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Strengthtraining with a disability, advice
Hey,
I am new here. Also, my motherlanguage is not english so excuse me if I lack grammar or vocabulary.
I was born with a form of spina bifida. I'm not going into details, but my lower back is basically fucked up. I can walk though, although I have every day pain in my lower back. I grew up looking to strongmen and powerlifters and admiring them. So it wasn't a surprise that I ended up looking into strength training myself. I did a lot of research and spoke with my GP doctor about it but he doesn't know much about it...
So I went to my physiotherapist who could only say me I should go slowly and see wat I was capable of.
Fast forward to a few months later while I was following SS. I was benching and and pressing around 50k (110lb), squat 100k (220lb), deadlifting 120k (264lb). While I was squating or deadlifting I felt some kind of stitching in my lower back. It didn't hurt, it was just something I felt. After a week or two/three I got a lot of lower back pain sometime after my training.
Long story short: I feel like I have a lot of strength capability in me but I'm limited by my lower back disability. But I still want to get on with it. Just to keep being busy and becoming more healthy.
Is it possible to alter some of the exercices? Or add/delete exercices but still follow the training philosophy from SS? Or should I look in to a personal trainer?
Last edited by Tsjębbe; 07-23-2017 at 03:40 PM.
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Welcome! You don't have to follow the SS program specifically to still adhere to the philosophy behind it. Many older lifters don't do power cleans for instance, yet they are part of the program. Using linear progression (basically adding weight every time) is a key piece to the training.
I don't have any spinal issues, but I still get lower back pain from time to time. I would consult with a SSC (Starting Strength Coach) and possibly one of the SSC's that are also a medical doctor. They could probably help you out with this.
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Thank you Callador. I hope it will take me somewhere.
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Almost everyone felt (or will feel) some lower back pain with or without weight training and most of the time it shouldn't affect to much about your training and it will pass but in your situation i think you can not ignore this. I dont think you should stop training but you have to consult with your doctor if there's any risk that training could cause.
*For now my advice is to lower the weights (about 20%) and try to improve your technique. (with linear progression)
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I'd also recommend to introduce the belt in your training (unless you've been using it already), in particular on squats, deadlifts, presses (won't make much of a difference on the bench but you can use the belt on it as well if you enjoy it). When you get to be coached by SSC then just follow his/her advice.
Good luck!
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