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Heavy squats insane neck pain

96ish

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Hey. Yesterday i did squat 5 sets of 3 reps, heavy as i could go. I used the mirror to be sure my form was very correct, which i usually never do...

Well everything looked great tho i was satisfied with my performance. But now i'm kinda sure i should have done it without looking at myself in the mirror... Guess i had a very shitty neck form to say the least...

Later that day i started to feel a ugly sharp pain in the left side of my neck and it just got much worse since then. Couldn't understand it as squats usual ain't no problem, but with heavy weights it obvs is...

Today... I can barely move my head, can't get out of the bed. It feels like ive been hit by a train - I'm actually really worried if i did injure myself so much i'm gonna lose weeks or months to this. :/

For now i'm always gonna stick to lightweight in squats maybe deadlifts too... And If you read this i suggest you do the same. Unless you know with 110% you have correct form.
 
Hey. Yesterday i did squat 5 sets of 3 reps, heavy as i could go. I used the mirror to be sure my form was very correct, which i usually never do...

Well everything looked great tho i was satisfied with my performance. But now i'm kinda sure i should have done it without looking at myself in the mirror... Guess i had a very shitty neck form to say the least...

Later that day i started to feel a ugly sharp pain in the left side of my neck and it just got much worse since then. Couldn't understand it as squats usual ain't no problem, but with heavy weights it obvs is...

Today... I can barely move my head, can't get out of the bed. It feels like ive been hit by a train - I'm actually really worried if i did injure myself so much i'm gonna lose weeks or months to this. :/

For now i'm always gonna stick to lightweight in squats maybe deadlifts too... And If you read this i suggest you do the same. Unless you know with 110% you have correct form.

maybe its a combo of you straining your neck a bit from going real heavy and then possibly you slept wrong on your neck (stiff neck)? try taking a hot shower or bath and some advil or better yet if you have some muscle relaxers take those. also use ice and heat pad alternate, and go a bit lighter next time.
 
we had a thread just a few days ago on leg work. Did you read it? When you do heavy squats like that it take every muscle in your body to do it. That is why squats are a whole body workout to me. I gave the heavy squats and deads up a long time ago. I rep them out for warm up now. ou didn't realize how much your neck muscles are involved. I have done the same thing before myself. Takes a while to go away. Ibuprofen worked best for me.
 
Part of the game when you push your limit. Just be careful. Make sure your form is good.

Here is your biggest problem. You did 5 sets of 3 reps with as much weight as you possibly could. Really.... why?

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It's possible that you misaligned something in your back or spine that contributed to your neck pain. I know because I have done this myself, many times and squats and deadlifts are the two movements that aggravate it the most. I have a natural spinal misalignment that has to be corrected every so often through adjustments. Might not be a bad idea to see a chiropractor to get checked out


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You can throw your neck out just by sneezing and bending over the wrong way. I think you answered your question when you said you never look at yourself but you did this time , by doing that you were looking up putting your neck In wrong position while lifting super heavy . You strained /pulled your neck muscles no doubt. Like Jake said , take some ibuprofen and some rest for a couple days. I'm a huge believer in chiropractic as well and I get adjustments as needed . You will feel a lot better after getting put back in line so to speak. I have lived with chronic neck and back pain for years and the weights caused a lot of it but they also help it now because I lift smart now not super heavy anymore which put me in this place anyway.


thats exactly what i took from it as well... something was done differently in this circumstance and that absolutely attributed to the pain... well said

i also highly agree with jake... its not necessary to do heavy squats and deads etc. many times its only going to lead to further injury... i personally have not been able to do a squat since i was roughly 15 years old... that was about the last time i was able... i hurt my back that young and since then, i have not been able to do anything more than lunges or standing dumbbell squats but at this point, my back can't even take that... there are several alternatives out there for you and this may be a sign on changing up routine etc... our bodies may improve on the visual end but remember, we are still aging every year internally and certain things just dont hold up as they once did over time... there's just no way to fight it... you can slow the proceess but inevitably, you cannot beat time... so the key is to practice longevity and do things that will help you to have more longevity...
 
Hey. Yesterday i did squat 5 sets of 3 reps, heavy as i could go. I used the mirror to be sure my form was very correct, which i usually never do...

Well everything looked great tho i was satisfied with my performance. But now i'm kinda sure i should have done it without looking at myself in the mirror... Guess i had a very shitty neck form to say the least...

Later that day i started to feel a ugly sharp pain in the left side of my neck and it just got much worse since then. Couldn't understand it as squats usual ain't no problem, but with heavy weights it obvs is...

Today... I can barely move my head, can't get out of the bed. It feels like ive been hit by a train - I'm actually really worried if i did injure myself so much i'm gonna lose weeks or months to this. :/

For now i'm always gonna stick to lightweight in squats maybe deadlifts too... And If you read this i suggest you do the same. Unless you know with 110% you have correct form.
If you're not looking up and down while doing squat, then there are least chances of injury. I think just looking in the mirror is not the cause of pain in neck, well there are lot of other factors are involved too. Distance between your foot and your overall body alignment including stomach, hip, legs play a big role in preventing injuries during the squat. To prevent muscular injuries you should know first which muscles are involved during the squat, here https://www.aqfsports.com/blogs/news/how-to-squat-properly-squat-tips-and-benefits you can see the list of them.
 
I have a love hate relationship with leg day lol

Honestly I used to not mind leg day but then had an accident and fucked up my back and since then im missing my L5/S1 disc (gone from decades of sports), L4/L5 is herniated, and L3/L4 is bulging.

Being almost 6'9" and 250 pounds doesnt help either LOL. Looking at a squat rack or a trap bar deadlift hurts it nowadays.
 
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