Buttock or biceps soreness after a hard workout can be a little satisfying, the sign of a workout done right. But there's nothing rewarding about a stiff, sore back.
If you wake up the morning after a workout with back pain, check to see if you've made any mistakes in your exercises. And if so, learn to fix your technique.
mistakes that cause back pain
There are some habits that we perform in training that can cause back pain. Below we analyze the main mistakes made by athletes, both beginners and experienced.
You lean too far back or forward
There's a reason trainers prioritize posture over weight and repetitions when strength training: bending your spine too far back (overextend) or too far forward (overflexion) when trying to lift heavier weights puts you in jeopardy. risk of back pain or injury.
When you lift a weight overhead or pick something up off the ground, you want your spine to be in neutral alignment, somewhere between arching and rounding.
It's generally common to see excessive rounding during forward bending exercises (such as deadlifts) and excessive arching during overhead lifts (such as an overhead press), so these are good exercises for closely monitor the posture.
To avoid this problem, focus on tuck the pelvis down (the opposite movement of arching the lower back) and keep the ribcage in line with the rest of the body (draw the two front sides together).
You can also work on these mechanisms while on the ground to make it a habit during strength training. Exercises like dead bugs or planks are a good place to start to strengthen your core and hone your alignment.
You use momentum to lift
Although it can be tempting to grab heavy dumbbells right off the bat, choose a pair that is comfortably challenging to start with. Picking up weights that are too heavy for you can make you dependent on momentum, making your exercises ineffective and creating back pain.
This happens quite often with the biceps curls. If you grab a weight that's too heavy, it's common to swing the dumbbell, since the biceps aren't strong enough on their own. This movement can put stress on the lower back, causing stiffness or pain.
You should choose a weight that you can comfortably control without using excessive momentum. You can also check yourself in the mirror to make sure you're not compensating for the heavy weight by swinging, arching, or overextending your lower back. And when necessary, lower the weight on subsequent sets or reduce the total reps per exercise.
you skip the warm up
Before doing strength or cardio, starting with a well-designed warm-up routine is absolutely essential if you want to keep your back pain-free. Performing dynamic warm-up exercises helps increase the temperature and flexibility of the muscles, which helps prevent injuries during training.
A warm-up routine should include some element of mobility, focused on opening the hips, upper back and shoulders. Immediately after, he continues with some kind of work of stabilization, specifically focused on activating the glutes, core back muscles, obliques, and shoulders in both the forward and backward directions.
To keep your back injury-free, start each workout with a warm-up of at least 3-5 minutes. Focus on dynamic mobility exercises, followed by activation or stability movements, such as dead bugs or bird dog.
You do not do unilateral exercises
Also known as unilateral exercises, unilateral strength movements, such as the single-legged deadlift or the one-arm chest press, are challenging but crucial if you want to keep your muscles balanced and injury-free.
Single leg or single arm exercises help train both sides of your body equally, preventing you from using a dominant arm or leg. Additionally, unilateral movements help address muscle imbalances, which can be a potential cause of back pain while exercising.
Try to include one or two unilateral exercises per strength training. Swap your standard hip thrust for a single leg variation. Or try an alternating dumbbell shoulder press instead of a barbell overhead press.
Tips to avoid back pain when training
We all want to know what is the best way to quickly relieve low back pain. At its best, back pain can be frustrating, perhaps exhausting. Fortunately, there are remedies to combat that pain, from exercising to using contrast therapies. The next time we have back pain (or if we are suffering from it now), we should consider the following methods to relieve back pain.
Exercise to relax muscles
Although it may seem counterintuitive, exercising when low back pain is causing pain can help eliminate the discomfort. It is always important to consult your doctor before exercising with pain, it is important not to sit still.
Keep in mind that not all exercise is beneficial to combat back pain. We will try to avoid exercises that touch the toes and abdominals, which can increase stress on the spine instead of relieving it. If the core is not strong, the leg lifts can be too taxing on the body if we are already experiencing pain.
There are several types of exercises that can be useful when we need to relieve back pain. Partial crunches can help strengthen your core without putting too much pressure on the area. Slow, controlled wall-sitting exercises can also be helpful. Other repetitions to consider include bringing each knee to chest in succession, tilting the pelvis, and swimming.
Cold and heat treatments
Another effective method is hot and cold therapy. This remedy is easy and an inexpensive option. Some pain can be relieved with the application of heat or cold. This can include low back pain from common causes, such as spinal stenosis. If we have suffered direct low back pain due to an injury such as a collision, fall or sports injury, therapy could be a solution.
The type of pain we are experiencing should dictate the type of hot or cold therapy. If the pain is acute, we must apply cold and then heat. When the discomfort is chronic or subacute, gentle heat should be applied continuously. If we are trying to relieve pain after exercising, we must apply ice.
stretch more
We can perform stretching exercises to reduce back pain. The yoga stretch known as "Baby Pose" can be helpful in relieving lower back problems, or a knee-to-chest stretch can also help. When we stretch the piriformis muscle, we will be able to reduce tension in the buttock and lower back. Gently rotating your spine while sitting can help increase mobility. Other stretches that may work for you are the "Cat-Cow" stretch, which can strengthen the spine, and the "Sphinx" stretch.
Wear suitable shoes
The shoes we wear can certainly have an impact on the health of the back. In fact, they may be one of the best and most obvious back pain remedies. High heels are known to contribute to creating problems for many people. However, simply wearing flats is not necessarily the answer.
Proper arch support and foot cushioning are vital, and doing so can significantly aid pain management. Getting orthotics is one way to maximize proper mobility and comfort and eliminate back pain.