Regardless of how well i stretch out every day (yes i stretch or foamroll daily), my lower back (specificly the area circled in red) is [I]very[/I] tight. Its easily the tightest muscle group of my entire body every time i stretch. I think this might be why my dead blows for how long ive been lifting/body weight....but im not certain.
[IMG]http://i51.tinypic.com/5bog14.jpg[/IMG]
1) Is this normal?
2) Whats a good stretch for this?
i would love to hear some ideas on this as well. my lower back is stiff all week, every week. from squats, deadlifts, rdls, and even bb rows, it seems like my lower back never really gets a break. i couldn't imagine adding in hypers in to my routines.
i will share what helps me get by.
i like to do these in the shower(no public) and let the hot water hit my lower back. feelsgoodman.
[url]http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/Hamstrings/Standing.html[/url]
here is another one that i like(no shower)
[url]http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/ErectorSpinae/Lying.html[/url]
here are some more stretches... they are listed at the end:
[url]http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/WaistWt.html#anchor1945210[/url]
another thing that amazes me though, is even when it's not bothering me much, when my wife gives me a massage on my lower back... that's when i truly get an understanding of how effected my erectors are.
i have been meaning to try these spinal decompressions for weeks now. if you try them, let me know what you think.
[url]http://stronglifts.com/spinal-decompression-procedure-for-increased-spine-health/[/url]
oh... and i don't think this is what is holding your deads back. you're just weak brah! :p
[QUOTE=unity;666975081]i would love to hear some ideas on this as well. my lower back is stiff all week, every week. from squats, deadlifts, rdls, and even bb rows, it seems like my lower back never really gets a break. i couldn't imagine adding in hypers in to my routines.
i will share what helps me get by.
i like to do these in the shower(no public) and let the hot water hit my lower back. feelsgoodman.
[url]http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/Hamstrings/Standing.html[/url]
here is another one that i like(no shower)
[url]http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/ErectorSpinae/Lying.html[/url]
here are some more stretches... they are listed at the end:
[url]http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/WaistWt.html#anchor1945210[/url]
another thing that amazes me though, is even when it's not bothering me much, when my wife gives me a massage on my lower back... that's when i truly get an understanding of how effected my erectors are.
i have been meaning to try these spinal decompressions for weeks now. if you try them, let me know what you think.
[url]http://stronglifts.com/spinal-decompression-procedure-for-increased-spine-health/[/url]
oh... and i don't think this is what is holding your deads back. you're just weak brah! :p[/QUOTE]
Thanks. I do the first one, but ill add in the 2nd to my routine.
My parents (i work out in my parents garage) have an inversion table...i may give that a try the next time im there.
i forgot to mention, might try a heating pad. i have been meaning to try that too but it seems like my wife wears the thing 24/7, lol.
i have the same problem. its been holding my deadlift back recently...
it seems to get espec tight / weird feeling after i sit for along time
I think its the inversion table you mentioned, but my in laws have one of these. Where you strap yourself in, then basically lay upside down for a while. Feels awesome and gets them nice and relaxed.
Also, how's your posture the rest of the day? I find that most heavy lifters tend to be pretty good (Since its reinforced throughout our lifts) but that might be a cause.
And take a hot as shower as you can after back day, see if that helps any. Wish I knew more to help out cuz I know it sucks
Anyone else have an idea?
the one that helps me the most is you lie on your back, feet flat on the ground like your about to do a sit-up, then you cross one leg over the other, your partner grabs the foot thats still flat on the ground and then pushes back toward your head. give that a try and let me know if your lower back is still tight after a few weeks of this.
[QUOTE=Cheap5.0;666969621]Regardless of how well i stretch out every day (yes i stretch or foamroll daily), my lower back (specificly the area circled in red) is [I]very[/I] tight. Its easily the tightest muscle group of my entire body every time i stretch. I think this might be why my dead blows for how long ive been lifting/body weight....but im not certain.
1) Is this normal?
2) Whats a good stretch for this?[/QUOTE]
Try stretching your hamstrings...tight hamstrings can cause a tight lower back
[QUOTE=miamibodybuilder;667004311]the one that helps me the most is you lie on your back, feet flat on the ground like your about to do a sit-up, then you cross one leg over the other, your partner grabs the foot thats still flat on the ground and then pushes back toward your head. give that a try and let me know if your lower back is still tight after a few weeks of this.[/QUOTE]
Thanks, ill definitely be giving this a try.
[QUOTE=italianplaya30;667014841]Try stretching your hamstrings...tight hamstrings can cause a tight lower back[/QUOTE]
Other than the standing/bent over stretch and a lying ham stretch, what else should i check out?
I have the same problem show up this week. I'm going to call to see if I can get an appt. with my chiropractor. I'll let you know what he recommends.
Edit: going in at 3:15
[QUOTE=WarEagle76;667075721]I have the same problem show up this week. I'm going to call to see if I can get an appt. with my chiropractor. I'll let you know what he recommends.[/QUOTE]
Yes, please do.
i used to be like this.
i did good mornings (high reps, lightweight) after every workout.
my lower back is stronger than ever now. i still do good mornings but just twice a week now, but i also do heavier weights, going all the way up to 155x6.
I have had chronic back pain for years. I've found that stretching the psoas muscle which is a deep hip flexor muscle has been helping. What happens is the psoas muscle gets tight and kind pulls on the lower back.
I rest a knee on a bench or bed. bring the foot the the butt like a quad stretch. The other foot is on the ground for suppport and then you lunge.
[url]http://www.floota.com/PsoasStretch1.html[/url]
I like it on a bench more so there is more stability and you can get really deep.
I also like the piriformis stretch. The guy isn't doing it right in the link though. Your ankle should be resting more towards the knee and that right knee should be away from the body.
[url]http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/HipExternalRotators/LyingPiriformis.html[/url]
Hope it helps.
[QUOTE=Bucknut8084;667118871]I have had chronic back pain for years. I've found that stretching the psoas muscle which is a deep hip flexor muscle has been helping. What happens is the psoas muscle gets tight and kind pulls on the lower back.
I rest a knee on a bench or bed. bring the foot the the butt like a quad stretch. The other foot is on the ground for suppport and then you lunge.
[url]http://www.floota.com/PsoasStretch1.html[/url]
I like it on a bench more so there is more stability and you can get really deep.
I also like the piriformis stretch. The guy isn't doing it right in the link though. Your ankle should be resting more towards the knee and that right knee should be away from the body.
[url]http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/HipExternalRotators/LyingPiriformis.html[/url]
Hope it helps.[/QUOTE]
this makes sense. that first stretch looks pretty good.
I did the spinal decompression by using my desk. Instead of hanging, I just used my arms and supported my upper body and let my legs just hang there. Felt really good to get that pressure of my back. Try it.
[QUOTE=tmkeehn;666990621]I think its the inversion table you mentioned, but my in laws have one of these. Where you strap yourself in, then basically lay upside down for a while. Feels awesome and gets them nice and relaxed.[/quote]Traction approaches like these are good. Be sure to practise the upside-down crunches as well. These will help the lower back to relax.
Keep in mind you do not need to invert to stretch your lower back under traction. You can hang (and do leg-pelvis raises to help contract abs and relax extensors as above with crunches) via a pull up bar (hands, arms pulling), via ab slings attached to the bar (upper arms-elbow, some lat tension), via captain's chair (elbow-forearms, pushing down), or holding yourself above a dip bar (hands, arm pushing down). All of these will traction the spine and rounding your back actively with your abs will relax the back.
Dip bars are comfortable since you can dangle, but if you lack one, you can attempt to balance on a pair of pushup handles / paralettes. You will need to use abs and hip flexors to lift your seat off the ground. Balance is more difficult than on dip bar because you have raised your centre of gravity above your base (hands) whereas in dip you dangle below the base.
[QUOTE=italianplaya30;667014841]Try stretching your hamstrings...tight hamstrings can cause a tight lower back[/QUOTE]Sometimes yeah, though people could possibly have the reverse problem (if you look at how some women stand with anterior pelvic tilt, they hyperextend their lower back while having plenty of hamstring length).
Many stretches do both, forward bending and straight-legged pelvis raises will be stretching both regardless.
Forward bends are great but if the option is available I would advice involving and prioritizing the aforementioned traction means since some people get pain from disc compression. Preceding forward bend with traction will make sure the discs have absorbed moisture and the spine has lengthened so it will be more comfortable.
[QUOTE=TD757;667173781]I did the spinal decompression by using my desk. Instead of hanging, I just used my arms and supported my upper body and let my legs just hang there. Felt really good to get that pressure of my back. Try it.[/QUOTE]I'm a bit confused about how you would do this with your desk, was it perhaps your office chair? A chair with a sturdy pair of arms is good for traction.
People doing the 'bench dip' type exercise can also experience this to some degree. There is not as much traction as a free-hanging dip because the weight of your legs is borne by the ground and not being used to traction your spine. But it does provide a sense of weightlessness and I believe the weight of the pelvis and the femurish mass will still be tractioning the spine. This may be easier for people who lack the strength to support their entire weight via arms/legs alone and who aren't accustomed to being tractioned by their full weight yet. Sort of like how people inverting would start with partial inversion, use support handles or push against the ground to lessen the stretch.
[QUOTE=Tyciol;667174241]I'm a bit confused about how you would do this with your desk, was it perhaps your office chair? A chair with a sturdy pair of arms is good for traction.
[/QUOTE]
Yes. My office chair has pretty sturdy arms on it. I just lifted myself of the chair with and locked out my arms and just let the lower half hang.
Its definitely not as effective as hanging from a pull up bar, but it provide a little relief to my back.
My Chiro told me the muscles were simply strained. He said he see's it all the time including having done it to himself multiple times. He recommended hanging from a pull-up bar, ice, and walking for 30min. He said you can push through but it would only prolong the recovery causing long term damage. He also told me not to do anything which would put stress on the back including stretching.
[QUOTE=Tyciol;667174241]Traction approaches like these are good. Be sure to practise the upside-down crunches as well. These will help the lower back to relax.
Keep in mind you do not need to invert to stretch your lower back under traction. You can hang (and do leg-pelvis raises to help contract abs and relax extensors as above with crunches) via a pull up bar (hands, arms pulling), via ab slings attached to the bar (upper arms-elbow, some lat tension), via captain's chair (elbow-forearms, pushing down), or holding yourself above a dip bar (hands, arm pushing down). All of these will traction the spine and rounding your back actively with your abs will relax the back.
Dip bars are comfortable since you can dangle, but if you lack one, you can attempt to balance on a pair of pushup handles / paralettes. You will need to use abs and hip flexors to lift your seat off the ground. Balance is more difficult than on dip bar because you have raised your centre of gravity above your base (hands) whereas in dip you dangle below the base.
Sometimes yeah, though people could possibly have the reverse problem (if you look at how some women stand with anterior pelvic tilt, they hyperextend their lower back while having plenty of hamstring length).
Many stretches do both, forward bending and straight-legged pelvis raises will be stretching both regardless.
Forward bends are great but if the option is available I would advice involving and prioritizing the aforementioned traction means since some people get pain from disc compression. Preceding forward bend with traction will make sure the discs have absorbed moisture and the spine has lengthened so it will be more comfortable.
I'm a bit confused about how you would do this with your desk, was it perhaps your office chair? A chair with a sturdy pair of arms is good for traction.
People doing the 'bench dip' type exercise can also experience this to some degree. There is not as much traction as a free-hanging dip because the weight of your legs is borne by the ground and not being used to traction your spine. But it does provide a sense of weightlessness and I believe the weight of the pelvis and the femurish mass will still be tractioning the spine. This may be easier for people who lack the strength to support their entire weight via arms/legs alone and who aren't accustomed to being tractioned by their full weight yet. Sort of like how people inverting would start with partial inversion, use support handles or push against the ground to lessen the stretch.[/QUOTE]
Amazing answer man. Big thanks!
[QUOTE=WarEagle76;667357171]My Chiro told me the muscles were simply strained. He said he see's it all the time including having done it to himself multiple times. He recommended hanging from a pull-up bar, ice, and walking for 30min. He said you can push through but it would only prolong the recovery causing long term damage. He also told me not to do anything which would put stress on the back including stretching.[/QUOTE]
Good to know, i have a chiro i like as well (used to be a BB'r in the 80's) but have not been since i started working out since my back never hurts like it did before. Might have to stop in and see what he thinks...
[QUOTE=italianplaya30;667014841]Try stretching your hamstrings...tight hamstrings can cause a tight lower back[/QUOTE]
this x10... all you people that get tight lower backs need to stretch your hamstrings out really well and become super flexible hammys. I am willing to bet that this will keep the pain from coming and assist your form on lower body exercises A LOT/.
I forgot to add, like posters above mentioned, stretching the legs is great for the lower back. I must have given him a bertstare when he told me cause he was was like "yea dude I'm serious, stretch your legs."
i had the same problem , specially when playing basketball , but i found this stretch and it really helped me its also fun to do
i cant post links yet so just search (workout like a celtic) on google and click the first link it is the third stretch ^^third stretch for the lower back , i hope i helped and btw this is my first post on this website so be happy !! lol
try stretching the hips/strengthen glutes
Not sure why stretching has gotten such a big name for itself when science has really never shown that it has all that great of importance in treatment or prevention of injury. At least in the general sense. It has individual applications in many instances.
If you are foam rolling, static stretching properly, and/or doing some dynamic stretching on a regular basis, then obviously that is not the issue.
Muscles don't only get tight just because they aren't "stretchy". They many times will get tight because of injury or fatigue.
I would examine those kinds of causes.
First is always looking at proper form. Second is making sure you aren't using too much weight, which usually means keep your rep ranges up. If you do a lot of like dead lift work for example in the super low range, that can set you up for some overuse in those muscles.
More than likely I'm willing to bet you are over working the area with some exercises, working it improperly, or you could have some strength imbalances doing on that's leading to some added stress and load being placed on that area.
If the problem persists with some rest and simple treatments like the foam roller, heat, etc. Then i'd look at seeing a good PT or Chiro.
havnt read through all the comments so sorry if this is a repeat but often low back tightness stems from another issue such as tight hams
limber 11 is brilliant at keeping you mobile and should be used regardless of back tightness or not as it will help mobility overall
also incorporate; bird dog after youve finished limber 11 and dead hangs from a chin up bar after youve finished squatting just to release some of the pressure from the back
Subbed
[QUOTE=rhyde1990;1294120971]try stretching the hips/strengthen glutes[/QUOTE]
Welcome to the forum! Usually we don't give advice on three year old threads around here but just do whatever makes you happy. Have a great day.
good info is good info regardless of the date.
my daily stretches for low back pain
hip flexor
glutes
glute roll on baseball
quads
hamstring
however the pain doesnt go away fully unless i take a week off from squatting