Lunges and Deadlifts causing problems!

wonderwoman234

So I have been religiously doing heavy weight lifting since January. I started on machines and then about a month ago I started transitioning to compound moves using mostly free weights. I started with squats with just a 45 lb. bar. So far so good. Then I added more weight to get to 60 lbs. Still fine. Then my trainer added alternating lunges to my routine after the squats. I pulled my right gluteal and had to take the week off. Grrrr. Then I resumed squatting and he had me add the leg press machine and avoid lunges for that week. Fine. Then the following week he had me do squats, deadlifts for the first time and walking lunges. When i got to the walking lunges, my legs were so toasted at that point, that I had a hard time doing the lunges on the right leg (it kept going to failure each time) but I finished. Today I did my legs and I did deadlifts first (60 lbs) and when I went to do squats, after my warmup set, I could feel my left gluteal hurting. I decided to back off squats and went to test out lunges. Sure enough, I could not do lunges or else I was going to blow out my gluteal even more.

I have been taking spinning classes (including yesterday) and wonder if that might be contributing to the sensitivity?

I am frustrated! Am I doing too many leg moves per session? I don't want to keep getting injured and I want to be able to progress in my lifting/fitness.

I am stretching religiously after all workouts and use the foam roller, too.

Any advice or similar experiences?

juliewatkin

Sorry but all I can contribute is that I hate, hate, hate lunges. Every time I've tried them I've had issues. I just don't do them any more.

AlysonG2

Sorry but all I can contribute is that I hate, hate, hate lunges. Every time I've tried them I've had issues. I just don't do them any more.

I hate lunges too. I'm considering giving them up as well.

SezxyStef

If it was a pull and not a strain you need more than 1 week off..and since your other one is bothering you now it could be because you were favoring your injured one and put extra strain on it.

ShannonMpls

(1) are you taking rest days?

(2) are you stretching properly every single day - even if you don't workout? I mean a full stretching routine, holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds.

There is nothing inherently wrong with squatting, DLing, and lunging on the same day.

wonderwoman234

Good to know I am not the only one who hates lunges.

I stretch out very comprehensively after ever workout, whether it's just cardio or lifting and cardio. I spend about 20 minutes doing it. I hold each stretch for 30 seconds. I do stretches for each muscled group in my lower body and back, so I know it's not a lack of stretching. I am very limber.

I take 2 days off per week from exercise. I do a split routine - upper body 2x week, lower body 2x per week, with at least 48 hours rest in between, abs 1-2 times a week and cardio 5 days a week.

wonderwoman234

If it was a pull and not a strain you need more than 1 week off..and since your other one is bothering you now it could be because you were favoring your injured one and put extra strain on it.

Hmmm.....this could be. Not sure since the week in between was fine.

Cherimoose

I have been taking spinning classes (including yesterday) and wonder if that might be contributing to the sensitivity?

It could affect your recovery. How many total sets of leg exercises do you do per workout (heavy sets, not warmup)?

GiGiBeans

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JTick

That seems like a lot of leg exercises. I don't do squats and deadlifts on the same day...they each get their own day.

Also, I hate lunges too! I'm not a flexible person, and they just do ungodly things to my quads. I'll occasionally do a couple sets, but they are definitely not a staple in my routine.

Evelynnn2014

That is how I recently hurt my tailbone/very lower back area. I had just done lunges then did squats in the squat rack. My squats were so weak and that is when my tailbone began bothering me. I think I'll do those on separate days from now on or leave out lunges.

spicegeek

possible you have IT band issues = generally runners feel that in their knees but I have problems with my IT bands and I feel it in my glutes - get a base ball or tennis ball and find the trigger points - lay on the ball for 30 - 60 secs - release - repeat 3 times - move find the next trigger point - do this 3 times a day

MB_Positif

I just don't do lunges. I hate them. I am not balanced enough and the chance of injury for me outweighs any alleged benefits of lunges over simpler lifts like squats and deads.

lisalsd1

I don't do lunges either. Deadlift, squat, leg press, adductor machine, and some hamstring curls are good enough for me.

You probably need a real rest day too...I was doing cardio everyday and started taking a real rest day once a week. Yeah, I need it.

Lleldiranne

That seems like a lot of leg exercises. I don't do squats and deadlifts on the same day...they each get their own day.

I was thinking this, too.

Sometimes, I'll do lunges on the same day as one or the other, but not really close together. It'll be something like bench press, lunges w/ 25 pounds, seated rows or some other back exercise, then over to squats or DLs. More rest in between, instead of all legs, would probably help.

Also, just wondering, do you do any upper body strength? (You didn't mention, but it's not really related to the topic ... just make sure you don't neglect pecs, back, and shoulders!)

Phaedra2014

You may have tight hip flexors or tight piriformis muscles.

doctorsookie

Adding too much weight too quickly? Try alternating the exercises and not doing them all the same day. Its good you are stretching and rest days are good. Drink plenty of water but most importantly listen to your body. If it doesn't like it, don't do it. I hate to love lunges. I love what they do but they kill my knees. I have to do them scarcely.

Edited because spell check sucks

Firehawk734

You may not be staying on ur heels and that is what is hurting your knees. If u roll forward to the ball of ur foot from form, technique, or just plain fatigue, that definitely will put pressure on the knees, same goes for squatting.

MagnumBurrito

I've had slight tears in my hamstrings from playing football. I had to take multiple weeks off all lower body exercises. I just benched and overhead pressed heavy while waiting for it to heal. Frustrating time, but I was glad I could still train something.

R.I.C.E it up for a 3 weeks and try to comeback slowly is my suggestion.

Serah87

Hate lunges, too.

dmpizza

Lunges kill my knees
BTW Wonderwoman, you are really hard core.

Firehawk734

I don't think most people lie training legs, period. Its allot harder than upperbody training, frankly. That's why 90% of lifters are doing upper body workouts and the squat racks are always open

marvybells

i've started incorporating extra leg/lower body work (walking lunges, step-ups, goblet squats, calf raises, bridges) into my routine and was initially afraid it might be a bit much. I had VERY sore glutes & hamstrings the first week and felt off balance with the lunges. I suspect that i had used too heavy of a weight so i lowered it to weight that i could easily handle and slowly increase each week. Now it seems to be going well. I always squat first to make sure i have enough gas in the tank to get em done. Then i go right into the rest of the leg work if i feel up to it. If not, i move on to upper body and do the lunges & whatnot later.

recesq

1. Are you stretching BEFORE your workout?
2. Are you drinking a lot of water?
3. If the above is yes, then I would back off either the amount of weight and/or the amount of reps.

juliewatkin

That seems like a lot of leg exercises. I don't do squats and deadlifts on the same day...they each get their own day.

Also, I hate lunges too! I'm not a flexible person, and they just do ungodly things to my quads. I'll occasionally do a couple sets, but they are definitely not a staple in my routine.

I squat and deadlift on the same days. But like you, lunges screw up my quads - very painful.

SaintGiff

Two quick thoughts.

Deads before squats is just asking for trouble. I know a lot of people do it that way, but you are fatiguing a lot of support and balance muscles that you're going to need for the squats. I would do squats first if at all possible.

I'm not a fan of weighted lunges. Particularly weighted lunges on fatigued legs. Again, the balance and support muscles are fatigued and that's putting more stress on the knee and hip joints. If you're willing to do them with enough weight, weighted up and downs work pretty much the same muscles as lunges, but they do so without stressing the back, hips, and knees quite so much.

Last thought: Squats, then Deads, then Glute Bridges. If you've got anything left after that the Up and Downs. Trust me, your legs will be done at that point.

Fitfully_me

Sounds like a week wasn't enough time to recover from your injury.

millerll

I never squat and DL on the same day - at least 48 hours in between. That's just too much load for me for one day. I do weighted walking lunges on squat day, but at the very end as a "finisher" using just 15 pound dumbells. I always do squats first, then all my other leg work - press or extension calf raises, hip thrusters, etc., after.

Personally, I would move DLs to a different day from squats. As for your injury, I would lower the weight and go easy for a few weeks, or cut them altogether until you're healed up. Lunges are good, but not necessary if you're squatting heavy. Good luck!

SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish

You don't have to do weighted lunges at all if they cause you issues, unless you are a fencer. I also dislike them, if there is any knee weakness or injury or just altered mechanics from pre-worked muscles, it shows up here and is one of the exercises more prone to cause re-injury. I haven't done lunges in forever, and I'm fine, a leg press like you are doing is also fine as a substitute, maybe try single leg press as well.

I'd tell you I'm proof of being OK in my strength without lunges, doing 895lbs on leg press, but some twerp with a chihuahua head picture here tells me I'm a newbie, and I'm not gaining any muscle! Point is, there will always be some "expert" telling you you are doing it wrong, the important thing to remember is to listen to your body, and if an exercise repeatedly causes you injury, back off. Maybe you are doing too much for yourself in one day, maybe you are doing them wrong and your trainer is not giving you good instruction, or maybe weighted lunges just aren't for you because of your particular joint angulation. Take a longer break, regroup and test which it might be, or just eliminate them, I don't find them very useful in general compared to their injury potential and wear on the knees.

wonderwoman234

Wow, lots of great suggestions and questions! Thanks, y'all! And again, I am heartened that others are finding the lunges problematic. I thought it was just me.

So I usually start my leg days with squats because I don't want to be fatigued doing them. Today, both racks were being used, so I started with deadlifts. My trainer has me doing 12 reps, 5 sets. I prefer to do 4x8.....actually, I want to do Stronglifts 5x5 but he kind of poo-pooed that. I prepaid this guy, so I'm stuck with him for 2 more months. He likes to try to add a cardio component to my training, which is ANNOYING because I do cardio after my lifting. I should probably talk to him about it.

I do drink tons of water, probably 6-8 cups in the two hours I'm at the gym. That seems like plenty to me. I try to warm up before squatting by doing 2-3 sets of low squats using a TRX strap/handle, just to get my hips and butt warmed up. Sometimes I will walk on the treadmill for 5 minutes. I do NOT stretch out before lifting for a few reasons - cold muscles don't stretch well and I have heard that getting too flexible before lifting can loosen you up too much and cause injury (although this could be bogus info).

I would prefer to perfect and progress in my squats and deadlifts. I just think the lunge position over-extends my muscles or ligaments or something, especially on my fatigued legs.

What are up and downs?

Leg work is HARD and my heart rate is quite high when I'm doing it, but I feel like a badass for doing it and enjoy that!

I just learned I can do 8 real pushups now, too! I am not sure if I could ever do even 1 pushup!

Evelynnn2014

Two quick thoughts.

Deads before squats is just asking for trouble. I know a lot of people do it that way, but you are fatiguing a lot of support and balance muscles that you're going to need for the squats. I would do squats first if at all possible.

I'm not a fan of weighted lunges. Particularly weighted lunges on fatigued legs. Again, the balance and support muscles are fatigued and that's putting more stress on the knee and hip joints. If you're willing to do them with enough weight, weighted up and downs work pretty much the same muscles as lunges, but they do so without stressing the back, hips, and knees quite so much.

Last thought: Squats, then Deads, then Glute Bridges. If you've got anything left after that the Up and Downs. Trust me, your legs will be done at that point.