Back pain from squats

It hurts my upper back/spine to do squats :( I stopped doing them for a month because it scared me, but I really want to get back into it. 

Where do yall put the squat bar? do you put it lower on your back?

also, I have no idea how much I squat. I just would add weights until it was difficult to do 15 in a row (i would do 3 sets of 15). 

Any advice? Anyone ever had this problem? thanks :)

your form might also be off a bit. Its hard to know without seeing you. If you work out at a gym is there anyone who can watch you and help correct your form? Even if its just another person working out. Most people who are really into something love to talk about it and help other people; fitness is no exception. Also, they make these cushioney things that wrap around the bar and are held on with velcro. I find that helps keep the bar from digging into my spine/shoulder blades while I'm doing my squats.

Hope that helped.

I have the bar lower down on my traps and really lock the bar in place.  I find it's a lot more comfortable and I don't need any cushioning.

For anyone starting squats I'd suggest an empty bar at first to concentrate on technique, then gradually increase the weight each workout by 2.5lbs to 5lbs.

If you still have problems with your upper back then try front squats.

Do you mean it hurts your muscles (as in pulling them) or it hurts your skin/spine? If the bar is too high, it can rest on that knob at your neck, and that's no good. I make sure that the bar is below that knob. Also, I hold my head as if I'm trying to give myself a double chin, which keeps my neck from being strained.

If you can't hold the bar low enough, maybe you don't have enough shoulder mobility to hold the bar?

No matter what, front squats and getting someone to watch your form on back squats are both good suggestions.

Using a bar is not the only way to do squats. You can use a dumbbell in each hand and squat that way. If you have correct form while performing a squat, your back should not hurt. Perhaps a session or two with a personal trainer would be beneficial to you since it's very hard to watch your own form--esp if you don't know what to watch for.

It took me a while to get my form right, but I do low weight, high rep squats with a 5 lb bar and 30 lb of weight, for 3-4 minutes with short breaks.  I did 40 lbs but it knocked one of my knees out of whack and I missed several classes so I'm back down to 30 lbs on the bar.

Line yourself up so you can look at yourself from the side in a mirror, try not going lower than parrallel to the floor and see how that feels, and make sure you're sitting back on your heels, as if you're about to fall over backwards.  I rest my bar below the 'neck nob' as someone else called it, or as the instructor calls it, rest the bar 'on the meaty part of your back' just below the top edge of your shoulders.  If you aren't sitting back, you aren't doing a squat.  If you have back pain, you aren't doing a squat correctly, most likely.

Always look up and tilt your head up while doing squats, keeping your abs and belly tight, and this will help with the stress you put on your back.

Good luck!

What our instructor always tells us is that the bar should be on the meaty part of your back.  YOu don't want it so it is sitting on your neck at all.  I know if I put too much weight on my bar, it will hurt my spine.  I would suggest decreasing your weights and doing more reps.  I actually go to a weight lifting class, so we work each muscle for an entire song.  My wieghts are heavy enough that by they end of the track I am winded and fatigued, but my back never hurts.  Be careful, if you hurt your back you are going to miss a lot of workouts!

Good luck!

A lot of people dont' actually do squats correctly. If your back hurts don't even do squats with weights, it's a great workout even without weights, just do more reps and go as low as possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liLYW-GmhQI&am p;feature=relatedv

Original Post by bp_guru:

What our instructor always tells us is that the bar should be on the meaty part of your back.  YOu don't want it so it is sitting on your neck at all.  I know if I put too much weight on my bar, it will hurt my spine.  I would suggest decreasing your weights and doing more reps.  I actually go to a weight lifting class, so we work each muscle for an entire song.  My wieghts are heavy enough that by they end of the track I am winded and fatigued, but my back never hurts.  Be careful, if you hurt your back you are going to miss a lot of workouts!

Good luck!

 Are you talking about Group Power/Pump? If so, they are NOT weight lifting classes, [fyi]. They are strength-cardio endurance classes.  They give a person a high rep/low weight full body CARDIO-strength workout. Approx. 4-5 mins for each muscle group - warmup, legs [squat track], chest, back/legs, tri's, bi's, legs/butt [lunge track], shoulders, abdominal and cool down. Too many people are convinced [often being mislead] that these classes are indeed a weight lifting class but they are not. They are a great tool for the newbie to gym/weights...helping people understand certain types of form [IF the instructor knows what they are talking about - and considering many of them got their cert in 2 days -literally - I would take those classes with caution and inform yourself outside of the classes on proper form, technique, etc - on average a person can burn anywhere from 300-400 cals in that type of class.

To the OP...learn to do a proper squat without weight. Move on to dumbbells [on shoulders or hands]..slowly increasing that weight. I don't suggest going to barbell until you can no longer get enough weight [with good form] with the db's.

I don't know what you goals are..15 reps is more cardio strength endurance. If that is what you are looking for..then OK. Otherwise, when you move to weight, it should get difficult around the 7th or 8th rep. and try and make it to 12. Once you need a barbell - much heavier weight...lower the reps to 8 - and by the 4th -5th rep..it should start being a big struggle. But...still be able to complete 8 reps with proper form.