gfd's training notes (battling the bad back)

G

getfitdoc

Guest
Not really a complete log,
but...

after 5 years of not being able to squat or dead.

I finally was able to do full squats, as low as i could go on Wednesday.

I started really light. Worked up to 185 lbs. for 2 "easy" sets of 8. (It was mentally stressfull for me. I was literally afraid of hurting myself. So that made each rep really intense. Even my warmups with just the bar.)
Then i threw in a couple of sets of front squats for fun. I love those.

**I woke up the next day and my back didn't hurt.**

I had been doing box(to parallel) squats for 2 months. got up to 285 for 2 sets of 8. Felt like i could do 12 but i hate sets of more than 8.
the #'s are humble but i could care less.

My deads suck, my form is horrid. that will be my next mission.

I think im going to keep my deads light and really start hitting my lower back extensions even harder. Post.Core work helped me tremedously in my recovery.
If i have to stay light for another year im fine with that.

I think im going to rotate full squats and box squats for a few weeks. Just to really lock my form in.

If anyone has any suggestions i'm a humble student and love to read them.
---especially on the deads. Any variations for someone coming off a back injury and wanting to stay cautious untill the body readapts to the lifts.
 
Hey bud, first off best of luck to you on the road to full recovery. You know Ive seen many guys battle the bad back, some do succeed but man, some guys just do themselves in for more injury. Can you be specific as to whats actually wrong with your back? Also how old are you?

I was able to come back from a really bad slipped disk injury by doing a lot of rack deads. They nursed me back to health in a way.
 
AGE: 27
LBS: 175
HT: 6'0"

I never went to a Dr. for a full diagnosis. I played college basketball, the injury occured during that time.

the head trainer said it was bulging discs, L3 and 4 was his guess.

I had sciatica for 2 years. The most miserable time of my life.

I am mostly worried about deads. I was thinking that rack deads would be the best option.
 
lifted back today.

started with rack deads. lots of warmup sets. last set was 225 for 8 reps. easy but didn't want to push it to hard. --its going to take me a while to get strong at these, i can tell. but i will continue to go slow, do them right and listen to my body.
--next back workout i will do standard deads with lighter wieght.

did pull ups to failure 3 sets

barbell row 2 sets

dumbell row 2 sets

close grip pull down 4 sets of 1 rep 30 seconds rest in between sets. not going to do this anymore, the machine is too easy. going to only do wieghted pull ups.
 
feb 19th sunday:
lifted legs

kept is simple.

full range squats for warm-ups

a lot of light work. really working on form.
went up to 135 for sets of 20

then did box squats with 225 for 8's 3 sets

moved to hack squats.

Hard sets of 15.

that was it. kept it simple and light.

the hardest part for me is i feel like i'm 5 years behind. I have been lifting for 9 years solid.

but the last 5 have been without squats or deads.

But i know i have to keep it slow, continue to retrain my body to handle these movements.
 
feb 20th mon feb 21st tues --cardio...(for cardo i just play full court basketball. i play very hard, hard defense and look to break as much as possible. its a great workout)

feb 22nd wed. chest + cardio.

bench press. got 275 for 2 sets of 2.

85 lb dumbells for 2 sets of 8

((EDIT))---close grip bench w/ez curl bar 3 sets, 1st w/105 15 reps. 2nd and 3rd w/155 8 reps...(this hurts my wrists.)

weighted dips 70 lbs 3 sets of 8.

overhead tricep push- 80lbs 2 sets of 12

i haven't been doing a lot of dumbell work because my shoulder is aching from playing a lot of basketball.
 
Last edited:
feb 23. rest day

feb 24 back

deadlifts.. did 135 for 2 sets of 15.. full deads ( to the ground)

then did 175 for 8
then 195 for 8

my limiting factor is my lower back, everything else is strong. these sets are easy except for the lower back.

3 sets of wide grip pull ups

3 sets of close grip pull ups. 1st set with 45# plate 3 reps easy, 2nd & 3rd with 2 45# plates 3 hard reps.

bent over barbell row. 3 sets. 1st set 10 reps with 135, 2nd set 10 reps with 155 3rd set 8 reps with 185

2 sets of db curls
2 sets of close grip preacher curls.. (i hate curls, spent 5 min on them)

NOTES:

pull ups are getting stronger, back up to 18 reps..(15 with Excellent from, last 3 are about 7/10 on from).

deads are feeling good, I HAVE to start focusing on my LBE's more. (low back ext.)

my wrists are killing me from close grip benching.. i think i am going to eliminate that movement.

light and right. always remind myself that its better to be moving light #'s than not moving any #'s at all.
 
getfitdoc said:
NOTES:
deads are feeling good, I HAVE to start focusing on my LBE's more. (low back ext.)

my wrists are killing me from close grip benching.. i think i am going to eliminate that movement.

light and right. always remind myself that its better to be moving light #'s than not moving any #'s at all.
Click to expand...

hey doc as far as low back exercises go are you working in hypers and SLDL's in your routine??? i think these 2 exercises and few other low back exercises will benifit you alot. IMO

also as far as the wrists hurting from CGBP you may wanna go and get some wrist wraps. i have and its helped a lot. also whats your grip like when you do it. that may be another culpret (sp) in your pain.

otherwise nice work so far.
 
adidamps2 said:
hey doc as far as low back exercises go are you working in hypers and SLDL's in your routine??? i think these 2 exercises and few other low back exercises will benifit you alot. IMO

also as far as the wrists hurting from CGBP you may wanna go and get some wrist wraps. i have and its helped a lot. also whats your grip like when you do it. that may be another culpret (sp) in your pain.

otherwise nice work so far.
Click to expand...

I'm not doing an SLDL as of yet. I wanted to work them in, in the next month or so. Maybe i should throw them in now... hmm.. i'll do some light work with them next week and see how it feels.

Hypers,, yes i do those. I need to get a 45 degree hyper though, i am using a old school one right now. I kinda like it, but i think the
45 degree hyper >>> 180 degree hyper.

CGBP hurting my wrist. I think it has a lot to do with a broken wrist*** i suffered about 1 1/2 years ago.

***i was incline DB pressing 95#. It was easy, but my gym didn't have 105's. So i added those stupid ass magnets to the end of the DB..... well i did my set, got 5 reps, went to put them on my legs to rack and the magnet slipped of and my wrist went POP.

broken wrist, torn joint capsule, knee tendonitis, bulging discs,,, fuck im a wreck... but i push through. :flipoffha

------------------------------feb 25th 2006----------------------------------------
LEGS
bbl to fill in how it goes.
 
just finished legs.

feb 25th '06

low back extensions (180 degree hypers), 3 sets 15 reps,
slant board ab crunches 3 sets 15 reps

squats: bar for 2 sets all the way down. 95# for 1 set all the way down.
135 for 1 set to parallel.

I messed with my squat a little. put feet closer together. i really liked how it felt. Feet were maybe an inch inside hip width. I normally go wider than my shoulders.

next sets. 185# 15 reps, 225# 8 reps. very easy sets. felt really good.

split squats with barbell. 155# for 8 reps. 185# for 8 reps 225# for 5 reps.

all went up easy.

seated calf raises 3 sets, 180# 15R's 200# 15R's 230# 15R's


NOTES: back was a little tender after deads yesterday. so even though i felt i could have done more on squats and splits, i decided to play it safe, maybe go for more next week. "More" as in, i am going to start uping my reps. 225 for 15 reps, then 225 for 20 reps. once im in that range i'll move above 225 in squats.

not sure how much longer i should split squat. i like them because they are easy on my back, and i can really load the #'s on them. I've only got 105# DB's, so DB lunges are limited. I think I'll leave them in through march. then re-evalute.
 
couple things since you got a bad back.

abs 2xw is a must. also if you have access to a reverse hyper please do these 2xw.

back and leg days should be seperated by 72 hours.
 
pullinbig said:
couple things since you got a bad back.

abs 2xw is a must. also if you have access to a reverse hyper please do these 2xw.

back and leg days should be seperated by 72 hours.
Click to expand...

Ya, i know better than to train back and legs so close... :S good point. I'll find a reverse hyper. thanks PB.



I will try the reverse grip bench also. thank you adid.
 
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