Squats and Adductors and Hamstrings, Oh My!
hcdo
Posts: 201 Member
Hi All,
I have a question regarding lifting and adductor muscles. I went to a PT for what I originally thought was a hamstring injury, and did PT for a while without much result. I eventually went to a physiotherapist who diagnosed it as chronic inflammation in my adductor. She gave me a couple of cortisone shots, told me I could still lift but to take it easy, and sent me on my way. I have been careful getting back in to lifting, and still do some of the PT exercises to supplement (which the physio said was fine).
The problem is that I can't seem to do much lower body lifting without feeling it in the adductors, even when I'm doing really light weights. I did just body weight exercises for a LONG time after going to the dr and felt like I was finally able to get back into lifting, really easy/light at first. Recently I had to take time off bc of the flu; I just started up again and everything felt fine except the next day the adductors were super sore (nothing else was sore). I definitely feel them when I squat and SLDL, and even leg press. (My PT said my form was fine.) It just feels like just resting/taking it easy isn't cutting it.
Do you think part of the problem is that the muscles in my legs (namely quads and hams) are imbalanced? I sit at a desk all day, so I'm sure my hamstrings are part of the issue. Should I try and build those up more? Should I stay away from squats for a while? (I am currently doing Lyle McDonald's generic bulking routine.) I can do leg curls okay (again, pretty light weight). I'm also trying to build up the abductors to see if that helps.
I'm just not sure if I should be trying a different approach, since what I've been doing doesn't seem to be helping. I've been lifting for about 2 years now (the adductor issue has around for a few months) and just feel "stuck" at these lower weights. Maybe it's just age? (43yrs old) If so, what do old(er) folks do to adjust weight routines for age. Lower weight/higher reps? Less days?
I make sure to warm up/cool down, do dynamic stretches before and static stretches and foam rolling after. I'm running out of ideas.
I have a question regarding lifting and adductor muscles. I went to a PT for what I originally thought was a hamstring injury, and did PT for a while without much result. I eventually went to a physiotherapist who diagnosed it as chronic inflammation in my adductor. She gave me a couple of cortisone shots, told me I could still lift but to take it easy, and sent me on my way. I have been careful getting back in to lifting, and still do some of the PT exercises to supplement (which the physio said was fine).
The problem is that I can't seem to do much lower body lifting without feeling it in the adductors, even when I'm doing really light weights. I did just body weight exercises for a LONG time after going to the dr and felt like I was finally able to get back into lifting, really easy/light at first. Recently I had to take time off bc of the flu; I just started up again and everything felt fine except the next day the adductors were super sore (nothing else was sore). I definitely feel them when I squat and SLDL, and even leg press. (My PT said my form was fine.) It just feels like just resting/taking it easy isn't cutting it.
Do you think part of the problem is that the muscles in my legs (namely quads and hams) are imbalanced? I sit at a desk all day, so I'm sure my hamstrings are part of the issue. Should I try and build those up more? Should I stay away from squats for a while? (I am currently doing Lyle McDonald's generic bulking routine.) I can do leg curls okay (again, pretty light weight). I'm also trying to build up the abductors to see if that helps.
I'm just not sure if I should be trying a different approach, since what I've been doing doesn't seem to be helping. I've been lifting for about 2 years now (the adductor issue has around for a few months) and just feel "stuck" at these lower weights. Maybe it's just age? (43yrs old) If so, what do old(er) folks do to adjust weight routines for age. Lower weight/higher reps? Less days?
I make sure to warm up/cool down, do dynamic stretches before and static stretches and foam rolling after. I'm running out of ideas.
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Replies
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are you sure the soreness isn't just doms from getting back to exercise after taking it easy or taking time off? Sometimes when you activate a muscle you haven't used much before, such as with a slight form change, it will get sore when everything else is fine. If the DR and PT say you are ok to lift, just get on a decent program and do it at the proper weight and reps . Make sure you get adequate rest between workouts.0
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It would be hard to give you advice without seeing your squat.
Imbalaced? Doubtfully.
Age? Nope.
Extra warmups & stretching/foam rolling all is a waste of time if you mean outside of the warmingup & stretching by doing the squat itself other than a placebo effect you may endure. It's not necessary and unfortunately spewed as a must in this industry that isn't backed by data for the.most part.
I had a adductor that gave me problems since last summer because I'm a catcher for baseball and I train for powerlifting at same time. Hard to program correct amount of recovery while doing both. Especially when you factor in a autoimmune disease that attacks muscles, tendons, and joints 24/7. Nonetheless when the season was over, I recovered all as I continued training powerlifting the whole time.
I'm not a fan of generic bulking routines as they are not optimal for the individual. Im.not saying you can't progress, just it's usually not a very good ROI. Are you following Lyles as written?
There are adjustments that can be made though I would look at your form first and then review the data of your programming and adjust.
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It would be hard to give you advice without seeing your squat.
Imbalaced? Doubtfully.
Age? Nope.
Extra warmups & stretching/foam rolling all is a waste of time if you mean outside of the warmingup & stretching by doing the squat itself other than a placebo effect you may endure. It's not necessary and unfortunately spewed as a must in this industry that isn't backed by data for the.most part.
I had a adductor that gave me problems since last summer because I'm a catcher for baseball and I train for powerlifting at same time. Hard to program correct amount of recovery while doing both. Especially when you factor in a autoimmune disease that attacks muscles, tendons, and joints 24/7. Nonetheless when the season was over, I recovered all as I continued training powerlifting the whole time.
I'm not a fan of generic bulking routines as they are not optimal for the individual. Im.not saying you can't progress, just it's usually not a very good ROI. Are you following Lyles as written?
There are adjustments that can be made though I would look at your form first and then review the data of your programming and adjust.
Thanks for the detailed response. Didn't know about warm-ups, etc. (other than the actual exercise) being a waste of time.
I do follow the routine as written, but I admit I don't rest the whole three minutes on the strength sets, mainly bc I feel like I can't really get to that high of a weight without my ads hurting. Do you have another program you recommend? I had done Strong Curves for a bit and PHUL for about a year without issue, so maybe I should go back to that. I was just getting bored so I thought I'd change up.0 -
are you sure the soreness isn't just doms from getting back to exercise after taking it easy or taking time off? Sometimes when you activate a muscle you haven't used much before, such as with a slight form change, it will get sore when everything else is fine. If the DR and PT say you are ok to lift, just get on a decent program and do it at the proper weight and reps . Make sure you get adequate rest between workouts.
I honestly don't know whether the soreness is from getting back into it or not. When the doc used the word "chronic" it made me think that there is just always going to be a potential for pain? Ugh.0 -
It would be hard to give you advice without seeing your squat.
Imbalaced? Doubtfully.
Age? Nope.
Extra warmups & stretching/foam rolling all is a waste of time if you mean outside of the warmingup & stretching by doing the squat itself other than a placebo effect you may endure. It's not necessary and unfortunately spewed as a must in this industry that isn't backed by data for the.most part.
I had a adductor that gave me problems since last summer because I'm a catcher for baseball and I train for powerlifting at same time. Hard to program correct amount of recovery while doing both. Especially when you factor in a autoimmune disease that attacks muscles, tendons, and joints 24/7. Nonetheless when the season was over, I recovered all as I continued training powerlifting the whole time.
I'm not a fan of generic bulking routines as they are not optimal for the individual. Im.not saying you can't progress, just it's usually not a very good ROI. Are you following Lyles as written?
There are adjustments that can be made though I would look at your form first and then review the data of your programming and adjust.
Thanks for the detailed response. Didn't know about warm-ups, etc. (other than the actual exercise) being a waste of time.
I do follow the routine as written, but I admitdon't rest the whole three minutes on the strength sets, mainly bc I feel like I can't really get to that high of a weight without my ads hurting. Do you have another program you recommend? I had done Strong Curves for a bit and PHUL for about a year without issue, so maybe I should go back to that. I was just getting bored so I thought I'd change up.
The fact is the best stretch/warm up you can do for a squat is a squat. Because it is specific to what you are going to do. Somewhere people got the notion that foam rolling is necessary when in fact there is zero data that shows it does anything. Probably started with who ever invented the thing
.
If you still like it, have at it...I prefer to do a extra set of empty bar squat.
Rule of thumb is to do a weight that you can hold form while not making pain worse.
I'm don't believe too many templates are optimal, but I feel the Bridge and/or Bridge 2.0 is the best ones coming off a LP.
Whay are your exact goals?
0 -
It would be hard to give you advice without seeing your squat.
Imbalaced? Doubtfully.
Age? Nope.
Extra warmups & stretching/foam rolling all is a waste of time if you mean outside of the warmingup & stretching by doing the squat itself other than a placebo effect you may endure. It's not necessary and unfortunately spewed as a must in this industry that isn't backed by data for the.most part.
I had a adductor that gave me problems since last summer because I'm a catcher for baseball and I train for powerlifting at same time. Hard to program correct amount of recovery while doing both. Especially when you factor in a autoimmune disease that attacks muscles, tendons, and joints 24/7. Nonetheless when the season was over, I recovered all as I continued training powerlifting the whole time.
I'm not a fan of generic bulking routines as they are not optimal for the individual. Im.not saying you can't progress, just it's usually not a very good ROI. Are you following Lyles as written?
There are adjustments that can be made though I would look at your form first and then review the data of your programming and adjust.
Thanks for the detailed response. Didn't know about warm-ups, etc. (other than the actual exercise) being a waste of time.
I do follow the routine as written, but I admitdon't rest the whole three minutes on the strength sets, mainly bc I feel like I can't really get to that high of a weight without my ads hurting. Do you have another program you recommend? I had done Strong Curves for a bit and PHUL for about a year without issue, so maybe I should go back to that. I was just getting bored so I thought I'd change up.
The fact is the best stretch/warm up you can do for a squat is a squat. Because it is specific to what you are going to do. Somewhere people got the notion that foam rolling is necessary when in fact there is zero data that shows it does anything. Probably started with who ever invented the thing.
If you still like it, have at it...I prefer to do a extra set of empty bar squat.
Rule of thumb is to do a weight that you can hold form while not making pain worse.
I'm don't believe too many templates are optimal, but I feel the Bridge and/or Bridge 2.0 is the best ones coming off a LP.
Whay are your exact goals?
I do empty bar squats as well, and build my way up with weight. Good to know I can forgo the rest.
I guess if the goal is simply not to make the pain worse, I might be okay? I mean, I'm sore from coming back after being sick (admittedly I probably started too high when coming back instead of easing in), but most of the time the pain is just, well, there. Not better or worse.
As for goals, I'd love to gain as much muscle as possible (without adding too much fat—yeah I know, I know). I feel like my beginner gains were good but then I've just been in this same plateau for a while. I have been able to lift a bit more weight, but not as much as I did before the adductor issue. Maybe I'm just not being patient enough. It just gets so discouraging to not see any changes as well as not being able to progressively lift more.2 -
If you are injured, its possible that you should allow it to heal before going back into a lifting routine, especially if you have had PT before.
If you want to understand the evidence regarding stretching and pre workout warm ups, id recommend the below.
http://www.lookgreatnaked.com/blog/warming-up-prior-to-resistance-training-an-excerpt-from-strong-sculpted/
1 -
Not warming up is bad advice. But you don’t want to overdo the warmup especially if your going heavy.1
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Glute activation is imperative, these muscles can 'switch off' when other groups around them have been through trauma. Band exercises are great for this and very easy to do.
Look for Trigger Points in all of the adductor group and self treat at home. Locate and apply pressure to each one, giving them time to reduce in discomfort. This can take up to a few minutes.1 -
I'm 49 and squat heavier than most, so it's not age.
There isn't some kind of secret stretch or remedy. I'd say give yourself time to heal before trying to ratchet up the weights. I injured my shoulder in 2016 and it took a year and finally several months of complete rest (no heavy upper body lifts) before it started to feel better. The good news was that my squat went through the roof during this time because it was one of the few exercises I could do. I couldn't do a push-up without pain 8 months ago but now am up to near my overhead press and bench press PR's before the injury.
Rest it- don't aggravate it. Keep the weights light if you are feeling pain or worst case, quit doing anything that you even think could be aggravating it. Focus on your upper exercises and have fun with that until this feels better- then start adding weight. I thought my shoulder would never heal and felt it throughout the day just combing hair or turning the steering wheel. I thought I'd never throw a baseball or shoot a basketball again. It hurt for over a year. It didn't get better until I gave it several months of complete rest. My mistake I think was that I kept trying to work through it AND that I continued to do heavy upper exercises that didn't seem to be aggravating it (but apparently were). Best wishes!2 -
Strongerxthanxyesterday wrote: »Not warming up is bad advice. But you don’t want to overdo the warmup especially if your going heavy.
No one gave that advice.0 -
OP here are two doctors who have personally helped me train through a torn intercostal muscle in my rib cage as well as my adductor injury only weeks out from my powerlifting meets. From my experience I was able to heal fully unlike every other lifter I know who rested with the same injuries and took many many months to heal and some reinjured themselves.
They are two extremely smart individuals and happen two be extremely strong powerlifters as well. They debunk the conservative ideas of medical personal who don't have experience with barbell training and it's benefits. They're info is backed by data unless stated.
Hope you find some benefit and reassurance of what path is best for you.
Good luck.2 -
If you are injured, its possible that you should allow it to heal before going back into a lifting routine, especially if you have had PT before.
If you want to understand the evidence regarding stretching and pre workout warm ups, id recommend the below.
http://www.lookgreatnaked.com/blog/warming-up-prior-to-resistance-training-an-excerpt-from-strong-sculpted/
Great read - looks like I've got another book to add to the list.0 -
OP here are two doctors who have personally helped me train through a torn intercostal muscle in my rib cage as well as my adductor injury only weeks out from my powerlifting meets. From my experience I was able to heal fully unlike every other lifter I know who rested with the same injuries and took many many months to heal and some reinjured themselves.
They are two extremely smart individuals and happen two be extremely strong powerlifters as well. They debunk the conservative ideas of medical personal who don't have experience with barbell training and it's benefits. They're info is backed by data unless stated.
Hope you find some benefit and reassurance of what path is best for you.
Good luck.
Thanks! What are their names/links?0 -
OP here are two doctors who have personally helped me train through a torn intercostal muscle in my rib cage as well as my adductor injury only weeks out from my powerlifting meets. From my experience I was able to heal fully unlike every other lifter I know who rested with the same injuries and took many many months to heal and some reinjured themselves.
They are two extremely smart individuals and happen two be extremely strong powerlifters as well. They debunk the conservative ideas of medical personal who don't have experience with barbell training and it's benefits. They're info is backed by data unless stated.
Hope you find some benefit and reassurance of what path is best for you.
Good luck.
Thanks! What are their names/links?
Sorry, got in a rush and forgot to drop a link.
Dr Jordan Feigenbaum and Dr Austin Buraki now with Barbellmedicine are the two doctors that advised me on how to continue powerlifting training while healing each of my personal injuries. Here is one of there podcasts somewhat recently.
https://youtu.be/9FXOcnJ1klI
Watching at 6 or 7 minutes in will give you some detail what might be going on.1 -
OP here are two doctors who have personally helped me train through a torn intercostal muscle in my rib cage as well as my adductor injury only weeks out from my powerlifting meets. From my experience I was able to heal fully unlike every other lifter I know who rested with the same injuries and took many many months to heal and some reinjured themselves.
They are two extremely smart individuals and happen two be extremely strong powerlifters as well. They debunk the conservative ideas of medical personal who don't have experience with barbell training and it's benefits. They're info is backed by data unless stated.
Hope you find some benefit and reassurance of what path is best for you.
Good luck.
Thanks! What are their names/links?
Sorry, got in a rush and forgot to drop a link.
Dr Jordan Feigenbaum and Dr Austin Buraki now with Barbellmedicine are the two doctors that advised me on how to continue powerlifting training while healing each of my personal injuries. Here is one of there podcasts somewhat recently.https://youtu.be/9FXOcnJ1klI
Watching at 6 or 7 minutes in will give you some detail what might be going on.
Thank you!!0 -
If you are injured, its possible that you should allow it to heal before going back into a lifting routine, especially if you have had PT before.
If you want to understand the evidence regarding stretching and pre workout warm ups, id recommend the below.
http://www.lookgreatnaked.com/blog/warming-up-prior-to-resistance-training-an-excerpt-from-strong-sculpted/
Thank you!0
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