Greetings!

[levendis]

Hello! I'm new here. I've been reading through past entries - you guys are awesome. Seriously, thumbs way up.

I'm also new to the world of lifting heavy things on my own time, though I'm in my fifth (sixth? Time flies, damn) year of getting paid for it. I'm an expo at a mid-sized restaurant, which means anything from carrying three hot drippy plates of lamb shank, flipping over giant mixing bowls of bread dough, lugging around buckets of soup, lugging around buckets of soup with no lids (fluid dynamics: I once found myself drenched in organ meat stock), carrying tables, carrying boxes of beer/wine, carrying multiple boxes of beer to the bar RIGHT NOW hurry up and don't drop them, ice buckets with no handles, stacks of plates up steps, pushing a half-broken cart of liquor over gravel, and one-handing everything from a pan of rolls to a tray of drinks over my head because I'm short and the only free air-space is at six feet.

So, I've gotten reasonably strong, and I love it. Both just the, heck yeah, I can pick this up! And also the looks I get from people when they see a 5"2 girl swinging around a cast-iron table. But until recently, I assumed I shouldn't do strength-training, because then I'd be all busted up when I needed my body to do stuff.

Sorry, this post is endless. Here we go. I recently figured out that if I have a three- or four-day weekend, I get out of the heavy-things habit. I've started looking into functional fitness, and kettlebells (too pricy: I'm waiting for flea market season), and I've been adding body-weight exercises to my routine. Lemme tell you, I feel a heckuva lot better after a long shift. Still brain-dead, but physically fine.

My big problem is my lower back. I'm pretty sure this is from carrying plates and trays: proper foodrunning/bussing form means the load-bearing arm is held like you're halfway through a curl, forearm parallel to the floor, everything you're holding kept as far from your body as possible (then walk fifty paces, and smile, and don't use the pad of your thumb as an anchor, and don't spill the martinis, and ignore how hot the plates are). Aside from general core exercises, which you can also tell me about bc I am a total newb, is there something I can do to strenghten all the muscle-stuff that happens between my shoulder and butt? Does it make more sense to work out the stuff that hurts, or should I focus on improving my arms so I rely on the hurty parts less? Any advice is greatly appreciated.


And again, you guys are so cool, I'm so happy this place exists. The human body is capable of some amazing things, and this is like, hey, you can be a geek AND enjoy your physicality, no matter the level of your ability. Love it.

Comments

[yvi]

The classic lower back exercise is deadlifts. If you don't have a barbell or dumbbells, lifting heavy stuff in the same position probably won't hurt. Hyperextensions also work the lower back, and you only need some kind of bench for that.

As for core, planks all the way :) They suck, but I at least feel great afterwards.

[levendis]

I like planks! And I am googling hyperextensions right now. Hey, oh, the name makes it sound like some form of torture but that seems like an enjoyably hurty stretch. Ty.

[resolute]

Planks! Planks are of the devil. :)
Deadlifts! Which, is you don't have a barbell, can be done with dumbbells or kettlebells or really heavy boxes.
Squats. Keep good form on the squats, and lift heavy things, and your back cannot help but get stronger.
Bridges. Convict Conditioning (which is a book) has a great section on the progressive bridge, and how you can get a back like steel cables using just your own body.

In fact, if you buy Convict Conditioning, you get probably the best body-weight-only progressive exercise system out there.

If you want to buy a second book, and you have access to a gym with barbells, I also highly recommend Starting Strength.

[levendis]

Squats-while-holding-things is def on my list of stuff to try, since the basic movement is something I did before I knew it was a Thing (I'm not sure how else to get to the ground).

I've never even heard of bridges! See, this place is great. I am for anything that lets me say the word 'glutes' because I am eight years old. HA HA, BUTTS.

Thanks for the book recs, the convict one in particular sounds right up my alley. I'm wary of fitness books, since most of my experiences involve flipping through the first chapter and going 'nope', but it's entirely possible I'm just picking up the wrong things.

[rydra_wong]

Seconding the planks rec, and also hyperextensions.

You don't even need a bench for hyperextensions if you've got an exercise ball or something else comfy (the back of a sofa?) that you can lie over with your feet wedged under something else.

Does it make more sense to work out the stuff that hurts

IMHO, it definitely makes sense to work on back strength; you can never have too much, it provides a really good basis for functional fitness, and it'll help keep work stuff from hurting you.

Even if your arms get stronger, you still need a strong back because all the structural stresses are running through it to the ground.

this is like, hey, you can be a geek AND enjoy your physicality, no matter the level of your ability.

Exactly! Isn't it great? *g*

[levendis]

About hyperextensions: how important is the bench/whatever height? Will I screw myself up worse if it's too low or high? Obvs it shouldn't be so high I need to pole vault, but.

I think what I needed was affirmation that I'm not gonna, idk, snap in half if I do back-stuff. Not that I really thought I would, but part of me was nervous. So ty for that.

[rydra_wong]

how important is the bench/whatever height? Will I screw myself up worse if it's too low or high?

I am not any kind of expert, but in my experience, as long as it's high enough that you can get a decent range of motion in your back, and you're comfortable, the exact height doesn't seem to matter.

Stumptuous (you've found Stumptuous, right?) has hyperextension pictures which show the equipment you're trying to copy:

http://www.stumptuous.com/good-mornings-and-back-hyperextensions

I think what I needed was affirmation that I'm not gonna, idk, snap in half if I do back-stuff.

Nope! Especially not if you start off with the bodyweight stuff like planks and hyperextensions, where it's very hard to injure yourself.

If you get into weighted exercises like squats and deadlifts, particularly with heavy weights, you need correct form (and the body awareness to know when your back's starting to round) or you can strain your back. And it can be scary to know that you're moving a lot of weight with your spine.

But IMHO it's better to do the exercises correctly and build up back strength than avoid them and then strain your back doing everyday activities. *g*

[faesdeynia]

I avoided hyperextensions because I couldn't figure out how to do them at home. . . and I can't believe I didn't think of draping myself over the arm of the couch. Thank you so much, you have no idea.

[rydra_wong]

*beams*

I seem to have a bad habit of turning my furniture into an improvised gym (most recently, I found myself trying to use my desk for assisted pistols).

[lyorn]

Hi! *waves*

Does it make more sense to work out the stuff that hurts, or should I focus on improving my arms so I rely on the hurty parts less?

Your arms are the levers by which the loading hurts your back. No matter how strong your arms, its your back/core that stands between gravity and the load you carry.

I had nasty back issues, and got a four-exercises program wich worked like a charm. Hyperextensions were part of it. I lean forward on something stable (and padded) that is below hip-bone height, tuck my feet under something even more stable. Too high, I can't go down without rounding my lower back, too low and I feel that my knees are trying to bend the wrong way. Prone cobras also work the back.

For the shoulders and upper back:
#1 Wrap a resistance band around something as high as your shoulders, face it, grab each loose end with one hand and spread your straight arms until you form a cross.
#2 Next, put the band over head high, stand about a foot apart from it, draw the ends *down* in front of you and then straighten your elbows so that your hands end up pointing outward and down.

Lower again: Finally, elbow height, stand sideways, grab the ends, elbows locked to your side, and twist away. (I did all these on a cable machine, but a resistance band and a bannister work just as well.)

Ab work is important, too. Planks, of course, maybe some Pilates type exercises. Be careful of your lower spine.

[levendis]

PRONE COBRAS. I love exercise names.

I was all set to get miffed at my lack of sturdy pole, then remembered I had some spare hooks and drywall anchors. Handylady to the rescue. I think I'll have to work on technique so I'm not feeling it just in my arms/legs, but nice, thank you for the detailed directions.

[lyorn]

I think I'll have to work on technique so I'm not feeling it just in my arms/legs,

For the shoulder exercises, draw your shoulder blades together as if you wanted to stuff them into the back pocket of your jeans. :-)

[rydra_wong]

PRONE COBRAS. I love exercise names.

.... heeey, have you heard of Turkish get-ups? *g*

(I admit it, TGUs are my answer to everything. I think it's becoming a standing joke around here.)

[faesdeynia]

I pretty much have to agree with everything here - arm strength is good, but arms are but a small portion of the overall strength equation. Having strong legs/back and using them as much as possible will keep you from overworking your arms, and body mechanics is a HUGE thing in my occupation (nursing).

My recommendations are the usual Big Three (Squat, Deadlift, and Bench Press) along with Overhead Press, Rows (any variety you like, I do barbell rows cause I have a barbell), and pullups/chinups. Ab work is always nice, but no need to go all Abs of Steel; your abs hold you upright, all day, every day, and as far as muscles go, are already quite developed on most people. It's just that most of us have a bit extra. . . subcutaneous tissue over top of them XD

[levendis]

Nurses: how do you do it? I've been impressed and charmed by every nurse I've met. Doctors, not so much. Oh well.

I'm trying to get better about lifting with my legs, but yeah, I should make a concerted effort to get better. Gam health, okay.