leg workout with bad back/knees

spatch

spatch

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Background-

My joints are horrible, especally my back and knees. So today, I was front squatting on a smith machine, not something that is too stressful on the joints. I had a PT watch me to check my form and all. After doing 2 sets that were not even challenging in terms of actually lifting it, I could barely walk. Needless to say I cut my workout short after that.

More bad news. This has happened to me every time I try anything moderatly stressful on the joints in the past 5 months or so. I'm only 17 so I dont know what to think of this. The PT there said my form is perfect too.

My goal in bodybuilding is to earn a pro card. I'm not ready to let bad joints hold me back. If Lance Armstrong can beat cancer, I can get past a few bad joints.

Good news- My genetics for my quads/hams are byfar the best out of any of my bodyparts (31" quads).

My plan-

Cut out any and all exercises that couse too much stress on the joints. I was thinking...

Workout A)
Hack squat 4 sets (8-10) reps
Leg press 4 sets (6-8)
Leg extensions 3 (12-15)

B)
Leg press 4 (8-10)
Close feet Hack squat 4 (8-10)
Leg ext. 3 (8-10)


If you guys could help me in making a workout with out any of the following...

barbell squats front or back
Smith machine squats front or back
Deadlifts

... It would be greatly appreciated.
 
CROWLER

CROWLER

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Hey Victor.

Honestly I think you could make great gain. HELL Not that ya need it being that you are 17 and quads are 31" :(

But I really think you could get a complete workout doing 3 worksets of squats as follows. All sets are 1 rep short of failure or just about failure. 1st set to 7 - 9 reps rest 3 minutes 2nd set 1 - 5 reps rest 3 minutes. 3rd and final set 10 - 12 reps. Done now rest 3 minutes and hit the leg curls.

Give it a try for a month. Your joints may just be thanking you for the lower number of sets.

Best of luck to you whatever you decide you are a good kid.


CROWLER
 
spatch

spatch

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Hey Victor.
Huh?

Honestly I think you could make great gain. HELL Not that ya need it being that you are 17 and quads are 31" :(
I'm the very definition of "Mass Monster." Great size, but proportions just arent my thing :thumbsup: My strategy with bodybuilding is to be the largest guy on stage, and try to win with that. Kinda like the ravens won SB 34 on just defence, or how Ruhl was at last years O (although he did suck this year :()

But I really think you could get a complete workout doing 3 worksets of squats as follows. All sets are 1 rep short of failure or just about failure. 1st set to 7 - 9 reps rest 3 minutes 2nd set 1 - 5 reps rest 3 minutes. 3rd and final set 10 - 12 reps. Done now rest 3 minutes and hit the leg curls.
Thanks but no thanks. Barbell squats are definatly out of the question (I say this as it killed getting out of bed this morning, I feel like I'm 71, not 17)

Best of luck to you whatever you decide you are a good kid.

CROWLER
Your too kind :thumbsup:
 

Andrew69

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Victor,
I think youre looking at this all wrong.
I have both a shitty knee (right knee that will dislocate while walking over uneven ground) and a bad back (lower). The ONLY way I can look after both and still get my legs to grow is squats. Ass to grass, with impecable form, minimum of 8 reps per set. This way I have no problems at all.
 

okboy63

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Take a look at Ronnie Coleman doing squats in his video. I'm talking about his work sets in the 6 to 10 range. Not his heavy doubles.
He doesn't lock out at the top and he doesn't straighten his back at the top, it just stays at an angle.
When I started doing this way it totally elimaneted the lower back pain.
The top 1/3 of a squat is basically all lower back for a lot of people.
I also have problem doing hack squat's they cause my knees to hurt so i dropped them. If you have to do them at least wear a patella band .

If you really want to hit the front quads, place a pad under your heels in the smith machine and toes are on the ground go all the way down and 3/4 of the ways. Full tension the whole set.
I saw this exercise in a Vince Gironda tape and have tried it several times.
 
SJA

SJA

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You can hit your legs very well using machines. I have never BB squatted due to a broken L5. I also have a knee that bothers me....as well as an ankle. I use walking lunges and step ups to hit my stabilizers. I use the leg press and hack squat with varying foot positions to really F up my quads. Keep the workout intense.

just remember to warm up a LOT prior to pushing hard. Until I learned this, my knees and back always cut my workout short. I start with light extensions and curls..then do a couple warm ups on my next movement (presses or Smith squats) and steadily increase the weight. I put lunges or step ups in the middle of my workout to ensure that I'm not too fatigued but VERY warm. This is the key thing for someone of your predicament....WARM UP.
 
spatch

spatch

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Victor,
I think youre looking at this all wrong.
I have both a shitty knee (right knee that will dislocate while walking over uneven ground) and a bad back (lower). The ONLY way I can look after both and still get my legs to grow is squats. Ass to grass, with impecable form, minimum of 8 reps per set. This way I have no problems at all.

Who is victor?
 
Grunt76

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Well I have a similar situation that has been bothering me for years. Low-back hernia, and fu**ed knees, especially the right one. Oh and flat feet and a fu**ed up ankle, too.

As you are still quite young, you need to take care of these things ASAP. Heavy weights and hard workouts will worsen the condition if you don't.

First the back. Strenghten it every which way you can. Do reverse hyperextensions, stretching and see an orthopaedist or an osteopath. I myself went from a badly herniated l4-l5 disc to deadlifting 405 in 2 years. I'm not saying heavy deadlifts will cure your condition, I'm saying that much more is possible than we think.

Second the knees. Pain in the knees means inflamation and this means that your cartilage doesn't repair. That's right, cartilage won't repair as long as it is inflamed and the first sign of inflamation is pain. Cut the inflamation first, then provide your knees with the proper ingredients for a quick regeneration.

As per advice posted on this board, I have taken up using:

1- Devil's claw root extract, like this one:
http://www.kalyx.com/store/proddetail.cfm/ItemID/118358.0/CategoryID/6000.0/SubCatID/2200.0/file.htm
This kills the inflamation.

2- Chodroitin sulfate
3- Glucosamine Sulfate
http://www.nutraplanet.com/product_info.php?products_id=217
These are basic cartilage-regeneration ingredients.

4- Celadrin
5- MSM
http://www.nutraplanet.com/product_info.php?products_id=679
These help lubricate your joints.

I know, it's a lot of stuff. Knees are expensive to maintain. But they are also quite useful. I suggest that you don't train legs at all until you get these supps and even then, take them for a couple weeks before you begin training again. I'm betting 50 rep points you will do fantastically better then.

Well that's just my advice, make of it what you will, but it sure works for me.
 
Rhyalus

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I agree - have you tried any supps, like the common joint stuff?

Also, try Cissus Rx....there are a lot of people around here who swear by it.

They just got it back in stock, so now might be the time to give it a shot.

Regards,
R
 
bioman

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Ditto on all recommendations. You should also consider some chiropractic care just to make sure you're aligned properly. Heavy lifts coupled with misaligned joints/vertebrate can be a real deal breaker. Therapuetic masage like Rolfing, ART and deep tissue sports massage are also very beneficial for aligning not only your joints, but your muscles and tendons as well.
 
spatch

spatch

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I agree - have you tried any supps, like the common joint stuff?

Also, try Cissus Rx....there are a lot of people around here who swear by it.

They just got it back in stock, so now might be the time to give it a shot.

Regards,
R

The RX means its a scrip, right?
 
Rhyalus

Rhyalus

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The RX means its a scrip, right?
Nope - check out Nutraplanet for Cissus Rx....also do a search here on the board.

It is probably the best rated "supplement" on the market.

Regards,
R
 

dude

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If you have bad knees then do not perform deep squats. The leg press should not cause you a problem at all as long as you don't go past 90 degrees. If you are peforming leg extensions only perform the last 45 degrees of straightening. All of these things will reduce the compression of the patella and help alleviate knee pain.
 

akp2004

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Bad Back/Knees and Leg Training

I agree w/ getting a good diagnosis and treatment protocol. I personally have found ART practictioners to be VERY helpful too.

www.activerelease.com

Invest in at least 2-3 treatments

If you fix the underlying problem in even one of the two things you have (back and knee), you'll be so glad you did.
 
spatch

spatch

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Yeh how y00 doin, spatch?

Actually I have been seeing good gains the past 6 weeks or so. I started using a slower negative (4-5 seconds) for my legs and that has helped alot.
 
BingeAndPurge

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My old gym had a yoke looking bar and handles that bolted into the rack. This helped tons with my form and back pain. I don't have access to those now, so I sacrificed squats with deep, heavy presses and hacks, and kept SLDL's. I will never give up SLDL's.
 

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