Coach: Lower Back Injury Question

I have a lower back injury (slipped disk? sprained before) that when I do the Jefferson Curls I notice the most. With Chin tucked and rolling down, it feels like it may "pop" at any time. It has not yet, but I am nervous.

I am hoping that Back Limbers and Planche work will eventually do away with this weakness from injury, but now I am nervous to begin. I don't like those days that my back gives out and I can't walk. :roll:

Coach, please advise. Thank you.

Training With Injury

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I have one word for you; DON"T.

Unless you are are a very high level competitive athlete, there is no acceptable reason to ever train injured. And even then, it should be reserved for extreme situations (Olympic Trials etc.) and closely monitored with the smallest possible training load to maximize recovery.

As a fitness enthusiast, your primary goals may include improved health, improved strength, improved flexibility, recreation, improved agility etc.; however there is no place on your list for damaged joints. Patience and moderation are the key when training, the body needs time to adapt to the new training loads being placed on it (BTGB, pg 181). Pain is natures way of telling you to slow down. Failure to heed this message will lead to injury, continued failure to listen will lead to that injury becoming chronic.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

What I read you expressing (or hear you saying if this were in person) is to take it slow and don't "push through" injury pain.

My primary goal is for overall strength in mobility requiring repair of old injury-produced joint weaknesses.

I already see the way the Wrist Pushups and First Knuckle Pushups will strengthen my wrists so they will stop popping out of joint (though this will require a long time since I can only bear the weight of my upper body while sitting on my heels). In the same way, if the wall walks will slowly progress into bridges, will this have the effect of strengthening the spinal column musculature to hold things in place??

Again, my shoulder, wrists, and back are old injuries that are now the weakest places in my body. The Wall Extensions are amazing for my shoulder. The Wrist Pushups, First Knuckle Pushups, and eventually False Grip Pullups will be very good for my wrists. So, now I need to know if there is a history of Lower Back Weaknesses (from injury) being strengthened through one of the exercises. Again, I imagine Wall Walks into Bridges, but is there something you would recommend taking a slow approach with??

And thank you very much. There have been a lot of things on this site that has helped me consider ways to improve already.

kintelary said:

I have a lower back injury (slipped disk? sprained before) that when I do the Jefferson Curls I notice the most. With Chin tucked and rolling down, it feels like it may "pop" at any time. It has not yet, but I am nervous.

I am hoping that Back Limbers and Planche work will eventually do away with this weakness from injury, but now I am nervous to begin. I don't like those days that my back gives out and I can't walk. :roll:

Coach, please advise. Thank you.

When I wrote "I have a lower back injury", I mean that I have a lower back weakness from an old injury. I call it an injury because it is from an injury, but that is quite different from training with a recent injury to my lower back. I do not have a slipped disk currently nor a back strain, but I can get occasional swelling or if I am not careful, feel a pop followed by swelling that makes me unable to walk/work.

I hope this makes me easier to answer.

Start off with stick only good mornings and stiff leg deadlifts. Progress to light weights, DB or a light bar and go from there.

I would not reccomend DB/KB swings at this time even if they were super light but that could be me just being too cautious and not knowing where you are.

Well, I only have bodyweight, so added weight is beyond me

Thank you. Good Mornings and SL Deadlifts are common weight lifting exercises, I suppose I could do them with just BW and that may help strengthen my back, but is that your suggestion for leading to the Back Limbers (a goal)?

In my opinion it is premature to focus on back limbers at this time. I would recommend that you first focus on Curl-ups (BTGB, pg 133) and RLL variations (BTGB, pgs 134-136). In addition, I would use a swiss ball for your bridge work to gently increase your ROM while you are strengthening the back with the exercises I mentioned above. Once your back is stabilized, healthy and pain free, at that time I would recommend interjecting some Bridge Wall Walk work into your conditioning.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Stick only is fine for the GM and SLDL.

I use swiss ball bridges for beginners, little guys with limited shoulder flexibility and who tend to be weak ( 4-6yo ).

Coach beat me to it.

Good, Blair... thanks.

Okay Coach. I work with a ball for bridges and flexibility, but now that I am too heavy for the ball, I am focusing on losing weight to get below the recommended maximum weight for it (it belongs to my wife and she doesn't want me to ruin it ).

The Curls and RLL will be good, but no book yet because I can't afford it. Hopefully in a few paychecks. :wink:

Thanks again. A little direction goes a long way.

Kintelary, for some beginners I have them lie down on a box on their back with arms outstretched off the box. They slide down the box until their hands touch the floor but their back is being supported by the box. Similar in the method of using a swiss ball.

Obviously I use gymnastics equipment that are trapezoidal or spotting blocks, but a bench could work. Another method is to face 2 chairs with their ends facing outwards and make a sort of bed to lay on. 6-8 chairs may be necessary for a tall person but 4-6 may suffice.

You can also try to bridge with your feet higher than your hands but this can be difficult pushing into. It does allow you to focus more on the stretch in the shoulders and less on the back.

It may be a good thing to simply work the bridge off the shoulders, holding your pelvis up. Move it up and down. Looks funky and a bit wrong but is a good beginner exercise. You could also work a head bridge with an assist from your hands but that could be too much load at this point on your neck.