Penny For Your Thoughts?

[Doomed]

While I've been practicing Karate, and keeping myself active at my job, I know that I won't be truly fit until I make the attempt and work towards it. Problem is, I'm not too sure what to do; For the last several years, I've been dealing with lower back and hip issues, and I've been afraid that doing weight training would aggravate them. I've been doing resistance bands, but I would like to do some light weight-training. I've also been doing calisthenics on and off. I'm mainly focusing on strength-training and trimming the waist.

Can anyone here offer some advice on what to do, as far as exercises go? What routines, if any, do you personally do?

[bushido_man96]

I do barbell exercises, 3x5s. I like exercises like squats, press, deadlift, power cleans and snatches, etc.

[JR 137]

See a physical therapist, preferably one who deals with sports and athletes.

Lower back and hip issues are too generic and broad for anyone to give truly meaningful advice.

Generic, yet solid advice I gave to my athletes when I was an athletic trainer (sports med, not personal trainer):

You can and should work through soreness and tightness/stifness, within reason. Don't work through actual pain; if it's painful, it's your body's way of telling you you're doing something wrong. There's a difference between pain, and soreness and tightness. Listen to your body.

[Spodo Komodo]

In your case I would probably suggest a plan of swimming, core work and free weights. Swimming and core work such as Pilates will help to increase your general fitness and will probably trim the waist on their own (given a sensible diet of course) while strengthening the lower back. Swimming is great exercise without straining the joints and it works the shoulders and abs a treat. A couple of dumbbells and some weight plates will do the rest. Curls, kickbacks, flyes, squats, deadlifts and presses can all be done safely with dumbbells and they shouldn't touch your hip apart from the deadlifts and squats. Karate should have given you strong enough legs so you could just concentrate on upper body stuff with the weights. See a professional trainer and/or a physiotherapist for the details but there is plenty you could do.

[Charlotte]

I do barbell exercises, 3x5s. I like exercises like squats, press, deadlift, power cleans and snatches, etc.

I have a couple of degenerated discs and I'm using a combination of weights and resistance bands. My doctor just informed me that the prescription of rest or inactivity for back problems is no longer considered appropriate.

My resistance bands are Bodylastics and Lifeline, so I'm able to actually use some significant resistance with them and both have door anchors. bushido-man's routine is excellent and the foundation for my weight routine has always been 3X6 Military Press, Curls, Bench Press, Bent Over Rowing, and 3X20 Squats. A one arm dumbbell row is easier on my back than a bent over barbell row and I place my other hand on a bench for support. Note that I said that this is the foundation of my conditioning program. The 20 rep squats are brutal and the rewards are great so my only variation in the squats is the inclusion of leg curls, leg extensions and one leg at a time straight leg kick back using bands or one leg hip lift on the floor. Cleans, clean and press and snatches are ideal exercises for martial arts conditioning and I swap them out for the military press and curls on a whim basis. Bench Press is either augmented or replaced with flyes and pullovers. I try not to do the same routine for more than 2 weeks at a time, but squats are the constant and the mental framework is always Press, curl, bench press, rowing and squats. My back seems to do better with rowing using resistance bands and a door anchor and a version of a dead lift using the door anchor in the low position I use the ankle cuffs on my forearms just below the elbow and then cross my arms. You will need to have a front stance for this one and switch the forward foot midway through each set. I have 2 medicine balls, 4 lb and 6 lb. I go to the local elementary school after hours and do a variety of wall slams and find that a great anaerobic training session. Remember to prioritize stretching as well.

[Nidan Melbourne]

While I've been practicing Karate, and keeping myself active at my job, I know that I won't be truly fit until I make the attempt and work towards it. Problem is, I'm not too sure what to do; For the last several years, I've been dealing with lower back and hip issues, and I've been afraid that doing weight training would aggravate them. I've been doing resistance bands, but I would like to do some light weight-training. I've also been doing calisthenics on and off. I'm mainly focusing on strength-training and trimming the waist.

Can anyone here offer some advice on what to do, as far as exercises go? What routines, if any, do you personally do?

Doing weight training can actually be beneficial towards dealing with your lower back and hip issues. But in terms of a program it is best go see a Physical Therapist, an Exercise Physiologist (They are similar to a Physiotherapist, but with more in depth knowledge and deal a lot with exercise prescription), a Physiotherapist (Just a heads up many will give you a "basic" program which may not fully address and deal with your back and hips).

Going to an Exercise Physiologist, many do specialize in Musculskeletal Injuries which is what you have. They will do an initial assessment of you as a whole, and since you have a specific problem they will do specific testing on that area. Following that they will create program based on the needs of your injury AND your interests.

If you concerned about $$$ get a referral from a doctor to get your insurance to cover the bulk of the cost. Otherwise all should accept Private Health Insurance (Note that each EP won't accept all insurance companies) and also if you live in Australia they should accept your Medicare Card and some do Bulk Bill.

Karate should have given you strong enough legs so you could just concentrate on upper body stuff with the weights. See a professional trainer and/or a physiotherapist for the details but there is plenty you could do.

His specific issue is lower back and hips which are considered Lower Body + Trunk. Upper Body is your Ribcage and arms. And In regards to Physiotherapists they generally don't have the necessary training to prescribe proper exercises for rehabilitation. As many universities only run 1 semester of Exercise Prescription throughout their entire degree. Whereas an Exercise Physiologist (Including the relevent Undergraduate Degree of Exercise Science) they are required to complete 3+ Years on learning how to prescribe exercise.

[Bulltahr]

I've had lower back problems most of my adult life (Prolasped L4/L5), inactivity is the worst things for it. Spell it when it flares up from time to time, but in general core strengthening will help ALOT. Trust me when I say that since getting back into MA, I have had a lot less problems with my back. Pilates, and plenty of daily stretching also will do you wonders. Running is not good for your back in general, so look to other cardio options for weight loss.

[JR 137]

I've had lower back problems most of my adult life (Prolasped L4/L5), inactivity is the worst things for it. Spell it when it flares up from time to time, but in general core strengthening will help ALOT. Trust me when I say that since getting back into MA, I have had a lot less problems with my back. Pilates, and plenty of daily stretching also will do you wonders. Running is not good for your back in general, so look to other cardio options for weight loss.

Core strengthening will help a lot, so long as it's done correctly. Correct exercises, form, resistance level, number of exercises, progression, number of exercises, and on and on.

Inactivity worsens the condition. Doing the wrong regimen can make it worse.

See an expert. The pain can be from an imbalance that you may unbalance even more. The pain could be caused by deficiencies elsewhere such as hamstring weakness or tightness, mid back weakness, hips, pelvic tilt, pelvic floor, scoliosis, leg length discrepancy, and on and on. Sometimes it's simple, sometimes it's very complex.

[Nidan Melbourne]

I've had lower back problems most of my adult life (Prolasped L4/L5), inactivity is the worst things for it. Spell it when it flares up from time to time, but in general core strengthening will help ALOT. Trust me when I say that since getting back into MA, I have had a lot less problems with my back. Pilates, and plenty of daily stretching also will do you wonders. Running is not good for your back in general, so look to other cardio options for weight loss.

Core strengthening will help a lot, so long as it's done correctly. Correct exercises, form, resistance level, number of exercises, progression, number of exercises, and on and on.

Inactivity worsens the condition. Doing the wrong regimen can make it worse.

See an expert. The pain can be from an imbalance that you may unbalance even more. The pain could be caused by deficiencies elsewhere such as hamstring weakness or tightness, mid back weakness, hips, pelvic tilt, pelvic floor, scoliosis, leg length discrepancy, and on and on. Sometimes it's simple, sometimes it's very complex.

An Expert is the most important thing considering they know (well that is expected). And they should provide you with an exercise program that is the best for the client. A Physical Therapist or an Exercise Physiologist will know what to prescribe and have the client do it safely.

When i am training at the gym, I see people doing incorrect form and injuring themselves. It is a sad sight to see especially when they could have prevented an injury to begin with. The most common I see are either incorrect form or excessive loading of weight.

letal weakness to such impact.

I've had lower back problems most of my adult life (Prolasped L4/L5), inactivity is the worst things for it. Spell it when it flares up from time to time, but in general core strengthening will help ALOT. Trust me when I say that since getting back into MA, I have had a lot less problems with my back. Pilates, and plenty of daily stretching also will do you wonders. Running is not good for your back in general, so look to other cardio options for weight loss.

Have you gone to see a health care professional to help with your back and to help strengthen it?

Pilates can help yes, but more often that not it requires some specific equipment to help you train. I am not knocking it back considering we sometimes use it in exercise physiology.

Stretching can help loosen the muscles but you have to do the correct ones and not to push it too far. Also over the long term doesn't increase flexibility, so you have to do it everyday. Although it does aid in keeping muscle more loose so you can have extra movement before injury.

In relation to running it can be bad for your back, but depends on the surface that your running, how far your going and the shoes that your wearing. If you have a back injury or are overweight/obese then very bad idea to run where you are placing excessive strain through your spine. To save your back it can be better to use an elliptical Machine or treadmill because the force going through your spine is lessend.

For me personally since I am overweight, I use an elliptical because it saves my back and lessens the risk of injury.

[Spodo Komodo]

His specific issue is lower back and hips which are considered Lower Body + Trunk. Upper Body is your Ribcage and arms. And In regards to Physiotherapists they generally don't have the necessary training to prescribe proper exercises for rehabilitation. As many universities only run 1 semester of Exercise Prescription throughout their entire degree. Whereas an Exercise Physiologist (Including the relevent Undergraduate Degree of Exercise Science) they are required to complete 3+ Years on learning how to prescribe exercise.

I think we have a difference in terminology here. In the UK a doctor or surgeon will defer to a physiotherapist for such matters. I think our physiotherapists are what you seem to be calling Physical or Exercise Therapists, they are people who specifically work in rehabilitation after injury by means of physical therapy - exercise, massage, stretching etc. What does a physiotherapist do in your neck of the woods if they don't specialize in exercise and rehabilitation?