how to train legs effectivly when you have a lower back injury?

[danielson]

ok so i picked up a lower back injury many weeks ago....and it was healing very nicely.

i then foolishly was testing it with a weight i had used with no problem on deadlifts the week before with the injury and managed to injure to again. then due to a grading i had to do which involved sparring i managed to stop the healing again, and FINALLY i have left it alone and its healing up again (no pain on normal activity, tensing abs etc)

but i dont know how to train my legs. ok, legs curls, extensions etc etc......but how to do any press movement

i tried the light deadlift thing and dont wanna go down that road untl im healed again. and further along into healing i may be able to pull off smith squats as they keep the stress off the lower back a little

but what now? i can;t leg press i tried that and it causes pain if i take the sled all the way down. do i just bear it out and wait for the healing

what about routines? my bench has stagnated with the injury, probably becuase i can;t train legs anymore....

 

[bignate73]

you should be able to moderately train your legs. hit a leg press and keep your hips pinned down at the bottom. those handles at the bottom? grab them and pull down so all the weight from the leg press is directed to your hips and into the pad. the problem most people run into when leg pressing, as it is, is keeping their A$$ down. i see people go "real deep" and end up rolling thieir hips/lower back up a bit off the pad, thereby transferring the stress to that region.

go light at first, hit higher reps, keep that weight directed to your hips/sacrum and you should be fine.

 

[Baoh]

A great investment for you would be the purchase of an Ironmind Hip Squat Belt.

www.ironmind.com

Good luck.

 

[danielson]

thanks!

 

[satchboogie]

of all injuries none is more fucked then lower back ones.

anyhow, my best advice (from personal experience) is to neglect compound exercises and focus on isolation exercises.

so drop the squats and deads all together!
dont even think about doing them with light weight, just say goodbye for a good month or even more if you feel your back needs more time.

start doing machine leg extensions, leg curls, and the different sitting calf exercises.

many believe these isolation exercises wont be as effective as squats/deads and they're right! isolation exercises wont nearly be as effective for mass and strength but they're better than nothing.

again, forget the standup leg exercises all together!

heal up, then slowly build up to where you left off.

 

[Thaibox]

Bignate's right D, doing leg presses with your ass up can be worse for your lower back than squats or deads. Try to get the fullest ROM you can get with out having to lift your ass in the least. Once that happens your lower back is put into a really bad position. Even if you have to go fairly shallow, its better than not pressing at all in my opinion.

Since my back surgery, I've been doing empty bar squats for reps, presses, and extensions. It sucks, but you can still get a decent leg day if you push these hard enough. Damn I miss squats and deads. Good luck d

 

[Latamier]

I have a back injury as well, and unfortunately the only thing I can no longer do is squats. I probably could if I wanted to, but it would not be worth it to suffer from another flare up.

 

[Thaibox]

Latimer, can you still dead bro? What type of back injury do you have?

 

[danielson]

thanks thai and all.....i am doing the isolation exercises at the mo, i think i will try light leg presses and as i get better work in light smith squats and deads