how to modify workout when resting lower back injury?

hey guys, I had a bad day squatting a few weeks ago and my form was off and I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong as it had felt great for the month before that. I ended up hurting my lower back, didn't go to the doctor, just tried to push through over the last couple weeks. But it was bad enough that it hurt when I got to my working weight so I've decided to take maybe a month or so off from squats/DL's before I try again, and if it's still an issue I'll see a doctor.

I was doing SS3x5. I'm assuming basically that I'll only be doing upper body/abdominal workouts for now while I try to rest my lower back. So is there a certain way I should split my workouts assuming I'm doing 3 days a week?

And is it also fair now to amp up my running/cardio now that I don't need to be resting my legs between workouts? that won't effect my upper body recovery I'd assume?

thanks.

for those wondering, my form problem was that my hips were coming up before the bar would when I was in the hole. I had never had that happen but basically it left me doing a bit of a good morning with the weight on the way up. It wasn't hurting so I kept trying singles just looking to correct form and all of a sudden it was hurt.

 

Let's see, there are a few "no's" here. First, running? Do you REALLY have to run? If I were trying to get myself through recovery of a lower back injury and back into lifting as fast as possible, running is the last thing I'd be doing. Just do some other cardio, particularly if lifting is more important to you.

If you take a solid month off, your lifts are going to suffer. You will lose strength and you will lose motor patterns, particularly in relation to squatting. The more you can minimize total rest time, the better. Can you front squat? Try it. If you're fron't squatting the bar, it's better than literally doing nothing, because at least you're keeping your motor patterns firing.

As far as "lower body" (wtf does this even mean, squatting involves strength throughout most major portions--if we're going to portion things out--of your body)--do not just simply stop working muscles in your legs. Why do you need to? You have a plethora of single-joint exercises available to you, and you should do them. You would be surprised how much of your strength and GPP you can preserve for longer amounts of time just by making sure you're doing things such as quad extensions, hamstring curls, adductor and abductor work, etc. while you're injured. I just learned this during recovery from a rib displacement.

If you know what form issues caused this injury, then work right now to research what you need to do to correct those form issues. You will probably need to strengthen some aspect of your posterior chain. Figure out what you need to strengthen and how best to do so. Then come back and do it.

 

Back bridges and planks are excellent for rehab work. if they don't help, consult your doctor.

 

lots of anger coming from this post lol. I say run because I ran cross country in high school and it's a comfortable cardio exercise for me that has never caused any back pain. relax. The question was is it fair to increase cardio AT ALL.

Sorry for pairing things like squats/DLs/lunges/powercleans/etc into "lower body". I had no idea my offhand terminology for exercises that strain my quads and put my back under stress was so frustrating for you.

I'm not worried about losing strength in the next month - i'm 23 I've got 30 more years to gain it back, and hopefully with a healthy back. My lifts are suffering right now anyways - its not a big deal i'm in no hurry and not competing. And yea you're right, I have been doing research on form and will (hopefully) have that fixed by the time I test out my back again.

The point of the thread was if I ought to split up my bench/rows/OHP/pullups/dips/etc differently now that my workout doesn't have the split focus on squat/dl/powerclean/etc.

not sure if I somehow offended you or if you're just an unpleasant person.

 

thanks. I've been doing planks but I'll add back bridges!

 

Quite obviously.

 

lol.. you jumped to quite a few conclusions and tried to belittle me.. that's unpleasant in my book

 

Bro, she's on her way to national/world records.

Watch your fucking mouth.

 

I dont doubt her lifting abilities, only her advice giving abilities..

 

BE gave you lots of good advice there. I'd try rereading that post, and perhaps mixing in a thank you afterwards.

EDIT: and being less defensive.

 

She gave you correct advice with no prevarication. I think you're reading too much tone into a toneless media if you think she was belittling you.

 

Maybe it's just clarification that I need on BE's post. Like is there something inherently wrong with running if it has never caused me lower back pain (and hasn't since this injury either)? And for someone (myself) who just got into lifting a few months back, and since I doubt i'll ever be strong enough to compete, is it really that big of a deal to take a month off just to be safe?

I do agree with her that i need to be figuring out how to fix my form issues though and I acknowledged that in my response!

It just seems to me like that is the best advice ever... if I'm a competitive power lifter. but being an average guy that's just trying to be stronger and healthier, I'm just not sure if you would still say it is as applicable to my circumstances.

I know there is a level of camaraderie on this forum and having not been posting on here for very long obviously I don't get the benefit of the doubt, so to speak, but rereading both posts I don't think I really said anything offensive or impolite at all.

maybe it's just me idk

and what I meant by the thread was mainly this for what its worth

 

this is possible also

 

welcome to the S&C forum, where the level of sensitivity makes it better to lurk than actually post.

unless your post is to incite anger and never reply, that is.

 

I don't have a clue when it comes to the running. Everything else she said is spot on.

If you can lift the bar, you can compete.

Being perfectly content to regress is a poor attitude and won't help you succeed in anything. I'd suggest you listen to BE and figure out how to come off this injury as prepared as you possibly can be.

You said you have form issues, you didn't post any kind of plan to fix it though. She was merely pointing out you need a plan.

I disagree here. A powerlifter's goal is to put up the biggest number they can, and the way to do that is to get stronger. I don't see how your circumstances differ from a powerlifters.

You called her angry and unpleasant, while dismissing quality advice. Every poster here would get treated similarly if they did that.

 

Just back out now, man. go to a weight lifting website forum. You'll have a flock of white knights riding in on horseback now to defend someone who was obviously being belittling in their post. What the people riding in to further degrade you are failing to mention is that the burden falls on the person writing the response to make sure that their tone is clear. you weren't reading too much into anything. just start adding people to your block list and move on. you'll thank me later

on topic, focus on what you CAN do to continue improving and giving yourself the best opportunity to maintain as much as you can in terms of gains. Her reply to you actually did have great advice, even if it was given in typical S&C tone.

 

Let's assume she was belittling him. Why would you give a flying fuck? He had a poor plan, she gave him a dick punch. Hopefully he takes the advice and comes off this injury prepared to kick ass.

 

Because she's still relatively new here and has enough problems of her own.

Maybe she needs a dick punch.

 

Hopefully just sarcasm.

 

I'm sure someone will give her one when necessary. Anyone care to step up?