Tight groin while squatting

[CodeMonkey]

Has anyone experienced an exceptional amount of tightness in the groin area while performing a squat? I've been squatting a good amount lately (2-3 times a week) and although I would consider myself a beginner to the exercise, I'm starting to feel pretty comfortable with the form now. However, whenever in the descent motion of the squat, my groin feels really tight and is restricting my ability to comfortably go down past parallel. I've been stretching it out a lot but it hasn't seemed to help too much. So my question mainly has to do with my form and if it's possible that my feet are spread out too wide, which is causing this issue. My feet are slightly wider than shoulder-width with my toes pointed out at an angle.

 

[Origins]

Your toes should be pointed out at about a 30 degree angle. Your knees should be in line with your toes. If you don't push your knees out, your groin (adductors) cannot contribute to the exercise. I would suggest doing bodyweight squats with emphasis on form on rest days. Squatting is the best way to stretch for squatting.

 

[Oblivian]

I feel a tightness, but it never restricts me. I'm pretty flexible as well, so I don't know what the deal is. The tightness normally goes away after my first work set. During my first 2 warmups, I feel a ridiculous amount of tightness.

 

[Endo]

I'd post a form check vid. I don't have that problem, and I don't know of anyone who does, so I cannot offer any personal experience. The best we can honestly do is just critique your form.

Edit: Unlike OB, I'm about as flexible as a concrete block. *over exaggerating*

 

[Oblivian]

I feel the tightness even when I'm not squatting. I used to notice it skateboarding. Once I was warmed up, I was ok.

 

[miaou]

Has anyone experienced an exceptional amount of tightness in the groin area while performing a squat? I've been squatting a good amount lately (2-3 times a week) and although I would consider myself a beginner to the exercise, I'm starting to feel pretty comfortable with the form now. However, whenever in the descent motion of the squat, my groin feels really tight and is restricting my ability to comfortably go down past parallel. I've been stretching it out a lot but it hasn't seemed to help too much. So my question mainly has to do with my form and if it's possible that my feet are spread out too wide, which is causing this issue. My feet are slightly wider than shoulder-width with my toes pointed out at an angle.

It sounds like a flexibility issue. The wider your stance the greater the stretch (and overall involvement) of the adductors. For a while tight adductors were the limiting factor in my squat depth. A good stretch is asian squats. Do them with the stance width you normally squat, keep your lower-back tight and avoid getting into flexion as much as possible (this may be hard at first), and once in the bottom position use your elbows to push your knees out so you get a stretch on your adductors. You can also do what you see in this video (time 1:05), go only as deep as you can maintain proper form at and use it as a stretch.

Origins is right in that squatting often will improve your "squatting flexibility". I don't agree with his comment about the toes at a 30

 

[Gierrod]

Edit: Unlike OB, I'm about as flexible as a concrete block.

He really is not kidding here is a picture from his facebook :icon_chee

 

[Gierrod]

I always feel really tight on my first few warm up sets it feels like i need the weight to push me down, anywho best bit of advice would be to take a video so we can check your form out.

 

[trainharder]

Never had a problem with the groin being tight my problem was always with the hips being tight, but for me that is solved by warming up enough and putting more weight on the bar.

 

[Oblivian]

I just got done lifting, and I had extreme tightness in my groin after I finished squatting. I really felt it on my left side, and then my leg almost felt numb from the knee down. The actual squat sets felt fine though.

 

[Endo]

I always feel really tight on my first few warm up sets it feels like i need the weight to push me down, anywho best bit of advice would be to take a video so we can check your form out.

That's from all the raging butt hurt you and your brother put each other through. If you'd stop that, I'm sure you'd be fine.

 

[Gierrod]

Touched a nerve? maybe you should set your facebook pictures to private. :icon_twis

 

[Endo]

If only I owned a face book... I've never even logged into that site, but I have seen you squat spot your brother and you use hip-drive to help get him out of the hole. Looks awful ghey to me...

 

[stewy37]

A tight groin is a very common problem that prevents people from reaching proper depth on their squats. If the groin is too tight it is hard to pull the knees out by activating the glutes and hams and getting the legs out of the way of your own ass to allow for proper depth.

To correct this, the answer is a lot of stretching and plenty of squatting. A drill that we often do is to have a person stand facing a wall. The toes should touch the wall and should be toed out. A medicine ball or other object of similar height is placed behind the person to squat to. Then, keeping the knees forced out and proper lumbar arch squat to the ball. When flexibility keeps the descent form continuing a pause is taken in that position and as the muscles relax continue descending. Over time full ROM can be acheived.

This works because if lumbar arch is lost or the knees start to come in, it will push the person off of the wall and they will fall backwards away from the wall. So the only way to complete it is to doit correctly.