First time poster, long time reader. Does anyone have any suggestions to altering 5/3/1 while my back heals? Or at least some sort of template/routine I can do to build back up while my lower back heals and help drop the 40 pounds I have put on since my previous hiatus from a back injury.
Explanation/details to why below:
For the past six years on and off I have been committed to 5/3/1. Bench, Trap Deadlift, Squat, Push Press are the four main lifts I do and switch up assistance every 8 weeks. I mostly use his recommended templates (recently been on bodybuilding) aside with the occiasional substitution (insert weighted step ups for leg press for example). My cardio mostly has been pickup basketball 2 times a week and then rowing or cycling one other day.
Why the off?
Back injuries. It seems like everytime I work my way up to my true 1RM I tweak my back in some way and am out for a month or so. I took 9 months off up until this past March and this morning after doing push press I was putting a 45 lb dumbell down and lower back popped. I can barely walk right now (been to the chiropractor today going the next few days).
Most likely heavy lifting is out for a while. Today was a push press day and the DB was for my warm up set for DB overhead press and thats when it happened. This is the first day in forever that I didn’t start with the Agile 8 (shot the ball around in the gym and did some shoulder circles/push ups as a warm up instead).
I have a buddy who is in very good shape who just does body weight/cardio. Right when I told him he gave me the proverbial “told you there is no point to lifting heavy weights”.
I really just want help to being active again as soon as possible and eventually being able to lift heavy and stay healthy. I was in the best shape of my life 2 years ago from lifting 5/3/1 playing some pickup basketball/football and eating whatever I wanted. I have been committed to cleaning up my diet but I would like to have a solid routine to make the occasional bowl of ice cream or whataburger run not matter.
Thanks in advance