Knee pain when doing squats

• eagle

  1 Sep 07, 13:45

  Today, after 1 quick light warm up sets, and 1 middle warm up set, I started doing a bit heavier. This is after a heavy session of chest workout.
  
  Problem: For my first set, my left knee was a bit painful. My left knee has always give me a minor problem sometimes ever since army.
  
  However, for my 2nd and 3rd set with a slightly heavier weight, I did not feel any more pain.
  
  Question: Is the slight pain because I did not warm up enough? Or is it because of technique? Lack of strength (To me still rather light weight)? Or is it because of a problem of my knee.
  
  Thanks
• Marco_Simone

  1 Sep 07, 15:09

  Knee pain ah...I used to have them when I do quad dominant squats...
  
  Quad dominant squats=you start the descent by bending your knees instead of sitting back.This puts a lot of stress on your knees.
  
  Look at how he starts by sitting back instead of bending the knees.
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwxiQMnCS2w
  
  You can also perform SMFR on your ITB before you do squats.In layman's terms,perform foam rolling on the side of your quads.This works for me.
  
  A vid on how to do SMFR
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCIHZsESxOU
• OPT

  1 Sep 07, 21:14

  Good answer
  
  Do the above and see how it feels
  
• Resentment

  1 Sep 07, 21:18

  no its because , you have not been exercising for a very long time , that is why it will feel pain.
• eagle

  1 Sep 07, 21:19

  Originally posted by Resentment:

  no its because , you have not been exercising for a very long time , that is why it will feel pain.

  
  
  You sure?
• eagle

  1 Sep 07, 21:49

  Originally posted by OPT:

  Good answer
  
  Do the above and see how it feels
  

  Am I supposed to feel anything while doing the above?
  
  I don't have a foam with me now, but I think I can adapt a bit perhaps with some other pillows?
  
  Lastly, when should I do the SMFR? Just before squatting, or anytime at home?
  
  Thanks.
• Simon Dean

  1 Sep 07, 22:56

  Originally posted by eagle:

  Am I supposed to feel anything while doing the above?
  
  I don't have a foam with me now, but I think I can adapt a bit perhaps with some other pillows?
  
  Lastly, when should I do the SMFR? Just before squatting, or anytime at home?
  
  Thanks.

  Before workouts.You can use a tennis ball as well.
  
  If you are in Singapore best to pay OPT a visit and learn how to.
• knightlll

  1 Sep 07, 23:09

  Originally posted by eagle:

  Today, after 1 quick light warm up sets, and 1 middle warm up set, I started doing a bit heavier. This is after a heavy session of chest workout.
  
  Problem: For my first set, my left knee was a bit painful. My left knee has always give me a minor problem sometimes ever since army.
  
  However, for my 2nd and 3rd set with a slightly heavier weight, I did not feel any more pain.
  
  Question: Is the slight pain because I did not warm up enough? Or is it because of technique? Lack of strength (To me still rather light weight)? Or is it because of a problem of my knee.
  
  Thanks

  I think it may be becos' right leg is stronger than your left knee , plus there is a sudden stress on the left knee due to a heavier body weight than before.
• galapogos

  1 Sep 07, 23:55

  Originally posted by eagle:

  Am I supposed to feel anything while doing the above?
  
  I don't have a foam with me now, but I think I can adapt a bit perhaps with some other pillows?
  
  Lastly, when should I do the SMFR? Just before squatting, or anytime at home?
  
  Thanks.

  You will be in a world of pain when you do ITB foam rolling for the first time, even with a regular density foam roller. Tennis balls are for more advanced users who already have the major knots broken and need to get deeper past the guarding muscles, or at a more concentrated area. You will need something with sufficient stiffness so no, pillows obviously won't work. If your gym has a medicine ball or swimming noodles those *might* work, but they're a very very poor substitute. You should be foam rolling anyway so just get one. It's only $20.
• eagle

  2 Sep 07, 00:09

  Originally posted by galapogos:

  You will be in a world of pain when you do ITB foam rolling for the first time, even with a regular density foam roller. Tennis balls are for more advanced users who already have the major knots broken and need to get deeper past the guarding muscles, or at a more concentrated area. You will need something with sufficient stiffness so no, pillows obviously won't work. If your gym has a medicine ball or swimming noodles those *might* work, but they're a very very poor substitute. You should be foam rolling anyway so just get one. It's only $20.

  As in, which area will I feel the pain in? Muscles or joint? Stretching type of pain?
• galapogos

  2 Sep 07, 01:21

  The "knots" are in the muscle fibers so you will feel the tender spots in the muscle.