Bad Back

[hellishhorses]

...no reason in the world you need them unless you are body building....

Nonsense. The benefits of squats are backed by years of scientific evidence — there is NO substitute for squat.

 

[Younggun]

Lol.

What's so great about squats?

 

[azkcr]

They get you JACKED >:-O
Lol
They jack your back, I know that. I'm not going to stop squats, but I will definitely use this as a learning opportunity to realize my limit(s)

 

[hellishhorses]

Lol.

What's so great about squats?

Let me google that for you...

What makes squats such a fantastic exercise?

1. Builds Muscle in Your Entire BodySquats obviously help to build your leg muscles (including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves), but they also create an anabolic environment, which promotes body-wide muscle building.
   In fact, when done properly, squats are so intense that they trigger the release of testosterone and human growth hormone in your body, which are vital for muscle growth and will also help to improve muscle mass when you train other areas of your body aside from your legs.
   So squats can actually help you improve both your upper and lower body strength.
2. Functional Exercise Makes Real-Life Activities EasierFunctional exercises are those that help your body to perform real-life activities, as opposed to simply being able to operate pieces of gym equipment. Squats are one of the best functional exercises out there, as humans have been squatting since the hunter-gatherer days. When you perform squats, you build muscle and help your muscles work more efficiently, as well as promote mobility and balance. All of these benefits translate into your body moving more efficiently in the real world too.
3. Burn More FatOne of the most time-efficient ways to burn more calories is actually to gain more muscle! For every pound of additional muscle you gain, your body will burn an additional 50-70 calories per day. So, if you gain 10 pounds of muscle, you will automatically burn 500-700 more calories per day than you did before.
4. Maintain Mobility and BalanceStrong legs are crucial for staying mobile as you get older, and squats are phenomenal for increasing leg strength. They also work out your core, stabilizing muscles, which will help you to maintain balance, while also improving the communication between your brain and your muscle groups, which helps prevent falls – which is incidentally the #1 way to prevent bone fractures versus consuming mega-dose calcium supplements and bone drugs.
5. Prevent InjuriesMost athletic injuries involve weak stabilizer muscles, ligaments and connective tissues, which squats help strengthen. They also help prevent injury by improving your flexibility (squats improve the range of motion in your ankles and hips) and balance, as noted above.
6. Boost Your Sports Performance -- Jump Higher and Run FasterWhether you're a weekend warrior or a mom who chases after a toddler, you'll be interested to know that studies have linked squatting strength with athletic ability.1 Specifically, squatting helped athletes run faster and jump higher, which is why this exercise is part of virtually every professional athlete's training program.
7. Tone Your Backside, Abs and Entire BodyFew exercises work as many muscles as the squat, so it's an excellent multi-purpose activity useful for toning and tightening your behind, abs, and, of course, your legs. Furthermore, squats build your muscles, and these muscles participate in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity, helping to protect you against obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
8. Help with Waste RemovalSquats improve the pumping of body fluids, aiding in removal of waste and delivery of nutrition to all tissues, including organs and glands. They're also useful for improved movement of feces through your colon and more regular bowel movements.

What's the Proper Way to Perform a Squat?

Squats have long been criticized for being destructive to your knees, but research shows that when done properly, squats actually improve knee stability and strengthen connective tissue.

1. Warm up
2. Stand with your feet just over shoulder width apart
3. Keep your back in a neutral position, and keep your knees centered over your feet
4. Slowly bend your knees, hips and ankles, lowering until you reach a 90-degree angle
5. Return to starting position -- repeat 15-20 times, for 2-3 sets for beginners (do this two or three times a week)
6. Breathe in as you lower, breathe out as you return to starting position

 

[picker]

Tylenol 3 with codeine.
best. Joe

 

[hellishhorses]

Truth is, people often try to discredit squats because they don't like them. They don't like them because they're hard. I don't know about you guys, but I don't work out because it's easy. My workouts always start with one of the big three (squat, deadlift or bench press).

 

[azkcr]

Hey, that's what all mine start with...
I just got a little carried away :[

 

[hellishhorses]

Hey, that's what all mine start with...
I just got a little carried away :[

Good. Keep it up, just check your ego. I know I have to sometimes.

 

[azkcr]

That's mostly what it was. Just trying to get to that next level and almost paid for it. Definitely going with less weight and more reps now (after I give ample time for recovery)

 

[TX69]

Massage therapy. In 03' I had a near fatal motorcycle accident which required two surgeries to my left hip. I now have a bone in cobalt implant. The therapy for the first one was so bad I simply quit and found out why people get hooked on painkillers. Not being a pill popper after I went in for the second surgery I found a massage therapist to help me heal.

The woman I found was very good and extremely knowledgeable about her profession. She gave me advice during every visit which took approx 6 months. She told me what muscle groups to work on, exercises to perform, when and how to ice and heat, and what not to do to get myself back together. The key was getting good blood to the damaged muscles and bones as quickly as possible. The therapy was brutal but she had me walking without assistance in 6 weeks.

I would also suggest that you use two Aleeve in the morning and possibly one at might depending upon your size and weight. NSAIDS work well for me.

You'll get a ton of advice and comments from "old codgers" as you put it like "I wouldn't do that if I were you" or "I too was young and dumb once" or them generally laughing and pointing at you. Well dude, most of what they are saying is true. You should take care of yourself and not just brush it off since you WILL get to that "old codger" status in life muuuch faster than you imagine. A life in pain sucks since it is with you 24/7 at every step.

Stay strong and God bless.

 

[hellishhorses]

Massage therapy. In 03' I had a near fatal motorcycle accident which required two surgeries to my left hip. I now have a bone in cobalt implant. The therapy for the first one was so bad I simply quit and found out why people get hooked on painkillers. Not being a pill popper after I went in for the second surgery I found a massage therapist to help me heal.

The woman I found was very good and extremely knowledgeable about her profession. She gave me advice during every visit which took approx 6 months. She told me what muscle groups to work on, exercises to perform, when and how to ice and heat, and what not to do to get myself back together. The key was getting good blood to the damaged muscles and bones as quickly as possible. The therapy was brutal but she had me walking without assistance in 6 weeks.

I would also suggest that you use two Aleeve in the morning and possibly one at might depending upon your size and weight. NSAIDS work well for me.

You'll get a ton of advice and comments from "old codgers" as you put it like "I wouldn't do that if I were you" or "I too was young and dumb once" or them generally laughing and pointing at you. Well dude, most of what they are saying is true. You should take care of yourself and not just brush it off since you WILL get to that "old codger" status in life muuuch faster than you imagine. A life in pain sucks since it is with you 24/7 at every step.

Stay strong and God bless.

TL; DR version

Be kind to your joints — you'll miss them when they're gone.

 

[Younggun]

Let me google that for you...

What makes squats such a fantastic exercise?

1. Builds Muscle in Your Entire BodySquats obviously help to build your leg muscles (including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves), but they also create an anabolic environment, which promotes body-wide muscle building.
   In fact, when done properly, squats are so intense that they trigger the release of testosterone and human growth hormone in your body, which are vital for muscle growth and will also help to improve muscle mass when you train other areas of your body aside from your legs.
   So squats can actually help you improve both your upper and lower body strength.
2. Functional Exercise Makes Real-Life Activities EasierFunctional exercises are those that help your body to perform real-life activities, as opposed to simply being able to operate pieces of gym equipment. Squats are one of the best functional exercises out there, as humans have been squatting since the hunter-gatherer days. When you perform squats, you build muscle and help your muscles work more efficiently, as well as promote mobility and balance. All of these benefits translate into your body moving more efficiently in the real world too.
3. Burn More FatOne of the most time-efficient ways to burn more calories is actually to gain more muscle! For every pound of additional muscle you gain, your body will burn an additional 50-70 calories per day. So, if you gain 10 pounds of muscle, you will automatically burn 500-700 more calories per day than you did before.
4. Maintain Mobility and BalanceStrong legs are crucial for staying mobile as you get older, and squats are phenomenal for increasing leg strength. They also work out your core, stabilizing muscles, which will help you to maintain balance, while also improving the communication between your brain and your muscle groups, which helps prevent falls – which is incidentally the #1 way to prevent bone fractures versus consuming mega-dose calcium supplements and bone drugs.
5. Prevent InjuriesMost athletic injuries involve weak stabilizer muscles, ligaments and connective tissues, which squats help strengthen. They also help prevent injury by improving your flexibility (squats improve the range of motion in your ankles and hips) and balance, as noted above.
6. Boost Your Sports Performance -- Jump Higher and Run FasterWhether you're a weekend warrior or a mom who chases after a toddler, you'll be interested to know that studies have linked squatting strength with athletic ability.1 Specifically, squatting helped athletes run faster and jump higher, which is why this exercise is part of virtually every professional athlete's training program.
7. Tone Your Backside, Abs and Entire BodyFew exercises work as many muscles as the squat, so it's an excellent multi-purpose activity useful for toning and tightening your behind, abs, and, of course, your legs. Furthermore, squats build your muscles, and these muscles participate in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity, helping to protect you against obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
8. Help with Waste RemovalSquats improve the pumping of body fluids, aiding in removal of waste and delivery of nutrition to all tissues, including organs and glands. They're also useful for improved movement of feces through your colon and more regular bowel movements.

What's the Proper Way to Perform a Squat?

Squats have long been criticized for being destructive to your knees, but research shows that when done properly, squats actually improve knee stability and strengthen connective tissue.

1. Warm up
2. Stand with your feet just over shoulder width apart
3. Keep your back in a neutral position, and keep your knees centered over your feet
4. Slowly bend your knees, hips and ankles, lowering until you reach a 90-degree angle
5. Return to starting position -- repeat 15-20 times, for 2-3 sets for beginners (do this two or three times a week)
6. Breathe in as you lower, breathe out as you return to starting position

1. Can be done with other exercises

2. Not when your back is out

4. Can be done with other exercises. Also, doesn't apply when you screw up your back

5. Uh, yeah. Except for that back thing.

 

[kyletxria1911a1]

1. Can be done with other exercises

2. Not when your back is out

4. Can be done with other exercises. Also, doesn't apply when you screw up your back

5. Uh, yeah. Except for that back thing.

My back is to far gone it's slow motion and drugs for me.

 

[hellishhorses]

1. Can be done with other exercises

2. Not when your back is out

4. Can be done with other exercises. Also, doesn't apply when you screw up your back

5. Uh, yeah. Except for that back thing.

1. No single exercise does as much per rep for burning calories & testosterone production
2. No one was advising him to continue squatting with an injured back
4. Read #1 & #2
5. Read #2. When done properly it can prevent sports injuries (i.e. sprains, strains, ligament damage, etc.)

 

[bill22]

My sympathy on your injury.. did the same thing when I was 19 and the pain was unbearable, went to the emergency room.

Fetal Position will releave tension.

Hanging from pull up bar will releave tension.

Inversion table or boots will releave tension.

Smith Machine for Squats.. gives you a better out.

 

[austinbirdnut]

hellishhorses, seriously man, do you work for the "squat industry" or something? Perhaps you should state your credentials supporting your personal experience/education and training relative to this "all in one, save your back, grow big giant balls and strenghten your entire body exercise"? I can, if you prefer...I know there is equal evidence contrary to what you looked up as well as in support of tons of other exercises that do everything you listed as well. The point I was trying to make is that squats are hard on us and can be dangerous. You can get every benefit you listed above doing bumbell lunges, isometrics, presses, etc, period, with little to no risk to the back. Any compressive exercise that begins with the possibilty of lumbar flexion puts every disc at risk for repetetive herniation and possible rupture. This is pure biomechanics and you cannot argue it.
I think, especially as we age, we need to exercise in "real world, everyday" type actions, mimicing the strengths we need to be highly functional on a daily basis. Core strength is an absolute and can be done safely with planks and bridges. Not too many people "need" to squat in any way on a daily basis to get through their days, hence my statement that they are not needed unless your day involves that activity, such as body building.
This guy will repeat this same back injury in short order if he continues doing squats, guaranteed. He should seek a more rounded way to build his legs, back and core without them and that is not hard to do.

 

[azkcr]

"This guy is Ben" :P

 

[rushthezeppelin]

I also had a severe lower back sprain when I was 14.....was actually my Bday and I was skateboarding and landed a trick going down stairs with my back and knees totally straight. Didn't feel much that day so I kept skating and sure enough next day I couldn't even roll out of bed because my siatic in my right leg was pinched from my asscheek to my knee. Worst pain I've ever felt in my life. They have me hydrocodone and while it helped, it didn't help that much and it was certainly addicting. I know I'll get flack for this, but MJ did SO MUCH more for pain relief than the pills ever could have hoped to do. I can't advocate you breaking the laws on that, but just throwing it out because it's the truth. Physical therapy also helped alot. One thing that didn't help though was the fact that as soon as the pinched nerve settled down after 5 weeks of hell, I jumped back on my skateboard like a dumbass therefore my back healed back up rather tight.

Took another decade before I was able to find anything that helped the residual pain and tightness. I moved out to AZ for college and subsequently got into ultralight backpacking. After 2 months of backpacking almost every weekend my back finally started to get stretched back out. Then 2 1/2 years ago I got into rock climbing and the need to increase my flexibility helped stretch those muscles out even more. At the same time I also started wearing Vibram Five Fingers. I haven't gotten to climb much lately but I still wear my VFFs every day all day and haven't had any pain or tightness in my lower back since despite an incrediblly strenous job and work schedule.

One thing to note on the VFFs. You have to be absolutely sure you are walking in them right or they will give you planar faciitis. You need to make sure you are staying on the balls of your feet and off your heels. It requries you do shorter strides but it in fact makes you use your feet the way they were designed to be. Ever wonder why indians could always tell when white man was near? It's because the white man wore shoes and had a heavy heel making a heel print whereas natives only had the front half of their feet making a print in the ground.

 

[azkcr]

No MJ for me. Never done it and my CDL requires DOT drug tests fairly often.
I'm feeling tons better after taking it easy, stretches, and staying out of the gym.

I'll probably lift tomorrow, but arms only and very very very light weight.
Just killing me not doing anything.

 

[rushthezeppelin]

No MJ for me. Never done it and my CDL requires DOT drug tests fairly often.
I'm feeling tons better after taking it easy, stretches, and staying out of the gym.

I'll probably lift tomorrow, but arms only and very very very light weight.
Just killing me not doing anything.

Perfectly understandable, like I said I wasn't exactly advocating it so much as conveying my experience. There is no doubt it is an excellent pain killer but unfortunately the feds don't seem to agree. Regardless proper exercise has much more of a long term impact on my back than weed ever did. Make sure to take it slow and easy on the exercise for a while....remember stick with as low impact as possible. Also stay in good spirits, your natural endocanabinoids can do quite a lot for back pain if you keep yourself in a good mood.