Losing arch in my lower back during squat

[aamar]

Hi I'm losing my arch in my lower back when I get to Parallel my lower back is more or less round and when I get up it's like a good morning. do you guys think it's a flexibility problem ?

Thanks
Aamar

[CDB]

What's the rest of your form look like? Is the weight over the middle of the foot on the way down and up, and is it low enough on your back? Also, are your feet splayed enough? Honestly it could be a number of things. For flexibility test yourself, see if you've got decent mobility in the hamstrings etc. One of the best things you can do is take a video of you performing a squat and analyze it yourself. There's even free software that'll do it for you, hell even on the iphone they've got something for this. Take a video from the 135 or 225 degree position, glue a high contrast ping pong ball to the end of the bar, and the software will pretty much automatically track it and help you analyze it and see where you may be going wrong.

[aamar]

Thanks I do a high bar squat and the bar above my shoulders how far would you say my knees can travel ? and do you know what the software is called ?

Thanks
Aamar

[QuantumPositron2]

As I understand it, losing arch at the bottom can be hamstring inflexibility. That's my recall from Rippetoe's SS. It can also be a lack of coordination in that area. Rippetoe recommends going prone and then arching your entire back, memorizing the feel of this, and duplicating it under the bar. After I warm up my knees I do several 10 second holds while prone and in back hyper extension to activate the musculature and refresh my memory of how the posture feels. Then I do a bodyweight squat with my hands on an imaginary bar and focus on keeping my arch at the bottom. I alternate between lying back hyper-extensions and practice squats several times before going over to the rack and doing warm up sets with weight. Hope this helps.

-Q

[aamar]

Thanks from what I've read from Rippetoe's SS placing a block under my heel will compensate hamstring flexibility but hamstring stretches like the back extensions will solve the problem.

Thanks Guys
Aamar

[CDB]

You could also try some foam rolling. I do it on off days for my calves mostly. About zero clinical evidence that it works for anything, but it does seem to have loosened things up a bit for me.

[aamar]

@CDB I will give it a go no harm in trying. When I did squats with the block under my heels I felt that my lower back muscle were working and aching because of it and not the hurting ache when you've done something wrong.

Thanks
Aamar

[TangoDown]

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I completely agree.

[CDB]

I completely agree.

I prefer to read the study first.

[Revee]

@CDB I will give it a go no harm in trying. When I did squats with the block under my heels I felt that my lower back muscle were working and aching manual ball valve because of it and not the hurting ache when you've done something wrong.

Thanks
Aamar

I would probably give this a try too.