Why is my lower back so WEAK?

[MonarchX]

The usage of my lower back leads to injury most of the time.

If I perform an incorrect deadlift with my lower back bent - bye bye lifting for 2 weeks.

I attempted to exercise my lower back and put muscle there and it ALSO creates pain (even with stretching before and after the exercise). I had a trainer take a look at how I do it and he said I performed the exercise correctly.

I have bulky upper body, and a really slim waist. Does mean that lower back injury will be chronic if I use my lower back?

EDIT:

BACK EXTENSIONS is what I do and it makes my lower back hurt for WEEKS and it doesn't seem like the muscle, but the spine is hurting.

I have very strong abs, in fact strongest in the gym, BUT my obliques are missing.

I tried training my obliques and guess what? Training them injures my lower back... this is the exercise that I do for obliques and it kills my lower back http://www.sixpacknow.com/zweightedsidebend.html

[nitrored]

Have you ever done anything to specifically injure your back? sports injury/car accident?

It sounds to me like you are ego lifting, turning your form to ****, and getting hurt because of that.

[solidwon]

wearing a belt for deads worked wonders for me, although I think stronger core muscles help out a great deal. My boy claims that when he prioritized his abs and obliques his untrustworthy back felt a lot better.

[Decapolis]

My boy claims that when he prioritized his abs and obliques his untrustworthy back felt a lot better.

x2

[I_love_crows]

Have you ever done anything to specifically injure your back? sports injury/car accident?

Agreed. A pre-existing condition would give some reason to CHRONIC lower back pain...

However, it is much more important, if this is not the case, that you do not break your form when performing the lift, and obviously, do not lift more than you are capable. Also, as already mentioned, a stronger core will aid you as well.

[GoJu]

I don't care what your trainer said your form was incorrect, that is the only reason an exercise will hurt you, also the fact that you have a weak lower back even with proper form pain can occur if you have a lagging muscle.

for lower back try weighted hyperextensions, good mornings, stiff-leg deadlifts, romanian deadlifts, snatch grip deadlifts, and just plain old deadlifts, back squats and front squats as well.

could also be the fact that you also have weak abs, if the opposite side of your core is weak than there's nothing to stabalize you and you will be in a lot of pain. work your core hard, also throw in weighted decline situps, weighted decline twisting situps, heavy side bends, and heavy standing cable situps.

[Tyciol]

Sometimes I wonder, even though doing exercises that unleashes the full strength of the back (deadlift, squat) are important, could doing exercises that work the erector spinae (lower back) but don't compress the spinal column by bearing a lot of weight, be potentially better for training strength and endurance without injury?

Stuff like doing back extensions or glute-ham raises, for example. Pure leverage kind of stuff. Much lighter weights than used in deadlifting and squatting and minimal compression. I wonder sometimes.

[solidwon]

I guess it depends on how dogmatic one is in regards to their training protocol tyciol. For example, some might believe that you MUST train in such a way to make gains or you are just plainly idiotic or wasting time/money going to the gym. If every body was the exact same then it would make sense to endorse such uniformity.

[MonarchX]

BACK EXTENSIONS is what I do and it makes my lower back hurt for WEEKS and it doesn't seem like the muscle, but the spine is hurting.

I have very strong abs, in fact strongest in the gym, BUT my obliques are missing.

I tried training my obliques and guess what? Training them injures my lower back... this is the exercise that I do for obliques and it kills my lower back http://www.sixpacknow.com/zweightedsidebend.html

[Dominik]

The usage of my lower back leads to injury most of the time.

If I perform an incorrect deadlift with my lower back bent - bye bye lifting for 2 weeks.

I attempted to exercise my lower back and put muscle there and it ALSO creates pain (even with stretching before and after the exercise). I had a trainer take a look at how I do it and he said I performed the exercise correctly.

I have bulky upper body, and a really slim waist. Does mean that lower back injury will be chronic if I use my lower back?

Consider doing some assistance work for a while which doesn't involve the same risks as deadlifting. Back extensions (gradually adding weight) and pull-throughs are effective at targeting the same muscles. Be sure to complement it with plenty of ab/oblique work. You might then want to consider doing partial deadlifts for a while, such as rack pulls from below the knees and Romanian Deadlifts (RDL).

If you continue having problems with conventional deadlifts, you might want to switch to a sumo stance which shifts stress off the lower back and onto the legs.

[Tyciol]

BACK EXTENSIONS is what I do and it makes my lower back hurt for WEEKS and it doesn't seem like the muscle, but the spine is hurting.

I have very strong abs, in fact strongest in the gym, BUT my obliques are missing.

I tried training my obliques and guess what? Training them injures my lower back... this is the exercise that I do for obliques and it kills my lower back http://www.sixpacknow.com/zweightedsidebend.html

Well, the thing about that movement is that the obliques get worked most in their stretched position, which is where they're weakest. Keeping that grip, why not bend to the other side instead? Couldn't we handle more weight that way?

I always think of that one-armed deadlift Pavel Tsatsouline has his guy do in Beyond Bodybuilding, ****. That just seems mega-oblique to me. He doesn't bend to either side (which I've asked about) but even keeping a straight posture would be hard holding a heavy weight on only one side.

[Lifeforce]

My boy claims that when he prioritized his abs and obliques his untrustworthy back felt a lot better.

x3 Listen to this

[David Puddy]

My dear friend it seems you have really "gotten yourself into a pickle" as they say on this one. I think that you might be able to get out of it though. One option you could look into would be making another video of your exercise technique so that it can be analyzed again. The other alternative you have is to accept that you have made as much progress as possible and start enjoying your body as it is now. Self improvement is not for everyone, it could be that you are just a fragile soul with a frail lower back, which would mean that you should do as little activity as possible. There can still be plenty of good times ahead for you even if you were to get out of the iron game. Some of the funniest and happiest people in the world don't even lift weights (John Candy, Kurt Cobain, Chris Farley, John Belushi, the list goes on)... Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Warm regards.

[MonarchX]

My dear friend it seems you have really "gotten yourself into a pickle" as they say on this one. I think that you might be able to get out of it though. One option you could look into would be making another video of your exercise technique so that it can be analyzed again. The other alternative you have is to accept that you have made as much progress as possible and start enjoying your body as it is now. Self improvement is not for everyone, it could be that you are just a fragile soul with a frail lower back, which would mean that you should do as little activity as possible. There can still be plenty of good times ahead for you even if you were to get out of the iron game. Some of the funniest and happiest people in the world don't even lift weights (John Candy, Kurt Cobain, Chris Farley, John Belushi, the list goes on)... Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Warm regards.

Ah...that can't be right.

[DJAuto]

SLDL target the lower back efficiently. However, you need to have strict form, as injury is quite common with this variation.

[BurritoMan]

I think you can bring yourself back from this.

Look, it was only maybe 5 months ago I posted on here my lower back hurts, how can I strengthen it, I can't do hypers or deadlifts becasue they make my lower back hurt. Like you I have a really narrow waist. I fractured two vertebrae in my lumbar when I was around 20.

After getting feedback I started doing hypers and deads starting with a really light weight - just 45 lbs on deads at first - and only allowed a 5 pound increase per week. That was back in Nov.

Now I am up to around 130ish on deads and 35 lbs weighted hypers and my back feels the best and strongest it has in 15 years. Yeah still very light on deads but I don't care because I'm making great and steady progress. I could lift more but I keep to my plan.

What I would do if I were you:

Take off about 12 days from working out your lower back and in that time go and see a chiro and a doctor both of whom can tell you if you have any mechanical problem like vertebra out of place, disc problem or whatever. Make sure the chiro uses an xray basis if poossible.

Then if you check out ok (or get a vertebra realigned) then just start really light/low volume and work up gradually. Allow enough recovery time. Use strict form. You wrote that deads kill you if you do them with rounded back. Well sheeyit, don't do that!

You'll be ok, just make a plan, stick to it, execute, think long term not short term, and eliminate ego from it.

[Zensuji]

If you continue having problems with conventional deadlifts, you might want to switch to a sumo stance which shifts stress off the lower back and onto the legs.

agree or look in to getting a trap bar.

[psychowolverine]

My boy claims that when he prioritized his abs and obliques his untrustworthy back felt a lot better.

X4

[darkwwolf]

My boy claims that when he prioritized his abs and obliques his untrustworthy back felt a lot better.

x2

x3 Listen to this

X4

x5

[DoubleWide]

BACK EXTENSIONS is what I do and it makes my lower back hurt for WEEKS and it doesn't seem like the muscle, but the spine is hurting.

I have very strong abs, in fact strongest in the gym, BUT my obliques are missing.

I tried training my obliques and guess what? Training them injures my lower back... this is the exercise that I do for obliques and it kills my lower back http://www.sixpacknow.com/zweightedsidebend.html

If you're doing back extensions with no weights and a low number (say 10) and still hurting, I would go see a doctor, chiro, or therapist. If you're adding weight and trying to do 50, knock it off you've got a weak back. Start unweighted, low reps.

[DoubleWide]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=1767121
Just found you're other thread. You didn't think these might be related? Get medical help.

[rockhuddy]

http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.a...=38771&tid=102

[tbush]

If this is how you do your hyperextensions then you are most likely sensitive to rounding the lumbar region of your spine:

http://www.sportraining.net/images/n...s_busto_es.gif

When doing your hyperextensions focus on keeping natural curvature in your spine. If this is difficult use a different exercise where you can.

[Sick Puppy]

There can still be plenty of good times ahead for you even if you were to get out of the iron game. Some of the funniest and happiest people in the world don't even lift weights (John Candy, Kurt Cobain, Chris Farley, John Belushi, the list goes on)...

Now Mr Puddy, feel free to correct me on this, but isn't the common denominator for these guys you've listed the fact that they are all dead?

[Saviour]

The usage of my lower back leads to injury most of the time.

If I perform an incorrect deadlift with my lower back bent - bye bye lifting for 2 weeks.

I attempted to exercise my lower back and put muscle there and it ALSO creates pain (even with stretching before and after the exercise). I had a trainer take a look at how I do it and he said I performed the exercise correctly.

I have bulky upper body, and a really slim waist. Does mean that lower back injury will be chronic if I use my lower back?

EDIT:

BACK EXTENSIONS is what I do and it makes my lower back hurt for WEEKS and it doesn't seem like the muscle, but the spine is hurting.

I have very strong abs, in fact strongest in the gym, BUT my obliques are missing.

I tried training my obliques and guess what? Training them injures my lower back... this is the exercise that I do for obliques and it kills my lower back http://www.sixpacknow.com/zweightedsidebend.html

do you work your abs?? what do u do for abs??

when you said you have really strong abs, what did you mean??
you know it could actually be your hip flexors that's strong, and if thats the case its going to create even more problems.

learn the proper way to do abs, you DON"T want a core imbalance, or worse...a hernia.

[Milimber]

I have very strong abs, in fact strongest in the gym, BUT my obliques are missing.

so if your abs are super strong and your lower back is really weak... sounds like a great case of muscular imbalance.

hows your posture look.

1. physio to check in case you have protuded disc or something nasty.
2. try floor back ext to begin with. lying flat on your stomach, put your hands under your chin and lift your chest/shoulders/head off the ground using your lower back. repeat. - small range of motion, really focus on using your lower back, rather than your traps for the lifting movement.
3. Hamstring and illiopsoas flexibility now!
4. Foam Roller work
5. Research Multifidus and transverse abdominus exercises.