Lower back

**charger69** · 05-29-2017, 02:25 PM

I am 50 and have been competing for 4 years. I cannot seem to get my lower back in sync. I did have a l2/l3 disk removed. Is it possible that the operation will not allow me to get my lower back to where I need it?
Any advice is welcome. As my body progresses, my lower back is becoming my achilles heel.

**MuscleScience** · 05-29-2017, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by charger69

I am 50 and have been competing for 4 years. I cannot seem to get my lower back in sync. I did have a l2/l3 disk removed. Is it possible that the operation will not allow me to get my lower back to where I need it?
Any advice is welcome. As my body progresses, my lower back is becoming my achilles heel.

Did you have just a discectomy or a full on fusion? You will to some extent always be weaker in that area. Keeping the lumbar spine flexible will help reduce your risk of injury.

**NACH3** · 05-30-2017, 05:54 AM

Originally Posted by charger69

I am 50 and have been competing for 4 years. I cannot seem to get my lower back in sync. I did have a l2/l3 disk removed. Is it possible that the operation will not allow me to get my lower back to where I need it?
Any advice is welcome. As my body progresses, my lower back is becoming my achilles heel.

What ex's are you doing to work it? By strengthening it it may get worse b4 it gets better(same thing happened with my shoulder but I didn't let it stop me from strengthening it just an FYI) It may also cause your L4/5 some trouble so be careful!
Can you do T-bar rows, and defo BB Bent over rows?? Weighted hypers?

**charger69** · 05-30-2017, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by MuscleScience

Did you have just a discectomy or a full on fusion? You will to some extent always be weaker in that area. Keeping the lumbar spine flexible will help reduce your risk of injury.

removed the disk and fused it.

**charger69** · 05-30-2017, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by NACH3

What ex's are you doing to work it? By strengthening it it may get worse b4 it gets better(same thing happened with my shoulder but I didn't let it stop me from strengthening it just an FYI) It may also cause your L4/5 some trouble so be careful! Can you do T-bar rows, and defo BB Bent over rows?? Weighted hypers?

The operation was 7 years ago. My back seems fine, but the lower back just doesn't seem to be coming in.
Lower back - bent over rows, deadlift, Good mornings, and the lower back machine
I also do stiff leg deadlifts for hamstrings
My next change will include weighted hypers.

**MuscleScience** · 05-30-2017, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by charger69

The operation was 7 years ago. My back seems fine, but the lower back just doesn't seem to be coming in.
Lower back - bent over rows, deadlift, Good mornings, and the lower back machine
I also do stiff leg deadlifts for hamstrings
My next change will include weighted hypers.

God o mighty why are you doing good mornings still with a fusion? Or stiff legged DL? Those two exercises are not worth the risk.

And to anyone else out there in steroid .com land. If your doing good morning exercises. Do your back a favor and stop now, or your surgeon will thank you for his new Lake house.lol

**Obs** · 05-30-2017, 10:22 PM

MS is your guy for back issues brother. Good luck and do what he says.

**charger69** · 05-30-2017, 10:23 PM

Could the operation have made it such that I will not be able to mature the muscles in n my lower back? I have tried just about every exercise. As muscle said, my last routine I was reaching.
I would think that the muscle is still there so I should be able to develop it. Just thinking that it may take more time. Too late for this year, but I have time for next year.

**MuscleScience** · 05-31-2017, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by charger69

Could the operation have made it such that I will not be able to mature the muscles in n my lower back? I have tried just about every exercise. As muscle said, my last routine I was reaching.
I would think that the muscle is still there so I should be able to develop it. Just thinking that it may take more time. Too late for this year, but I have time for next year.

I just figured out what my next thread will be, I'm Gonna do it like buzzfeed...lol

The top 5 things doctors won't tell you about your back.

Here is the secret. Most back injuries are not due to a weak lower back, its because it is actually too strong...yep! That's it!

The lower back muscles have attachment points at every vertebra. The Abs only have 2, they attach to the sternum and pelvis. So by shear mechanics of anatomy, they have a much stronger mechanical advantage over the abs. When the low back muscles ratio in strength vs the abs get past a certain point. The low back muscles will cause all kinds of different problems. It's like the quads to hamstring strength ratio. The quads will always overpower the hamstrings but it's the ratio in strength that keeps the knee tracking right.

Charger, If I were you I would stop with all flexion exercises at the waist and pick up book by
Dr. Stuart McGill PhD. He has the best protocol out there for rehabbing and maintaining a healthy low back. With your fusion the segments above and below will degenerate faster than the rest of the spine because of how the load is changed running through them. Eventually if you follow McGill's protocol you should be able to do anything in the gym you want too, maybe with some modifications of course.

**charger69** · 05-31-2017, 09:23 PM

Well muscle, you got me to start researching. Boy is this a contraversial subject. In any event, my back is fine right now and has been fine since I finished rehab 7 years ago. I did have inflamation for about 9 months after th operation, but no pain.
I did quickly review the information from the Dr. But it was more on the information like how to heal your back which is on my list for research.
What I am looking for is how to get the christmas tree in my lower back and to know if the operation could make this unattainable or what I need to do to mature this area. Based on your explanation above, I believe that you have the knowledge that I am looking for, but I was not clear on what I was looking for.

**MuscleScience** · 06-01-2017, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by charger69

Well muscle, you got me to start researching. Boy is this a contraversial subject. In any event, my back is fine right now and has been fine since I finished rehab 7 years ago. I did have inflamation for about 9 months after th operation, but no pain.
I did quickly review the information from the Dr. But it was more on the information like how to heal your back which is on my list for research.
What I am looking for is how to get the christmas tree in my lower back and to know if the operation could make this unattainable or what I need to do to mature this area. Based on your explanation above, I believe that you have the knowledge that I am looking for, but I was not clear on what I was looking for.

His protocols are for both rehab and Maintenance.