Fixing my back

Deer

Sent to personal trainer by consultant because all the muscles around my lumbar spine are wasted and I'll need disc surgery soon if I don't sort it out.

So the plan is resistance training but I have some mobility work to do first before that even starts because I don't know how to move :mad:

Motivation is right now not to have to take painkillers anymore and sort pit my spine. This is going on about seven years. So time for a new phase in my life with a strong back

Last week was simple

Belly breathing
Goblet squats x 5
Box squats x 5
Turkish get up first phase x 3 each side - no weight.

I didn't do too bad. I managed not to mess them up too badly. And just from last week I am a little more flexible. Still in pain but a little looser which is great.

This fortnight I must do the following everyday.

Belly breathing for 5 mins morning and evening.

Low neck release for 2 mins each side. Going to need husband for that part

Box squat x 5 (must remember to keep my head down lower and open out my knees on the way down and use my toes, not heels)

Quadraped reverse into Pilates ball x 8 x 5 secs for the pelvic floor

Treat every sit down and getting up from chair or sofa as a squat ie lifitig my bum with my legs.

Turkish get ups to elbow ( must remember shoulders away from ears and and use muscles under arms)

Half kneeling 1 minute each knee

Rest kneeling and tall kneeling and then change to split stance

Goblet squat ( must remember elbows tight in front and stop looking up).


My plan is to work hard for the next two weeks. I can't do any weights or any cardio. Got to sort the movement out first.

I will check in on this every few days to log that I have done what I am spouses to do and if I feel I am improving.

Zane.PT

Hi I'm not a physio but I do personal training for 8 years, have seen some improvements , helped people with bad shoulders or knees, back.
I would Not recommend box jumping as this might be just harmful for you at this stage.

I would enforce planks-all variations and swimming.

Deer

Absolutely NI jumping of any kind allowed for a while yet

In fact I have a bit of learning to do movement wise before the dreaded plank is brought in.

My pt is working with consultant. The muscle is pretty badly wasted.


Onwards and upwards.

I have been doing what I am told for the past few days. I was sick last week FFs.

Already I am "getting" the squat and not doing a movement for the sake of it but actually paying attention to what I am doing.

Still a bit iffy on the Turkish get up but I am trying my best to pay attention to not hunching my shoulders and engaging the correct muscles under my arms. My back no longer hurts when rolling over and getting up onto my elbow in the movement which is progress.

I am still in pain but deffo getting a lot looser.

Deer

Well after last post I feel like I'm "getting " the squats.

I still have to think about what I'm doing but it's so much easier. The two days that I couldn't do my exercise were the days my back pain was the worst but the days I did exercise I had short periods of no pain at all which is huge for me. Plus last night after a few wines I managed to do my hip shaking semi attempt at dancing which is the first time in a year I have been able to do this without jolts of pain going up my back

I'm still wobbly on my knees but not super wobbly. And not being tmi but the pelvic floor is behaving sooo much better.

I think I am losing the battle with Turkish get up but I am trying my hardest. Something is not clicking in my head like with the squats, it's hard to explain.

Although I still feel pain my flexion is so much better. I can bend lower without the jolt than I ever did. I still have a very long way to go before I can touch my toes but I am feeling super positive .

Won't get to pt like I'm supposed to this week but when I do the following week am positive he will be happy with progress

Deer

I am officially ****e at balancing on my knees. Still wobbling and no improvement. At least I can get off the chair now just using my legs though.

Deer

I'm such a twonk. I've been battling with a kettle bell wondering why I couldn't lift it and getting to the point of crying to turn out that the effing thing was suctioned to my mat, the same mat I was standing on.

I'm sure I will laugh about it eventually but I was feeling a complete failure at the time.

Anyway my drills for this fortnight are simple.

Turkish get up to elbow with 7.5 Kettlebell x 1 each side
Kettlebell deadlift 20kg x 1
Balance on foot for 30 seconds (the max I can do is 10 seconds which is pathetic )

5 rounds but increase the rounds as the week progresses.

I am feeling no pain doing this correctly but afterwards is no fun. And I can't sit and watch TV because it's just too painful. But the docs told me to expect this and it will be like this now for the next 8 weeks.

I am a bit pissed off but at the same time it means I am doing the right thing. I just have to get my heavy housework done straight after the exercise.

Deer

I think I might be turning a corner although hopefully my typing this won't be a jinx.

Pt last week was happy with both the get up and the deadlift but my balance is still really bad so we did a few things to try improve it.

Next two weeks I am doing :

1/2 kneeling lifts on yoga block x 15 each leg. (This is for balance)
Standing single leg balance x 20 seconds each leg.
Goblet squat 7.5 kg × 6
Get up to elbow 3 each side 7.5kg
Kb deadlift 20 kg
Rear leg elevated split × 5 (work of the devil)
3 to 5 rounds
And finally I can introduce skipping at 180 bpm. Am a wreck cardio wise. Am happy to introduce it back.

2 days of sore back as opposed to horrible pain.

Maybe in a week or 2 I won't be taking any pain relief. Seriously hoping for this.

caviardreams

Deer wrote: »

I think I might be turning a corner although hopefully my typing this won't be a jinx.

Pt last week was happy with both the get up and the deadlift but my balance is still really bad so we did a few things to try improve it.

Next two weeks I am doing :

1/2 kneeling lifts on yoga block x 15 each leg. (This is for balance)
Standing single leg balance x 20 seconds each leg.
Goblet squat 7.5 kg × 6
Get up to elbow 3 each side 7.5kg
Kb deadlift 20 kg
Rear leg elevated split × 5 (work of the devil)
3 to 5 rounds
And finally I can introduce skipping at 180 bpm. Am a wreck cardio wise. Am happy to introduce it back.

2 days of sore back as opposed to horrible pain.

Maybe in a week or 2 I won't be taking any pain relief. Seriously hoping for this.

Never a truer word spoken! :pac::D

Deer

Haven't updated in a while.

Was still having pain issues and was told start ramping up to exercise everyday no excuse which I did. Now I am working on not thinking about what I am doing and doing it automatically which I am progressing with.

Start of August I join a mini group once a week and lift really heavy weights. They'd like to start me now but I'm not comfortable or confident enough. Consultant told me I need to get over that and that's fair enough.

Anyway I've had 3 good days with my lower back. Really good days except.... I've fooked my neck up. I spent all day yesterday not being able to lift my headnu properly or turn it. I had to stay in bed. It's getting better today, more stiff than painful so hopefully it will be better by tomorrow and I can get cracking again.

Consultant said to go get a cleaner (which I will not be doing)and focus on my back. Do my exercise and if I still have energy in the evening, do more instead of cleaning.

My upper body is still not even near strong.

Here is what I am doing at the moment.

Belly breathing
Wall goblet squat x5 8kg
Walkouts x5
Alt shoulder tapping x 6
Shoulder stability roller squeeze x10
Deadlift kettle bell up and down 6-8 20kg
Kb get up to elbow x 5 8kg (really slow progress it will be a while before I can stand up)
Single leg stance x 40 secs each leg
Halo x 5 each side 6kg (I think this is what ****ed my neck up so I'll drop this)

Going back next week. Hoping to start swinging that kb. He wanted me to start that last time as my form is perfect but I wanted not to over think the movements before I went with the swinging .

Deer

Points to note from today

Stop sticking my neck out.

Stop bracing my body to lift the weight and yanking it up.

Use my underarm to get me back down to the floor on the Turkish get up.

Keep my knees as far apart with the deadlift and stick my bum out more and stop looking up.

Very educational session. I'm going to kill it over the next few weeks

Deer

Definitely seeing a difference in pain. I can actually sneeze again or cough without my muscles seizing up. Not too bad bending over, sudden movements etc. Also not really in much pain when I wake up.

Maybe its a placebo effect but since I increased protein and eating better am after seeing the improvement.

Onto seeing pt once a week in group and heavier weight. Tried 32.5 kg kettle bell (or something like that weight) and was able to do it . Pt finds am better at putting the bell down then lifting it. Trying to find one that doesn't cost the earth for home but they are very expensive considering I'll eventually have to go up weight. Wish there was kb hire !

Still on the same routine with addition of push ups tilted against a chair or stairs.

Deer

Nailed the deadlift finally after many months

Started single leg deadlift but have to do the most awkward thing on the floor with a tennis ball under my ass on one side first to work on that muscle as stability not great when doing the deadlift on right leg.

Let's see how long it takes to do a proper push up. Still on the stairs, still can't go far but he is happy with my technique so that is all that matters for moment

Deer

40kg deadlift today

Yes it killed me but I did it and no pain in my back from it!

Absolutely **** at single leg deadlift though. Keep losing balance. So I will have to work on that more than anything else

Deer

It's ages since I updated the thread.

I checked out mentally for a while, it was all getting a bit much, exercise, running a house and managing kids with school runs and their activities etc. I kept going to the gym but I wasn't doing my homework so things went a little downhill.

But I managed to get back into the mindset over the past few months. I decided rather than doing small exercise at home I would go to the gym an extra day and use the equipment there. That is a much better option now for me and gives me the headspace from home that I need and headspace from having to do these exercises at home too.

My lower back is great. Really , really good. I move so much better and day to day lifting kids and gardening is so much better also. A day digging in garden no longer sends me to bed. I do have issues for a week once a month but that is hormonal but it's rarely the utter misery it once was.

My deadlift is 55kg. I could probably do more but my hand gives away which is down to my upper body being very weak. So am now working a lot on upper body as well as the lower.

I do have a little hip issue but it's not a biggie. It means a lot of stretching and rolling before I get started.

I do need to focus on doing this at home and not just gym.

My current workout is
Various hip and thigh stretches and goblet squats. Just moved to 20kg goblet squats. Hate them. Have only clicked in my head despite trainer telling me constantly to keep my arms to my chest and I was able to do 16kg low down easily enough. And then the fecker moved me to 20kg and they are hard again

Chops, pulling the weight down while kneeling on both knees.

Walkouts

Push ups on a bench (shockingly weak but I'll get there )

Deadlift with bar bell currently 55kg
The first few get up moves 12kg

Half kneeling halos (these are killing me)
Kneeling down while holding my arms over my chest and getting back up.

And now at home loads of rolling for my rotator cuffs - I was genuinely nearly crying today when my trainer was rolling them and the stretches for hips.

So mostly positive and it will be great to update when my upper body is showing improvement and I am stronger.

Now if only I could stop eating like a horse the results would actually show as well as me feeling them !

coffee_cake

Headspace is definitely a major thing for working out, getting away from it all and focusing on you. I think farmers walks are supposed to help grip strength, someone might correct me on that. Might be helpful
Good luck keep it up

ShMLK

I suggest u get the p90x DVDs instead of paying for a trainer, works so good. I moved on to p90x2 now. I can upload the files for u on google drive if you don't want to spend money purchasing them.

Alf Veedersane

ShMLK wrote: »

I suggest u get the p90x DVDs instead of paying for a trainer, works so good. I moved on to p90x2 now. I can upload the files for u on google drive if you don't want to spend money purchasing them.

They're fine if you want to jump around etc to burn calories but the OP needs tailored training to help overcome back injuries and subsequently train to strengthen on top of that without aggravating anything. So paying for a trainer is very good value.

ShMLK

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

They're fine if you want to jump around etc to burn calories but the OP needs tailored training to help overcome back injuries and subsequently train to strengthen on top of that without aggravating anything. So paying for a trainer is very good value.

No, that's power90 you're talking about. P90x has Xstretch DVD totally dedicated to taking care of injuries. Also, there is recovery and mobility DVD in p90x2 that one is also for injuries but they work with a foam roller which is pretty cheap to buy as well.

Alf Veedersane

ShMLK wrote: »

No, that's power90 you're talking about. P90x has Xstretch DVD totally dedicated to taking care of injuries. Also, there is recovery and mobility DVD in p90x2 that one is also for injuries but they work with a foam roller which is pretty cheap to buy as well.

They're going to be very generic, pre-hab type exercises at best. The OP needed specific advice related to a specific injury and what to help with that specifically.

Deer

Thanks. It's deffo something I will look for but I absolutely have to go to the trainer because it's in conjunction to going to a consultant for back problems. Plus am clueless. Trainer saw today I needed rolling (the rotator cuffs) when I didn't think there was anything wrong!

But it would be handy to look and visualize so could do the trick at home

Alf Veedersane

Deer wrote: »

My deadlift is 55kg. I could probably do more but my hand gives away which is down to my upper body being very weak. So am now working a lot on upper body as well as the lower.

A couple of options to help with this:

1) Just hold the last rep of your sets as long as you can. Time it if possible.

2) Put the bar on the rack, a little lower than the level you'll be holding it at and put on the weight. You'll be able to push the weight a little higher than your deadlift because you're just going to be holding the bar. Grip the bar with a double overhand grip, lift off the rack and hold it for time. It'll be easier to time that. You can do a few sets of it.

Either will be directly working grip strength applicable for deadlift.

Deer

Will try that thanks Alf!

Deer

60 kg deadlift today - not a bother

Really happy with how far I'm coming. If someone had told me this time last year when 20kg was heavy that I'd be lifting 60kg with the back of an 80 year old I would have thought they were crazy!

Hillary17

Well done for keeping up the training! And it's great to see the numbers creeping up on the deadlift, really motivates u if your grip strength is bad just spend a few minutes at the end of each session hanging from a pull up bar, you'll get more out of it each time and it should help with your strength. No need to actually pull, just grip for as long as you can manage.

Deer

Am sorted I think at last

Chronic back pain that led me to quit my job and not allow me to sit and watch tv without being in pain - gone! Get a few twinges now and then, especially hormonal related but that is always going to happen. Weaning off pain meds now and I'm down to 2 a day when I was on 6 and weaning off them is a bitch and is taking ages but I am at the final hurdle.

I am so happy that I changed doctor who did not wish to keep doling out painkillers and sent me to the sports consultant who then in turn sent me to the trainer. Not only has my pain gone and I was utterly miserable with it but I've found a new outlet. I can't imagine not going to the gym twice a week. If I don't go I actually get really ratty mentally and achy and stretchy physically. I am working on the cross trainer too, trying to build up my cardio and will start skipping next week and as soon as I can balance on my right leg I can start running/ jogging which I like. I can now lift 70kg. I think my body weight is 78kg so soon I will be able to lift my own body weight and then I will work on lifting heavier than that! (We will say nothing about the upper body but am working on that !)

If anyone reading this has been prescribed gym for back issues or any other issues by the doctor and are a bit on the fence all I can say is go and do it. It is so worth it. But you do have to put the work in.

Am sure I have said this on this thread before - if I decided to change my diet I would have a rocking body too but I like my wine and nice food a bit too much but you never know I might get sense yet

Oldtree

MikeyMacDonagh wrote: »

Howya Boss!

Looking to get rid of some rubbish horse?
Look no further, send me a message and Ill sort it out for ya, I'll just pop over in
my hi ace van and collect it, drive off to some backroad in dublin or meath and just dump it
make sure you have any bills or anyting dat can ID you shredded for jaysus sake !
keep the pigs off da scent !

I do skip removal too , sometimes i do drive up to da summit in howth and just dump skipfulls
of rubbish off dem cliffs der!! its me culture boss!


Just give us a call Micky Mac O Connor Quinn McDonagh!
Just shout dat inti da phone der !! Goggle will pick it up!


Good man boss!!

I'll fix your back if I get my hands on you!

Deer

I spat my wine out at that ...thanks for the laugh Mikey