Hi Fit

Hi Fit.

I've been stalled on the squat for as long as I can remember (couple of months). Need help.

I squat High Bar and really feel my lumbar is holding me back, as opposed to my legs.
I've been told this is because of my shit-weak abs and lordotic posture.

My current stats @ 72kg (159lbs), 1.73m (5'7''):

(5rm everything)
Bench = 102.5kg (227lbs)
DL = 162.5kg (358lbs)
Squat = 115 kg (253lbs)
OHP = 60 kg (132lbs)

Please help, I want that sweet 1/2/3/4.

I don't want to be a squatlet, should I go riptard and do low-bar?

post routine and dietary habits and we'll see what's what.

173cm is 5'8.1

3 days a week.

My current plan is something like

A:
3x5 BP
3x5 Sq
3x5 Pendlay row

B:
3x5 OHP
5-3-1 DL, keeping weight for all sets
3x5 Front squats (@ 80% my normal squat, because I'm wrecked at this point)

Sometimes I do weighted dips or weighted chins at the end, if I have time to spare (rarely).

Regarding my diet.
Usually I drink a shake (1 banana, 2 eggs, 2 scoops, spoon of PB and about half a liter of whole milk) in the morning before work, then some fruit, toasts, milk and coffee somewhere in the morning, then at lunch I just eat whatever they have at the job cafeteria with the most meat. Then I eat something in the afternoon (usually garbage, to be honest, but I'm pretty thin so I figure it's okay). Then I have dinner. It depends, I cook different stuff.

I drink another glass of milk before bed.

Have you considered using a belt?

Thanks, I have no idea. Must have mistyped when converting or whatever.

Not until now. But I think I'm squatting pretty low for a belt.

I'm deadlifting 160kgs no problem without one...

you're not squatting heavy to necessitate a need for front squats yet. everything the front squat will do for you at this point is probably more effectively trained by getting more back squats in, for the reason that you will be exposed to double the practice of the form (highly important) and be able to linearly progress by adding weight every workout exactly like SS.

track your weight, too. if you're not gaining weight then you've probably found the culprit.

Thanks. That's sound advice.

However, It still bugs me that after a set of squats my legs feel as good as new and my lumbar feels more destroyed than after a set of deadlifts. I don't think the lumbar should be the limiting factor considering my deadlift.

Well, you shouldn't think in terms of how high or low your squat numbers are when you're considering using a belt. If you care about lifting more you'll eventually end up buying a belt anyways unless you insist on never using it of course.

That being said, I started using a belt once I reached kg 110x5 and it helped me a lot, not just with increasing my numbers. I used to have issues with feeling a pull in my hip flexors whenever I was squatting, probably due to a weak core. As soon as I started using a belt, it never came back. I can now squat 125kg without and as of yesterday 132.5kg with a belt and not feel any pain from those areas.

I do squat low bar though, so I dunno.

it could be a problem with form, then, if your deadlift is what it is. if you can film yourself squatting, do it, and watch it immediately after your set so you can match the feeling in your body to the video.

are you keeping constant tightness throughout the entire lift (especially the bottom/bounce)?
do your hips shoot up after the bounce?

also, get a belt, there's no reason not to use one.

Dropping front squats helps for more specificity as he mentioned, so you can ingrain the movement pattern of the back squat. Doing light back squats instead on deadlift day could also give you the opportunity to focus on form and recover for your heavy squat session.

Similar numbers to yours here but still making good progress on my squat.

When I stalled at 230 lbs I made Wednesday a lighter day, doing 75-80% of whatever I hit on Monday. (Assuming you're still on an LP plan...)

I'll also throw an additional 10-15 lbs on top of my 5rm and do a couple heavy singles at the end of each squat session. Works for me as it really pushes that last bit out of me and gets me used to that heavy weight I know I have coming. Could be more psychological than anything but it works.

Yeah, sure.
I've tried filming myself squatting but the angle was poor, so I wasn't able to really see anything. I'll probably just go for it ask someone to film me.

I'll consider the belt. Any belt recommendations?

Thanks. If I squat before my DL I don't think I'll be able to do it, especially since my workouts are pretty time-constrained. So a light squat day seems fine.

Trying to do LP. I moved countries recently so I'm back from a deload to my PRs, but I've failed my last squat set today at 115kg (my former PR was 120, but it still feels like it's lower than it should be considering my other lifts.)

That last one I might try, although I am a pussy when it comes to squats, so I'm not sure I won't just change my mind after 3 heavy sets.

Squats are a hip-dominant lift. Even when you're using high bar, your body wants to take advantage of that (it knows your hips can move more weight as they extend than your knees can as they extend.) What's likely happening is that your body wants you to use dat dere hip drahve but to do it while keeping the bar balance you're flexing your spine without realising it as you come up out of the bottom.

So I just need to work on my form, and teach my body not to flex the spine?

>Any belt recommendations?
The only thing you really need to look out for is that it's leather and that it's the same thickness all around, see pic.

That being said, I chose the cheapest possible belt I could find and it seems they are still available, just search "BEX weightlifting belt" on ebay, it should be the first result. Including shipping it's like £20-30. Of course you can splurge and get an Inzer for like 200bucks, but who really gives a shit about brands when it comes to lifting.

Got good news for you. 172cm is 5'8 so you're 5'8

sorry but squats are not a hip dominant lift. RDLs are a hip dominant lift. low bar squats are about middle of the road but still mainly knee dominant, despite the heavy emphasis on moving the hips. high bar squats are most certainly a knee dominant lift.

train your lower back+abs+obliges faggot.
do a better programm, which has some autoregulation.

Suggestions on plans or exercises?

the best way to increase your squat is SS and a caloric surplus, it's the fastest increase on the planet and it has been tried and tested hundreds of thousands of times.

Not going to read the rest of this thread, but generally once you become a more "advanced" lifter (and based off your current maxes, you're beyond noob gains and entry level) I'm not a super huge fan of just A/B split workouts, especially if you're only lifting 3x a week.

Anyway, that being said find more exercises that will supplement the deadlift and work on the surrounding muscles. Hip abductions and addictions, sprinter lunges for glutes, etc. Get the surrounding area beefed up and then keep hitting dem quads, should help break the plateau.