Best upper body workout (abs, pecs, arms) for someone with a bad back...?
Question:
Answers that are not wanted or helpful:
Go to the doctor
Talk to a trainer
Talk to a chiropractor
Talk to a nutritionist
Thank You
MJ
Answers:
I also suffer from chronic back pain. I find that when I workout it goes away. But when I don't it comes back. I would tell you all of the 4 things you don't want to hear but you already know them so you got it covered. Don't presume I'm a trainer. Here’s what I do and it has been working for me. Obviously a workout needs to be tailored to the individual, but these exercises may help. If your pain gets worse then stop. I'm not a trainer, but if any of this is valuable to you then I have done my job as a fellow workout guy.
Arms
Lying dumbbell triceps extensions
standing barbell curl
behind head reverse hammers
one-arm preacher curl
Close-grip pushdowns
incline dumbbell curl
Parallel bar dips
hammer curl
Single-arm reverse-grip pushdowns
reverse grip EZ bar
rope push downs
super light dumbbell curls
Chest
Dumbbell Incline Presses,
Pullovers and Presses,
Dumbbell Bench Presses,
Narrow-Grip Bench Presses,
Incline Dumbbell Flyes,
Barbell Incline Presses,
Push-Ups Between Benches,
Cable standing incline flyes
Cable standing decline flyes
Back
Barbell row
Dumbbell Row
Lat Pull Downs
Cable Row
Lower Back Machine
Forearms
lite wide lat pulldowns
Supermans
Shoulders
Lateral Raises
Bent-Over Lateral Raises
No rest front raises
Shrugs
Military Presses
Front Raises
Rotator Cuffs
Superlight lateral raises
On incline bench, with 2 10lbs dumbbells:
1st: Facing forward bring dumbbells up from sides to parallel to ground palms inward, slow repeat for ten reps.
2nd: Facing bench bring dumbbells up from sides backwards as far as you can palms inward, slow repeat for ten reps.
3rd: Stand up with dumbbells and do 10 lateral raises.
4th: Back in position 2, raise arms so they are forward, palms inward, arms bent in a semi bear hug position and parallel to ground. Bring to sides and back to center for 10 reps. I usually do 5 lbs here because this exercise is hard.
Do this set three times with out rest. The third set I change to all 5 lb movements. All of this is slow pace, like 1 second up and one second down.
Legs
Squats
Leg Extentions
Leg Curls
Adductors
Abductors
Calf Lifts
Glute Machine
Leg lifts
I also do 100 crunches per night.
My idea is to hit a variety of ranges and movements in order to work the muscle to the maximum. I tend to use a weight I can do for 10 reps and for 25 reps on the last two movements. Apart from this I do 20 minutes or Cardio every day and stretch before and after the workout, as well as frequently during. Stretching is very important to muscular growth because not only does it help prevent injury and alleviate recovery pain, but it also stretches out the fascia tissue that surrounds the muscle and inhibits its growth. When you are pumped and you stretch is when you get the best stretch of the fascia. Lastly rest and nutrition are every bit as important as the workout itself. Eating enough protein for the muscle to recover and grow as well as enough carbohydrates to replenish diminished glycogen stores in the muscles and liver is vital for repair and being ready for the next time you tax those muscles.
pullups, bench press, pullups with the bar behind u, tricep curl,
i don't know the names of these
lay on the bench with a dumbell in each hand and both ur amrs outstreched perpendicular to ur body like a wing and bring them up making em touch. great.
in the gym, u use that machine with each arm on that vertical pressing thing and u bring both of them close to each other.
bicep curl- palms facing upwards.
bicep curl- palms facing each other or pointed inwards
forearm- dumbell in ur fingers, now open and close ur fingers making them do the work of lifting the dumbell.
in the gym- a rowing machine.
tricep curl- on a bench, dumbell in each hand, palms facing each other, bend ur hand to a 90 degree and starighten them again.
might be an obvious answer, but maybe find lifts that you can do that don't hurt your back. experiment with incline, decline, and flat benches, butterfly lifts, leg lifts, curl while sitting, wall sits, anything that you can do that doesn't hurt. also maybe try wearing a back supporting belt or some kind of brace. i have spinal scoliosis and it causes a problem when i lift sometimes, not pretending like my pain is anywhere near as bad as yours, but i mean sometimes it messes with my routine and i just gotta skip a few lifts.
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