I'm Changing My Fitness Routine

[eytonxav]

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Originally Posted by omni550 I have had back issues since I was a teenager. A few years ago I found the work of Stuart McGill (Professor of Spine Mechanics) from the Univ. of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. https://uwaterloo.ca/kinesiology/peo.../stuart-mcgill He has written a number of books and papers on his work. (low back disorders, back mechanics, etc.) He has 3 critical exercises for core strengthening which are also good for recovering from lower back injury. These he recommends doing daily. They require nothing more than a floor on which to do them. After a warm-up of Cat/Cow, then Curl-up, Side plank and Bird dog. (Stir the pot is a 4th, more-challenging, exercise which entails an exercise ball.) Here's a demo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScHsWK2TvsU omni

Good video Omni. I've done all of those over the years, except stir the pot, although I did a variation on that where you push the ball straight ahead with no side to side motion.

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Originally Posted by ERD50 I do a different set, but similar in that it just takes a few minutes, all done on the floor, and focused on the core. It has made a night-day difference in my back problems. Even when I didn't have a full blown 'episode', I would often feel a 'tinge' just bending over to brush my teeth, or pick something off the floor, or just anything at all. I have not had one of those 'tinges' or any other back problem for a long, long time. It took a few months before I suddenly realized that it was far easier to do the leg extensions, which were very difficult at first. No doubt, I strengthened those muscles, and I believe that is what made the difference for me. I lay on my back, alternate pulling each knee to my chest, tightening the abdomen as I do this and hold. Repeat ~ 10x. Then just push my back as flat to the floor as I can, tightening the abdomen as I do this, hold, and repeat. Then planks, raising my back and holding with feet and shoulders on the floor. Then the leg extensions - lay on back with ab tight and knees up at ~ right angle, feet on floor. The slowly raise the feet a bit, and extend them out, and return. Repeat. I do this when I wake and before I go to bed. Sometimes I'll do a few during the day if I've been sitting, just to loosen up. -ERD50

These are good ones as well, but what I do for leg extensions is lay on my back and lift one leg at a time (maybe 6-8" off ground) while pronating the foot/ankle outward as far as it will go and hold for 5 seconds. I do five repetitions like this and then repeat with the other leg. Also do this same routine on my side and laying on my stomach. Very helpful to relieve sciatic pain.

[ERD50]

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Originally Posted by DFW_M5 Good video Omni. I've done all of those over the years, except stir the pot, although I did a variation on that where you push the ball straight ahead with no side to side motion. These are good ones as well, but what I do for leg extensions is lay on my back and lift one leg at a time (maybe 6-8" off ground) while pronating the foot/ankle outward as far as it will go and hold for 5 seconds. I do five repetitions like this and then repeat with the other leg. Also do this same routine on my side and laying on my stomach. Very helpful to relieve sciatic pain.

I'll look into incorporating some of these others into my routine. I think mixing it up is good, I'm sure there are areas that my routine isn't hitting, and that overall strengthening is important to this it seems. And we can never really be sure what has helped, it takes time, and not easily measured. But I put a fair amount of faith in the fact that those leg extensions were so difficult for me, indicating a real weakness there, and now they are very easy, and that correlates with my being better.

And at this point, I think doing some of my 'standards' less than every day won't be a problem, as long as I replace them with something else. As I said, I'm much stronger than when I started, maintenance should be pretty easy (I think).

-ERD50

[eytonxav]

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Originally Posted by ERD50 As I said, I'm much stronger than when I started, maintenance should be pretty easy (I think). -ERD50

Amen, once you build strength maintenance becomes much easier, but very important as well.

[TromboneAl]

Ha,

I woke this morning with an idea for you--I hope this works.

You buy a weight or Bowflex machine, but you use it in an aerobic/cardio way!

That is, you set the weight low enough that you can do, say, 500 repetitions instead of only eight. You could choose from different exercises and find which are not stressful to your back. Chest press, curls, leg press, etc. You could even do this type of row, in which your chest is supported:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv6FQUdITYU

[friar1610]

Like the OP I'm a fan of the Concept 2 rower and have used it for a number of years 2 or so times a week. (More heavily during nasty winter weather; less so during the summer.) Unlike the OP, I generally row for about a half hour each time and reach about 5600 meters. My core (no pun intended) exercise is spinning, 2 or 3x per week.

When I was a lot younger, I had a set of Heavy Hands and sometimes ran with them, running being my core exercise back then. I've tried on many occasions to start and sustain a modest weight program but I've never been able to stick with it more than 1-4 months without blowing it off. I just find it boring and I'm one of those taller, thinner guys who never has had much muscle mass anyway.

Recently I started going to classes at my gym which may keep me interested for a longer period. They're these cardio/strength classes where you do a lot of jumping around/almost dancing, stretches, crunches and upper body exercises with relatively light Dumbbells (I use 10 or 12 pounders at the moment.) The classes kick my butt but the hour seems to go by much faster than an hour of weights would.

I figure if I do those classes 2x per week, spinning 2x, some rowing and walking my dog for 30-50 minutes 3-4x I should have a pretty well rounded routine (and keep myself from getting too well rounded.)

BTW, I'm a 71 yo guy. Most of the classes are heavily populated by women which is fine with me. I'm not sure how many of the guys working out on weights, ellipticals, treadmills and stationery bikes in the main part of the gym realize how hard these classes are. I know I didn't.

[Music Lover]

I've never had a back problem in my life, excluding a couple days here and there when I lifted something heavy with poor form, and once when I slipped on the ice and landed awkwardly.

The only exercises I have done for the last 20 years are basic compound movements...bench press, incline press, squats, lunges, deadlifts, chin-ups/pullups, etc. I have always felt that those basic exercises, when done correctly, are all that one needs to maintain a good level of strength and fitness. Every one of those exercises uses multiple muscles and many of them also contribute to strengthening the core. A strong core helps with posture and will help prevent back problems for those who have no underlying issues. I never stretch...I simply warm up with a brisk walk or jog and start with light weights increasing each set.