Why Are My Leg Workouts Making Me Ill ?

[melteye]

I have a bit of a problem with leg day. Due to my small frame and lack of any "padding" whatsoever performing squats causes one of my upper vertabrae to become extremely sore and swell (to the point of causing audible pain when touched lightly), and this happens when only doing 180. I usually do 3x12 and was wondering if there was anything more effective, as they are hard to do but I no longer almost vomit after I miss that feeling.

I also dislike deadlifts, I don't know if I'm keeping my back straight enough and my legs are never sore afterwards. One day I used a machine for my hamstrings and I was sore for 6 days, I want that feeling with free weights.

I also have NEVER had my glute's sore... I really need advice on making it painful.

[Timbers]

I also have NEVER had my glute's sore... I really need advice on making it painful

Are you squating low enough?

[melteye]

Probably not. I'll head over to exrx.net and see how low I'm suppose to be going.

By the look of it I'm doing it correctly. I go down until my thighs are parallel to the floor. Should I adjust my routine to full squats, or do the risks outweigh the benefits.

[D'Antony]

My soreness usually doesn't come from performing squats. I'm sort of leary about doing squats myself because of a bad lower back. I don't know if I can take a lot of weight. I've never actually tried. Just afraid it would put extra strain on my lower back. Whenever I do squats I never go passed 180 pounds. I don't want to miss out on the benefits by not doing this exercise at all. I keep hearing that squats are the best excercise that you can do to get great leg mass. And I want to pack on more mass to my legs. Any suggestions?
P.S. by the way, melteye, try hyperextensions with a weighted plate (I usually go for a 25lb or 35 lb weight plate). Those work on lower back and glutes...and have made my glutes sore when i've used the weighted plate.

[TsiTalon]

soreness doesnt always equal progress. You dont HAVE to be sore after every single workout. If you arent getting sore from deads ever then your either doing them wromg or not enought weight. You want big legs its all about the Dead and Squats !

[D'Antony]

I'm aware of that...but because of my weak lower back(which gives me problems from time to time), I'm very apprehensive about doing deadlifts. I heard that if you have a bad back, deads will do more harm than good, although good for a normal back.
I'll do squats but try not to use very heavy weight. Although I can handle heavy weight, I'm not so sure my back can handle it. Do you guys think I should give it a try and get over my being so cautious? And what about deads? Should I do them using very light weight? And if so, will that benefit me?

[D'Antony]

OH, and one more thing.....I know that there are various types of deadlifts...which one, if any, would be better for me and my weak lower back? I don't want to miss the benefits that deadlifts (and squats) give. I want mass and it seems as if those 2 excercises are the ones that will pack on leg mass.

[TsiTalon]

in my option if your back doesnt physically hurt you right now then do them. Start off with really light weight or even just the bar (44.3 lbs) and work your way up slowly. This way you can build you back as you build up the weights.

[D'Antony]

Cool...
Which deadlift excercise is the best(meaning which one is the least taxing on lower back but still beneficial in getting hamstring mass and stronger lower back?)
I really want to do this excercise because I want to my legs to greatly increase in mass.

[BBnow]

i always puke on leg day. its a good thing to me.

your exerting alot of force in your abdomen area

[D'Antony]

And you know what other factor that might have caused me to feel sick...The weight room was unusually warm...in fact it was hot in there. I believe that contributed to my nausea.

[mustang GT]

Originally Posted by D'Antony

Cool...
Which deadlift excercise is the best(meaning which one is the least taxing on lower back but still beneficial in getting hamstring mass and stronger lower back?)
I really want to do this excercise because I want to my legs to greatly increase in mass.

The straight-back straight-leg deadlift would be best for that IMO.

[D'Antony]

cool...I started doing those today..they're great. I didn't use heavy weight. I started out using the bar, then I put 25 lb weights on both sides and did a set, then I added 10 lbs and did one more set.
Leg workout was GREAT. I modified my leg workout since I was told that I was doing too much. Here is what I did:
Deadlifts x3
Squats x4
Walking Lunges x3(20 strides each set)
Leg extensions and Leg curls (superset...x3).
I'm going to do 2 calf excercises tomorrow on my cardio day. How's that for a workout?

[D'Antony]

Hey guys....Just wanted to give y'all the latest on my workout. It was awesome!! As you've seen in my last post, I modified my workout. I am very sore(which to me, that's a good thing). I really love my squats. I don't go too heavy as of yet in the fear of seriously injuring my weak lower back....which gives me trouble from time to time. So I really have to be careful.
Here is my plan of attack for squats:

set 1: 90 lbs warmup
set 2: 140 lbs
set 3: 160 lbs
set 4: 180 lbs
set 5: 170 lbs

I would like feedback from you guys about this....i know this is very low weight to most of you guys, but keep in mind, i DO have a bad lower back.
Eventually my goal is to add size and strength to my legs. I hope to hear some type fo feeback from y'all. Thanks.
D'Antony

[Merrida]

This is a bit of an unfair question. To state that you have a "weak back" and then ask which form of deadlifting would be "okay" for you to do, is kind of like talking to your doctor over the phone and saying, "I have chest pains,....is it indigestion or a heart attack?"

A "weak back" can be caused by many things. Even saying you have a "blown disk"...misused terms, words that get thrown around without understanding what they mean, the term "oh my aching sacroilliac," (which used to be a one-for-all way to say your back hurt), even saying you suffer from "lumbago,".... that provides no information.

Even a "herniated disk." Well, to what degree, in what direction,....lateral herniation, anterior, posterior, is there any nerve root compression,....and then believe it or not, what may be a contributing factor is that nagging headache or your pedal foundation,....things you think couldn't possibly be related,.... all to your "bad back."

I also have a "bad back," .... and I do deadlifts and move thousands of pounds of weight every single day,....but I can't carry boxes up and down stairs, and have tweaked my back moving an ironing board.

It isn't so much THAT you have a backache, as WHY you do.... specifically....and those are the things that will help you design a proper, AND SAFE, exercise program.