Pain from lifting

[Lawsome]

About 10 years ago (when I was 16) playing football I bruised my coccyx (says the doctor) when landing in the sitting position. Was off school and took days to recover.
Only ever had a problem when on really long drives and sometimes sitting in the cinema (have to swap between ass-cheeks )

Anyway, I started lifting a few months ago and I've always felt a dull pain when doing squats and even more so deadlifts (I'm doing Rippetoe - so low reps, heavy weights 3 times a week). Then the next day I'd feel the dull pain again getting out of bed etc. I put it down to something I'll just have to deal with.
Today though, I started on squats and it was really sore. Actually disrupting my lifting ability. Then I went over to deadlift..... holy **** the pain when picking up the bar first time. Had to stop and call it a day. Was sore on the drive home but after spending a few minutes lying on my bed, everything between standing up and sitting down is agony. Needing to use tables / door handles to stand up.

I know the pain will go away after a couple of days and there's no point in seeing a doctor. Is there anything I can do? I'm worried I could be doing some sort of lasting pain. Perhaps not just now when I'm at my fittest but perhaps when I come into old age (i appreciate that's a while off yet).

Cheers

[goldblum]

So you have a recurring lower back problem and you wonder why it flares up when you're doing HEAVY squats and deadlifts x3 a week? lol.

Sorry,um..nurofen and heat patch on the painful area,then cut any lifting that involves your lower back to x1 a week,up the reps and down the weight.Make sure

your technique is spot on.Hope it clears up.

[anonymous-user]

Sounds like you are over-training anyway if you are doing squats and deadlifts three times a week. Are you having any rest days? I would recommend doing deadlifts and squats on different days to get the maximum gains from your routine. You are using very big muscle groups with these two exercises and rest is just as important as the exercise itself.

[Lawsome]

goldblum said:

So you have a recurring lower back problem and you wonder why it flares up when you're doing HEAVY squats and deadlifts x3 a week? lol.

I never said I was wondering why. Quite the opposite.

goldblum said:

Sorry,um..nurofen and heat patch on the painful area,then cut any lifting that involves your lower back to x1 a week,up the reps and down the weight.Make sure your technique is spot on.Hope it clears up.

Cheers. Much better today. And yeah, I never sacrifice form for bigger lifts.

bmw535i said:

Sounds like you are over-training anyway if you are doing squats and deadlifts three times a week. Are you having any rest days? I would recommend doing deadlifts and squats on different days to get the maximum gains from your routine. You are using very big muscle groups with these two exercises and rest is just as important as the exercise itself.

Thanks. I studied my routine before I chose it. I go monday, wedneday and friday. Rotate between workout A and B. 3x5 on all.

A:
Squat
Bench press
Deadlift
Dips

B:
Squat
Military press
Bent over row
Chin ups

So usually 4 or 5 days between each exercise with the exception of squats.

Was just curious of any long lasting effects and if there was any different stretches I could do before hand or if I should just suck it up. I'll try lesser weight - more reps.
Thanks for the help.

[anonymous-user]

Lawsome said:

Thanks. I studied my routine before I chose it. I go monday, wedneday and friday. Rotate between workout A and B. 3x5 on all.

A:
Squat
Bench press
Deadlift
Dips

B:
Squat
Military press
Bent over row
Chin ups

So usually 4 or 5 days between each exercise with the exception of squats.

Was just curious of any long lasting effects and if there was any different stretches I could do before hand or if I should just suck it up. I'll try lesser weight - more reps.
Thanks for the help.

Your squats, bench press and deadlift should all be done on different days. These are the main muscle groups that release growth hormones when they are exercised. Doing all three on the same day is not productive at all. You are better off targeting one area per day over 5 days.

e.g Monday - legs - squats, lunges, leg extensions, individual leg press, calf raises, romanian deadlift(although this one will exacerbate your injury if done badly)

Tuesday - arms - go for 3 bicep and 3 tricep exercises giving more emphasis on the triceps as they are 60% of the upper arm

Wednesday - back - deadlift, seated row, lat pull down, bent over row, reverse cable crossover

Thursday - shoulders - military press, upright row, arnold press, lateral or front raises, shrugs

Friday - chest - bench press, flys, dumbell press (incline/decline), cable crossover, dips (leqaning forward)

Saturday and Sunday - rest.

Obviously the above is not set in stone. It's good to keep your body guessing so alternate the days but always make sure you get two consecutive days off a week.

The big exercises like bench press, deadlift and squats should all be done first exercise of each repsective day. This will kick start your metabolism and growth hormone immediately at the start of the workout.

If you're building mass go for 3 sets of 6-8 reps making sure you are going heavy enough to fail on the last one of each set.

Good idea to invest in a decent belt too if you are going for deadlift and squats. Also will help on the military press. Look on youtube for videos on how to acheve perfect form and keep your weights down so you can achieve it. To maintain growth and strength you will need to tweak your routine with different exercises every 3-4 weeks and keep upping the weight when you feel you can.

Hope this helps

[balders118]

BMW535i - Sorry but you are wrong, there is nothing wrong with the OP's program. The program you have written down is a kind of split a lot of people use but not one that's necessarily any good - a 5 day split will not work for most people and only training each muscle group once every seven days isn't really enough.

OP have you considered that it's not related to this previous injury? A bruised coccyx shouldn't be giving you jip ten years on surley?! Back pain can be caused by a number of things from spiny bone proccesess on the verterbrae to a slipped disc, with many other possibilites. If the pain continues and keeps reaccuring I would get it checked out by a spine doctor as you really need to look after your back.

[anonymous-user]

balders118 said:

BMW535i - Sorry but you are wrong, there is nothing wrong with the OP's program. The program you have written down is a kind of split a lot of people use but not one that's necessarily any good - a 5 day split will not work for most people and only training each muscle group once every seven days isn't really enough.

OP have you considered that it's not related to this previous injury? A bruised coccyx shouldn't be giving you jip ten years on surley?! Back pain can be caused by a number of things from spiny bone proccesess on the verterbrae to a slipped disc, with many other possibilites. If the pain continues and keeps reaccuring I would get it checked out by a spine doctor as you really need to look after your back.

As I said there is no real right or wrong way of doing it - I've found that my methods have given me the biggest gains in strength and size. Although I stand by my other points in that he shouldn't be carrying out the "big three" exercises in one session. The programme should constantly be changing anyway every few weeks to prevent hitting a plateau

[Lawsome]

Thanks to everyone taking the time to reply. Really appreciate it.

balders118 said:

OP have you considered that it's not related to this previous injury? A bruised coccyx shouldn't be giving you jip ten years on surley?! Back pain can be caused by a number of things from spiny bone proccesess on the verterbrae to a slipped disc, with many other possibilites. If the pain continues and keeps reaccuring I would get it checked out by a spine doctor as you really need to look after your back.

I never thought of that. It's just always given me that dull numb'ish pain since the injury. I was on a hoon with the scottish lot the day before for several hours and my coccyx was giving me jip afters. After lying all night making it stiff then getting in the gym the next morning at 7am to do big lifts probably wasn't the smartest move.
Got a phone number for a back/spine specialist my mate recommended the other day, so I'll see what he says.

Thanks again!

[DownUnder.]

Did you ever have it x-rayed? I broke mine about 10 years ago and was told it was bruised, unrelated I had an X-ray on my lower back years later. They told me my back was fine, but did I know my cocyx was broke. It never heals and does give my gip everynow and again, worth considering?

[mrsxllifts]

I had a skiing accident about 10 years ago and badly damaged my coccyx. It cleared up after a few weeks rest and some physio/chiro visits. Then about 6 weeks ago we were lifting some 100kg steels over rough ground and I slipped, following morning coccyx was very painful and sitting and standing was almost impossible. So trotted of to doc, who happened to be a locum who is a specialist in spines and bits, he explained that due to the first injury, there is probably tissue damage and scarring in and around the coccyx which make it a soft target for injuries in the future. He went though exercises etc to help build up the local muscles to try to help it all hold together in the future but also said that it is one of those things that you need to be aware of and just be abit more careful with it. Told to take ibrufen to help inflammation but to try to stay away from painkillers if possible, as it may lead to me doing more damage as it masks the point where you think 'that's enough'

Well, that's my story HTH

[Fatman2]

I confess to being a total lightweight (compared to the proper lifters on here) but I've experienced loads of instances where people try to bang out heavy weights from day 1 (both mates and gym acquaintances).

I may get shot down for suggesting this but to me going straight into heavy weights/low reps is akin to gettin off the sofa, running a half marathon and wondering why your legs hurt a bit.

May a stronglift 5x5 would be the better option. Just a thought.

[Lawsome]

James - Spoke to a personal trainer today who said the same thing. Spooky!

Hannah - Think I'll phone the specialist and arrange a meet to get some stretches/exercises that help.

Darren - I take your point mate. I had been doing cardio prior, while not the same as lifting I was reasonably fit anyway. I don't substitute form for weight, I'm very careful. I've been doing this over two months and not doing any harm, just my coccyx. Probably the combination of putting stress on it the day before on the hoon then trying to lift heavy weights first thing the next day. Just too much stress on it.

Thanks again