I started working out on my own and twice have slipped a disk im my back. The chiropractor is able to to take care of this but I don’t want it to be a problem. I talked to a friend who has been a football coach for over 30 years and he said I need to build up my core and back before continuing on with any weight training, which makes since. So I am asking what are some good exercises and light resistance exercises I can do to build up my core and backs so this doesn’t keep happening?
I am 53 and a beginner, only been lifting for 6 months.
I have a long history of back problems (mainly prolapsed disks). When i started lifting i was really nervous about making things worse and very intimidated by the big heavy lifts (squats and deadlifts).
In fact doing the big lifts has massively improved my back situation, i do occaisonally have an acute back pain episode but have been taught how to deal with it and now can be mobile and lifting again within 3-4 days as long as i catch it early.
I believe now that movement is the key and the kind of things i am talking about are :
Walking instead of driving
Walking instead of sitting around.
Deliberately working on posture.
At the gym doing a warm up that includes all the major movements with very light weight to keep the mobility and posture right.
My routine being ;
Walk to gym
Range of movement warm up.
Warm up/work out complex of (rounds of): i use a bare olympic bar for resistance
Deadlift movement x 10
Overhead press movement x 10
Rear squat x 10
Good morning X 10
Bent over barbell row x10
Floor to ceiling x 10
(of all the movements it is the good morning and the bent over row that could cause the most irritation but seem to teach the way to brace the back and maintain posture during lifting)
Hope this helps.
Take a look at the over 35 section where most of us have grumbles of some sort.
[quote]Widgeteye wrote:
Good advice, thanks. :)[/quote]
I should add a note of caution though. While speaking from direct experience and years of misery, backs are very indiviidual things and it might pay to work with a really good trainer who understands back problems.
I forgot to ask as though–are you carrying a lot of weight ??, first thing that really helped me was to start losing fat, things then really got better .
[quote]Widgeteye wrote:
Good advice, thanks. :)[/quote]
I should add a note of caution though. While speaking from direct experience and years of misery, backs are very indiviidual things and it might pay to work with a really good trainer who understands back problems.
I forgot to ask as though–are you carrying a lot of weight ??, first thing that really helped me was to start losing fat, things then really got better .[/quote]
I’m 5’8" 150 pounds. I lost 30 pounds over the past 3 months since being diagnosed with diabetes. I posted this in the over 35 forum but that post seems to have disappeared.
