One huge issue that most of us deal with is low back pain. In fact, it can be said that the lumbar region is the most-often injured part of the body. When someone tells me they have pain there, it is called 'presenting', as in, my back hurts in this area, what can you tell me? A super basic rule of thumb is to remember that almost all pain or discomfort issues derive from an area above or below said area. That means, when your back locked up while tying your shoe, it wasn't the laces that caused the problem; it was years of bad mechanics that decided to protest at this very moment!
An easy way to understand the situation is to think of the vertebra as smooth rocks stacked upon one another. These are special rocks though, because between each one is a tasty jelly-filled donut! Awesomesauce!! These donuts are there to keep the rocks from rubbing on each other. But if you are one of those who always round their back while sitting and think that doing crunches for the abzzz is the way to mistaken!
We are given a certain amount of crunches, or how many times we can flex the spine, before something gives. That something is a one-way ticket to Fatsotown when you can't do anything but lay on the couch and eat Ring Dings. When you have chronic back pain a few things are happening; your abdominal wall is weakened and therefore you look kinda fat (fluffy is more PC though) and your glutes are ,without a doubt, not firing properly. I have suffered from both. Not a sexy look, promise.
It can be said that we suffer from anterior tilt in this situation. In fact, the majority of us do. I was able to squat 455x8, and regularly (and easily) crushed 315-365 for 8 to 12 reps. While my confidence, and ego to a degree, soared, my body started to protest. Constant back pain and overall fatigue had me evaluating just what the hell I was doing.
With age comes wisdom. And like the next guy, I thought I was invincible and would lift big weights forever. Wrong. My mindset changed, mainly because my wonderful late mother one time asked me, if lifting those heavy weights are so enjoyable, then why do you always tell me how sore and tired you are? Voila. That was a huge moment, and something that stuck in my head for many years. Us guys lift heavy weights to be attractive to the ladiezzz, so let's just state the obvious. While we may also do it for a release or for a sport, it's really all about the sexification so we can hook up. But as the saying goes, if you do what you've always done you will always get what you've gotten. That means, if you look like you're lugging a sack of potatoes around your waist or walk like an hunchback maybe it's time to rethink yourself.
Sooooo...I did just that. After years of just trying to get over the mental macho bullshit, I decided that it was smarter in the long run to feel not as sore and tired. Plus, tying my shoes didn't need to involve me holding my breath because of my muffin top. Is that one word or two? Anyone? I decided that it was quality over quantity. No more heavy squats that threatened to fold me like a ladder, no more potential spine-snapping deadlifts, and no more 1000 pound leg presses. And PS, mine weren't the quarter rep crap, but rather the deep, I-hope-I-can-push-this-heavy-shit-off-me variety. Just sayin'...
My heaviest weight was 238 and boy, did I look like a bald marshmallow. Strong as all get out but unflexible and in constant back pain. The pictures from just three years ago told me all I needed to see; a typical wannabe bodybuilder who obviously had mastered the offseason diet. Tight cutoff t-shirt for showing the gunzz? Check. Water jug so I could hydrate my already waterlogged fat ass? Yes. Pound of fatty beef with three large potatoes,topped with mayo, ketchup and mustard? Sure. Daily.
When you are ego-driven you are essentially asking for societal acceptance, whether it's by dressing in the latest fashions, going to the hippest clubs or lifting heavy weights and looking sloppy. There are diffrences in those three examples, sure, yet they mean the same to me: being unhappy. Pushing or pulling more weight than the next guy may fluff my feathers, but only for a minute. The end result is, how do I look and feel about me?
Tell you more later...
No comments:
Post a Comment