So here's the situation

xmyp
xmyp Posts: 8 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Lately I've been getting back on the wagon, so to speak. I did close to two months of reducing calorie intake alone, but now I've started "working out" again. I say that with quotations because it's truly laughable, but that's not the point!

The point is, I've pulled out my old exercise ball and taken off the couple of years worth of dust and I've also absconded with the 6.6 lb weights that have resided at my parents' house for as long as I can remember.

I do ... I guess tricep extensions every day, which.. is killing me, but worth it. I can just hear my triceps saying in my own voice "You haven't used us in how long and now you want us to do *what*?" But that's not my issue.

I've also started sitting on the exercise ball, rather than the couch or a chair for playing on the computer or watching tv and I'll do hip rotations? and basically anything that stretches a muscle I forgot that I had and I've been having some lower back pain. I'm not even sure that the ball caused it, but that's really my best bet since last night when I sat on it I could feel it a lot better. It's not really severe or anything, I'm not debilitated or anything like that. I just feel like I reallyyyy need to pop my joints back there.. and even when I do, it just makes it ache more. Ache is a better word. Let's go with ache.

I'm wondering if this is normal because I'm so horribly out of shape or if maybe I should lay off the ball as much (maybe like an every other day kind of thing). Any thoughts on any of the above? I have the attention span of a squirrel so I tried to pick things that I don't get bored with quickly and things that I can handle, what with being so horribly out of shape. Any suggestions for other uses of the ball or weights would be nice. (I also have an elliptical machine, but it's in the most boring room of the house and .. very difficult to move so I know I won't do that for long if I try.)

Thank you in advance~!

Replies

  • ofccat
    ofccat Posts: 284 Member
    It could be any factor of things from improper positioning, achy from not being used as much to possibly pulling something. Is say if it's more achy and not painful - focus on among sure your doing exercises right and stretching.
  • xmyp
    xmyp Posts: 8 Member
    Yeah... I should probably try the stretching thing. I've never been very diligent about that. Thank you for the suggestion!
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    My recurring back issues got a lot better with a combination of Yoga and strong core exercises. If you are rolling your hips around on the ball, you might be compromising the spine by curling it, which could cause back issues to flare up (it does for me, if I am not careful). Make sure you are following a routine and not just moving randomly.

    I would not do tricep work literally every day. I am not sure how beneficial that would be.
  • ecologyguy
    ecologyguy Posts: 5 Member
    A while back I switched out my desk chair for an exercise ball too and I experienced the same lower back pain you're describing. It was simply muscle soreness - you're using stabilizing muscles that simply haven't had any action at all for years, and they're letting you know about it. I would suggest not trying to simply stretch your back but try to find some hip mobilization stretches, take a little ibuprofen to get you through it, and take breaks from sitting on the ball until the pain stops coming.

    Also, doing donkey-kicks and fire-hydrants (lower back/hip strengthening exercises) has helped me immensely with other types lower back pain in the past.

    Hope that helps!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Try some low impact exercise like walking. Look up Leslie Sansone Start Walking At Home on Youtube. She has many videos but start with the beginner 1 mile and then work your way up.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    My recurring back issues got a lot better with a combination of Yoga and strong core exercises. If you are rolling your hips around on the ball, you might be compromising the spine by curling it, which could cause back issues to flare up (it does for me, if I am not careful). Make sure you are following a routine and not just moving randomly.

    I would not do tricep work literally every day. I am not sure how beneficial that would be.

    This ^

    Sitting on a stability ball works your core..........but if your core is fairly weak to begin with.....or you are not moving in a controlled manner....you could be making things worse.

    Pilates is great for the core.....BUT pay close attention to form

    Here are some beginner workouts

    http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=beginner+pilates+abs&sm=1

    Planks are also good for your core

    http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises_10.htm
  • tyrsnbdr
    tyrsnbdr Posts: 234 Member
    I'm a recovering from a herinated disk in the lower back. I'm better, but I still get lower back pain. So, here are things I do to make it go away:

    1. I strenghtened my core.
    2. I visulaize my body as 2 pillars, 1 front, and 1 back. I "naturaly" load all my weight on my back, and I now focus on loading my weight equally between my front and back.
    3. My hamstrings pull on my lower back, strecth them hammstrings.
  • xmyp
    xmyp Posts: 8 Member
    My recurring back issues got a lot better with a combination of Yoga and strong core exercises. If you are rolling your hips around on the ball, you might be compromising the spine by curling it, which could cause back issues to flare up (it does for me, if I am not careful). Make sure you are following a routine and not just moving randomly.

    I would not do tricep work literally every day. I am not sure how beneficial that would be.

    Ooh, that's good to know. I'll definitely try to incorporate something that will help me work on the core muscles. Thank you for the suggestions. As for the triceps, I figured, with my very limited knowledge in exercise and fitness, that if I worked on those muscles it would help tighten that part of my arm, since it it desperately needs it.
    A while back I switched out my desk chair for an exercise ball too and I experienced the same lower back pain you're describing. It was simply muscle soreness - you're using stabilizing muscles that simply haven't had any action at all for years, and they're letting you know about it. I would suggest not trying to simply stretch your back but try to find some hip mobilization stretches, take a little ibuprofen to get you through it, and take breaks from sitting on the ball until the pain stops coming.

    Also, doing donkey-kicks and fire-hydrants (lower back/hip strengthening exercises) has helped me immensely with other types lower back pain in the past.

    Hope that helps!

    I actually saw something on the news once where an entire classroom changed out chairs for the balls and that's what really made me want to do that. I will look into these donkey-kicks and fire-hydrants, thank you so much for the suggestions!
    Try some low impact exercise like walking. Look up Leslie Sansone Start Walking At Home on Youtube. She has many videos but start with the beginner 1 mile and then work your way up.

    I guess I could've mentioned that I do walk most days, weather permitting. Although.. I don't keep track of the mileage or speed (not power-walking but not strolling), I usually do it by time. I guess I could try to actually try to start keeping track of those kinds of things. Thank you!
    This ^

    Sitting on a stability ball works your core..........but if your core is fairly weak to begin with.....or you are not moving in a controlled manner....you could be making things worse.

    Pilates is great for the core.....BUT pay close attention to form

    Here are some beginner workouts

    http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=beginner+pilates+abs&sm=1

    Planks are also good for your core

    http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises_10.htm

    Pilates.. the word just sends fearful chills down my spine. I've always envisioned pilates to be really rigid and intense. I'll look into it, but honestly I'm skeptical. As for the planks - I know several years ago when I gave at-home yoga a try, planks were not my forte (I was more of a Warrior I - Extended Triangle kind of girl). But hey, I'll give them a shot again. Thank you!
    I'm a recovering from a herinated disk in the lower back. I'm better, but I still get lower back pain. So, here are things I do to make it go away:

    1. I strenghtened my core.
    2. I visulaize my body as 2 pillars, 1 front, and 1 back. I "naturaly" load all my weight on my back, and I now focus on loading my weight equally between my front and back.
    3. My hamstrings pull on my lower back, strecth them hammstrings.

    Interesting, I never thought about weight distribution in terms of front of back, always more of side to side. I'll try that out, thank you!
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    Sorry, what I meant about triceps is, you don't want to work on any muscle EVERY day in my opinion. You need to give it time to rest and recover. Working on triceps is great, I was more wondering whether it was wise to do it EVERY day vs take a day off and work on a different muscle.
  • xmyp
    xmyp Posts: 8 Member
    Sorry, what I meant about triceps is, you don't want to work on any muscle EVERY day in my opinion. You need to give it time to rest and recover. Working on triceps is great, I was more wondering whether it was wise to do it EVERY day vs take a day off and work on a different muscle.

    Oooh, alright, I see what you mean. I suppose that does make more sense than over stressing it.

Categories