Lifting Early

I have recently, due to schedule have had to switch from lifting in the afternoon to lifting early in the morning.

I came across an article that said Without pressure from sitting /standing,our disks swell up with CSF due to an osmotic pull. This basically elongates the spine and makes the ligaments a little more stretched than they would be otherwise -therefore more susceptible to injury.

This swelling is reduced to ~50% 30 minutes after rising, and 10% after 60 minutes.

If one stretches and does some warm up sets could this swelling be reduced quicker?

My back is not in best shape possible so this is important to me.

[quote]-ETHAN- wrote:
I have recently, due to schedule have had to switch from lifting in the afternoon to lifting early in the morning.

I came across an article that said Without pressure from sitting /standing,our disks swell up with CSF due to an osmotic pull. This basically elongates the spine and makes the ligaments a little more stretched than they would be otherwise -therefore more susceptible to injury.

This swelling is reduced to ~50% 30 minutes after rising, and 10% after 60 minutes.

If one stretches and does some warm up sets could this swelling be reduced quicker?

My back is not in best shape possible so this is important to me.[/quote]

Theoretically yes, since it’s movement is related to cardiovascular and lymphatic circulation. I just read the same thing in one of the articles and have honestly never thought about it that way (in that it may effect soft tissue structures when lifting).

I would just stay away from static stretches pre-lifting. Try an active isolated technique (dynamic stretches) and a warm up on the bike, treadmill, whatever. You should be leaving at least 30-60 minutes between eating and lifting as well, so you should be ok by the time you hit the weights.

Along with the dynamic stretching I would work hard at activation exercises, especially if you are loading the spine. Major back injuries come as a result of poor mobility and in-active portions of your lower errectors. If you are training legs with squats for example, you want to make sure that your stabilizers are “awake” and firing.

That, and I would recommend giving yourself at least an hour prior to lifting in the morning. Wake up, have a coffee, read T-Nation and go and train.

Hope that helps.

Sasha

Seriously, you’ve got to wake up, have breakfast, haul your ass to the gymn.

Are you saying you have the bar on your back within an hour after waking up?

I don’t think stretchin or warming up will speed up the process.

[quote]Wreckless wrote:
Seriously, you’ve got to wake up, have breakfast, haul your ass to the gymn.

Are you saying you have the bar on your back within an hour after waking up?

I don’t think stretchin or warming up will speed up the process.[/quote]

I ahve been doing this almost a year. Up at 4:30, eat, hit the gym at 5:30. I squat and deadlift and have not had any issues.

I eat standing up for two reasons. Sitting down that early does put some extra stress on the back and standing adds some pressure to the disks to help them shrink.

As SashaG recommended, make sure your erectors are awake. I do glute bridges on lower body days before I leave, and hypers when I get to the gym mixed in with my warm up.

Be sure to slowly ramp your weight with these lifts. Don’t jump right in with heavy shit, or you will screw yourself.