Several Months and No Gains (And some loses)

[BustedBack]

Hey Community,

38/M/188lb/5'9"

I hope this is the correct forum because I'm convinced this is a nutrition and/or recovery issue. I'm at my whit's end and ready to move onto another hobby. It's been 10 months exactly since I started training again seriously and 6 since I started meeting with a SS coach who helped fix my forms and programming for my situation -- bad back with debilitating QL spasms. Therefore my back simply cannot handle the NLP as written. Training history: been in the gym since college (regrettably, bro split stuff of course) and started squatting and deadlifting about 6-7 years ago.

Here's a timeline of my weight gain and (lack of) progress -- all weights are in Pounds. Caveat: I have zero athletic/explosive ability and a single-digit vertical jump. I have a theory this is why I cannot get my lower body lifts up to save my life.

6/30/19: Started training again on my own programming

Body Weight: 165
Deadlift: 195X5
Bench: 150X3X5
Press: 95X3X5
Squat: N/A

9/2/19: Back seemed well enough to add Squats
Body Weight: 181
Squat: 115X3X5

11/24/19: Started working with SS coach. He put my on intermediate programming for my bench and press.
BW: 185
Squat: 155X3X5
Deadlift: 200X5
Bench: 195X4X5
Press: 125X4X5

2/28/20: At my peak "strength". Missed a few workouts after this for a week-long trip and it all went downhill from here.
BW 191.2
Squat: 220X3X5
Deadlift: 230X5
Bench: 240X3X5; 250X4X3
Press: 155X3X5; 165X3X3

Yesterday, 4/23/20
BW: 188
Squat: 155X3X5
Deadlift: 175X5
Bench: 220X4X5
Press: 140X4X5

So as you can see I've had no problem gaining weight and progressing on my upper body lifts. My question is, does this look like a nutrition, recovery, programming, orthopedic or genetic problem? I know a lack of motivation is certainly creeping in, as I can't imagine anyone wanting to continue with something they aren't making any progress on. Looking for some helpful thoughts or guidance on how to keep moving forward. Perhaps just getting my squat to 185 and DL to 225 is "strong enough," and I'll just maintain from there. Thanks everyone and stay healthy.

Also, training has been unaffected by the COVID closures, as I have a rack, platform and barbell in my basement. So missing weeks on end of training has not been the problem.

[Robert Santana]

The only lack of progress I see is on your deadlift. 35 lb in 8 months?

[BustedBack]

Yes that’s actually gone down 20lbs. Squat has made no net increase in 6.

[Robert Santana]

What are you talking about you added 75 lb to it in 3 months then reset it. That's not lack of progress that's a restart.Your deadlift is a bigger concern. Have you worked with a coach?

[BustedBack]

What are you talking about you added 75 lb to it in 3 months then reset it. That's not lack of progress that's a restart.Your deadlift is a bigger concern. Have you worked with a coach?

Fair enough. That's a good way of looking at it. I figured 65 pounds shouldn't just vanish off my squat, especially at such light weights, seeing as how my Press and Bench were only slightly affected. But I guess that's part of training.

Yes, I've worked with a SS coach. He fixed my DL form, however we haven't been able to come up with a sustainable progression to drive consistent progress without my back flaring up. I also have read the blue book several times and watch all the SS videos on this. I did do Trapbar DLs from June-Sep last year and added 110lbs to that lift (a lot of those gains have since been lost). For some reason my back doesn't like the more horizontal back angle of the conventional DL. I do realize the posterior chain is better developed with the conventional DL, so I would really like to focus on that. Even if I'm limited to less than optimal weights.

[Robert Santana]

What do you mean that your back flares up? It rounds or it hurts? I'd like to see a video.

[BustedBack]

What do you mean that your back flares up? It rounds or it hurts? I'd like to see a video.

Sorry, it means my QLs, mostly the right and sometimes the left, go into a major spasm. Last one was end of February and I actually had to go to the ER and get toridol and norflex shots so I could move again.

I don’t think it rounds. I consciously fight to keep it from rounding because of the spasms.

I basically can’t hip hinge hinge with any weight without the low back going into spasm. This is why I wear a belt when squatting any weight over 95 pounds and deadlifting at any weight. Some may say it’s a crutch, but it keeps me training consistently.

I will post if video shortly of my 180x5 DL from Thur. I see a couple things that could be improved. Hoping a second pair of eyes will see them as well.

[BustedBack]

What do you mean that your back flares up? It rounds or it hurts? I'd like to see a video.

Please disregard previous link. This one will work. Thanks Robert.

4/30, 180x5 DL
YouTube

I think my hips are a tad low and maybe rising too early.

[Robert Santana]

Thanks. There are a couple of things wrong here that I can imagine cause more problems with more load. First, you aren't setting your back into hard extension or pulling all of the slack out of the bar before initiating the pull. I cannot stress this enough: the deadlift is 90% isometric. If you don't spend enough time pulling on the bar at the bottom of the lift you will end up compromising your back and also introducing inefficiency that doesn't need to be there. Second, your hips are in fact too low. You need to practice pulling up on that bar for a full 1-2 seconds before actually dragging the bar up your legs. Does this make sense?

[BustedBack]

Makes perfect sense, thank you. I can actually feel the loosening in my back as the weight is moving upward. I’ll work on this for sure. I tend to rush it too much before pulling. I’ll be more patient.