Pain 'n Gains
sunshineallthetime4
Posts: 21 Member
Hi all! I am about to wrap up my fifth week of Stronglifts 5x5 and have a question regarding lower back muscle soreness/spasms.
Squats and rows have been interesting for me because I came into this program with disproportionate strength... very strong legs/quads, moderately strong core, weak back muscles. Consistently since I started stronglifts, I get extremely tense/sore in the muscles supporting my lumbar spine. I've been foam rolling, using a heating pad, and taken an epsom salt bath or two. However, the effect is usually enough that I get painful spasms in the muscles when doing cardio activity. The day after lifting, I'm lucky if I can run a mile before my lower back starts seizing up. In dance classes, it also gets painful.
I don't feel injured -- I just feel like the muscles are catching up in strength to the rest of my body and are experiencing more intense fatigue.
Curious to know...
-Has anyone else experienced this very intense, very localized soreness and muscle spasms? How do you handle your other workouts?
-How long into lifting will this persist, especially now that I'm at higher, very challenging weights?
-Did you ever take "rest weeks" during Stronglifts or other measures to help recover?
Incase it's helpful, here's my progress so far:
Session 1: 95# squats, 65# bench press, 65# rows
Session 2: 105# squats, 65# overhead press, 95# deadlift
Session 3: 115# squats, 70# bench press (failed on one of the sets), 70# rows
Session 4: 120# squats, 70# overhead press, 105# deadlift
Session 5: 125# squats, 70# bench press, 75# rows
Session 6: 130# squats, 70# overhead press (failed on last set), 115# deadlift
Session 7: 135# squats, 75# bench press, 80# rows (failed on one of sets)
Session 8: 140# squats, 70# overhead press, 125# deadlift
Session 9: 145# squats, 80# bench press, 80# rows
Session 10: 150# squats, 75# overhead press, 135# deadlift
Session 11: 155# squats (failed on one set), 85# bench press, 85# rows
Session 12: 155# squats, 80# overhead press (only could complete one full set), 145# deadlift
Session 13: 160# squats, 85# bench press, 90# rows
^Most recent numbers
Thanks for your help and insight!! :flowerforyou:
Squats and rows have been interesting for me because I came into this program with disproportionate strength... very strong legs/quads, moderately strong core, weak back muscles. Consistently since I started stronglifts, I get extremely tense/sore in the muscles supporting my lumbar spine. I've been foam rolling, using a heating pad, and taken an epsom salt bath or two. However, the effect is usually enough that I get painful spasms in the muscles when doing cardio activity. The day after lifting, I'm lucky if I can run a mile before my lower back starts seizing up. In dance classes, it also gets painful.
I don't feel injured -- I just feel like the muscles are catching up in strength to the rest of my body and are experiencing more intense fatigue.
Curious to know...
-Has anyone else experienced this very intense, very localized soreness and muscle spasms? How do you handle your other workouts?
-How long into lifting will this persist, especially now that I'm at higher, very challenging weights?
-Did you ever take "rest weeks" during Stronglifts or other measures to help recover?
Incase it's helpful, here's my progress so far:
Session 1: 95# squats, 65# bench press, 65# rows
Session 2: 105# squats, 65# overhead press, 95# deadlift
Session 3: 115# squats, 70# bench press (failed on one of the sets), 70# rows
Session 4: 120# squats, 70# overhead press, 105# deadlift
Session 5: 125# squats, 70# bench press, 75# rows
Session 6: 130# squats, 70# overhead press (failed on last set), 115# deadlift
Session 7: 135# squats, 75# bench press, 80# rows (failed on one of sets)
Session 8: 140# squats, 70# overhead press, 125# deadlift
Session 9: 145# squats, 80# bench press, 80# rows
Session 10: 150# squats, 75# overhead press, 135# deadlift
Session 11: 155# squats (failed on one set), 85# bench press, 85# rows
Session 12: 155# squats, 80# overhead press (only could complete one full set), 145# deadlift
Session 13: 160# squats, 85# bench press, 90# rows
^Most recent numbers
Thanks for your help and insight!! :flowerforyou:
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Replies
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can't help but can recommend hyperextensions for strengthening back
hope you resolve! 0 -
I have a weak lower back so I a) don't follow the Stronglifts progression (too aggressive for my personal taste) and b) do yoga, and include poses that strengthen my spinal erectors.
You're only as strong as your weakest muscle, so slow down as much as you need to, so that you don't go from spasm to injury. Not worth it.0 -
I have a weak lower back so I a) don't follow the Stronglifts progression (too aggressive for my personal taste) and b) do yoga, and include poses that strengthen my spinal erectors.
You're only as strong as your weakest muscle, so slow down as much as you need to, so that you don't go from spasm to injury. Not worth it.
Agreed.
Soreness is normal. Spasms are NOT!
I don't take 'rest weeks' officially but I do frequently have sessions where I don't progress according to the 'schedule' because I know my body and what it can handle. I would recommend you slow down, and ask someone to check your form. That being said, there is definitely nothing wrong with a deload week now and then and I plan on doing one next month sometime!
I get localized soreness in my low back but never as bad as you are describing. Soreness should typically resolve in a few days, and chronic irritation and spasms are signs that your body is telling you it is being pushed past the limits.
Thumbs up for yoga and core stabilizers (planks, side planks, double leg lowering - not situps!)0 -
I also came into Stronglifts with a strong lower body and weak upper body. I couldn't even do a real push up. I get the spasms in my lower back that you are talking about and I have to have some one massage them out. I have been getting them these passed 2 weeks and just yesterday it hit me that I've skipped 2 weeks of yoga! Yoga really helps with this issue and I recommend giving it a try.0
