I injured my lower back doing BB rows. Had 3 weeks off and got back to training and was fine but lifting around 80% of my normal working sets on squat and deadlift. Good form too. Physio gave me the all clear.
Now, my back is not hurting per se from normal day to day activities and the stretches. But it feels like it has lost a significant amount of ability to support heavy loads at full effort. I feel pain/stiffness whenever I even lift 70-80% of my 3x5 sets pre-injury... its like the whole feeling of inflexibility.
I don't want to lose my gains basically, I have been training for 10 months now since returning from a big break. But I am convinced I can never really deadlift or squat again like I used to.
Just very confused over the whole thing.
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Tom_Ford
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- 27-12-2014 16:21
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RollerBall
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- 27-12-2014 17:33
I'm not sure I've understood this correctly. You're surprised you've lost strength and flexibility after a three week layoff following injury?
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Tom_Ford
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- 27-12-2014 17:36
(Original post by RollerBall)
I'm not sure I've understood this correctly. You're surprised you've lost strength and flexibility after a three week layoff following injury?
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I have been back 2-3 weeks since that injury and still cannot get close to my old lifts. Also the lower back is weak/in pain and not supporting what I am squatting/deadlifting/rowing now.
I am going to try and work around it until I get better with a new routine. It's not an optimal routine but hopefully I am still making gains.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis7.htm
I will add pullups/chins to the back day and also have more reps rather than 3x3 on the compound movements. Sound like a plan? -
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- 27-12-2014 17:47
Sounds like a slipped disc to me tbh.
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Tom_Ford
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- 27-12-2014 17:51
Yup, i.e. a herniated disc. I definitely feel some bulging on my lower back, its a weird feeling to describe. -
Angry cucumber
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- 27-12-2014 17:56
If it was a damaged disc, you wouldn't be able to squat as you'd be in absolute agony, I wouldn't rule it out entirely, but I'd be surprised
Source - my spine
Takes time to recover, do some back flexibility work (google yoga positions). Start from an empty bar and add 2.5-10kg a session until you're back to where you were. Still hurting? Go to your GP again and ask to be referred. This process should take at least a month, of adding weight -
Tom_Ford
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- 27-12-2014 18:06
(Original post by Angry cucumber)
If it was a damaged disc, you wouldn't be able to squat as you'd be in absolute agony, I wouldn't rule it out entirely, but I'd be surprised
Source - my spine
Takes time to recover, do some back flexibility work (google yoga positions). Start from an empty bar and add 2.5-10kg a session until you're back to where you were. Still hurting? Go to your GP again and ask to be referred. This process should take at least a month, of adding weight
Thanks, I will do as you say in addition to the routine I linked. It is not a great routine but it should keep me going.
I will try not to self-diagnose now as it could be anything. All I know is that the symptoms are that I cannot lift heavy without pain and the feeling of discomfort. No strength from the lower part of the spine anymore so I am left having to brace my abs and legs to overcompensate for the lack of lower back support. -
Angry cucumber
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- 27-12-2014 18:12
(Original post by Tom_Ford)
Thanks, I will do as you say in addition to the routine I linked. It is not a great routine but it should keep me going.
I will try not to self-diagnose now as it could be anything. All I know is that the symptoms are that I cannot lift heavy without pain and the feeling of discomfort. No strength from the lower part of the spine anymore so I am left having to brace my abs and legs to overcompensate for the lack of lower back support.
If you want to lift avoid deadlifts and squats for the time being. I'd probs highish rep pendlay row (7-10 rep range) and train your abs a lot with planks and ab rollouts especially, abs protect your spine -
Tom_Ford
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- 27-12-2014 18:46
(Original post by Angry cucumber)
I don't like your routine and imo if its that bad I wouldn't lift... period. I made the mistake of modifying and modifying to the point I hated it when I first injured myself.
If you want to lift avoid deadlifts and squats for the time being. I'd probs highish rep pendlay row (7-10 rep range) and train your abs a lot with planks and ab rollouts especially, abs protect your spine
I agree, the routine is not ideal but it should give some minor gains to my bench and ohp whilst I am waiting the injury out.
I have realised that re squats/deadlifts, there is little point going as heavy as I can at the moment because I cannot lift my normal working sets. Therefore, progress is not really being made because I am technically still injured if I cannot lift normally. So, with that in mind, I am going to do all I can to get better regarding the lower back.
I am at an odd place right now, it does not hurt in normal day to day activities but once I start lifting remotely heavily for squats and deadlifts it flares up again. So, it was easy to think that I would recover so quickly because of the fact I was not hurting day to day outside the gym anymore. I was wrong. -
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- 27-12-2014 18:57
(Original post by Tom_Ford)
I agree, the routine is not ideal but it should give some minor gains to my bench and ohp whilst I am waiting the injury out.
I have realised that re squats/deadlifts, there is little point going as heavy as I can at the moment because I cannot lift my normal working sets. Therefore, progress is not really being made because I am technically still injured if I cannot lift normally. So, with that in mind, I am going to do all I can to get better regarding the lower back.
I am at an odd place right now, it does not hurt in normal day to day activities but once I start lifting remotely heavily for squats and deadlifts it flares up again. So, it was easy to think that I would recover so quickly because of the fact I was not hurting day to day outside the gym anymore. I was wrong.
Fine outside the gym and can perform all exercises bar squats/deadlifts/bent over rows . I can pick up the 40kg dumbbells and press them , max out the leg press without any sort of pain but as soon as I try to squat 60kg my back snaps and i'm in pain for the rest of the day.
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- 27-12-2014 19:07
After seeing your squat form on your 200kg squat a while ago. I can't say I'm surprised.
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ch0c0h01ic
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- 27-12-2014 19:07
(Original post by Tom_Ford)
I have been back 2-3 weeks since that injury and still cannot get close to my old lifts.
Also the lower back is weak/in pain and not supporting what I am squatting/deadlifting/rowing now.
Your problem is that you are impatient.
Cut the weight and the volume significantly until you can do your whole workout with decent form comfortably, then gradually increase weight on the bar and/or volume. If that means going back to using just the bar for rows and deadlifts then so be it. You will be soon back to where you were.
If you're still having issues after that you need to see a doctor and/or a good physio (perhaps a different one to the one you were seeing before). -
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- 27-12-2014 19:22
(Original post by Tom_Ford)
Yup, i.e. a herniated disc. I definitely feel some bulging on my lower back, its a weird feeling to describe.
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Appeal to reason
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- 28-12-2014 13:21
(Original post by TSA)
After seeing your squat form on your 200kg squat a while ago. I can't say I'm surprised. -
Tom_Ford
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- 28-12-2014 21:03
(Original post by Appeal to reason)
200kg? I thought he was talking about wanting to squat 140kg for sets only a few weeks back? -
SmashConcept
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- 28-12-2014 21:16
I don't get this, surely if you were completely out for 3 weeks with a back injury then you know the nature of the injury or at least if it's a muscle or a disc. Sounds to me kind of like a small muscle tear that didn't heal properly.
BTW there's a very big difference between a herniated and a bulging disc. You can definitely have the latter without crazy pain.
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