Legs with a lower back injury

[Xpiro]

Super bummed, I tweaked my lower back for the first time in years. I accidentally maxed out on deadlifts two weeks ago, and the nail in the coffin was deciding to incline press with with my feet up... sent me straight into flexion. SMH @ myself.

Anyway, I’m going to get myself set up with a physical therapist next week, but in the meantime I want to put together a legs routine that avoids all potential spinal loading. I’ve been fine with front and barbell hack squats during these episodes in the past, but I’m not trying to risk any mishaps.

What say you all about leg press? I’m on the fence. My gym is limited on leg machines so basically I’ve got a prone leg curl, plate loaded leg press and a pulley station, the latter of which I use for seated leg extensions. Calf press on leg press is probably fine. Any more ideas?

[air2fakie]

Leg press is fine as long as you don't do it in a way that bothers your back. Single leg db calf raises won't bother your back at all, and are pretty effective.

[EiFit91]

Super bummed, I tweaked my lower back for the first time in years. I accidentally maxed out on deadlifts two weeks ago, and the nail in the coffin was deciding to incline press with with my feet up... sent me straight into flexion. SMH @ myself.

Anyway, I’m going to get myself set up with a physical therapist next week, but in the meantime I want to put together a legs routine that avoids all potential spinal loading. I’ve been fine with front and barbell hack squats during these episodes in the past, but I’m not trying to risk any mishaps.

What say you all about leg press? I’m on the fence. My gym is limited on leg machines so basically I’ve got a prone leg curl, plate loaded leg press and a pulley station, the latter of which I use for seated leg extensions. Calf press on leg press is probably fine. Any more ideas?

Bulgarian split squats holding a couple of dumbbells.

[TheShadowMan]

Hip thrusts involve a good bit of quad and hams, in addition to glutes - could avoid spinal loading that way, but I don't see barbell hacks causing issues either. What about landmine or belt squats?

[weiss1967]

Any more ideas?

Leg press may still hurt, really will depend on an angle of back rest.

Abductor-adductor, once you get past that feeling and go with girly routine, those are great exercises. But, again, those may hurt too. To think of it, when my back is inflamed, I find it better not to do anything than risk adding to injury.

[WolfRose7]

It's just a matter of trying regressions and testing how they feel.

Does less weight alleviate pain?
Does a variation of the movement pattern?
Does less RoM work?

Can't squat, above parellel box squat works often, if that hurts then a weighted single leg, if that hurts then bw work.

The main thing is to keep as many of the movement patterns as possible in some form and work back up the regressions.

[safcpaul]

The strain from pregnancy can cause lower back pain op. Perhaps you're pregnant

[Xpiro]

Leg press was actually just fine but that being said, I managed to strain my quad with a high foot placement in an attempt to supplement reduced hamstring work. So I basically can’t do legs at all now, even unweighted XD Maybe this is just a cruel sign that I need to lay off legs altogether until I’m better... big sigh. I’m just going to stay home tomorrow and hope that I’m well enough to try you guys’ suggestions by Friday.

Edit: little off topic but would benching with a strained quad be too risky?

[air2fakie]

Leg press was actually just fine but that being said, I managed to strain my quad with a high foot placement in an attempt to supplement reduced hamstring work. So I basically can’t do legs at all now, even unweighted XD Maybe this is just a cruel sign that I need to lay off legs altogether until I’m better... big sigh. I’m just going to stay home tomorrow and hope that I’m well enough to try you guys’ suggestions by Friday.

Edit: little off topic but would benching with a strained quad be too risky?

For you, maybe. :P Might be better off finding a seated chest press machine.

[Xpiro]

For you, maybe. :P Might be better off finding a seated chest press machine.

Really though, I’m not reckless with weight and always aim to improve form but it’s just one injury after another Fair enough!

[BeginnerGainz]

Leg press was actually just fine but that being said, I managed to strain my quad with a high foot placement in an attempt to supplement reduced hamstring work. So I basically can’t do legs at all now, even unweighted XD Maybe this is just a cruel sign that I need to lay off legs altogether until I’m better... big sigh. I’m just going to stay home tomorrow and hope that I’m well enough to try you guys’ suggestions by Friday.

Edit: little off topic but would benching with a strained quad be too risky?

Why are you trying to work hamstrings on the leg press?

[Xpiro]

Why are you trying to work hamstrings on the leg press?

Only thing I could do for hams with the bad back was a leg curl, so I was trying to improvise to emphasize them since I was missing out on volume.

First 2 sets went well, 3rd got me out of the blue.

[BeginnerGainz]

Only thing I could do for hams with the bad back was a leg curl, so I was trying to improvise to emphasize them since I was missing out on volume.

First 2 sets went well, 3rd got me out of the blue.

Leg curls are one of the best things you can do for hamstrings. It literally works all 4 heads of the muscle, unlike hip extension exercises that do not.

And no leg press or squat works the hamstrings because they don’t really change length throughout.

[gomez26]

I tried hip-belt squats the other day & was pleasantly surprised.
It wasn't as rough on the skin as I expected.

[Xpiro]

Leg curls are one of the best things you can do for hamstrings. It literally works all 4 heads of the muscle, unlike hip extension exercises that do not.

And no leg press or squat works the hamstrings because they don’t really change length throughout.

I mean I was already doing leg curls though. Should I have just added sets of those? My only option is a prone leg curl and low back probably wouldn’t have appreciated Nordics. Come to think of it maybe I could have rigged a cable seated leg curl with an ankle cuff attachment.

[BeginnerGainz]

I mean I was already doing leg curls though. Should I have just added sets of those? My only option is a prone leg curl and low back probably wouldn’t have appreciated Nordics. Come to think of it maybe I could have rigged a cable seated leg curl with an ankle cuff attachment.

I’d just hit them harder. I usually do a weight I fail in the 6-8 range in, rest about 45 seconds and do a lighter back off where I fail in the 8-12 range.

Hamstrings respond well to eccentric training so nordics are a great choice too.

[Xpiro]

I’d just hit them harder. I usually do a weight I fail in the 6-8 range in, rest about 45 seconds and do a lighter back off where I fail in the 8-12 range.

Hamstrings respond well to eccentric training so nordics are a great choice too.

Solid. If my quad heals before my low back (which is looking likely) and I return to the gym for legs, I’ll have to mess around with some relatively heavy stuff, maybe implement pyramids or reverse pyramids to collect volume.

Btw... before the quad injury I did give front squats a shot, sumo style, and damn were my glutes and quads on fire simultaneously. The wide stance keeps me from dropping too low as well just in case flexion would otherwise occur. Almost makes me want to replace back squats with them.

[ManwittaPlan]

Bulgarian split squats holding a couple of dumbbells.

this is the exact exercise i used after injuring myself deadlifting. it was the only one that caused no pain...at all.

OP i highly recommend this and if you have access to a reverse hyper you can use with little to no weight stretching at the bottom.

you can do a Gironda guillotine press where you bench the bar but keep your feet off the ground, upper legs perpendicular to the ground (as if you were doing crunches) and ankles crossed. you'll actually feel your stabilizing muscles really working to keep you balanced. it was a favorite of larry scott and takes the driving force of the legs completely out of the exercise.

[EiFit91]

this is the exact exercise i used after injuring myself deadlifting. it was the only one that caused no pain...at all.

OP i highly recommend this and if you have access to a reverse hyper you can use with little to no weight stretching at the bottom.

you can do a Gironda guillotine press where you bench the bar but keep your feet off the ground, upper legs perpendicular to the ground (as if you were doing crunches) and ankles crossed. you'll actually feel your stabilizing muscles really working to keep you balanced. it was a favorite of larry scott and takes the driving force of the legs completely out of the exercise.

Same exact experience. Love reverse hypers too! Brb googling the Gironda exercise

[BeginnerGainz]

Same exact experience. Love reverse hypers too! Brb googling the Gironda exercise

Once you go down the Gironda rabbit hole, it is hard to come out.

Man was a genius…

[EiFit91]

Once you go down the Gironda rabbit hole, it is hard to come out.

Man was a genius…

Did you try his hormone precursor shake?

[ManwittaPlan]

Once you go down the Gironda rabbit hole, it is hard to come out.

Man was a genius…

Way ahead of his time

I loved his zero tolerance approach for bs in his gym too. There was a story where he got fed up because a member was doing sit-ups (which Vince knew were not good for development of the abdominals). He kicked the guy out and refunded his money. Didn’t want everyone else copying him and spreading the idea of bad exercises in his gym. Guy was something else!

[BeginnerGainz]

Did you try his hormone precursor shake?

All the time, with my kelp tablets too…but in all seriousness,

I was referring to all the ways he had to annihilate individual muscle groups.

His dietary advice has been eclipsed over the years as the science of nutrition has improved.

[ManwittaPlan]

Same exact experience. Love reverse hypers too! Brb googling the Gironda exercise

Yep they’re great!!! Louie Simmons who gets credit for coming up with that machine is thankfully still around. I read that it wasn’t him but a Canadian strength coach, either way great invention!

[ManwittaPlan]

All the time, with my kelp tablets too…but in all seriousness,

I was referring to all the ways he had to annihilate individual muscle groups.

His dietary advice has been eclipsed over the years as the science of nutrition has improved.

Ha ha yes it’s a little dated but a lot of it still applies.

Imagine if he had internet access, they said he spent a LOT of time at the library.

[EiFit91]

Ha ha yes it’s a little dated but a lot of it still applies.

Imagine if he had internet access, they said he spent a LOT of time at the library.

I did find it interesting that supplements aiming to inhibit myostatin were derived from fertilized egg yolks!

I don’t think those supplements work though...

[ManwittaPlan]

The myostatin part I’ve never looked in to.

The liver tabs I became interested in when I read about Vince raving about their benefits. To this day they are one of the cheapest supplements with amazing benefits.

[BeginnerGainz]

The myostatin part I’ve never looked in to.

The liver tabs I became interested in when I read about Vince raving about their benefits. To this day they are one of the cheapest supplements with amazing benefits.

Probably better than eating actual liver. Which is fukking awful.

[ManwittaPlan]

I must be off my rocker…I actually like the taste of liver.

I can do liver with onions any day of the week BUT I have to stress that I soak it in milk for an hour or two beforehand.

[EiFit91]

I must be off my rocker…I actually like the taste of liver.

I can do liver with onions any day of the week BUT I have to stress that I soak it in milk for an hour or two beforehand.

Goose liver tastes amazing. Haven’t tried other types of liver, how do they compare?