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A little about myself:
26 yrs old – 5’11” – 193lbs – approx 12% BF; I never lifted much in high school and started lifting, ignorantly of course, when I was 19-20 yrs old. I had cuff surgery a couple of yrs later and got back into the gym upon recovering. I graduated college and work forced me to give up lifting due to limited time. I started back 2.5 years ago and haven't let up since. I’d say, condensed, I’ve been in the gym for about 5-6 yrs. I've experimented with several different routines. In the beginning, I had my own routine that I would tweak according to how my body reacted. Seemed like the first 3-4 years I would be forced to take breaks due to college and work. I would return after a few months layout and have to work back to where I was previously at. Point being, the first several years were full of learning about my body, but not being able to see any long term results/conclusions.
I didn’t bother with legs much until about a year ago. I mean, I would do extensions and curls, but no presses or squats….yet I always wondered why I had trouble adding size and hitting plateaus. I always felt that presses and squats would injure my back – which I’ll explain later. Back…..whooo….never attempted deadlifts….”I don’t plan on bodybuilding, so I don’t need them……hey, why can’t I get bigger/stronger???” What an idiot I was. Besides, my grandfather, my dad, and my brother when he was 26, have all had plates and screws put in their backs. So why would I want to deadlift after almost every man in my family has been under the knife?
Well, about a year ago, I says to myself, “Self, we both know you don’t have any intention of bodybuilding, but you want to be as big/strong as genetically possible, so get in that gym where you love to escape everyday trials and be in your own world, and quit being a pussy! Quit feeling sorry for yourself and attempt a progression of changing/beating genetics and strengthen your back. Beat the odds! Stop using your back as an excuse not to squat and deadlift and start busting ass!”
So that’s what I did…..I started with good mornings and hyperextensions, then moved to light squats and deadlifts and the strength started coming right along. Little did I know that the strength gains would be throughout my body, just because of those two lifts. A year later, I don’t know what I would do without either of them. I look forward to squat days and deadlift days, whereas I used to despise them.
Two and a half months ago, I became as strong as I’ve ever been and that’s when I discovered DC Training. I felt I knew my body very well and started reading everything I could on DC. After 2 weeks of studying, I started DC and have loved every minute of it. I have progressed in all my lifts and have only switched out 2 exercises the past 8 weeks. You ever beat the log book and wonder if you cheated somehow on the lift because of the progress you’ve made? Great isn’t it!?
Well, remember how genetically f-ed up I am in my lower back. The stronger I get, the more prevalent are lower back problems. I’ve had BBers watch my form and I’ve read and studied and everything else to make sure my form is good, but problems continue. Well, Monday, I overdid it. I bumped up my deadlift 10 pounds on my first set due to hitting 9 reps on my last workout. I completed 8 reps, which was great! On rep 6 though, is when I felt it. Something gave and later than night, I could hardly move and trying to sleep was excruciating. I had to lie out of work yesterday because the pain of sitting was unbearable. I am still in pain today, but it’s somewhat tolerable, so I’m back at work. All the aleve and ibuprofen in the world is barely a relieve.
Every once and awhile, I have a spout with my lower back and this is by far the worst ever. I’ve decided that I’ve got to do something or I’m going to end up like the other men in my family. So this is where I’d like some input. Man, do deadlifts and I get along so well, but – I’m wondering if I should get rid of them. Flat BB bench is dangerous for some people, the same could be for DL and I, right? Will my strength and size gains continue is if replace them? Suppose I just knocked the weight back and continued to do them – but then I wouldn’t be recruiting muscle fibers as effectively, would that actually hinder my routine or be wasting time? Suppose I supplemented my routine with them, but then would I be overworking my back? There are several back thickness exercises I can do and I’m sure I would have to rotate DL’s out someday anyways – but suppose I do layoff them and then come back to them later and the ultimate injury occurs!? I don’t want to take that chance.
This is the way I feel: DL’s are King and I don’t want to let them go, but it’s evident that something has to be done……only “What?” is the question. In all honesty, with only personal goals at risk with lifting and not with BBing, I should prolly replace them and not risk injury. I just really, really, don’t want to give them up.
26 yrs old – 5’11” – 193lbs – approx 12% BF; I never lifted much in high school and started lifting, ignorantly of course, when I was 19-20 yrs old. I had cuff surgery a couple of yrs later and got back into the gym upon recovering. I graduated college and work forced me to give up lifting due to limited time. I started back 2.5 years ago and haven't let up since. I’d say, condensed, I’ve been in the gym for about 5-6 yrs. I've experimented with several different routines. In the beginning, I had my own routine that I would tweak according to how my body reacted. Seemed like the first 3-4 years I would be forced to take breaks due to college and work. I would return after a few months layout and have to work back to where I was previously at. Point being, the first several years were full of learning about my body, but not being able to see any long term results/conclusions.
I didn’t bother with legs much until about a year ago. I mean, I would do extensions and curls, but no presses or squats….yet I always wondered why I had trouble adding size and hitting plateaus. I always felt that presses and squats would injure my back – which I’ll explain later. Back…..whooo….never attempted deadlifts….”I don’t plan on bodybuilding, so I don’t need them……hey, why can’t I get bigger/stronger???” What an idiot I was. Besides, my grandfather, my dad, and my brother when he was 26, have all had plates and screws put in their backs. So why would I want to deadlift after almost every man in my family has been under the knife?
Well, about a year ago, I says to myself, “Self, we both know you don’t have any intention of bodybuilding, but you want to be as big/strong as genetically possible, so get in that gym where you love to escape everyday trials and be in your own world, and quit being a pussy! Quit feeling sorry for yourself and attempt a progression of changing/beating genetics and strengthen your back. Beat the odds! Stop using your back as an excuse not to squat and deadlift and start busting ass!”
So that’s what I did…..I started with good mornings and hyperextensions, then moved to light squats and deadlifts and the strength started coming right along. Little did I know that the strength gains would be throughout my body, just because of those two lifts. A year later, I don’t know what I would do without either of them. I look forward to squat days and deadlift days, whereas I used to despise them.
Two and a half months ago, I became as strong as I’ve ever been and that’s when I discovered DC Training. I felt I knew my body very well and started reading everything I could on DC. After 2 weeks of studying, I started DC and have loved every minute of it. I have progressed in all my lifts and have only switched out 2 exercises the past 8 weeks. You ever beat the log book and wonder if you cheated somehow on the lift because of the progress you’ve made? Great isn’t it!?
Well, remember how genetically f-ed up I am in my lower back. The stronger I get, the more prevalent are lower back problems. I’ve had BBers watch my form and I’ve read and studied and everything else to make sure my form is good, but problems continue. Well, Monday, I overdid it. I bumped up my deadlift 10 pounds on my first set due to hitting 9 reps on my last workout. I completed 8 reps, which was great! On rep 6 though, is when I felt it. Something gave and later than night, I could hardly move and trying to sleep was excruciating. I had to lie out of work yesterday because the pain of sitting was unbearable. I am still in pain today, but it’s somewhat tolerable, so I’m back at work. All the aleve and ibuprofen in the world is barely a relieve.
Every once and awhile, I have a spout with my lower back and this is by far the worst ever. I’ve decided that I’ve got to do something or I’m going to end up like the other men in my family. So this is where I’d like some input. Man, do deadlifts and I get along so well, but – I’m wondering if I should get rid of them. Flat BB bench is dangerous for some people, the same could be for DL and I, right? Will my strength and size gains continue is if replace them? Suppose I just knocked the weight back and continued to do them – but then I wouldn’t be recruiting muscle fibers as effectively, would that actually hinder my routine or be wasting time? Suppose I supplemented my routine with them, but then would I be overworking my back? There are several back thickness exercises I can do and I’m sure I would have to rotate DL’s out someday anyways – but suppose I do layoff them and then come back to them later and the ultimate injury occurs!? I don’t want to take that chance.
This is the way I feel: DL’s are King and I don’t want to let them go, but it’s evident that something has to be done……only “What?” is the question. In all honesty, with only personal goals at risk with lifting and not with BBing, I should prolly replace them and not risk injury. I just really, really, don’t want to give them up.
Hello rows!
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