excersizes for the lower back / legs?

[ruffryder]

Anyone have any recommendations? I have a set of free weights and a work out bench. That is all I have to use. I was doing stiff leg dead lifts and regular dead lifts, but I was doing them wrong and ended up hurting my back a couple of months ago.

Just looking for some good back exercises and maybe some leg ones too.

 

[HighonBoost]

youtube is probably your best resource; I've hurt my back doing deadlifts also... no fun, best thing to do is watch someone else with good technique rather than figure it out for your self.

 

[winter brew]

After 2 lower back surgeries, the phys therapists tell me squats(light weight/high rep) and lunges to strengthen legs and core and not strain the lower back.

 

[ak ryda]

Lunges and squats. I would do more lunges since without a rack it will be difficult to go real heavy on squats without having to go super high on reps (which isn't really a bad thing). Dead lifts are a great exercise, just start with a lighter weight until your form catches up, throw a shrug in at the top to work your upper back/shoulders too.

 

[RMK7SledHead]

Lunge and twist - with a dumbell held horizontally at chest height, do a lunge, when you're all the way down (don't touch your knee), twist 90* towards your forward leg. Stand back up. Repeat the other leg forward. Can do them "walking" or stationary. Good core/lower back/legs.

Full squats with dumbells - With a dumbell held by the bell end (hanging basically) at chest height, do a squat ALL THE WAY DOWN. Don't just go parallel, go to a catchers position, then back up. Good for quads and lower back (keep your back straight, and it will burn by your third set).

Good mornings - dumbell held at waist level, horizontally, bend at the waist with straight legs...hold it at the bottom to stretch the hamstrings. Use nothing but lower back muscles to return upright. This one will destroy your back for a week if you're not used to it.


I work out with light weights compared to most, but I do high-intensity cardio type workouts...burns fat better and keeps muscle tone. I do 20 lbs for lung-twists, 30 lbs for the deep squats, and 40 lbs for the good mornings. I do 1 minute sets, as many reps as can be done, 15 second pause between sets.

 

[ruffryder]

Good mornings - dumbell held at waist level, horizontally, bend at the waist with straight legs...hold it at the bottom to stretch the hamstrings. Use nothing but lower back muscles to return upright. This one will destroy your back for a week if you're not used to it.

that is a straight leg dead lift? Yah, I want to stay away from that one, that is what helped tweak my back. I need to play it safe with the back exercises.

Thanks for the info everyone.

You guys got some tips on lunges? My front foot always slides forward...

 

[CatWoman]

If you have anything to do a seated row......that is great for back and legs. I have L4/5 S1 trouble. Both my PT and my Doc/Specialist recommended that.

You can get one of those big exercise balls, and do some great workouts with it (good for core and back). They aren't that expensive.......and they had me on that all the time while in PT.

One other thing for legs......is while standing, lift yourself up onto your toes and back down. Do sets of those. I typically do those in the morning and the evening while brushing my teeth with my Sonicare toothbrush (so I get a full 2 minutes each time).

 

[The Boondock Saint]

that is a straight leg dead lift? Yah, I want to stay away from that one, that is what helped tweak my back. I need to play it safe with the back exercises.

Thanks for the info everyone.

You guys got some tips on lunges? My front foot always slides forward...

Yeah what he is explaining is in fact a stiff legged dead lift.. Good mornings are actually when you hold the barbell like you would a squat. then bend over at the waist, keeping your back straight till your body forms a right angle.

With lunges try doing it one leg at a time. Either use dumbells or a smith machine to do the. put your right leg forward and do a full set of 8 or 10 or whatever you prefer. then switch to the other leg and do 10. That way you can keep your feet in the proper place..

To be honest thought the best workouts you can do for your legs and back are the ones that you got hurt on. Dead lifts and squats.. I would say find an alternative until you heal up then go back to those and make sure your form is strict. Even if you have to do light weight.. Find the book Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe He will explain the form in the most depth for these important compound lifts.

 

[The Boondock Saint]

RR what are your goals with your lifting exercise?

 

[ruffryder]

RR what are your goals with your lifting exercise?

to not be so tired and sore when I am trying to get my nytro unstuck?

With my running I am trying to get in better shape and loose some weight as well. I try to do the lifting quickly, ie leaving little time to let my heart rate slow down. It gets me a little cardio while I am getting some strength. Though, I think it leads to sloppy form.

 

[xrated]

Ruffy do not leave the dead lift....it is one of the best lower back and leg lifts around.

Here is the simple way to tell if you are doing it right.

You should basically be pulling the bar up along the front of your legs....if you are wearing shorts and DLing correctly you will have torn and raw skin all up yoru shins.\

Keep your shoulders as much inline with your hips as possible.

I used to get sore doing dead lifts until someone told me to drag along my shins....magically the only soreness was from the fact that my weight jumped way up when doing it that way!

Also on a swiss or bausa ball lie on your stomach and then raise your left arm and right leg, stretching out, then switch to right/left. That will work your spinal colum muscles which will help your back a ton. Often people work only the abs, and not the back part of the core....ie the spinal coulm muscles. That will lead to issues.

 

[xrated]

to not be so tired and sore when I am trying to get my nytro unstuck?

With my running I am trying to get in better shape and loose some weight as well. I try to do the lifting quickly, ie leaving little time to let my heart rate slow down. It gets me a little cardio while I am getting some strength. Though, I think it leads to sloppy form.

better to take time in between each lift and get good form....then just have less rest between sets. So slow and good form while doing the set, then instead of 2 minutes of rest, try 1 or so....or have another lift, excersie you can go right into after the first one.

What I like to do is go from pullups to lower abs to pullups and back until I have done all my sets. Then triceps, shoulders, abs in a cycle.

The only one I rest between is my chest.

With this setup I can do an upper body workout in 30 minutes or less. While still doing 3-4 sets of each exercise.

Let me know and I can send you some AWESOME workouts.

 

[The Boondock Saint]

I agree. Squats, deadlifts, and Bench press are your most important strength gaining lifts out there.. I would allow time for you to heal then go back to those and figure out how to do them right.

Put your feet a little narrower than shoulder width apart. Then grab the bar just outside your shins. Make sure your back is straight with no arching. poking your chest out and shoulders back then your chin up will keep your back straight. have the bar touching your shins then drive with your heels as you lift the weight. push your hips forward till you lockout.. If its done correctly you wont feel any strain or pulling in your back.. Only a pumped feeling.

In the past 2 months I have lost 10 pounds without doing any cardio.. weight training only. Diet and weight training are all you need if you are doing things right. About 5 more to lose and then its time to put on some more muscle

 

[go high fast]

with the back injury anything you can do to strengthen the abdomen is time well spent. I would also make sure you stretch and warm up before doing things like squats and deadlifts.