Insanity and your back!

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joehempel
joehempel Posts: 1,761 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm going through month one currently, I'm mid-week 2 right now...tomorrow is the Cardio Recovery day. I'm noticing that during a lot of the push-up and ab exercises where you start from plank, my lower back starts have pain.

During Level 1 drills, they are 2/3 into the workout, and I can only get about 3-4 sets in....then forget the ski abs....I can maybe do about 2 sets of back and forth then have to stop for a break and the back is killing me.

Going from there to the in and outs just equals pure pain.

Has anyone else had this happen to them? Did it get better over time?

I ask because when I attempted this two years ago I threw out my back, but it was from twisting when I bent down during one of the workouts (can't remember the name, it was something about a football stance).

Replies

  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,761 Member
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    bump, looking for some good info on this and if anyone has experienced this at the beginning.
  • DR2501
    DR2501 Posts: 661 Member
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    Interesting - I'd had back trouble before Insanity and never had any problems. Do you know someone who can watch and assess your form? It sounds to me like you're doing something wrong (no offense intended, we all do it!) i.e. arching your back during the planks/level 1 drills or something, or letting your back do too much rather than your shoulders.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    i got back pain the first week of insanity after the workouts... which i put down to having a weak core, and it got better as time went on. as the other person said, it could be bad form, or just weak muscles?
  • colortheworld
    colortheworld Posts: 374 Member
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    Any way you can modify the moves to do them from your knees (lady style lol) or something that would put less pressure on your back? I've done some Insanity (never finished it at the time) and do Jillian Michael's workouts now, a lot of the moves are similar and I have to modify some or else my back hurts badly.
  • maasha81
    maasha81 Posts: 733 Member
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    Never had that issue but I'm wondering if your form is good. Try to doing the same exercise in front of a mirror or have someone check if your back is straight during plank. If you're dropping your back or even raising it too high then it can add pressure to your lower back.

    It does take time to build core strength but do them slowly to ensure you have proper form. The speed will kick in after
  • alatoyajones
    alatoyajones Posts: 96 Member
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    When you're completing a workout especially like Insanity, you must make sure you have the correct form. If you're tired and push the move you will hurt yourself! If you need to pause the video when they start the Level 1 Drills then do that. You're form I'm sure is a little off because of exhaustion. I just completed this workout last night and had to skip a set to catch my breath!

    I hope this helps. Good luck!!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Why do you keep trying to do an exercise routine that leaves you in pain when instead you could do a normal lifting routine along with some core strengthening exercises to improve your back?
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,761 Member
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    Thanks....I have a feeling that after a few reps my form is suffering a bit. I may have to modify to my knees or something. After the workout I tried a few things to see where I was going wrong, and may have found that sweet spot that I need to stay in.

    It's funny, before the past 3 months, I could do plank stuff no problem, just goes to show you that taking 3-4 months of and getting back to old habits things can deteriorate fairly quickly.

    So, adjusting form until I get it right it is....even if it means dropping to my knees and crying. LOL

    .
    Why do you keep trying to do an exercise routine that leaves you in pain when instead you could do a normal lifting routine along with some core strengthening exercises to improve your back?

    I'm not in so much pain that I can't do anything afterwards, it's specifically certain exercises, which like everyone has said, is more than likely bad form......and I HATE lifting with a passion, but of course I don't really have access to weights, so that could be a part of it too. I'd rather do this any day of the week though.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    To each their own, but I hate low back pain with a passion, especially when I seemingly have a weak core and a history of back issues. Best of luck to you in all your fitness goals.
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,761 Member
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    To each their own, but I hate low back pain with a passion, especially when I seemingly have a weak core and a history of back issues. Best of luck to you in all your fitness goals.

    I'm hoping that as I continue this, and correct my form with the plank stuff, my core will get stronger and these will get easier....well....as easy as Insanity can get anyway lol.
  • Dovekat
    Dovekat Posts: 263 Member
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    I have never done Insanity but I do have a bad back, I have had since I was five and got hit by a car so I'm accustomed to paying attention to it and modifying movements as and where needed.

    Everyone else has made wonderful suggestions concerning that and I am sure they are more qualified then me to do so as I am not a big fan of manic cardio routines. I have nothing against them, just not my cup of tea. But I thought I might add a note about stretching. I have found that it is very important to stretch and open up key muscles that seem to hold the tension that makes, my back at least, far more prone to strain, pain and or giving out. I warm up my back before doing anything even the programs warm up. I also do those same stretches after or during cool down and first thing in the morning.

    The muscles are the front of the hips (I use yoga's low luge and half warrior to do this). The upper hamstrings, the bit that pulls in figure 4 stretch or in pigeon and the obliques I always have tension there right above my hip bones. I have found that seated oblique stretches are a lot more gentle on my back because I can support it when returning to an upright position. I also do a set of 10 easy cat/cow's hold down dog for about 30 to 45 seconds while "walking" my legs and a gentle spinal twist on the floor but my back has "mobile disks" and I often need to realign it (crack/pop it back into place basically).

    Hopefully I managed to explain that OK and it might be of some use. I wish you the very best of luck :smile:
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    I haven't done Insanity....but I do push-ups and planks on a weekly basis and it honestly sounds like a weak core. When you are in planks, the exercise works a lot more than just your abs. It works your entire core, which is one of the reasons why the military has considered switching from sit-ups and crunches to planks. Just to give you an idea of what it works:
    146507794098562443_dRF6KlgT_c.jpg
    So if any one of those muscles (or supporting muscles for the muscles highlighted) are weak it can cause the pain you are experiencing. And if it is the low back, I am willing to bet you aren't maintaining the straight back like you should be. Even just a small angle up can cause pressure on parts of the body that shouldn't be there.

    Another thing I want to point out though. You might actually be holding good form, and just pushing yourself a little bit too hard during the videos. Remember that Insanity is just like P90X or T25, or Body Revolution, you go at your own pace that is right for you. So make sure you are doing that. It just might be that at the present time you can only so so many sets until fatigue. Which is fine too. Just wanted to point that out, because that is a posibility.
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,761 Member
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    Brilliant!!! Thank you so much for that! Im sure part is fatigue, but I bet most of it is just a flat out weak core. I used to be able to sit in a plank for almost 2 minites!!

    Dovecat.....those exercises are actually part of the insanity warm up and stretching.....I do those outside of it frequently....excellent suggestion and motivation to keep doing it

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