Leg Training with Lower Back Issues

[pothole]

I'm looking for some feedback on leg training around a healing lower back strain/disc issue. About a month ago I injured my lower back doing smith squats. Immediately went to the orthopedic then did PT for about two weeks. Took about a month for me to feel like I had fully recovered. My leg training since then has looked like this:

Warm up - Bike for 6 mins, walking lunges around the gym, high kicks etc...

Seated Ham Curls - 2 working sets

Belt Squats - 1 working set, 1 widow maker set

Meadows' Bulgarian Spilt Squats of death - 1 round

Seated Leg Extensions - 2 - 3 working sets

Seated Calves SS w/ Tibia raises - 4-5 sets of 20 each

I hit this 2 times a week in a PPL split. Its a good "pump" work out but I miss destroying myself on legs ya know?

I want to stay away from anything that would potential put too much of load on the lower back because even though I feel fine I know the injury hasn't 100% healed. The Gym I go to has EVERY leg machine available. My question is how can I add mass to my legs without risk of injury. Would a TruSquat or Hack be stable enough or would this cause spinal compression. Also leg pressing seems out of the question since the load is getting pushed into the low back.

Any recommendations are appreciated. Thanks

 

[luki7788]

SSB hatfield squat
belt squat
squat press
bulgarians
leg ex, curls
vsquat

if you have these machines, you can do a great and powerful workout with a heavy load, even if you have a back problem

 

[pothole]

SSB hatfield squat
belt squat
squat press
bulgarians
leg ex, curls
vsquat

if you have these machines, you can do a great and powerful workout with a heavy load, even if you have a back problem

Thanks man, I have all of these available to me.

 

[fozzyred]

I use the Precor Icarian Supersquat machine in place of barbell squats. I've had bulging disc issues over the past few years and can't go super heavy on barbell without the issues cropping up. I can load almost 800 lbs on that machine doing reverse hacks with virtually no back strain. If your gym has it, I highly recommend giving it a go if you haven't already.

 

[pothole]

I use the Precor Icarian Supersquat machine in place of barbell squats. I've had bulging disc issues over the past few years and can't go super heavy on barbell without the issues cropping up. I can load almost 800 lbs on that machine doing reverse hacks with virtually no back strain. If your gym has it, I highly recommend giving it a go if you haven't already.

Okay Ill give this a shot. I have one of these. you don't get any weird spinal extension facing in on that machine?

 

[maldorf]

If your gym has a swing squat, use it.

 

[heavyhitter]

I find reverse banded squats and front squats to be much easier on my low back

 

[pothole]

If your gym has a swing squat, use it.

Yeah we have a few of these. My concern is that anything on my shoulders would cause compression of the spine. maybe I'm wrong in thinking this. I guess I need to start slow and give it a shot

 

[maldorf]

Yeah we have a few of these. My concern is that anything on my shoulders would cause compression of the spine. maybe I'm wrong in thinking this. I guess I need to start slow and give it a shot

I used it for awhile when I had injured my low back. I could not squat 225 without bad pain, but could use the swing squat with zero pain. It's a great tool. The best part is you can go REALLY deep and have no pain or strain.

You're lucky to have two! I'd use that and belt squats. The Parillo belt squat I used had a shoulder harness and it caused no back pain.

 

[Cito33189]

I have two slipped discs in my back L5 and S1. It happens to me when I was about 26-27. Doctors didn’t want to operate yet due to me being so young and there was a 50/50 it wouldn’t help. Since then my legs have never been what they use to be. Heavy squats made my legs grow and gave them a different look.
now I just get blood in there. Leg extension/curls hack squats leg press. It’s just not balls to the walls. I’ll throw on a plate or sometimes even just 2 quarters and do some squats. Legit my legs respond and look fuller right away. Back pain is the worst. Basically just learn to live with it

 

[fozzyred]

Okay Ill give this a shot. I have one of these. you don't get any weird spinal extension facing in on that machine?

No, I get virtually no lower back stress on this machine.

 

[alfresco]

???

Roman Chair squats
Zane leg blaster
Gironda sissy squats

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Which disk or area is problematic?

You said about leg presses and I'm not sure what disk(s) is or was bulging but leg presses shouldn't be putting downward compression on your disks. You should be pushing from your hips and knees, not causing any back compression at all. Maybe lateral weight on L5 or sacrum but ultimately only pelvic area.

In any case, you still have enough options for intensity until that disk hopefully pops/shrinks back in. It took over a year for mine. I got a prednisone injection into my disk which helped.

Best of luck to you.

 

[fozzyred]

Which disk or area is problematic?

You said about leg presses and I'm not sure what disk(s) is or was bulging but leg presses shouldn't be putting downward compression on your disks. You should be pushing from your hips and knees, not causing any back compression at all. Maybe lateral weight on L5 or sacrum but ultimately only pelvic area.

In any case, you still have enough options for intensity until that disk hopefully pops/shrinks back in. It took over a year for mine. I got a prednisone injection into my disk which helped.

Best of luck to you.

I think I know what he's talking about with leg press. The last time I had L5 issues, I had to stop squatting and went to leg press to take the strain off my lower back. When lowering the weight past parallel, I think the slight rounding from the pelvic area caused pain. It's not incredibly intense, and I was able to fight through it to get my sets in, but there was definitely noticable discomfort.

The machine I mentioned earlier has been a backsaver on leg days for me. I wish I had one of the pendulum machines at my gym. Looks amazing. Belt squat too.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

I think I know what he's talking about with leg press. The last time I had L5 issues, I had to stop squatting and went to leg press to take the strain off my lower back. When lowering the weight past parallel, I think the slight rounding from the pelvic area caused pain. It's not incredibly intense, and I was able to fight through it to get my sets in, but there was definitely noticable discomfort.

The machine I mentioned earlier has been a backsaver on leg days for me. I wish I had one of the pendulum machines at my gym. Looks amazing. Belt squat too.

Yes. If you're talking L5, S1, leg presses are probably out. I read through the the thread but did not see which area is the problem (just generally lower back).

 

[johnjuanb1]

I'm looking for some feedback on leg training around a healing lower back strain/disc issue. About a month ago I injured my lower back doing smith squats. Immediately went to the orthopedic then did PT for about two weeks. Took about a month for me to feel like I had fully recovered. My leg training since then has looked like this:

Warm up - Bike for 6 mins, walking lunges around the gym, high kicks etc...

Seated Ham Curls - 2 working sets

Belt Squats - 1 working set, 1 widow maker set

Meadows' Bulgarian Spilt Squats of death - 1 round

Seated Leg Extensions - 2 - 3 working sets

Seated Calves SS w/ Tibia raises - 4-5 sets of 20 each

I hit this 2 times a week in a PPL split. Its a good "pump" work out but I miss destroying myself on legs ya know?

I want to stay away from anything that would potential put too much of load on the lower back because even though I feel fine I know the injury hasn't 100% healed. The Gym I go to has EVERY leg machine available. My question is how can I add mass to my legs without risk of injury. Would a TruSquat or Hack be stable enough or would this cause spinal compression. Also leg pressing seems out of the question since the load is getting pushed into the low back.

Any recommendations are appreciated. Thanks

Smith squats and hack squats always felt bad in my spine. I see the freaks like Roelly load up the leg press but only go down a quarter way. That seems like a good way to not compress the spine and still get a lot of quad stress.

 

[maldorf]

I think I know what he's talking about with leg press. The last time I had L5 issues, I had to stop squatting and went to leg press to take the strain off my lower back. When lowering the weight past parallel, I think the slight rounding from the pelvic area caused pain. It's not incredibly intense, and I was able to fight through it to get my sets in, but there was definitely noticable discomfort.

The machine I mentioned earlier has been a backsaver on leg days for me. I wish I had one of the pendulum machines at my gym. Looks amazing. Belt squat too.

When I have low back pain I definitely can't leg press. The pain for me is much worse than just doing squats. Belt squats and swing squats are the best to me.

 

[maldorf]

Yes. If you're talking L5, S1, leg presses are probably out. I read through the the thread but did not see which area is the problem (just generally lower back).

I think that's where my issue is. I think also SI joint. I'm going to an orthopedic surgeon in a few weeks. My first trip ever.

 

[maldorf]

Smith squats and hack squats always felt bad in my spine. I see the freaks like Roelly load up the leg press but only go down a quarter way. That seems like a good way to not compress the spine and still get a lot of quad stress.

Certainly would take off a lot of stress from the low back. Go down really low and you end up lifting your ass off the pad and that will destroy the low back. I did that a few times and could barely walk.

 

[pothole]

Yes. If you're talking L5, S1, leg presses are probably out. I read through the the thread but did not see which area is the problem (just generally lower back).

I think this is the area of the injury or it could be a lower QL strain. The PT and Ortho are not sure. They said it doesn't matter because they would end up treating it the same way.

So on the leg press the load builds in the pelvis area on the eccentric. Thats why I think these are out of the question right now.