I have squatted on a regular basis for several years now, about 2 months ago I decided to take a break for a while and try to incorporate some other lower-body exercises into my regime, I went for about 6 weeks just doing front squats, SLDL's, Leg Presses etc When I came back to squatting I found that my strength had decreased dramatically.
Last summer I was squatting with 140kg for reps, now I struggle to push out 5-6 at 120kgs, I figure this could be down to a number of reasons:
- Poor Diet
- Poor Form
- Lack of Flexibility
- Weak Abdominals
Diet
I started a new job in November and my diet has been pretty poor of late, especially of new years, (only getting about 100g protein per day max) I have recently began playing rugby again which has put a major dent into my training ambitions.
Form
I noticed recently that the mirror I have squatted in front of for the last few years has encouraged poor form, I tend to stare straight ahead and therefore lean forward too much rather than sitting back into the squat.
Flexibility
I have lost a lot of flexibility in my lower body in the last few years, especially in the quads and hamstrings
Abdominals
I only train my abs intermittantly, I have never really incorporated abdominal work into my workouts, which is probably a bad idea.
Please fellas let me know your thoughts, I know my decrease in strength is a combination of the above factors but your thoughts on each one would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers, Jock