Had a hell of a time this week with my lower back and I have no clue why. This happens from time to time where I haven't injured it or even done anything that I can think of or put my finger on and it becomes incredibly tender for 3 or 4 days. During that time I have to train around it by choosing exercises that don't make it worse or, God forbid, cause a full-blown injury.
I am getting quite good at training around the problem considering I have been dealing with lower back injuries for a very long time. However, it is no less frustrating and just plain sucks. I still managed to get in all 3 sessions this week and they were great. In fact, my back doesn't bother me much when I get warm and I am training (provided I am careful to still not put it in a vulnerable position) but rather when I get home and cool down or when I get up in the morning or when I sit in a chair to work for longer periods of time.
I am lucky in that I have a gym that is incredibly well-equipped and that allows me to choose different machines based on what my back feels like that day. I decided to use a hinge squat or a "pendulum" squat, depending on what label you are used to. This worked well because the bulk of the weight is supported on the bottom of the pad that rests on the sacrum, allowing much less pressure on my L4/L5 until the weight gets really heavy. This machine, though, doesn't allow for a lot of weight to be used based on the angle. To be smart about it I just sat there and did about 8 working sets knowing there weren't many other options available to me that day for pressing or squatting.
I was able to also do reverse lunges in the smith, leg extensions and seated leg curls. I could not have done a lying leg curl but the seated version is usually pretty easy my lower back. It will be interesting to see how my lower back holds up today for shoulders and arms and I will almost certainly be very careful and limited in shoulder exercises to some degree.
I don't want to sound like I am bitching as much as I am simply passing on my experience and knowledge based on working through and around my chronic lower back pain for many years. Hopefully, someone reading this will take away something they can use in their own training if they are experiencing lower back problems, as well.
The cardio this week at 3 times a day wasn't so bad .... until I trained legs on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday cardio sessions sucked. Obviously, they were a little worse due to the tender lower back but shortly after getting the session started I would get warm and the tightness would subside in my lower back. I have two done today, already, and only have one more tonight post-training and then one in the morning on Saturday and that is it. I won't do any on Sunday for my Skipload day. Back at it again on Monday for another week.
I can definitely tell that I am leaner and I am not terribly run down, if I am being honest. I am quite a bit fuller, as well, which is odd due to the added cardio but I added carbs this week so that is probably a good part of the reason. I am very pleased with the progress but the worst part isn't actually DOING the cardio but sitting around wet and sweaty until I can get the last one done and THEN shower. Let's just say it isn't pleasant and leave it at that.
My weight is not going to be down like I had anticipated but I really don't care much about that considering I have a leaner look this week and slightly fuller. The look is better and that is far more important that the scale weight.