Starting To Workout Again

[TheHerbMan]

Well, I started working out again about 2 weeks ago. Now, my back is tweaked. It actually tweaked out on my during one of my shifts. My boss says it was because my back isn't used to the pressure I've been putting on it while working out and while I was doing my leg exercises I probably put too much pressure on it in result getting back spasms.

What's everyone's opinions on this?

Note: It's been at least 3 years since I've seriously worked out.

 

[hunysukle]

That's great that you have started working out again. Since you mentioned you haven't worked out for 3 years, you will have to start out slowly and work your way up to heavy lifting. You might want to look into joining your local gym and getting a couple of sessions with a personal trainer. Good luck!

 

[Luvkenny]

Is your back sore or tweaked? You could be using muscles that you have not in a long time and that causes soreness. I would join the local gym and get a trainer too. They will show you the "right way" to use the equipment and set you up with a routine.

 

[mudrock]

Good that you are working out but if your back is hurting you should take a break from exercises such as deadlifts etc. Make sure you have good posture when sitting down in chairs at work because that can also affect your back. I haven't really had any back issues but also make sure you are stretching before any type of exercise.

 

[freshfoodie]

It is most likely that your posture while lifting and doing other exercises wasn't good. Just remember the saying, lift with your knees and not your back. Most people who have not lifted in awhile tend to forget that one and that's how they end up hurt.

 

[josh0322]

I'm sorry that you tweaked your back while working out. That is no good at all. I hope you have a speedy and painless recovery. I often fear I will injure myself when I'm training for a particular race or event. I have to make sure that I don't push myself too hard before the event. Once I sprained an ankle about 5 days before a 5k race. Needless to say I didn't run that race!

 

[paulgreyman]

I agree with your boss, you putting too much of a load on your back. I remember I did that at work, doctor told me to slow down with the weight. My back spasms lasted for a couple months.

 

[TheHerbMan]

Thanks all for the advice. I will definitely consider it regarding my workouts. I have decided to not continue my workout routine for at least a week to ensure myself that I don't make my back anymore susceptible to injury than the state it's currently in.

 

[dissn_it]

If your back isn't getting much better after a week you may have a pinched nerve. I did this years ago and occasionally tweek it out. The best thing I have found to do when this happens is to carefully do exercises that stregthen the core muscles. All the best with your recovery.

 

[Waynefire]

You may have started to work out to quickly. You may have tweaked it from the increase of pressure on your back. However, you may also have caused some type of herniation which would be even worse. You may want to relax and start off slowly!

 

[chabella]

It is very easy to tweak something when you are not used to it. I have been working out for over a year now and I still do a random push too hard that results in taking a few days off. Most times its behind my knee though.

 

[lettuce]

It's always recommended that you start slow when beginning any exercise routine, especially if you are out of shape or are new to working out. It can be easy to over-train even if you are experienced, however. Always be aware of your limits.

 

[Sugarhill]

What type of leg exercises were you doing? That may be more of the culprit than the amount of weight you were trying to lift? Most leg exercises are of no use to you and should be avoided. Only do exercises that will benefit you in a practical way in your every day life, like squats, step ups, lunges, and deadlifts.

The leg press, leg extension and leg curls are not things that you should have as part of your routine.

 

[artistry]

I hope that you are feeling better at this time. Since it has been so long since you worked out, you should ease into it. Slowly but surely is the best way to go, a few minutes at first, then a little more until you get to the time you want to devote to your workouts. Always do the necessary stretching before you start, and with all this, you should be fine.
Good luck.

 

[pb&bananas]

If you were experiencing back spasms, you probably pulled a muscle. In that case, I would let your back heal, refrain from working out or heavy lifting until the pain is gone, and then start back again slowly. If you haven't worked out consistently for the last 3 years, your back is weak from under use and will need to be strengthened slowly. Why not start out with some non-weighted back strengthening exercises?

 

[shaunche]

You need to ease yourself in gradually after such a long break from training. Your form might be off, it takes time to groove proper form and become an automatic part of your muscle memory. You need someone to evaluate your form to prevent any further issues.

 

[Ja'cobeC]

That is true dude, you have to take it really slow. Don't lift too much weight well starting off btw. If you dont it will keep doing that or get worst.

 

[Randomhero]

Were you doing any back squats with heavy weights? If your lifting heavy I'd recommend a lifting belt as well to help isolate the spine and prevent lower back injury. I use it myself when deadlifting or back squatting.

Dont feel bad if you have to lower the weight to get proper form as your getting back into the groove of things. I'd rather have someone working out with just a Olympic bar and focusing on proper form then trying to lift with 2-4 plates on it in poor form.

 

[Ankh]

Me too.
I've been trying to work out, but its very hard because I have
a really bad heart problem. I would like to get down to 110, but at this point that seems to be wishful thinking.

 

[dashboardc33]

It could just be a strained or pulled muscle since you have not worked out in a while. When I do not exercise, I will be really sore the next day because of it. I would suggest not working out too hard and slowly work up to the level that you would like to be at.