Post: #1

Im kinda tall and since I fucked up my back playing basket ball a couple of years ago, Im suffering from somewhat chronic back pains from time to time.

Im working out regularly, but still havent been able to completely get rid of the pains, so Im always looking for some good exercise to include in my regimen.

As of now, Im doing back extensions, planks and supermans. What are your suggestions?

Post: #2

Trap bar dead-lifts. The trap bar allows you to keep stricter form if you are tall as your knees don''t get in the way of the bar's path. Also stiff legged deads are good too but take them off a rack. I never trusted 'good mornings' and stay clear of going heavy on them.

Post: #3

(06-14-2012 07:05 AM)BoiBoi Wrote:  Im kinda tall and since I fucked up my back playing basket ball a couple of years ago, Im suffering from somewhat chronic back pains from time to time.

Im working out regularly, but still havent been able to completely get rid of the pains, so Im always looking for some good exercise to include in my regimen.

As of now, Im doing back extensions, planks and supermans. What are your suggestions?

Do you swim? I have tried swimming recently and I am becoming addicted. Velkrum and Vorkuta, what's your take on swimming for back rehabilitation? The use of the muscles in the water while being surrounded by a relatively safe and stable medium?

Opinions, please.

Post: #4

Reverse hypers will help strengthen your low back without the risk of injury that comes with some other low back targeting exercises.

Post: #5

good mornings & deadlifts.

Also STRETCHING!!! Lots of it for u.

Post: #6

(06-14-2012 08:19 AM)Moma Wrote:  Do you swim? I have tried swimming recently and I am becoming addicted. Velkrum and Vorkuta, what's your take on swimming for back rehabilitation? The use of the muscles in the water while being surrounded by a relatively safe and stable medium?

Opinions, please.

I've used swimming to rehabilitate my rotator cuff injury and it aided it incredibly well. I've never swum to rehabilitate a back injury but I would imagine it would be a good thing to do for the reason you stated. What is the nature of the injury Moma?

Post: #7

(06-14-2012 11:32 AM)Vorkuta Wrote:  I've used swimming to rehabilitate my rotator cuff injury and it aided it incredibly well. I've never swum to rehabilitate a back injury but I would imagine it would be a good thing to do for the reason you stated. What is the nature of the injury Moma?

Sorry, sir but it is not I who has the injury. It is the OP BoiBoi.

Post: #8

(06-14-2012 12:15 PM)Moma Wrote:  

(06-14-2012 11:32 AM)Vorkuta Wrote:  I've used swimming to rehabilitate my rotator cuff injury and it aided it incredibly well. I've never swum to rehabilitate a back injury but I would imagine it would be a good thing to do for the reason you stated. What is the nature of the injury Moma?

Sorry, sir but it is not I who has the injury. It is the OP BoiBoi.

Sorry I thought you were carrying an injury too.

Post: #9

Moma Wrote:Do you swim? I have tried swimming recently and I am becoming addicted. Velkrum and Vorkuta, what's your take on swimming for back rehabilitation?
Opinions, please.

Specific details need to be known before any type of rehab program is followed.

That being said, I think swimming is a great cardio activity that can possibly assist in most any type of rehab work including back.

assman Wrote:Reverse hypers will help strengthen your low back.

This has been one of the most effective exercises when it comes to back rehab.

Reverse hypers are also effective between sets of squats and deadlifts.

Post: #10

(06-14-2012 03:48 PM)velkrum Wrote:  

assman Wrote:Reverse hypers will help strengthen your low back.

This has been one of the most effective exercises when it comes to back rehab.

Reverse hypers are also effective between sets of squats and deadlifts.

Why do reverse hypers between sets of squats or deadlifts? Is it to 'reset' the low back into extension and help avoid injury? Or more for a training effect, sort of like doing supersets for your low back?

Post: #11

assman - That is a good question and I too, eagerly await the answer.

Post: #12

Thanks for your replys.

(06-14-2012 11:32 AM)Vorkuta Wrote:  I've used swimming to rehabilitate my rotator cuff injury and it aided it incredibly well. I've never swum to rehabilitate a back injury but I would imagine it would be a good thing to do for the reason you stated. What is the nature of the injury Moma?

I jumped to get a rebound and somehow my upper body was bend in a bad way/angle when I touched the ground and now Im suffering from a blocked nerv in the lumbar area. This was like 7 years ago and Ive never gotten rid of it and maybe never will completely.

Ive been with several doctors and everyone agrees that exercise is the only remedy and I can really feel the benefits of working out. Ive been doing SS for a couple of months and had good gains. Only downside is that I dont feel too safe when doing heavy squats (250lbs+) and since they are the cornerstone of the whole regimen, Im considering changing my workout routine to a 3-split. My legs can handle the weight, but I m just too scared to fuck up my back again. I know that squating with good form is not dangerous, but for me with my medical record the risks outweigh the benefits.

Anyways, swimming is a great overall activity, but I dont really dig it. The chlorine fucks my eyes and skin, but I will try the reverse extensions.

Post: #13

boiboi, I am not sure what country you live in but now the new rage is saltwater pool. I go swimming in a salt water pool and I am just fine. Maybe you can wear swimming goggles to offset the eye situation and perhaps look for some kind of emolient (skin lotion) you can put on your body before swimming to counter the effects of chlorine, if you cannot find a salt water pool.

But yea, you really should check out swimming. As I've gotten into it, it's really one of those secret exercises that reach areas you would have never imagined.

Post: #14

Best exercise is the back bridge, bar none. Strength and flexibility in one exercise.

Post: #15

(06-14-2012 09:18 AM)assman Wrote:  Reverse hypers will help strengthen your low back without the risk of injury that comes with some other low back targeting exercises.

Yep. Also, as long as you are not loading the hyperextensions, you can do do these forever and you won't hurt yourself. As somebody once put it, you can never do enough back hyperextensions

Post: #16

BoiBoi investigate 'trigger point therapy'. I know of someone who carried a back injury for years and and had given up curing it. After a couple of sessions of trigger point there was a vast improvement.

Post: #17

@Mona: Im going to check out if there are any salt water pools around, but arent they usually kinda small and more for relaxing? I have never heard of a 25m or 50m salt water pool...

@Vorkuta: This trigger point therapy looks interesting, thanks man. Ive reached a point where I would try almost anything in order to get rid of my back pains for good.
Shit man, Im 29 years old and sometimes feel like my grandpa. Last time I had a severe episode, I was cooking some pasta, stirred the sauce and BAAM, it struck me like a lightening bolt and I literally fell to the floor. Luckily, I had a girl over and she took care of me.

Post: #18

(06-15-2012 09:30 AM)Hades Wrote:  Best exercise is the back bridge, bar none. Strength and flexibility in one exercise.

Just started doing these, but I dont know, if Im doing em right. Do you have any resources concering them?

Post: #19

(06-15-2012 12:39 PM)BoiBoi Wrote:  

(06-15-2012 09:30 AM)Hades Wrote:  Best exercise is the back bridge, bar none. Strength and flexibility in one exercise.

Just started doing these, but I dont know, if Im doing em right. Do you have any resources concering them?

This guy is one of those bar-gymnast professionals, I think. This video is all you really need.





Just so you know, you have two options with the back bridge.

You can either do bridge holds, where you push up and hold it for a minute or two (I can do a bridge hold for a long time), or you can go for reps.

For back rehab I recommend reps. Holds are sort of weird to me.
You can also skip the wrestlers bridge as I find it harder than the full bridge. My neck is not that flexible.


Also, one useful bit of information.
When I took kickboxing, we did Superman reps and holds.

I could do twenty-five to thirty full reps of Supermans easily in about a minute while the rest of the class basically jerked off with their necks slightly clearing the ground. For the Superman hold, I could do two holds of 2 minutes inside of 5 minutes.

At this point I could only do 10-14 full bridge reps for one set, no second set. Back hyperextensions were also a joke, since I could easily knock out a eighty to a hundred and reverse-arch my back much further than any of my lifting buddies. Because of the large training effect I got from back bridges, this is when I concluded that the other two exercises were worthless. The same was the case with crunches vs. hanging leg raises. Thus it is more useful to do fewer reps of harder exercises.

Post: #20

@Hades: Thanks man!

Post: #21

Good mornings and reverse hypers.

If you can manage it then in my experience nothing builds a stronger lumbar-spinae than the deadlift.

Post: #22

assman Wrote:Why do reverse hypers between sets of squats or deadlifts? Is it to 'reset' the low back into extension and help avoid injury? Or more for a training effect, sort of like doing supersets for your low back?

It releases tension and fills the erector muscles (spinal support muscles) with blood (faster / complete recovery) and reduces soreness.

Just a few reps anywhere between 5 - 10 x BW, between sets is good.

Hades Wrote:Best exercise is the back bridge.

I agree the back bridge is a very effective exercise for releasing tension on the spine. You can do other movements to get similar results without being as flexible. One of my favorites is the glute bridge.





I'll usually have people grab their ankles (sometimes the back of the shoe with their fingers) or place their feet against a wall with palms down while doing these. You can thrust up or down (hi-reps) or do static holds, make sure to stretch after doing a lot or you will cramp

Post: #23

Back bridge is bad if you have https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spondylosis

Swimming is best.

I do starting strenght but I omit the DL and Squat. They are the cornerstone of Strength training but according to dr. stuart mcgill (read his book "low back disabilities" it has some good exercises or just google him) back endurance and not strength prevents pain.

DL and squats are very high-risk with high poundage even if you use perfect form (and even then who does).

you don't want to snap some shit up in your back buddy.

Post: #24

(06-15-2012 05:49 PM)metalhaze Wrote:  I do starting strenght but I omit the DL and Squat. They are the cornerstone of Strength training but according to dr. stuart mcgill (read his book "low back disabilities" it has some good exercises or just google him) back endurance and not strength prevents pain.

DL and squats are very high-risk with high poundage even if you use perfect form (and even then who does).

So what do you do to train back, hips and legs?

Post: #25

(06-15-2012 03:52 PM)Hades Wrote:  

(06-15-2012 12:39 PM)BoiBoi Wrote:  

(06-15-2012 09:30 AM)Hades Wrote:  Best exercise is the back bridge, bar none. Strength and flexibility in one exercise.

Just started doing these, but I dont know, if Im doing em right. Do you have any resources concering them?

This guy is one of those bar-gymnast professionals, I think. This video is all you really need.





Just so you know, you have two options with the back bridge.

You can either do bridge holds, where you push up and hold it for a minute or two (I can do a bridge hold for a long time), or you can go for reps.

For back rehab I recommend reps. Holds are sort of weird to me.
You can also skip the wrestlers bridge as I find it harder than the full bridge. My neck is not that flexible.


Also, one useful bit of information.
When I took kickboxing, we did Superman reps and holds.

I could do twenty-five to thirty full reps of Supermans easily in about a minute while the rest of the class basically jerked off with their necks slightly clearing the ground. For the Superman hold, I could do two holds of 2 minutes inside of 5 minutes.

At this point I could only do 10-14 full bridge reps for one set, no second set. Back hyperextensions were also a joke, since I could easily knock out a eighty to a hundred and reverse-arch my back much further than any of my lifting buddies. Because of the large training effect I got from back bridges, this is when I concluded that the other two exercises were worthless. The same was the case with crunches vs. hanging leg raises. Thus it is more useful to do fewer reps of harder exercises.

Yes.

The back (or hip, i.e. the first one shown) bridge is also the ultimate exercise for improving posture. ~3minutes of it will make you feel taller and have better posture. I do this every couple of days or after an ab work out where I am doing things to my spine (hanging raises, crunches etc).

Also under no circumstance should you be doing roman chair back extensions. Actually destabilizes the back more than strengthening it.

One note, if you are currently injured don't start off with the back bridge. Start off with the bird dog, until you heal.





Also whoever recommended Dr. Stuart Mcgill's book "low back disabilities" is spot on.