Group: General Fitness & Exercise

Created: 2011/12/31, Members: 383, Messages: 54581

Various general exercise related discussions. Find out what it takes to reach your fitness goals through daily effective exercise. With so many options we try to find out what works best.

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LOWER BACK AND AB WORK ALSO KNEES.

timmstar
timmstar
Posts: 426
Joined: 2003/12/08
Australia
2004/05/29, 11:47 PM
Ok well basically im an electrician as a job and im the aprentice so i basically get alot of gay jobs like digging and bending over in the small areas of roofs and crap anyway after a while recently i been finding my lower back been really sore also even when i just bent over to pick up things or even some times doing military presses it feels a little sore, to be honest i havent really gone all that hard on my abs or lower back as far as muscle workout wise which till now i actually see as stupid of me and i was just wondering if i built the strength in my lower back and abs if this will help me while bending over crawlin in small rolls digging and milt press and other exercises so it doesnt hurt anymore.. if thats true what exercises do you guys most reconmend? im going to start doing abs 2 - 3 times a week now i keep reading routines that cut abs and lowe back kinda out stupid ass me lol so now i needa catch up before to late so yeah im going to start doing abs again but i want to know some good exercises for lower back? would i just be doing Good Mournings, and stiff leg deadlifts? i dont have a hyper extention machine so any other lower back exercises be good.

Ok as long as an essay that is bare with me:P lol ok also in my job as electrician's usually we have to climb up and down ladders and stuff with about 3 guys inclkuding me working with us we on estimate do about 18 killomitres which is 12 miles of cable running in a house each and every day thats between 3 men but we do mroe then 4 miles each as you gotta include running back and forward running up and down the ladder and unrolling the cable and what not so we on estimate prolly do about 8 miles a day each, and more then half going up and down a ladder, now the point of this is that by the end of the week my elgs are usually heaps tired and also if i keep this up like most electricians in the trade usually have screwed up knees by the time of retirement :( so i was just wondering if i should maybe cut legs out completly *sigh* my legs going be small :( lol or do it like once every 2 weeks or if there is some sorta exercise that can maybe build my knees or something? lol thanks all :) if you can help :big_smile:
princesslodgey
princesslodgey
Posts: 1,748
Joined: 2004/02/21
United Kingdom
2004/05/30, 04:08 AM
don't cut out legs - strengthening your quads is one of the best things you can do to protect your knees.
asimmer
asimmer
Posts: 8,201
Joined: 2003/01/07
United States
2004/05/30, 09:47 AM
You can do back extensions lying on the floor, hook your feet under the edge of something, and lift your upper body a few inches off the floor, using your lower back.

Supermans and alternating supermans are good for your back - lie on your stomach, arms straight overhead, legs straight.
Lift your arms and legs a few inches off the ground (not too high) pause and lower. Or alternate opposite arm/leg, so lift right arm and left leg a few inches, pause and lower, switch to left arm/right leg.

The cat/cow stretch will ease up some of the pain and stiffness you have - on your hands and knees, lower your head and tuck your tail under as you push your back up, pulling your beely button in to your spine (like a black cat on halloween, arching it's back), then relax your back, drop your belly a little lower than neutral, roll your hips up a little and raise your head. Repeat this until your back feels looser and more relaxed.

Squats wil help build strength around your knees - just be sure to use good form and try these to help keep the strength balanced in your quads -

Squats with med ball -

before you unrack your squat weight, place a medicine ball or playgraound ball (a little smaller than a basketball) in between your upper legs, just above the knees. waddle forward to get the bar and unrack, waddle backwards to position for squats. Now squeeze the ball with your legs while you squat.

Good luck!

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If you fall down seven times, get up eight.
bigandrew
bigandrew
Posts: 5,146
Joined: 2002/10/21
United States
2004/05/30, 02:47 PM
your only as strong as your weakest muscle........you should train everything.

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.......adversity causes some to break, but others to break records!
......minds are not vessles to be filled, but fires to be enlightened
......Confucious once said ,DO NOT play leap frog with a unicorn

timmstar
timmstar
Posts: 426
Joined: 2003/12/08
Australia
2004/05/31, 06:44 AM
as wierd as that sounds bigandrew that "your only as strong as your weakest muscle" actually makes sense thanks :) thanks all for de help, also asimer with my lower back as far as superman and back extention exercises how many reps and sets you recomend and when would i fit that into a routine as a warm up begining or just along with back and after a while would i have to addweight intensity to myself? if so where and how thanks:D i guess some sexy quads are gonna be coming up then aye;) haha thanks guys :)
asimmer
asimmer
Posts: 8,201
Joined: 2003/01/07
United States
2004/05/31, 09:25 AM
Alternate the low back exercises inbetween sets of ab exercises (a set of crunches, a set of supermans, a set of crunches, a set of supermans).

Try starting with 3 sets of 12, see how it feels. They sound like little wimpy exercises, but you will be suprised at how hard they can be.

Eventually, you could hold small dumbbells in your hands for supermans. If they seem way too easy - try them on your hands and knees instead of lying down, but be sure you keep your hips level and head neutral.

or lying back extensions - start with your hands under your shoulders, when that is easy, cross them in front of your face, like you are going to rest your head on them. When that is easy, move them out in frotn of you, over your head but parrallel to the ground 9longer lever, more resistance) when that is easy, hold a weight plate in front of your chest.

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If you fall down seven times, get up eight.
timmstar
timmstar
Posts: 426
Joined: 2003/12/08
Australia
2004/06/03, 03:10 AM
k thanks heaps assimer i tried those supermans and i supersetted alternate them with the back extentions but next week ill try doing situps alternate withem, sounds good was doing 12 reps of supermans holding them up for about 5 seconds each then going down slow and 20 reps of back extentions holding up for bout 4 seconds these exercises arnt meant to be low rep ever though right? i think ill add a lil weight though but thanks i did chest and all over top and lower back yesterday felt great :) both done together thanks again :D
asimmer
asimmer
Posts: 8,201
Joined: 2003/01/07
United States
2004/06/03, 08:08 AM
Yeah, they are not brute exercises and don't require a lot of weight or low reps. I usually do 12-15 reps for low back.
Glad you feel good!

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If you fall down seven times, get up eight.