Would you guys disown me if..

[Scottfalcon]

...i said i was thinking about cutting out deadlifts? They used to be one of my strong points and worked very well to help with my back thickness. However, the last few months, no matter what i do i end up with awful sciatic pain in my lower right back down into my ass and upper leg for a few days after doing them. I cut it down to where i only dl once every 8 days or so, tried lighter weights, belt and no belt, it all still hurts. I could squat for days with no issues, but deadlifts just kill me. Then i don't want to hit the gym bc my back is killing me. Any good suggestions or exercises i should use in place?

 

[btothefman]

Check YouTube for the channel fitnessblender, they have a good quick sciatica stretch routine, totally removed my sciatica / lower back pain.

 

[Scottfalcon]

Awesome man thank you have been searching for something like that for a while, most medical websites say surgery it the only real answer bc it's usually due to disc issues, however i have zero back pain/issues aside from the sciatic.

 

[kisaj]

I've cut DLs dramatically and it has only helped them and all other lifts. I now have a dedicated day to DLs 2x a month, and these are heavy days, not volume DLs. When I was doing them weekly, I would have a poor DL day at least one week and I believe it had to do with recovery and continual squats in those weeks. Then it would affect lifts the rest of the week.

Just another thought on top of the stretches.

 

[Scottfalcon]

That was my thought to kisaj.. thanks for the input man.

 

[Gutterpump]

I had cut them out of my program, but I do similar movements off the floor like heavy cleans / clean and press, but that's more of an explosive movement. I might do what Kisaj said and have 2 heavy DL days per month.

 

[MidwestBeast]

Good advice in here.

My split has an A, B, and C week following an A/B/A/C/repeat pattern. A is heavy (usually 3 sets of 4-6), B is high volume and C is high intensity (minimal rest/circuits).

I only do deadlifts on my heavy weeks on back day -- turns out that's twice a month for me, as well.

I generally can gain pretty solid strength that way and don't end up with problems unless I'm just sloppy with form (have a hip imbalance that's a total pain with trying to keep weight evenly distributed left to right).

 

[Scottfalcon]

Two nights of doing the fitness blender sciatic stretch circuit and my back feels looser than it has in a long time, still some sciatic pain, but it's improving.. wasn't expecting immediate results but hopefully if i continue over the next few weeks it will get rid of it.

 

[Gutterpump]

Two nights of doing the fitness blender sciatic stretch circuit and my back feels looser than it has in a long time, still some sciatic pain, but it's improving.. wasn't expecting immediate results but hopefully if i continue over the next few weeks it will get rid of it.

Do you get random tingling that shoots down your one leg as well?

 

[Scottfalcon]

Once in a while i get it from my low back to the back of my knee, but usually it's just from low back to the bottom of my ass.

 

[MidwestBeast]

Just a thought, you may look into Nerve Restore. IIRC sciatic was an issue several people were dealing with and noted improvement.

Not saying it will fix it or beats stretching by any means, but you may want to at least take a look.

 

[Gutterpump]

Just a thought, you may look into Nerve Restore. IIRC sciatic was an issue several people were dealing with and noted improvement.

Not saying it will fix it or beats stretching by any means, but you may want to at least take a look.

Thanks. I'm going to give this a shot. I have some long-term nerve related issues in my back that cause me some problems.

 

[Gutterpump]

Scottfalcon - resetting the hips will also help. Make sure you have no posterior/anterior pelvic tilt. Takes constant maintenance, especially if you sit a lot.

 

[Scottfalcon]

Fortunately the only time I sit is to and from work and sleep, I'm a carpenter on my feet all day. What exactly is resetting the hips Gutterpump

 

[Gutterpump]

So if you have anterior or posterior pelvic tilt, it would just mean resetting your hips to be in a neutral position through a mobility routine aimed at stretching and proper muscular activation.

Here's a good example of a mobility/activation routine aimed at the pelvis/hips/core:

[video=youtube;FSSDLDhbacc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSSDLDhbacc[/video]

 

[Scottfalcon]

How do i determine my pelvic tilt, standing or laying down?

 

[Power-Lift]

DL's have been killing me (herniated disc), been doing stretches, hyper-extensions, inversion table. Gonna lay off them for a month or so 'til I'm fully healed, then bring them back in light and slow. I think Im done maxing out on them though, maybe just sets of 8-10... It kills me 'cause I love doing them heavy and working up to a max..

 

[Scottfalcon]

Power-Lift i feel the same way, used to be my strongest lift and loved doing them.. now they cause me pain and i dread Deadlift day bc i either have to go light and remember the good old days when i could deadlift double what i do now, or lift heavy anyway and expect I'll need a few days for my sciatic to recover

 

[Power-Lift]

Yup, just make sure you're fully recovered. I always jumped back in too quick, hurt it again, etc. (Vicious circle).
Now I rehab for a month or more, and build back up.

Last 2 times it wasn't from lifting, fell asleep on the couch in a bad posture, couldn't walk for a week. So I know its not only lifting, just disc degeneration. (Old people, huh)...

Good luck!

 

[Gutterpump]

How do i determine my pelvic tilt, standing or laying down?

Hrm, I think any position really. Do you have excessive lumbar curve / hyper lordosis (and big glutes/ ass sticks out)? This means anterior pelvic tilt.

Do you have 'noassatall' syndrome and your lumbar curves forward? This is posterior pelvic tilt.

 

[SXIPro]

Take it from an old guy....a back is a terrible thing to waste. Nothing is worth messing your back up for...nothing.

 

[herderdude]

This should help:

https://youtu.be/eixkcrX_Qh8

I agree with the other advice as well for corrective measures, but this is an excellent series of moves to get you feeling good.

 

[Scottfalcon]

Awesome great info!

 

[Gutterpump]

This should help:

https://youtu.be/eixkcrX_Qh8

I agree with the other advice as well for corrective measures, but this is an excellent series of moves to get you feeling good.

I've seen this before but I've been trying to figure out how to rig myself up like this at home. Not sure what to hook my band onto. I'm thinking my front (steel) door is the strongest structure. Also, do you think a black rogue band is too thin, or would it be strong enough? It's the largest I own.

 

[kisaj]

They sell the black for mobility work, so I imagine it could work, but you are a big boy and might need the purple or even silver.

 

[Gutterpump]

I'll give it a shot. Hopefully I don't break my neck lol. I was hoping to not have to drop $50 on a new band, but it would be worth it if needed.

 

[herderdude]

It would be worth it to get a real heavy band. Absolutely. And if you train at home, hang it from your bar in the rack. If you train at a gym, hang it from a bar in the rack lol. Set it on the highest one. I know someone who built a rack to hang from out of lumber in his barn. It holds him at perfect height and easily, and he's 6'7" 260#

 

[Gutterpump]

We've got the big Rogue racks at my gym (crossfit box). Would I just set a bar around my height (just over 6'), loop the band, step into it then slowly flip backwards till I'm upside down?

 

[herderdude]

We've got the big Rogue racks at my gym (crossfit box). Would I just set a bar around my height (just over 6'), loop the band, step into it then slowly flip backwards till I'm upside down?

Yeah, take all the bands you have (or enough that it suspends you properly), hook it up so that the loops come down to just above your hips for ease of entry, set the bands around your hips, lean back into position, and go to town.