doing it effectively. I have been able to help a couple friends develop technique focusing on the above with the goblet squat, seated good mornings and some isolation work. It took a couple months for them to develop the consistency and I still remind them from time to time to keep tight but overall it’s a huge improvement.
I highly doubt I have Scoliosis. In the past as a kid I had been checked several times and I have visited my chiro in the past for other concern and I would of been assesed then. This is not something that occurred when I first started training but in fact developed overtime Im assuming. It just started. I have been training for a while
[quote]shiz wrote:
I highly doubt I have Scoliosis. In the past as a kid I had been checked several times and I have visited my chiro in the past for other concern and I would of been assesed then. This is not something that occurred when I first started training but in fact developed overtime Im assuming. It just started. I have been training for a while[/quote]
Mine started from high school sports where I always jumped off my left leg. It wasn’t noticeable until a couple years ago.