Reply With QuoteHow does your lower back feel? If it's OK after the squats and OHP's, I'd give some lighter deadlifts a try just to gauge how well you are recovered. Personally for me, deadlifts tax my lower back less than squats these days.
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Recovering from injury and muscle imbalances
I'm back to lifting after a 6 week layoff due to tweaking my back while dead lifting. Last night I did squats but about 50lbs less than what I was doing and then did overhead presses. I did not do dead lifts.
What I'm wondering is would it be good or bad to not do any dead lifts until my squat is close to what I was doing in the hopes of strengthening things back up and then start in with progressively heavier dead lifts? Or would that potentially cause muscles imbalances which are very bad.
Thoughts?
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How does your lower back feel? If it's OK after the squats and OHP's, I'd give some lighter deadlifts a try just to gauge how well you are recovered. Personally for me, deadlifts tax my lower back less than squats these days.
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Squats have always been more problematic than Deads.Originally Posted by Mark E. Hurling
Steve, Do you have a log online? It would be helpful to see what exactly you are doing in order to make sensible comments.
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I don't have a log I'll look into doing that. I like the idea of light deads just to see what's up. Today the back is a bit tired from the squats but not bad at all.
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I tweaked my back when I was setting up for my pull workout yesterday, and even with copious use of emu oil, ibuprofen, and Flexeril, it's sore as heck today. I did go ahead and do the full workout, though, and even set a new 1RM. And then I got in my 10 mile bike ride.
I won't ride today, but I am going to try to complete my normal bench workout. We'll see how it goes.
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If you could do that well on pulls, your bench press workout should be duck soup. One of the reasons I have divided up my own routine the way it is was to allow for maximum lower back recovery between the SQ and DL that tax it so much.
You'll do grrrrreeeaaat!
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It actually did go okay. I set a new set RM (2x155 - not much, I know, but better than I'd ever managed before) and a new single PR at 175 on my bench today. And my back actually feels much better after the workout.
I've been on the one exercise per day per week regimen for a few months now, and so far, it's been working very well for me. In the past six weeks, I've hit new set PRs in all four lifts, and new 1RMs in three of four. Tomorrow I'll go for new set prs (3x205) and a new 1RM (1x235) in the squat to round everything out. I think at my age, more recovery is a big plus.
Big Iron Medicine - is there nothing it can't do?
Last edited by Bill Quick; 07-08-2015 at 03:53 PM.
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See?
Do you set an arch on your back when you bench press? I picked up a technique for it back in the 80's where I lay down and position myself under the bar, get my grip width, and then pull up to touch my chest or chin on the bar while keeping my butt on the bench. This sets up a moderate arch on my lower back that ironically seems to loosen my lower and middle back up a little. I usually feel a little better after benching if my back felt a little tight going in.
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As I get settled in for the lifts, it seems as if I get a little arch almost naturally. I don't really try for it, but it's there anyway.
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OK. Like many long time lifters, I've developed my own little semi-superstitious tics. Another one of mine is shaking out my hands, wrists, and fingers before gripping the bar before a deadlift.
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