Back pain. How to avoid when doing sets.

RimBlock · 20 Jul 2009 at 05:16

Hi,

My lower back is likely to be quite week and the two lower discs in my spine are around half the others thickness meaning I have to take very good care of my back. I have damaged it in the past and it is not a happy time.

So, following the routine of 3*8 reps heavy lifts, the 45deg leg presses (now up to 166.6 Kg) are starting to cause a little bit of discomfort in my lower back if I am even slightly out of position.

My legs are not too bad for strength when compared to the rest of me as my upper body is pretty poor under the extra fat I am trying to shed.

Should I stick with the current weight / drop down a bit and up the reps rather than weight whilst working on my upper body.
or
Should I leave my legs alone for a while and concentrate on my upper body until I get some improvements there and then go back to full body workout.
or
Are there other exercises that would be good for my lower back to strengthen it which I can add to the routine I am doing.
or
Some other combination

I am still doing cardio so my legs are getting exercise on non-weight days.

Thanks
RB

Freefaller · 20 Jul 2009 at 08:09

We can't really recommend anything about back pain, please go and see an osteopath, doctor, physiotherapist. Nothing on this forum and no one on this forum is qualified (although there may be doctors and professionals we can't certify this) to give advice on back pain. If you want advice on improving lower back strength then that's fine - however any advice on exercise here is given is for you to take in your own interpretation, and it's up to you to make your mind as to whether or not you wish to follow it - it's your back, your responsibility - as long as you understand that I'm happy for people to suggest lower back strengthening exercises, however if you have an underlying problem, I would very much ask you to see a specialist.

Freefaller · 20 Jul 2009 at 08:10

It sounds to me like your core strength is relatively weak, and you abdominal girdle is not as strong as it should be. Look up core strength exercises and read up on those.

RimBlock · 20 Jul 2009 at 08:56

Sorry, just to be clear, I have seen a speciallist hence knowing about the disc thickness which came from an x-ray.

Speciallists advice was to be mindfull but it should not stop me doing whatever.

I understand you are just trying to stress the the limitations of the forum and that my back is my resposibility and more importantly if it all goes wrong then it is my pain....

Thanks for taking the time for that.

It is not about correctitive measures I am after but more of a case of the best direction to go from here.

1. Continue as normal (3*8 - success = up weight).
2. Continue upper body and core until core is stronger then continue with legs.
3. Continue full body but add some core exercises as well.
4. Continue full body but add some core exercises and don't up legs weight until core is stronger.
5. Something else.

Please do not be concerned as if I feel anything is a bit 'funny' then I will be backing off.

Will look up the core exercises.

Thanks
RB

Chong Warrior · 20 Jul 2009 at 12:01

If I had that problem I'd avoid back squats completely no doubt about it!

I'd concentrate on strengthening the core first. Front squats I'd consider but I'd start very light and make sure the core can always handle the weight. Leg Press I'd be very wary of! Do them but don't go too low, I get a sore back trying to go too low and you'll feel the bottom of your back trying to round... make sure you stop before that happens. Use "Time Under Tension" and stop before lockout to keep tension in the quads the whole time, this will force you to use less weight.

Romanian Deadlifts are very good but such a difficult exercise, I would do them but make sure you get the form absolutely nailed before pushing on with the weight.

I think it would be worth finding a top quality PT for a few sessions to help you learn the form and make sure everything is being done properly.

RimBlock · 21 Jul 2009 at 01:56

Thanks Chong Warrior,

I was working on some hyperextentions last night with light weight and slow movements. Also did some cable twists (seated on the floor facing the calbe machine and do a single arm rowing motion but twist the upper body at the end). My lower back is feeling the work today but more of a firmness and not with pain. Both exercises were not painful.

I dropped the weight with the 45 deg leg press last night down to 136.6 KG (machine dry weight is 36.6) and went slower trying to take twice the time for the movement, not that I went particually fast to start with.

I appreciate the suggestion about the PT but the two I have come accross in the last two weeks are telling me that they can setup the program to help me loose the weight and get lean mucsle but for my weight it will take around a year to get the weight down (105Kg -> 85Kg), one was hungup on weight rather than size loss and both advise not doing the 3*8 with heavy weights but use much lighter weights and go much slower.

To be clear, the routine Morba has suggested and I am more or less sticking to, along with the cardio is having good effects over a reasonibly short period of time. I am not bulking up due to my calorie restrictions but I am firming up and the fat is coming off. My belt size is coming down a bit so I would rather not change anything around.

Both trainers gave the impression that they dissaproved of helping with anything but their own devised program. Saying that, with the new gym I did the trial with last week a guy came over (gym staff, not PT) and showed me a couple of back cable exercises I could do. That I was very impressed with.

Rb

Edinho · 21 Jul 2009 at 09:45

I personally would avoid putting pressure on the back. Light squats and stuff OK but heavy lifting NO NO. imo you have to face up to having a weak back, and unless you want to risk further damage i'd accept it.

Disk bulge L4/L5 i've been there. And it's not nice.

RimBlock · 22 Jul 2009 at 03:34

My back went badly a number of years ago now and I was off from work for a number of months. The only way to get rid of the pain was to hang between two chairs (supported by my arms like doing dips).

I have since learnt that if a feel the sharp pain which indicates it has had a problem then I need to take a couple of nurifen and lie down straight away then the effects are minimised and sometimes completely negated.

Well by back is feeling the work but in a good way. The gym also has a body basics session once a week mixing yoga, pilates and tai chi. I will give it a go. If nothing else it will provide entertainment for the rest of the gym and hopefully there will be some fit girls in there.

RB

Freefaller · 22 Jul 2009 at 08:36

As I said before maybe keep the weights lights, but keep the reps SLOOOOW, or do it one leg at a time, and do some core work! It'll take a good 6 months or so to develop a strong core but if you keep it up it'll help.