Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Well, after injuring my hip flexor....it has been nearly impossible to squat. After staying away from squats for months and concentrating on other exercises, stretching, rolling, etc.......the pain came back as soon as I tried to squat lightly. So, no squatting for at least a year and maybe for good. I just have never been a strong squatter and it just seems to get in the way.

I believe I will have to stick to deadlifts, leg pressing and other variations.

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What do I do when not bodybuilding or working? Spend time with family, play guitar, write music, snowboard, roast coffee, travel, read, fight for those who are less fortunate than myself.

Sorry .. I don't know history. But have you looked into massage therapist of ART chiropractor? You may want an assessment before you give up.

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If it's important to you, you'll find a way. If it isn't, you'll find an excuse.

You need to go & get this injury looked at in general never mind not squatting. This could come back to haunt you in later life...

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"Don't fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn't matter" Jim Wendler

I saw my sports medicine surgeon today. He says it doesn't seem bad and to give it more time and to avoid exercises that cause pain. Possibly a year to heal. I tried deadlifts tonight but couldn't maintain a grip. I have peripheral nerve damage.

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What do I do when not bodybuilding or working? Spend time with family, play guitar, write music, snowboard, roast coffee, travel, read, fight for those who are less fortunate than myself.

Your physical body is amazing, boardn10, it knows how to find its balance when you give it time and space. Sounds like your surgeon is on the right track. Just shift your focus to other stuff for a while. Work on your guns, get your grip strong, shred your abs. Your frame will be ready when you start again slowly later on. You haven't stopped anything, you've just decided to shift your focus for awhile. Kick ass.

Baby Herc

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+1 to Herc's reply. It sucked not being able to do much of any lower body work for a few years, but I couldn't just quit lifting because I watched my big-ass legs and strong lower back fade away to how they were in my pre-lifting days. Sometimes you just have to switch gears, do what you can to keep up on other areas, and do whatever it takes to progress elsewhere until things eventually get better.

What you may want to really consider after some months is work to find a REALLY good trainer who is experienced with injury rehab to help you come back safely. You may well be doing stuff that seems like a waste of time (I did NOT enjoy doing ankle-banded duck walks and such for weeks on end), but if it helps you strengthen the once-injured area SAFELY, you just need to accept that it's better to take 2 years to come back stronger than it is to just give up. Life changes with these things, but it doesn't mean the end of lifting, just that you may have to put the old thoughts of what the main goals are on the backburner for a year or so and find new ways to enjoy training until you can do more!

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"A 'hardgainer' is merely someone who hasn't bothered to try enough different training methods to learn what is actually right for their own damned body." - anonymous

Thanks guys! I can still do leg press, lunges, step ups, leg curls, etc.....even dead lifts......when my grip cooperates.
Plus I have music! I am in two bands.

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What do I do when not bodybuilding or working? Spend time with family, play guitar, write music, snowboard, roast coffee, travel, read, fight for those who are less fortunate than myself.

Everyone swears by squats. They're one of those exercises that are considered as one of the exercise you MUST DO. I hate them. I don't like doing squats at all, and I don't blame you if you want to give up on them completely. IMO, they're bad for your knees and your back. I know, I know, it's all about form. But think about it: If the only safe and proper way to do an exercise and get benefits from it, is with "perfect form," what's the purpose? Research "spinal compression." Whether it's moving furniture or running a 100 meter dash, I can hold my own without doing squats.

If bodybuilding is what you're in to, I say leg presses are the way to go. If you're after functional fitness, bodyweight squats and sprinting are where it;s at. I know barbell squats do a lot more than strengthen your quads. I know they also strengthen your core, glutes, hamstrings, and so on... but there are plenty of other ways to train those muscle groups without all the risks that come with barbell squats.

Anyone who tells me squatting isn't worth it...well I stop listening after that point.

Everythings bad for you, everything has a negative side to it. Even a push up.

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"Don't fall for that crap that people are peddling on the message boards, in magazines or on TV. Get your shit in order, and get your training in order. Start kicking ass, and take out the crap that doesn't matter" Jim Wendler

Squats are fine. You've overplaying the risks of them.

Join just about any powerlifting/weightlifting club anywhere in the world and you can learn to back squat properly. They are probably one of the best things for your knees and lower back. I think it's just you.

Oh Jesus not this 'squats are bad for you' stuff again.

If you're so worried about spinal compression you can still squat using hip belt squats. Also, leg press is just as risky from a spinal health point of view due the rounding that almost inevitably takes place when you go heavy.