every now and then my lower back will tighten up ... usually after doing things like bent over rows or standing curls ... almost always due to a lapse in form. It gets so tight it looks like cables under my skin along both sides of my lower backbone. Anyway I normally take Magnatil (effervescent Magnesium) and Clofenac Relax ( a muscle relaxer and anti inflamatory) and dont work the lower back for a week and its fine after that.

Would I be better of icing it, heating it, or alternating both? anything else i can do to speed up recovery? Obviously I should pay better attention to form ... but what else?

How have you been training your lower back previously? What is your routine?

How have you been training your lower back previously? What is your routine?

Just deadlifts and hyperextensions. I have to admit, though that I skip the hyperextensions more than half the time. My thinking has been that between deadlifts and the little bit it gets worked during other exercises like seated rows is enough.

You need a lot more posterior chain work (pretty much your lower back and hamstrings), especially for martial arts training, as it's where a lot of power is stored. My original question wasn't just about your lower back though, I meant, what routine are you following for your training? It should have a good degree of lower back work in it.

You need a lot more posterior chain work (pretty much your lower back and hamstrings), especially for martial arts training, as it's where a lot of power is stored. My original question wasn't just about your lower back though, I meant, what routine are you following for your training? It should have a good degree of lower back work in it.

This could be typical for me ... I do try to change exercise types from time to time (except the basic complex lifts which are sacred ).

What would you recommend adding for low back?

Weights :
Tuesday - Flat Bench Press, Incline BenchPress, Decline Bench Press, Squats, Calf Raises
Friday - Shoulder Press, Front Delt dumbell raise, rear delt dumbell raise, bench dips, cable tricep extension, overhead dumbell tricep extension, preacher curls, seated dumbell curls, cable curls
Sunday - Cable Pulldown, Bent Over barbell Row, Seated Row, bent over dumbell row, Deadlift

also:
running intervals - 2 to 3 days a week
running (aerobic) - 2 to 3 days a week
boxing 5 days per week - (rope, bag, spar, various bodyweight exercises - pushups crunches, ab wheel, light hi rep weights, etc)

Why all the different varieties of bench press?

And without knowing your rep and sets, I can still safely say that is way too much volume and extremely redundant. I take it this isn't a routine, but something you created?

Check out Starting Strength. It's low volume and strategic exercise choice will benefit you a lot more.

let me guess, you are doing 3x10 or something of each?

my routine is basically a 6,4,2 power routine consisting of bench, squat, clean and jerk/deadlift, dips and pull ups. once every 4 days. doing this (and some core work) i have made some big strength gains. Also, if you are losing form, lower the weight.

For the weight training: The older I get (mid 40's now) I find I respond better to higher volume with lengthy recovery time. It works for me for now.

anyway ... back to the lower back ... ice? heat? wonder drug?

Basically what I was trying to get around is that the lower back pain will get better with a better routine. For your current pain, get blood flowing to the area with some light hyperextensions.

let me guess, you are doing 3x10 or something of each?

my routine is basically a 6,4,2 power routine consisting of bench, squat, clean and jerk/deadlift, dips and pull ups. once every 4 days. doing this (and some core work) i have made some big strength gains. Also, if you are losing form, lower the weight.

4x(8-10) ... the loss of form is just a screw up from time to time ... my body is a LOT less forgiving than it used to be ...

Basically what I was trying to get around is that the lower back pain will get better with a better routine. For your current pain, get blood flowing to the area with some light hyperextensions.

thanks ... Ill give that a go

so no ice, no heat?

4x10 is a hypertrophy workout at best. with that many exercises you are not doing yourself any favours

do what i do, after i stretch i get into an ice cold shower. feels great!

4x10 is a hypertrophy workout at best. with that many exercises you are not doing yourself any favours

do what i do, after i stretch i get into an ice cold shower. feels great!

hypertrophy is the goal on those three days. Are you saying that it is overtraining? remember its only 3 days a week.

oh sorry for some spaz reason i thought you were doing a power workout. ive had 3 hours sleep last night after being fucked 6 ways from sunday by the missus

Even for hypertrophy i would recommend dropping the number of exercises, how long does that routine take? you must spend half of friday in the gym.

oh sorry for some spaz reason i thought you were doing a power workout. ive had 3 hours sleep last night after being fucked 6 ways from sunday by the missus

Even for hypertrophy i would recommend dropping the number of exercises, how long does that routine take? you must spend half of friday in the gym.


yes Friday is the long day .... 2+ hours ... I probably could reduce that day maybe two exercises per bodypart ... then again I do enjoy it and Im still making progress ...

thanks to both of you for the advice.

2 hours for a hyperthropy workout? Dude, that's too long.

If you enjoy it, that's great, but just know that it can actually hinder hypertrophy.

[EDIT]

I have a tendency to read the last post first, so I'll address the first post now with the following question:

Have you seen a chiro or a massage therapist yet? Form is everything and if you correct your form, pain will eventually go away.

BUT, chances are you already have scar tissue and inflexible muscles at best, or at worst, you have developed serious imbalances if you have been lifting wrong for years.

You should, at the very least, get a massage therapist and ask him/her to work on your glutes, external hip rotators (piriformis), lower back, the suboccipital muscles on your neck and your hamstrings (all of these directly affect your hip/lower back flexibility.)

If you are not or have not been diligent with stretching and proper form for years, you must do the suggestion above. The difference will be like day and night.

Also, check the sticky thread and look at the myofascial release thread.