Another noob question, squat improvement help;
I am doing the 5x5 and it has been going great, except for my squat. My squat number are low, like half my body weight x 5, and those end up not being the best form, though below parallel. My DL is a little more than my BW x 5, but with an early hip rise from my last form check.
My quads just feel burning and tight, almost all of the time, and I foam roll and stretch, but this tightness has been going on all summer, a few months after I started seriously squatting.
Today, I go to do my squats, and my knees hurt, and I have no power to drive up without seriously messing up my form in the process. No pain in my knees walking around, just when under load.
Reading on here, I think I have a form issue and a flexibility issue. I come up on my toes when I should be on the heel. I feel like I am going to fall backwards if on my heel. I read on here somewhere that coming up on the toes caused knee soreness with the poster.
Testing doing body weight squats, having the weight on the heel makes me feel off balanced, I still want to shift forward; is this a flexibility issue? I knew I had these issues going into this squat program, but thought they would sort out with experience, guess not, I found myself getting sloppy on it.
My plan is keep with the 5x5, but deviate with the squat portion:
- Incorporate the stretching of the hip flexors? This I assume will help with my form when below parallel and probably the entire motion. Also continue with the stretching of the quads (at least special focus).
- start fresh with using my body weight and get comfortable having my weight on my heels, then use the bar and slowly increase the weight until I can get back into the 5x5.
The tightness thing really bothers me, and I am hoping the knee pain under load goes away with improved form. I also run four days a week, about 20 minutes at an 8 - 10 minute mile pace, no hills or anything, I feel my quads burning into my run as well.
Does this sound good to address my issues?
Thank you