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Thread: Lower back feels 'pumped' all the time

  1. #11
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    So I'm keeping at it. Feel a bit silly posting after reading tough-as-nails Rich Halford's post and seeing all the hardware in his hip. That's an inspiration for you.

    Be that as it may, last Thursday I squatted 285x10x3, ran out of time so did 415x5 deadlifts on Friday. Back was a bit fried after that so I think I'm going to cut back on deadlift frequency. Today I did 295x10x3, just about the hardest set of squats I've ever done. Not so much the weight, but those 9th and 10th reps are just brutal on the heart and lungs. Even if I had planned on doing deadlifts after that, no way I could have done a heavy set, so I'll put them off until Wednesday (along with presses, which I also didn't have the energy to do today).

    Santana, of course, says I should keep going up to at least 315 before cutting back on sets and/or reps. We'll see.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Plano View Post
    Today I did 295x10x3, just about the hardest set of squats I've ever done. Not so much the weight, but those 9th and 10th reps are just brutal on the heart and lungs. Even if I had planned on doing deadlifts after that, no way I could have done a heavy set, so I'll put them off until Wednesday (along with presses, which I also didn't have the energy to do today).

    Santana, of course, says I should keep going up to at least 315 before cutting back on sets and/or reps. We'll see.
    Damn, that is cruel and unusual punishment...if you're back isn't getting pumped after all that abuse, I think you've solved your problem!

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Plano View Post
    Santana, of course, says I should keep going up to at least 315 before cutting back on sets and/or reps. We'll see.
    I told you to move to two sets last time you came in? I definitely do not want 3 sets @ 315. 1 set will be sufficient for your purposes.

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Santana View Post
    I told you to move to two sets last time you came in? I definitely do not want 3 sets @ 315. 1 set will be sufficient for your purposes.
    Clearly a misunderstanding on my part and I'm happy to leave those 10s behind after they have served their purpose!

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by ML67 View Post
    Damn, that is cruel and unusual punishment...if you're back isn't getting pumped after all that abuse, I think you've solved your problem!
    Things are still not perfect, but definitely better. Not doing squats and deadlifts on the same day helps as well. I pulled 425x5 pretty easily the next day. As Coach Santana notes below, we're moving on to a different sets/reps scheme now.

  6. #16
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    So to basically bring this thread to a close, yesterday, Sunday, I did 305x10x1 squats, pretty much just to be able to say I did a set of ten at over 300 lbs. Today at Santana's gym I pulled 445x5, which was heavy but not a problem and my back did not complain. Discussed training structure going forward and Robert said to bring squat and deadlift frequency down to once a week, using sets of five (and fill in with bench, press, and upper body accessories). I'm trying to wrap my head around the idea that that will actually work, because it seems like such low volume, but I'm going to trust his judgement and experience (and reread the gray book and BB Rx). At the very least I won't be dreading workouts as much! We'll do this for a couple four weeks and then start specific training for the meet which will be held at the beginning of March.

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Plano View Post
    Things are still not perfect, but definitely better. Not doing squats and deadlifts on the same day helps as well. I pulled 425x5 pretty easily the next day. As Coach Santana notes below, we're moving on to a different sets/reps scheme now.
    Hopefully it continues to improve. Impressive numbers...what is your programming like now? I believe you were previously running a HLM?

  8. #18
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    So, over a year after my last update, I'm still dealing with this issue. It's been on and off since then, but since last November (of 2022), it's been more of an issue. What really seems to have set it off was squatting 365x3x3 on a Monday and then rack pull 465x6 the Thursday after that. I never feel any pain during the movement but, especially after the deadlift, my lumbar area is almost throbbing for 10-15 minutes afterwards. The tightness, fatigue, pump, whatever you want to call it, is not localized but in the general area circled in the attached image. My range of motion is not diminished in any way that I can tell and I can successfully complete whatever motion I want. The problem is the very easily induced fatigue in that area, whenever I do something that involves flexing my lumber (or resisting flexion in that area).

    After those sessions in late November, I took December pretty much completely off. This rest period, not unexpectedly, but disappointingly, had no effect on the soreness. I started up again in January, doing light squats (started at 255X5x3) paying very close attention to form, and light RDLs (155x6), plus press and bench. I've been adding ten pounds to both lifts, so my last squat session was 275x5x3 and RDL, 205x6. This also doesn't seem to have any effect on anything, for better or for worse (well, maybe ever so slightly worse, certainly no better).

    Basically, if I do anything that involves lumbar flexion or resiting lumabe flextion, after a short time my lumbar area feels tight and tired. If I stop doing whatever I'm doing and do some lumbar extension, the discomfort goes away in a few seconds. So, what do I do here? I can lift through the discomfort, but it's not really any fun and I don't want to end up on reddit as the old guy saying "I used to lift heavy until I destroyed my back. Don't let this happen to you". I have my annual physical next month. Do I ask my PCP for advice? Go see a chiropractor, or sports massage? Any other exercises or stretches I should consider?

    Thanks in advance for any advice or insight.


    Spine.jpg

  9. #19
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    And for reference, here is my latest set of squats from about a week ago, 275x5

  10. #20
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    Hi Rob,

    I still experience a very pumped (and fatigued) lower back from time to time, although not quite to the extent previous to lumbar laminectomy 20 mos ago. I've found splitting squats and deadlifts to separate days (HLM to split programming); post training hamstring and piriformis stretching and a shiatsu back massager to be effective in reducing, if not completely eliminating, this lumbar pump and fatigue. On really bad days, I find a hot shower and ibuprofen also helps. At this stage, while still annoying if not outright aggravating, I take it as part and parcel of training heavy at our age.

    Good luck, I hope it improves for you. Your lifts are impressive, and are a source of motivation to keep pushing. I don't find training to be particularly enjoyable these days - every bit of inspiration helps!

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