Putting my Back On Track!

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerful Women
21

[quote]Patch2 wrote:
Hi!

[quote]Reconstruction wrote:
Yoga- it was quite challenging. I had planned to do legs afterwards but just didn’t feel up to it. I also felt absolutely muscle bound in there…
[/quote]

This happens to me too, I feel all hulky and stiff in yoga sometimes. I think it makes it all the more important to do it then. [/quote]

Hi Patch, thanx for visiting. Yes, I agree. I was pretty shocked at how tight I was- even a little scared. But I went to yoga again on Sat and was much better.

22

Saturday- Feb 18
yoga
step aerobics
30 mins walking

Sunday- Feb 19
nil

Monday- Feb 20
walk 60 mins

Tuesday- Feb 21
walk 120 mins

Wednesday - Feb 22
Cardio Dance
walk 90 mins
back exerises

Back:

3 sets of 10 reps of everything:

Lat Pull-downs: 70#
Seated Cable Row: 60#
45 degree back extensions with 5# overhead weight
Incline Lever Rows: ? + 5#
Seated Posterior Flies: 40#
prone upper back raises with a 10# plate on my back, arms in W-shape (3 sets 15 reps)
Seated Chest supported rows: 60#
Seated Military Press: #25
Straight-legged deadlift: 10# dumb bells 1 set only)
bent over dumbell row 2 10# dumb bells (2 sets only)
Supine Chin tucks: 10x 20 secs iso hold
Bird-dog: about 30

The whole thing took 30 minutes

I ran out of time because the gym was closing so I did not do:
Cable/rope Pull-downs: 40#
Cable/rope Face-pulls: 30#
Cable/rope Standing rows: 50#
One sided Farmers walk:

I noticed an increase in strength - especially the lat pulldowns and seated rows- despite doing 3 sets today instead of only 2 sets last time. I also felt the military presses were much easier. The bent over row (unsupported) felt tricky though and I felt my back subtly spasm on the second set so I immediately called it a night. I am fine now.

It was very hard for me to make myself go to the gym tonight. I have been really busy. But sure enough, I could really feel my back downgrade because I hadn’t been doing the exercises.

I have also made a big discovery regarding my shoulders. My left shoulder has been sore on and off for quite awhile now but physio’s etc have not been able to determine what is wrong. Well after my last weeks chest exercise routine, my right shoulder has felt the exact same way as my left when my left is at it’s worst. It has never been sore before. So I don’t really know why, but I think that is sort of good news. Something in my chest routine caused the pain so maybe it is just weak muscles.

23

Thursday Feb 23:
60 mins walk
17 hours in an office chair!

Friday Feb 24:
90 mins walk

Back:

3 sets of 10 reps of everything unless otherwise specified:

Lat Pull-downs: 70#
Seated Cable Row: 60#
45 degree back extensions with 5# overhead weight
Incline Lever Rows: ? + 5#
Seated Posterior Flies: 40#
prone upper back raises with a 10# plate on my back, arms in W-shape (3 sets 20 reps)
Seated Chest supported rows: 60#
Seated Military Press (new grip): #25
Supine Chin tucks: 10x 20 secs iso hold
Bird-dog: 10 each side held for 10 secs iso hold

The whole thing took 45 minutes

I ran out of time again because the gym was closing so I did not do:
Cable/rope Pull-downs: 40#
Cable/rope Face-pulls: 30#
Cable/rope Standing rows: 50#
One sided Farmers walk:

I have decided not to do the unsupported bent over rows until I do weighted bird dogs. The bird dogs feel easy but I do not want to rush adding weight because then the small stabilizing muscles won’t be working.

I changed the grip on the military presses to palms facing forward rather than palms facing each other. I suddenly realized with palms facing each other my shoulder are subtly internally rotating. It is much much harder for me with palms facing forward- maybe because my hands are further apart.

I was planning on doing legs today but changed it to the back for various reasons. #70 on the lat pulldown is starting to really feel easy as are the 60# rows but that incline level machine remains a real killer.

24

Sat Feb 25

total walk 60 mins
Step aerobics that included bent-over rows

More back- that I didn’t get to yesterday

Cable/rope Pull-downs: 40#
Cable/rope Standing rows: 50#
One sided Farmers walk: 4 laps 25#

also oblique ab raises on 45 degree machine
some standing cable pull-twists.

25

Sunday Feb 26
walk 60 mins

Monday Feb 27
walk 90 mins

LEGS:

3 sets of 10 reps unless otherwise specified:

-single legged seated hamstring curls: #45
-seated double legged Quad extensions: 35#
-seated abduction: 70#
-dorsi flexions- 2 feet holding 15# (50 reps each set)
-calf raises: 50 x BW+20#
-pelvic thrusts with feet on a bench: BW + 10#
-machine squats: level 4 (feels like 40#)
-one legged tendus & rdj’s: 129+122 each side

the whole thing took 30+15 minutes

did not get to do
-BW one-legged Romanian dead lifts to 12" from ground
-BW Bulgarian split squats with back foot on a bench

The dorsi flexions were very awkward and difficult to maintain symmetry- I need to figure a better way to do them. I did the calf raises and rdj’s in bare feet and it really reminded me of how much weaker my left foot and calf are- why, I have no idea but it has been like this for as long as I have been paying attention- say 5 years. I really should be doing those exercises about 3x per week.

26

[quote]Reconstruction wrote:
I have decided not to do the unsupported bent over rows until I do weighted bird dogs. The bird dogs feel easy but I do not want to rush adding weight because then the small stabilizing muscles won’t be working.[/quote]

I don’t understand your logic in this. I really like bird dog as a warm up movement, and to practice stability, but I don’t think progression in it should be weighted, if anything it should be time. How long can you hold each side for?

I understand if the damage to your back makes it so that you can’t do bent rows, but if the sole reason is because you think the stabilizers aren’t working then I think you should do them. The stabilizers are working when you do compound movements that are unsupported, they’re doing the job they are meant for, stabilizing you. The only thing is, they’re not the only muscles working, you get to work the big guys too. If you think they need extra work you can do accessory movements for them after big lifts, but when they’re doing their job, they’re working as they’re meant to.

I didn’t mean that to sound harsh. Just to get you thinking.

27

[quote]Patch2 wrote:

[quote]Reconstruction wrote:
I have decided not to do the unsupported bent over rows until I do weighted bird dogs. The bird dogs feel easy but I do not want to rush adding weight because then the small stabilizing muscles won’t be working.[/quote]

I don’t understand your logic in this. I really like bird dog as a warm up movement, and to practice stability, but I don’t think progression in it should be weighted, if anything it should be time. How long can you hold each side for?

I understand if the damage to your back makes it so that you can’t do bent rows, but if the sole reason is because you think the stabilizers aren’t working then I think you should do them. The stabilizers are working when you do compound movements that are unsupported, they’re doing the job they are meant for, stabilizing you. The only thing is, they’re not the only muscles working, you get to work the big guys too. If you think they need extra work you can do accessory movements for them after big lifts, but when they’re doing their job, they’re working as they’re meant to.

I didn’t mean that to sound harsh. Just to get you thinking. [/quote]

ok i’ll play devil’s advocate here-

if you add too much of a challenge too soon, the bigger muscles take over and the smaller stabilizers aren’t being strengthen…this is particularly the case with the multifidus, which I imagine would be Recon’s focus. Though I am confused how you’re (recon) going to add weight?

I could see still doing bent over rows but not abandoning the bird-dog. Both good exercises, just different purposes.

28

[quote]cholulalula wrote:

[quote]Patch2 wrote:

[quote]Reconstruction wrote:
I have decided not to do the unsupported bent over rows until I do weighted bird dogs. The bird dogs feel easy but I do not want to rush adding weight because then the small stabilizing muscles won’t be working.[/quote]

I don’t understand your logic in this. I really like bird dog as a warm up movement, and to practice stability, but I don’t think progression in it should be weighted, if anything it should be time. How long can you hold each side for?

I understand if the damage to your back makes it so that you can’t do bent rows, but if the sole reason is because you think the stabilizers aren’t working then I think you should do them. The stabilizers are working when you do compound movements that are unsupported, they’re doing the job they are meant for, stabilizing you. The only thing is, they’re not the only muscles working, you get to work the big guys too. If you think they need extra work you can do accessory movements for them after big lifts, but when they’re doing their job, they’re working as they’re meant to.

I didn’t mean that to sound harsh. Just to get you thinking. [/quote]

ok i’ll play devil’s advocate here-

if you add too much of a challenge too soon, the bigger muscles take over and the smaller stabilizers aren’t being strengthen…this is particularly the case with the multifidus, which I imagine would be Recon’s focus. Though I am confused how you’re (recon) going to add weight?

I could see still doing bent over rows but not abandoning the bird-dog. Both good exercises, just different purposes.[/quote]

Yeah that’s why I tried to add the qualifier about her back, I don’t really know enough about the specific issues. I just didn’t want her throwing out big movements to just work small muscles. I see too many women at the gym doing that. I know I took a hard line with my post, but I wanted it to be thought provoking.

29

[quote]Patch2 wrote:

[quote]Reconstruction wrote:
I have decided not to do the unsupported bent over rows until I do weighted bird dogs. The bird dogs feel easy but I do not want to rush adding weight because then the small stabilizing muscles won’t be working.[/quote]

I don’t understand your logic in this. I really like bird dog as a warm up movement, and to practice stability, but I don’t think progression in it should be weighted, if anything it should be time. How long can you hold each side for?

I understand if the damage to your back makes it so that you can’t do bent rows, but if the sole reason is because you think the stabilizers aren’t working then I think you should do them. The stabilizers are working when you do compound movements that are unsupported, they’re doing the job they are meant for, stabilizing you. The only thing is, they’re not the only muscles working, you get to work the big guys too. If you think they need extra work you can do accessory movements for them after big lifts, but when they’re doing their job, they’re working as they’re meant to.

I didn’t mean that to sound harsh. Just to get you thinking. [/quote]

Thank you Patch for your input, I really do appreciate it, and you do not sound at all harsh to me.

You raise a very good point regarding the fact that the stabilizers are being worked in unsupported bent over rows. I don’t think I thought about that, thank you.

It was just that the bent over rows made my back spasm and I got scared, thinking maybe I should wait until stronger. It is amazing how much more difficult unsupported rows are than supported rows or seated rows. It feels like a very different exercise to me- it must be because it is taxing the stablilzers or whatever muscles that are responsible for keeping my back horizontal to the ground. You must be right.

I hold the birddogs in the extended position for 3 full seconds. I could hold them a lot longer- maybe even 10 miinutes, I don’t know, I don’t find them very taxing- but my understanding was that they shouldn’t be difficult. I chose 3 seconds just because I don’t want to be there all day and I am doing 3 sets of 10 each side.

I had planned to add ankle and wrist weights on the birddogs.

I think one reason my back spasmed on those bent over rows was that I did them at the end of my routine- after doing 3 sets of 4 other types of rows. Too many rows. Maybe I used too much weight too.

I think what I will do now is to drop one of my other supported rows and do the bent over rows earlier in the routine, and if I have to do them with 3#, so be it. There is something about being in the unsupported horizontal position that my back really needs.

Oh and btw, I went to a variety of physio’s last year and not one even suspected osteoporosis - I think because I look strong. So it’s not like I am “injured” or anything, just that my back is bothering me for the first time in my life. Or maybe I am in denial. What I am betting on is that my troubles are mostly a result of muscle weakness.

Thank you very much for your input Patch, I appreciate it :slight_smile:

30

[quote]cholulalula wrote:

[quote]Patch2 wrote:

[quote]Reconstruction wrote:
I have decided not to do the unsupported bent over rows until I do weighted bird dogs. The bird dogs feel easy but I do not want to rush adding weight because then the small stabilizing muscles won’t be working.[/quote]

I don’t understand your logic in this. I really like bird dog as a warm up movement, and to practice stability, but I don’t think progression in it should be weighted, if anything it should be time. How long can you hold each side for?

I understand if the damage to your back makes it so that you can’t do bent rows, but if the sole reason is because you think the stabilizers aren’t working then I think you should do them. The stabilizers are working when you do compound movements that are unsupported, they’re doing the job they are meant for, stabilizing you. The only thing is, they’re not the only muscles working, you get to work the big guys too. If you think they need extra work you can do accessory movements for them after big lifts, but when they’re doing their job, they’re working as they’re meant to.

I didn’t mean that to sound harsh. Just to get you thinking. [/quote]

ok i’ll play devil’s advocate here-

if you add too much of a challenge too soon, the bigger muscles take over and the smaller stabilizers aren’t being strengthen…this is particularly the case with the multifidus, which I imagine would be Recon’s focus. Though I am confused how you’re (recon) going to add weight?

I could see still doing bent over rows but not abandoning the bird-dog. Both good exercises, just different purposes.[/quote]

Thank you cholulalula :slight_smile:
Well, I had planned to add wrist and ankle weights to the birddog but I have abandoned that idea. I did my new and improved back routine tonight and it now incorporates both exercises. Thank you for your input I really appreciate it.

31

Tuesday Feb 28
nil

Wednesday Feb 29

Back:

I changed the order of the exercises.
3 sets of 10 reps of everything unless otherwise specified:

Bird-dog: 10 each side held for 10 secs (last set with lateral arm & leg movement)
Bent over row with 2x10# dumbbells
Straight-legged deadlift with 2x10# dumbells onto a 12 inch step (4th set onto floor)
Cable/rope Pull-downs: 50#
Cable/rope Standing rows: 50#
Seated Chest supported rows: 60#
Seated Military Press (new grip): #25
45 degree back extensions with 5# overhead weight
obliques on 45 degree back extension machine (sideways)
Lat Pull-downs: 70#
Seated Cable Row: 60#
Incline Lever Rows: ? + 5#, #5,#10 (10# on last set)
Seated Posterior Flies: 40#
prone upper back raises with a plate on my back, arms in W-shape 10#,10#,25#
Supine Chin tucks: 10x 30 secs iso hold

The whole thing took 60 + 10 = 70 minutes

I forgot the farmers walk and didn’t feel up to doing the facepulls. I had to push myself to do the last sets of the lat pulldowns and seated rows. otoh, the prone incline lever rows felt quite easy tonight so I added weight. I remember only a month ago the incline lever rows made me feel sick with even any weight added.

The bent over rows felt fine. My back was nowhere close to spasming. I like the idea of doing the unsupported exercise first in the sequence.

32

Thursday March 1

walk 30 mins

yoga & legs. 35 mins legs before yoga and 15 mins after. I changed the order of the exercises today to do compound, unsupported exercises before yoga and the machine exercises after yoga. I had planned to do all exercises before yoga but ran out of time.

LEGS:

3 sets of 8 reps unless otherwise specified:

-Single-legged Romanian dead lifts to the ground
-Calf raises: 25 x BW+20# with 2 second hold at the top
-Bulgarian split squats with back foot on a bench 10# dumbbells each hand
-Squats to the ground with #15 dumbbells each hand
-Pelvic thrusts with feet on a bench: BW + 10#
-single-legged seated hamstring curls: #45
-double-legged seated quad extensions: 35#
-seated abduction: 70#

total time=50 minutes

I could real feel the Romanian deadlifts working my hamstrings and butt.

33

Checking in and following. Good work in here and I’m glad to here about the rows. Looks like you are on track. Slow and steady!

34

[quote]arachne12 wrote:
Checking in and following. Good work in here and I’m glad to here about the rows. Looks like you are on track. Slow and steady! [/quote]

Thank you arachne12!

35

Friday March 3
cardio dance, walking 90 minutes

Saturday March 4
step class with about 48 squats and 48 lunges.

I am posting now because my legs will be destroyed after the class today. They were already quite stiff and sore from , I am pretty sure, the single leg deadlifts on Thursday.

36

Glad, the input helped. You’re doing really well, and I think the idea of slowly moving to more unsupported full body movements is the way to go.

If you want to make birddog harder, the lateral movement of arms and legs will do that for sure, lol. I also think you can hold them for longer. I know the last program I did, asked to hold them for 2-4 min!

37

[quote]Patch2 wrote:
Glad, the input helped. You’re doing really well, and I think the idea of slowly moving to more unsupported full body movements is the way to go.

If you want to make birddog harder, the lateral movement of arms and legs will do that for sure, lol. I also think you can hold them for longer. I know the last program I did, asked to hold them for 2-4 min! [/quote]

ha- yes the bird dogs seem so easy I completely forgot to do them tonight but I have been holding the laterals for 3 seconds not minutes! Thanx for that. I guess I will increase the time

38

So I am getting back in the grove. As expected, that step class with all the squats and lunges did indeed destroy my legs so I had to skip a couple of days and then I lost momentum etc. It was a substitute teacher.

Still I did manage to go running a couple of days.

I read some new studies on osteoporosis that show that intermittant loading of the bone is much better than steady state loading. So for example, instead of running 30 minutes non stop, run 30 seconds and then walk, then run again. Basically intervals. Ditto with weights- use heavier weights but much lower reps,also - move the weight faster rather than slower. All of these changes add more bone mass. There is physiological reasoning behind it too that makes sense to me.

Sunday March 4- nil
Monday March 5- 30 minute walk
Tuesday March 6- 30 minute sprint/walk
Wednesday March 7- 30 minute sprint/walk
Thurdsay March 8 - yoga and back weight lifting routine
Friday March 9- 30 minute walk
Saturday March 10- arg missed my exercise class which I very much wanted to do
Sunday March 11 - nil
Monday March 12- 60 minute walk, step aerobics and back routine*.

Back:

Last week I forgot the bent over rows. This week they were easily the exercise that I feel is doing the most for me right now.

About 3 sets of 8 reps of everything. The first section of exercises I did 16 reps with a lower weight for the first set as a warmup.

How I do things is to cycle through each exercise in a section 3 times and then move to the next section. I have been doing this all along but just didn’t write it this way.

Section 1

–Bird-dog: 10 each side held for 10 secs (last set with lateral arm & leg movement)(forgot tonite)
–Cable/rope Standing rows: 60#
–Cable/rope Pull-downs: 40#
–Straight-legged deadlift with 2x15# dumbells onto a 6 inch step
–Pullovers: 15#
–Bent over row with 2x15# dumbbells

Section 2

–Seated Chest supported rows: 60#
–Seated Military Press (new grip): #30 (30# is a real killer. I want to start doing these freely)

Section 3

–45 degree back extensions with 10# weight at chest
–45 degree side oblique lifts with 10# weight, left/right
–Lat Pull-downs: 70#
–Seated Cable Row: 60# (no time tonight)
–Incline Lever Rows: ? + #10
–Seated Posterior Flies: 40# (no time tonight)
–prone upper back raises with a plate on my back, arms in W-shape 25#
–Supine Chin tucks: 10x 30 secs iso hold

The whole thing took 45 minutes. I ran out of time and only did 2 sets of section 3

I didn’t do the farmers walk or the facepulls.

I want to add more core stuff on back day. Basically do part of this routine twice a week and add core. Spit the back exercises over 2 sessions and add core to each session.

39

Tuesday March 13- nil
Wednesday March 14-step class

and

LEGS:

3 sets of 8 reps unless otherwise specified:

Section 1:*********

-Single-legged Romanian dead lifts to the ground

-Pelvic thrusts with feet on a bench:
50 reps

-Bulgarian split squats with back foot on a bench
10# dumbbells each hand

-Front Lunges, alternating legs
10# dumbbells each hand

-Calf Raises:
20 x BW+20# with some pauses and head turning at the top

-Squats to the ground
#10 dumbbells each hand

-Standing hip abduction
20 reps- 3 sets

Section 2:***********************

-Double-legged seated quad extension machine:
40#

-Single-legged seated hamstring curl machine:
#50-#60

-Seated abduction machine:
70#

Section 3: (stretches)********
-hip flexors
-quads
-adductors
-hamstrings
-calves
-abductors

total time=60 minutes

I did not do dorsiflexions

I was impressed with how much stronger my quads were on the quad extension machine.

The hamstring curl machine is starting to feel very awkward. My yoga pants are sliding on the seat. #50 per leg is not really enough weight but at 60# is just seems to feel wrong- like I am having to use my back. Hard to explain. And then on the third set, the back of my knee- just above the knee, felt suddenly funky. No pain and I stopped. But it is like, the action of this machine is making my hamstring contract in an abnormal way- like the hamstring just above the knee is getting all the action whereas normal hamstring action is up higher. I dunno- it sort of spooked me and I don’t like the way that I have no leverage or whatever on that machine. Really, I am up to 60# with one leg so that would be about #100 or #120 pounds with both legs so that is close to the limit of the machine anyway. I would use it with both legs but the whole leverage/sliding problem is even worse.

I think I am going to drop this machine and add hamstring rollouts using a stability ball instead. I just feel that there is something wrong now with that machine- that I have reached it’s limit of effectiveness for me anyway.

40

I don’t like the hamstring curls either, or machines in general, to be honest. I think the hamstring rollouts are a good choice.

Looks like strength is progressing, keep it up!!