Lifter problems
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I suffer from pretty bad low back problems, and because of this, for a while I avoided core stuff and exercises like deadlifts out of fear that I’d trigger another episode. Plus, gotta admit I just hate the feeling of working my abs. That said, not too long ago I started to push aside that fear and have been trying to build more strength in that area. Doing deadlifts and barbell squats have most certainly helped, and I started working up the strength to do things like hanging leg raises for my abs and obliques, as they’re a shitload friendlier to my back than something like crunches (ugh).
It does seem counterintuitive, but it’s so true. Pushing past that initial, scary weakness has meant more protection for my back in the end. Now if I can just get rid of this layer of flab that sits on top of my abs…
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@popvulture way to get after it bud. Core exercises is great to stay on top of it, specially for those hitting past 40 -not so much in attempt for that flatter stomach (%99.9 of that is eating habits) but for exactly what you are touching on above... a strong core makes for a great foundation and contributes to so many movements.
IMOP what's better than an ab work out? Yoga... and hands down my least favorite work. Holding terrible poses for extended periods while you try to put your mind somewhere else is discouraging, specially in the beginning BUT no other post workout comes close to making the body feel as good as a yoga session -very much the equivalency of a cold plunge for me, huge mental grind while you're in it but god damn do you feel good when you're out -
@flannel-slut oh absolutely re: diet. It’s funny because I can get fairly strict and see some results as far as trimming up and getting some definition, but I’ve also accepted that if I really wanna see some good stuff, I have to totally long-haul it due to being in my 40s. Pass a certain age and that shit just wants to set up camp in your midsection, haha. I know it’s the last to go, too — so even bigger case for dedication to a tight diet.
I love yoga and need to reincorporate it back into my schedule. The best shape I’ve ever been in was when I was doing it like 3 or 4 days a week and running on the others.
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@JDelage for sure! humans are sitting waaaaay more than ever; hip mobility exercises should be pushed onto most everybody
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Do y’all ever check out the Knees Over Toes Guy on YT? He’s got some great hip/general leg stuff. His degree of mobility is pretty wild to watch.
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@flannel-slut @popvulture Been doing a lot of core in the last few months, but rarely doing anything that directly targets it. So things like swinging a heavy macebell around my head; if you don't brace your core it's going to pull you backwards, and the next day you'll feel the DOMS from 8-o'clock to 4-o'clock around your middle. Heavy unilateral kettlebell presses force you to cinch down on the obliques to stay stable. And this morning I put my Baby Bear sandbag on one shoulder and took it for a walk around the block before repeating on the other side, and boy am I feeling it right now.
I used to laugh at the functional fitness guy doing kneeling unilateral barbell overhead presses in the gym when all I used to do was powerlifting movements, but now I appreciate that he was onto something.
And yeah, yoga. I used to do it 3 times a week during the first lockdowns, but it fell out of my routine a couple of years ago. Last weekend I realised I could no longer touch my toes without bending my knees, so I really need to re-incorporate it back into the routine.
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Oh god — touching my toes with straight legs? Forget about it haha. My flexibility is soooo bad, all the more reason I should get back into some yoga.
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@popvulture never incorporated any of his movements but wish he was around during my hoop days. His vertical is shocking
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@flannel-slut dude, right?!?! I’m a tall guy and yet I can’t even begin to fathom being able to dunk. There’s also this thing he does where he stands on the edge of a pool and bends his knees down almost to the water then straightens back up. It’s like you said, shocking.
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@popvulture @flannel-slut I don't need to watch Knees Over Toes Guy. My baby is still under 2, and watching the way she can turn her little legs into a pretzel, or do a perfect pancake stretch, etc, is inspiring enough to try and increase my own flexibility. Don't know what you lost 'til its gone and all that!
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@EdH ha, yep — little kids are so natural. I remember reading a bit in a book on running where the author described the best runner he’d ever seen. Natural form, effortless efficiency, all that. It was a 4 year old.
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We are all born with the same agility and flexibility. As we get older we live seating most of the time and we dont put our bodys in positions to maintain the flexibility we once had. Most people from mid 20's and up cannot squat properly. We loose hip and ankle mobility. Its fixable but takes time and consistency but is well worth it.
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For mobility, I really like the Kinstretch derived stuff. They emphasize strength at end range and I think that might be more useful than yoga. Check those guys out:
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An easy test of mobility is the overhead squat. Load is not important. If you can overhead squat an empty bar with full depth, ample thoracic extension and heels on the ground you are generally in good shape. It will expose limitations at the upper back, hips and ankle.
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@yannis we do overhead squats a lot for that reason but I'm still looking hillarious while I do it
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@goosehd . Did the bar started coming farward as you were decending into the squat?.
Make sure you use wide grip, snatch grip. With narrow grip are challenging even for people with good mobility. If you can squat decent without the bar above you, and by decent means torso up right as much as possible , hip crease below knee crease and heels in full contact with the floor, but the bar drifts farward when you overheard squat its a thoracic extension limitation. Upper back mobility is very important on overhead squat. -
The correct grip is whatever width you need to use to get the bar into your hip crease with you standing. So grab the bar and adjust the width of the grip till the bar is at your hip crease.
