Some gold in this thread:
If foam rolling your IT band hurts like hell then you’re super knotted up. Eventually after doing it for a while it shouldn’t hurt, then you can switch to pvc pipe and really get in there.
[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
[quote]Cronus wrote:
My hamstrings, hip flexors, and glutes are tight to the point where I have trouble squatting properly. I stretch religiously for several weeks straight but then something happens a long the way where I miss 3-4 days and I feel like I am back to square one. Anybody else have this problem?[/quote]
I begin every leg session with foam rolling for several minutes, top to bottom, inner to outer, followed by several minutes of stretching. I consider this a part of my routine and necessary. [/quote]
Obviously there’s a trade off between injury and performance but apparently intense stretching before weights will limit your strength…I tested it a couple times and its definitely bad for me, but obviously everyone is different.
[quote]Intermezzo wrote:
I have had this exact same problem. My pain is not muscular however, its nerve pain around lower back and buttocks (not the correct distribution for sciatica, but similar). [/quote]
When I first started squatting, my left butt/back area would hurt for a few days afterwards, where pretty much every move would hurt. Googling made it look a little like piriformis syndrome, but I don’t know for reals.
I just threw everything at it, stretching and foam rolling glutes/hams/quads/IT band/hip flexors multiple times a day. And using a lacrosse ball to roll my glutes in the trigger points. That combined with squatting a lot (Starting Strength), the unique pain went away.
It only comes back if I don’t workout for like two weeks, or sit on an incredibly long airplane flight.
I foam roll every week or two, stretch after squatting, and stretch legs every day.
The thing that has helped my depth, ability to squat, and overall flexibility to the greatest extent is stretching with weight.
When I squat, I will use the warm up sets to stretch, using a fair amount of weight to go as deep as possible, holding it for a moment, and hitting deeper and deeper planes each time. This, of course, would only help you, OP, when you are to a certain point of flexibility already.
Best of luck.
[quote]
From what I heard, the Relax into Stretch book doesn’t really develop flexibility, it is more about controlling muscle tension but I could be wrong.[/quote]
Same thing, basically. I highly recommend reading it.
[quote]kingbeef323 wrote:
If foam rolling your IT band hurts like hell then you’re super knotted up. Eventually after doing it for a while it shouldn’t hurt, then you can switch to pvc pipe and really get in there.[/quote]
KB do you have your clients third world squat ?
[quote]Intermezzo wrote:
[quote]comtech123 wrote:
I’ve been avoiding the squat because of the intense lower back pain it creates for me the next day. I don’t think flexibility has anything to do with it since I can easily go below vertical with light weight. I’ve had a couple of trainers watch me squat and they cannot see me doing anything wrong. Has anyone else experienced this kind of restriction and how did you overcome it? I know this is holding me back from achieving the gains I want to make. Aside from this aggravating issue I have no other joint or pain issues to speak of but I can barely roll out of bed the next day due to lower back pain after I squat. Any advice would be appreciated.[/quote]
I have had this exact same problem. My pain is not muscular however, its nerve pain around lower back and buttocks (not the correct distribution for sciatica, but similar).
Coaches think my squat form is good, i get deep as well. I’m afraid i have no solution for you Comtech. I’ve tried stretching every second day for 3 months, ive tried foam rolling - nothing helps. I just don’t squat. Either I go deep and get this pain or i don’t go deep enough and feel like im wasting my time.
Frustrating.[/quote]
I’m having a similar problem. How can you tell it’s not sciatica?