Mild back pain... what should I do?

[Luis Almanza]

Hi people!

 

Currently I'm doing SL 5x5 and have been progressing as intended. No fails so far.

 

Squats: 170lbs

DL:        190lbs

Bench:  150 lbs

 

After I finished up my Squat > OHP > DL routine on Saturday, I felt my hips and lower back a little off, but no big deal. On Sunday my hips hurt moderately, even standing, and my back began to hurt in some positions (like bending or over arcing my back). I decided to give it time to recover and didn't train on monday in order to avoid injury.

On wednesday the hip pain was totally gone, but I still felt a mild back pain. Today I still have the mild back pain. The doctor trivialized the pain and said it was nothing...just prescribed a couple of ointments. 

 

What do you guys suggest? Should I rest more? Hit the gym?

 

The location of the pain is at the very end of the spine, at the exact point where the spine meets the butt. 

 

Thank you very much!

[Shortgorilla]

Do a form check video on your deadlift, squat, and OHP.  I'm guessing you have some form issues that are causing some strain.  Ease off for a week or two and get back into it with lighter weight, focusing on form.

[Oramac]

Do a form check video on your deadlift, squat, and OHP.  I'm guessing you have some form issues that are causing some strain.  Ease off for a week or two and get back into it with lighter weight, focusing on form.

 

Pretty much what I was going to say, verbatim.  Best guess is that your form is somehow incorrect, which can cause the pain.  I can attest to that firsthand, unfortunately.  Probably not strictly necessary, but if you're doing form check videos on the other 3, you may as well do one for Bench as well.  

[Luis Almanza]

Thank you guys. You are right, my form is lacking after so many weight increases. 

 

I have to add that I've been having sleep issues. The night before workout I probably just slept around 3-4hrs. During the whole week had 3-4hrs average sleep hours per night. The lack of sleep probably affected my recovery, which also explains why I felt those squats so damn heavy. 

 

I also have the feeling that increasing squats 5lbs each time I workout has messed up my form. Sometimes I don't feel strong enough to break parallel at squats for instance. 

 

I'm planning to hit the gym on sunday as the pain is almost gone. I'll make sure to have a form check video and get back here for your kind feedback.

[Oramac]

Thank you guys. You are right, my form is lacking after so many weight increases. 

 

I have to add that I've been having sleep issues. The night before workout I probably just slept around 3-4hrs. During the whole week had 3-4hrs average sleep hours per night. The lack of sleep probably affected my recovery, which also explains why I felt those squats so damn heavy. 

 

I also have the feeling that increasing squats 5lbs each time I workout has messed up my form. Sometimes I don't feel strong enough to break parallel at squats for instance. 

 

I'm planning to hit the gym on sunday as the pain is almost gone. I'll make sure to have a form check video and get back here for your kind feedback.

 

Sounds exactly like the situation I got myself into.  From someone who's been there, take it slow.  Don't add weight every workout.  Get to the point that you're very confident in the weight your doing before adding more.  Currently, I'm adding weight roughly twice a month.  Maybe I could add more/faster, but I'd rather take it slow and not hurt myself than go faster and risk injury.  

 

Also, sleep definitely helps!

[Luis Almanza]

I guess I'll have to take it slow  

 

How about increasing reps? Go 5x5 @ 150 lbs --> 5x6 @ 150 lbs --> 5x7 @ 150 lbs --> 5x8 @ 150lbs  ---> 5x5 @ 160lbs.

 

May be slower, but its also progressive overload and sounds safer. Also might add a little hyperthrophy.

[Shortgorilla]

If you're going to increase reps, alternate rep goals with weight goals. Fir example, once you can hit 150 for ten, move up five and set your next rep goal. This will probably do a lot to help with your form issues.

[Oramac]

If you're going to increase reps, alternate rep goals with weight goals. Fir example, once you can hit 150 for ten, move up five and set your next rep goal. This will probably do a lot to help with your form issues.

 

A great idea.  Do 150 to 5x10 reps, then add 5 pounds and reset to 5x5 reps.  Once you hit 155 to 5x10 reps, add 5 pounds and reset to 5x5 reps.  It's slower, for sure, but definitely a good way to go.  Especially if you don't have a spotter to lift with (for bench).  In fact, this is what I'm probably going to be starting very soon myself.  

[Luis Almanza]

Exactly what I had in mind, just instead of increasing weight at 5x10, I wanted do it at 5x8. That way its possible to go faster while keeping form in check. 

 

Also, don't you think 5x10 is too much volume? Probably by 3rd set I'll be exhausted beyond imagination.

 

Yesterday I hit the gym and did sets ala Greyskull:

 

Bench: 2x5 / 1x5+ (at the same weight I left a week ago)

Weighted Pull ups: 3x8 

Squats: 2x5 / 1x5+ (10 lbs ligther than a week ago)

 

I ended up doing 11 squats in my last set. While I could do it, I ended up exhausted. Doing 5x10 heavy squats sounds like hell. 

[TMedina]

Speaking as someone with sleep issues, you need to see about getting that ironed out - it's contributing to your exhaustion and probably contributing to your errors in form as well.

 

Also, be sure to stretch your hips and hip flexors on your off days - squats and deadlifts will tax your lower back and hips, especially if your form is off.

[Oramac]

Speaking as someone with sleep issues, you need to see about getting that ironed out - it's contributing to your exhaustion and probably contributing to your errors in form as well.

 

Also, be sure to stretch your hips and hip flexors on your off days - squats and deadlifts will tax your lower back and hips, especially if your form is off.

 

I'd tend to agree with this.  I can do upwards of 20 sets of deadlifts between warmups and full weight, and while I'm certainly winded, I still have plenty of energy left over for the rest of the workout (I do deads first).  

[Luis Almanza]

I'd tend to agree with this.  I can do upwards of 20 sets of deadlifts between warmups and full weight, and while I'm certainly winded, I still have plenty of energy left over for the rest of the workout (I do deads first).  

 

 

Speaking as someone with sleep issues, you need to see about getting that ironed out - it's contributing to your exhaustion and probably contributing to your errors in form as well.

 

Also, be sure to stretch your hips and hip flexors on your off days - squats and deadlifts will tax your lower back and hips, especially if your form is off.

 

Probably is an issue. However, I can normally do over 20 deadlifts counting warm up and worksets, and have energy for the remaining of the workout. However, yesterday for squats I had  4 warm-up sets and 2 work sets x5 reps each, plus a last set up to 11 squats... that makes it 41 reps... quite a lot I think. Maybe I felt that level of exhaustion since it was my last core workout. Afterwards I did some dips and hanging leg raise, with no problem at all.

[Oramac]

Probably is an issue. However, I can normally do over 20 deadlifts counting warm up and worksets, and have energy for the remaining of the workout. However, yesterday for squats I had  4 warm-up sets and 2 work sets x5 reps each, plus a last set up to 11 squats... that makes it 41 reps... quite a lot I think. Maybe I felt that level of exhaustion since it was my last core workout. Afterwards I did some dips and hanging leg raise, with no problem at all.

 

20 reps or 20 sets?  I'm talking sets, which for me is in the neighborhood of 55 reps, total.  Granted some of those are with very low weight (just the bar), but you're right, it still is a lot of reps.  If you're doing something like that at the end of your workout I'd think it's safe to say that's part of what's exhausting you so much.  But then you have to factor in rest time between sets, sleep time, length of workout, and other exercises and how they interact. For example, deads and squats use some of the same muscles, so doing them back-to-back is probably unwise.  

[Luis Almanza]

Doing deads and squats back-to-back is suicide lol, specially heavy ones. 

 

My sleep is really bad, lenght of the workout is around 1hr, and I avoid interacting excercises. Yesterday I did, Squats, Benchs, Weighted Pull-ups and a little tricep isolation. Tomorow I'll do Deadlifts, Rows, OHP and some bicep isolation. Now that you mention, probably it would be wise to do Squats, Benchs and Rows in one workout and Deads, Pull-ups, OHP. That way I avoid putting too much effort in my back... Deads, Rows and OHP are very hard on the back.

[Oramac]

Doing deads and squats back-to-back is suicide lol, specially heavy ones. 

 

My sleep is really bad, lenght of the workout is around 1hr, and I avoid interacting excercises. Yesterday I did, Squats, Benchs, Weighted Pull-ups and a little tricep isolation. Tomorow I'll do Deadlifts, Rows, OHP and some bicep isolation. Now that you mention, probably it would be wise to do Squats, Benchs and Rows in one workout and Deads, Pull-ups, OHP. That way I avoid putting too much effort in my back... Deads, Rows and OHP are very hard on the back.

 

That sounds like a pretty solid workout routine.  It's very similar to the one I use as well.  I do find that it helps me, personally, to alternate arm/leg exercises.  For example: not doing bench and OHP back to back.