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Post by AngelaG on Sept 21, 2004 8:18:22 GMT
We all know how to strengthen our stomach muscles and our arms and legs etc, but often seem to forget that our back muscles need strengthening too. I have found recently that I have been having one or two lower back problems after training. If I go home and lay flat out on my back there is an extremely intense pain that runs all along the base of my spine, round to the front of the hips and groin. Does anyone have any ideas on how to strengthen the muscles in this area, and therefore provide extra support to the bones etc?
Just as an extra point. I have an extremely weird back. The exercise where you lay flat on your back and leaving the little curve in the lower spine you then raise and lower the legs... I cannot do it. It's not a question of strength, it's almost as though my brain cannot grasp the concept of what muscles it needs to do it... if someone lifts my legs up for me I cannot keep them up there at all... not even for a second or two.
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Post by Tommy_P on Sept 21, 2004 19:53:50 GMT
We all know how to strengthen our stomach muscles and our arms and legs etc, but often seem to forget that our back muscles need strengthening too. I have found recently that I have been having one or two lower back problems after training. If I go home and lay flat out on my back there is an extremely intense pain that runs all along the base of my spine, round to the front of the hips and groin. Does anyone have any ideas on how to strengthen the muscles in this area, and therefore provide extra support to the bones etc? Just as an extra point. I have an extremely weird back. The exercise where you lay flat on your back and leaving the little curve in the lower spine you then raise and lower the legs... I cannot do it. It's not a question of strength, it's almost as though my brain cannot grasp the concept of what muscles it needs to do it... if someone lifts my legs up for me I cannot keep them up there at all... not even for a second or two. Angela, I would recomend a good Chiropractor first off. I have no idea what problems may be lurking about in your back and so would never recomend anything other than some basic stretching and strengthening. Pick up a book on stretching and work them. Meanwhile crunches also work the lower back along with providing the needed strength balance between abs and back. Lie on the floor and do pelvic tilts where you raise yor pelvis to take the curve out of the spine (your lower back will touch the floor). Do these in sets and reps (3x10-20). If a Chiro says the back is ok, light dumbell work (stiff leg dead lifts with slightly bent knees) may be order along with side bends. There are other exercises that can be done but not before finding out if you can do them! Tommy |
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Post by Aefibird on Sept 22, 2004 16:48:17 GMT
Well, I'll secong Tommy's advice about a chiropractor/physiotherapist etc etc, but here's one excercise that I've found has helped to strengthen and stretch my back.
Have you seen that excercise where you sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you, feet together, and you bend your back to try and be able to touch your legs with your head, whilst stretching your arms out in front of you? Well, it's basically that excercise, only you have your chin tucked into your chest, so it is resting on your chest. Then stretch forward to try and get your head to touch your legs. It will help to stretch out your back muscles.
However, it's worked for me - no garuantee it would work for you. The best plan may be for you to go and get your doctor or a chiropractor to check out your back, rather than do excercise that your back can't handle.
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Post by AngelaG on Sept 24, 2004 11:07:13 GMT
I went and saw the doctor last year, after something went Pop! in my lower spine while doing sit-ups and I ended up sitting out in A&E. He said then that it was a problem with me not building up my back muscles enough. I think it leads on to further problems in that it means that your bone structure etc. does not have enough support either.
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Petek
KR Orange Belt
Posts: 48
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Post by Petek on Feb 4, 2005 20:06:01 GMT
Get hold of Swiss ball. Lean over it, so your stomach rests on it. Brace your feet against a handy wall, legs slightly bent, interlock your fingers behind your head. Then from a curled over position, raise your torso, very slowly and carefully. I do 2 sets of 20 3 times a week. It is a very hard exercise. There are many back strengthening exercises, most using a raising action.
The other important thing is to stretch your back, in every direction possible. Pelvic lifts are good too.
I hurt my back a few years ago, and found stretching is very important.
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Post by bunkaiseeker on Feb 9, 2005 14:30:52 GMT
Angela,
no wonder that you can't do the exercise and have trouble with your back. This ex. is utter crap, even though it is (unfortunately) practiced very often. A colleague of mine had to enter a medical rehab program ruining his back with this sh... at age 25(!)
As I have a bad back myself I have read up on this topic a lot. The best books I can recommend to you are unfortunately in German: "Trainingsbuch Bauchmuskulatur" and "Gerätetrainer Rücken" by Heinz H. Fach, cheaply available through amazon.de
If you decide to get any literature, be sure that it is *recent* and preferably not by some bodybuilder but rather by someone who works in back rehab.
Re this exercise: all of these, also the famous "scissors" and all ab ex. where your feet are held down by a partner invoke the hip flexors rather than the lower stomach muscles. The reason it feels as though you are using the stomach is because the st. muscles have to support the hip flexor in its work (acting like a counter force) -- using the lower back as a sort of fulcrum(!!). Sorry, English is not my native language, I hope you can understand my point even though the terms are probably not correct.
This means several things:
1. because most of us sit very much during our jobs our hip flexors are typically shortened and stronger than our lower stomach.
2. persons with a swayback typically have too weak lower stomach muschles anyway (in addition to shortened lower back muscles)
3. practicing a lot of kicks will additionally strengthen your hip flexors
Result: a person who has very well developed lower stomach muscles and lower back muscles, does a lot of flexibility work and works as a fitness trainer all day - iow. a professional bodybuilder can probably do this kind of exercise a lot without getting hurt.
Whereas a person who works an office job, has a slight swayback and does karate or TKD as a hobby should not, I repeat NOT do this exercise. You WILL hurt your back! AND, to top it off, it is not even an effective exercise for the stomach because it is only worked indirectly!
Consult a trainer with an education in back rehab and let him show you some good exercises. Join a gym with special back training equipment (eg. by Dr. Wolff) and don't do most of the standard stomach exercises done in the average dojo. Most of them are outdated and newer research shows they actually hurt your back while not being very efficient for your stomach. And do lots of stretches for your hip flexors!
Good luck!
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Post by AngelaG on Feb 11, 2005 13:45:37 GMT
Thanks for the replies everyone.  Angela |
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Post by Andy on Jul 6, 2005 16:31:02 GMT
Just one thing to add. If you must do leg raises etc, at least roll your shoulders up to take the curve out of your lower back. Bunkaiseeker gave great advice there, but I appreciate not all people running classes have contemorary physiological knowledge. That's not by design on their part, but a tactful way of getting rid of malpractice in the dojo should be sought. That goes for 'Bunny Hops', 'Hurdlers Stretch' and various other outdated and ill advised exercises/stretches. If you don't have a Swiss Ball, try lying on your stomach, and doing reverse leg raises, trying to get as much of the thigh off the ground as you can, holding for a count, and repeating the sets, then do the same with the upper body, still keeping the arms at the sides, but lifting the chest off the ground. Then try both at once, with the arms extended. My Uncle was an Olympic Canoeist. Massively strong on the front and top of the body, but that strength led to back problems in later life. Strive for balance in all things.  |
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Petek
KR Orange Belt
Posts: 48
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Post by Petek on Jul 7, 2005 20:20:07 GMT
A very good exercise for the back is called the plank. On the floor rest on your forearms - phands pointing forward, and your toes. Tense your stomach & hold for a count of thirty. Flip onto your side and rest on your right forearm, forearm at right angles to your body,again keeping your toso straight, hold for a count of thirty. Then do the other side I do 2 sets first thing in the morning, while the kettle is boiling. It's an exercise for your torso/trunk - no elephant jokes please !. As I said above, I hurt my back some time ago - it has helped my back immensely.
bye for now
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