View Full Version : did my back in again
veganlifter
05-03-2005, 17:51
Some of you might know i had back problems last summer. Well, it has returned, thanks to my own stupidity.
I have a stiff joint in my lower back which gets aggrevated when compressed (that is having loads of weight on your back and squatting etc) and as a result the muscles around that joint tighten up and lock. It's very painful, trust me, lol!
Basically i cant even go to the toilet on the height of it (i was just able to walk in and out again, yes!) and have to crawl in all fours, lol! Very humbling experience indeed...
I've seen an osteopath about this and he has done his magic to get the joint moving again.
Basically, i have to come to terms that this issue wont go away. It is easy enough to prevent though:
1. Don't go all mental with lower back stressing training. On thursday when the injury came back i did working sets of 4 x 2 x 175kg on deads followed by squats of 4x4x135kg (were supposed to be "light" squats...).
2. Have to stretch and twist my spine in between the sets, rather than posing around desperately trying to look cool...
3. good stretching in the end of the session. No excuses.
4. Some flexibility work weekly, like yoga, pilates, or just stretching sessions.
5. activities which keep my spine moving, swimming etc would be good.
So, i feel gutted and angry at myself that i allowed this set back happen again. I am still committed to my target of squatting 200kg in the summer, this wont change that. It will be couple of weeks before i'm back training again though...
BengDogg
05-03-2005, 17:54
I cant offer any advice mate but i hope you are better soon,
I wonder if something lighter for a few weeks between your last routine and your current one would have helped...
Rogue_zero
05-03-2005, 19:06
dont worry youll make that 200kg
PikeKing
05-03-2005, 19:19
you know the answers VL
they are a lot easier to see when written down though, good luck with it.
wishing you a speedy recovery
veganlifter
05-03-2005, 19:31
Thanks guys, much appreciated!
SOG, you are definitely right, but do we fools listen? No :) when things are going well we feel like nothing can touch us, we feel strong and can move mountains. I have nailed this training hard part, training smart is a more difficult thing.
I tried to have a light week, which was way too much hard work anyway. From now on i will plan the light week down to last dot well beforehand as well.
Pike, this is one reason why i want to ramble, perhaps i'll pay more attention this time :D
cheers guys!
lil_jimmy
05-03-2005, 23:56
Im sorry man, that sounds like a massive blow. Nothings worse and more debilitating than back pain.
You never know at what rate your back will improve over the next few days, so dont be too disheartened. Pop some NSAIDs, stretch your back out and maybe get a massage.
Wish you a speedy recovery.
Jimbo
the block
06-03-2005, 00:53
sorry to hear that VL. hope you get better soon.
As PK said, you know what you have to do
I've had a few rude awakenings with mine lately, and I haven't even started training again yet!:019:
ATG Squats and Conv DLs are definately out of the question for me in the future!
veganlifter
06-03-2005, 09:33
thanks bros, i can now walk to the toilet and back, which is great :) Will probably take couple days off work though and just take it easy.
I'll probably build a good recovery and come back routine today, i'm still hoping to get back on track with my squat progress. I tell you guys, my squat felt so solid and strong i was convinced i would have the 200kg raw squat in the bag before summer. Deadlifts i am not hoping anything for... So i hope this injury will not have any longer term consequences.
Knighty, i feel for you bro, hope the "future" will turn into a possibility in few years time, you never know. The main thing is not to rush it (he says trying to listen himself at the same time!)
SOG, you are definitely right, but do we fools listen? No :) when things are going well we feel like nothing can touch us, we feel strong and can move mountains. I have nailed this training hard part, training smart is a more difficult thing.
Yeah... I can imagine, especially after all the strength you gain on the last routine. That said, given my Smolov experiences, once you complete a Eastern European training cycle, I'd be happy enough that I'd completed it and got away with it.
veganlifter
06-03-2005, 13:27
true, i should have realised that. Thing is, you get hooked into the volume when things are going well, you start thinking, surely i can just keep this up.
I have to remember that i have a weakness and not try to deny it, so i have to find my own rules for the volume and intensity.
What do you guys think of the theory that it is the volume, not the intensity, that breaks backs like mine? Last time i had the lower back problem it was very soon after J5's squatting routine which had insanely high volume. but going near my maxes with low volume has never really been a problem...
What do you guys think of the theory that it is the volume, not the intensity, that breaks backs like mine?
It'll depend on the nature of the injury of course, but you could be right - If you're back is getting tired and your form starts to deteriorate a little, that could be when you start having problems.
That said, you're in a better position to tell than most.
veganlifter
06-03-2005, 16:38
deterioration of form is one factor, but usually my form stays good throughout. Since the injury comes from compression on the stiff joint, i was thinking that it is the whole time spent under compression that counts.
I think i will not go for these big volume routines for a while...
That sucks man. Good luck.
veganlifter
08-03-2005, 17:22
Thanks DMPM.
Visited the osteopath again, he was impressed by the recovery (its all them veggies mate, my wife has refused to make any cheat food and had been doing like steamed veggies and healthy crap) and adjusted me again and got things moving.
I'm walking now but it aint easy! Will take another week before i can do any training, my current ideas for a comeback routine are around lots of stretching and flexibility work, low volume on lower body work, low percentages to start with, intensity going up slowly, and aiming to hit new squat PB in 6 weeks time! No prisoners!
Stiff vertebrae joints are a pain in the bollocks...I think this shit should be inflicted on paedophiles and rapists, not weight trainers and vegans! :021:
veganlifter
08-03-2005, 18:52
Stiff vertebrae joints are a pain in the bollocks...I think this shit should be inflicted on paedophiles and rapists, not weight trainers and vegans! :021:
LOL! You got that right mate.
veganlifter
12-03-2005, 20:30
an update:
i had to go to london for work thing for three days, bad hotel beds didn't help the recovery, and neither did the fact that i found this fantastic vegan burger joint and ate loads of crap, expenses covered by my boss :D
I am able to walk ok'ish now, sitting is the hardest. And when the lower back starts getting tense, it is very difficult to reverse it, it will just get tenser and tenser until i get to lie down or manage to somehow get the lower back moving again. It's like a diesel engine, takes long time to warm up, but when it does, it's going ok.
I find myself walking a bit crooked, leaning to my left side (the stiff joint is on the right). I'm trying to pay attention and straighten myself up when i notice it happening.
Did some CoC gripper training, slammed #2 shut for few reps which was a pleasant suprise. Will still take perhaps 7-10 days before i can start weight training again, starting with bench only training, perhaps some pull ups. Don't know if i should do anything before that, because swimming relies on hyperextending the back and that can't be good. Perhaps some walking.
By the way, funny how much you sweat when you are in pain...
I feel for you mate, I really do
When my SI joint stiffness plays up, pings and destabilizes my pelvis I'm in bloody agony and can barely move until I've been cracked back together again :022:
I'm never screwing with 1 rep maxes ever again...ever!
veganlifter
13-03-2005, 11:54
I feel for you mate, I really do
When my SI joint stiffness plays up, pings and destabilizes my pelvis I'm in bloody agony and can barely move until I've been cracked back together again :022:
I'm never screwing with 1 rep maxes ever again...ever!
man, i can only imagine how that feels...
I hope it is not the maxing out that is the problem with me - in fact i think it is the higher rep sets and loads of volume which gets to me. We will see that soon enough because i'm going to give a low rep low volume routine a try. If my back gets done again within next 6 months, i have a serious problem in my hands!!!
It probably feels the same it does for you, but in my left butt cheek. lol!
The muscles around the area just inflame, but I've gotten used to it now and keeping the muscles around the area mobile and flexible helps a hell of alot
veganlifter
15-03-2005, 18:12
funny you should mention the butt cheeks, because mine started aching yesterday when i started going to work and sitting on a desk the whole day. The butts get really tense, lol, and quite painful. But with a little bit of stretching and moving around they are ok again.
Do you know what causes that? freaky man....
When my pelvis shifts the chiro says the muscles around the iliac crest spasm to protect the area and try to lock the pelvis back in its original place...unfortunately, by then it's already out of place and needs to be manually crunched back! :mad:
A bit of pressure point treatment or accupuncture is needed to ease the spasming before he re-aligns me
Also, I'd imagine if the joints are stiff and the muscles become stiff, it doesn't help too much!
veganlifter
15-03-2005, 19:40
interesting, because my osteopath has been pushing "something in its place" on my but cheek! It hurts like hell when he does that, kind of pushes something in with his elbow. It does sound like the same thing.
I feel perfectly fine if i just keep my hips and lower back moving, and if it locks up, i just stretch slowly for few minutes and i am back in action again.
When walking for instance, the first couple hundred metres are a pain, and then its almost fine, no problems.
I'm hoping to see the physio on friday again, lets see what the verdict is. I am hoping to be benching next week (without an arch!)
funny you should mention the butt cheeks, because mine started aching yesterday when i started going to work and sitting on a desk the whole day. The butts get really tense, lol, and quite painful. But with a little bit of stretching and moving around they are ok again.
Do you know what causes that? freaky man.... Stretching your butt?!! Your partner must be well proud a2a
veganlifter
16-03-2005, 18:33
mans got to do what mans got to do mate...
veganlifter
18-03-2005, 18:44
this is kind of my injury recovery journal, lol!
Update: I've cycled to work for 3 days now and being more and more mobile. The pain has largely moved from lower back to pelvis/glutes/arse area.
Visited osteopath today and he was happy to see great improvement. The modifications he did gave immediate relief and i could hear things popping in their place (scary stuff actually!). He also said that the moving of the pain is a good thing.
So on a good road to recovery here, i think i'll start benching without an arch next week, and slowly introduce squats. Will probably back off from deads for a while, exept light speed dead pulling.
Raw 200kg squat before summer!
Rogue_zero
18-03-2005, 18:48
Raw 200kg squat before summer!
you know it makes sense!!!!
be careful tho dont rush back from injury (my pals bicep/tendon snapped pushing a car. OUCH!!!!!!!!! :eek: )
good luck Veganlifter :038:
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