I’ve struggled with squats and DL’s in the past - always felt discomfort/pain in lower back, right side, afterward. Is there any chance I could use sled dragging as a substitute and develop my legs and lower back satisfactorily? Basically I want powerful legs that look good and balanced with my upper body. I’m not that concerned about how many pounds I squat or DL.
Appreciate the input.
Same question but i am concerned about pounds for squat and DL.
Is lower back discomfort normal after squatting?
[quote]vazquez wrote:
Basically I want powerful legs that look good and balanced with my upper body. I’m not that concerned about how many pounds I squat or DL.
[/quote]
You should probably ask this question in the bodybuilding forum, if you’re interested in legs that only LOOK strong. However, most serious bodybuilders are interested in being strong, as well as looking strong.
If you are experiencing pain and discomfort, you should probably figure out the cause of that first.
[quote]blazindave wrote:
Same question but i am concerned about pounds for squat and DL.
Is lower back discomfort normal after squatting?[/quote]
In my experience I’d say back soreness is the norm after squatting and deadlifting heavy, though using a good belt helps at least on the squat. Mine is a PLing belt, 4" wide, 1/2" thick. As per one of Dave Tate’s articles, I keep it a notch looser than tight so I have room to breathe air into my abdomen and push it up against the belt.
I usually have at least 72 hours between deadlift and squat workouts so it’s not a compounded effect.
One thing I feel would help would be strengthening the lower back and abdominals as stabilizers. Standing presses and unilateral DB work usually does very nicely.
[quote]malonetd wrote:
vazquez wrote:
Basically I want powerful legs that look good and balanced with my upper body. I’m not that concerned about how many pounds I squat or DL.
You should probably ask this question in the bodybuilding forum, if you’re interested in legs that only LOOK strong. However, most serious bodybuilders are interested in being strong, as well as looking strong.
If you are experiencing pain and discomfort, you should probably figure out the cause of that first.[/quote]
I did say I want “powerful legs”. I just don’t have a number in mind for those lifts. If I have big, strong legs, but never sq 400 or DL 500, it won’t bother me too much.
Maybe I need to spend time with related exercises like reverse hyper and glute/ham raises before sq and DL. Flexibility needs work, too.
[quote]vazquez wrote:
malonetd wrote:
vazquez wrote:
Basically I want powerful legs that look good and balanced with my upper body. I’m not that concerned about how many pounds I squat or DL.
You should probably ask this question in the bodybuilding forum, if you’re interested in legs that only LOOK strong. However, most serious bodybuilders are interested in being strong, as well as looking strong.
If you are experiencing pain and discomfort, you should probably figure out the cause of that first.
I did say I want “powerful legs”. I just don’t have a number in mind for those lifts. If I have big, strong legs, but never sq 400 or DL 500, it won’t bother me too much.
Maybe I need to spend time with related exercises like reverse hyper and glute/ham raises before sq and DL. Flexibility needs work, too.[/quote]
If you’re top heavy and don’t squat or DL much as of now, you’ll be hard pressed to do GHRs with bodyweight. Hypers not so much.
I agree with Malonetd that if you only want to look the part, consult the BB forums, though they’ll probably agree that you do have to be the part to some extent.
To address the sled dragging question, yes that is a fantastic exercise for not only the legs but the entire body including the cardio system potentially. Pushing, dragging or pulling that sled will really do your entire body some good; transcending merely decent looking legs. Not sure you would rely on sled drags as a primary leg mass builder though.
Also if you want legs primarily for appearance and secondarily for strength you can still squat and DL, especially squat with reps in the 10-15 range. That would give you the best combo of size and mass and still a small bit of strength increase too
Hill sprints will also help.
TNT
If you looking to use lighter loads to build your legs, I suggest lunges, split squats, and other single leg variations.
Though I still suggest you look into the cause of your discomfort.
sounds like you have a glute dysfunction.
Making you quad dominant.
You shouldn’t be feeling the strain on your erector spinae.
I usually feel it after i squat or deadlift, not during. During i feel nothing at all.
It’s a few hours later that i feel this sort of pressure. There is no pain or discomfort anywhere when i squat, just after.
[quote]vazquez wrote:
I’ve struggled with squats and DL’s in the past - always felt discomfort/pain in lower back, right side, afterward. Is there any chance I could use sled dragging as a substitute and develop my legs and lower back satisfactorily? Basically I want powerful legs that look good and balanced with my upper body. I’m not that concerned about how many pounds I squat or DL.
Appreciate the input.[/quote]
I wouldn’t substitute sled dragging for squats and DL’s but would certainly use it as an accessory exercise. It hits your calves, quads and hams intensely and is one of the best cardio movements I’ve ever done. Squats and deads are uncomfortable movements which is why few people do them and even fewer do them with much effort. These two exercises do so much for your body that unless you are injured it would be a mistake to exclude them.
[quote]TornadoTommy wrote:
vazquez wrote:
I’ve struggled with squats and DL’s in the past - always felt discomfort/pain in lower back, right side, afterward. Is there any chance I could use sled dragging as a substitute and develop my legs and lower back satisfactorily? Basically I want powerful legs that look good and balanced with my upper body. I’m not that concerned about how many pounds I squat or DL.
Appreciate the input.
I wouldn’t substitute sled dragging for squats and DL’s but would certainly use it as an accessory exercise. It hits your calves, quads and hams intensely and is one of the best cardio movements I’ve ever done. Squats and deads are uncomfortable movements which is why few people do them and even fewer do them with much effort. These two exercises do so much for your body that unless you are injured it would be a mistake to exclude them. [/quote]
And there are few joys in life like ripping a bar loaded with plates off the floor.