Lifting weights has a long list of advantages, but one of the greatest drawbacks is that you might end up with back problems
Lifting weights has a long list of advantages, but one of the greatest drawbacks is that you might end up with back problems, either doing it in an inappropriate way or going too hard. There is another element in strength training routines, according to a chiropractor, which can also jeopardize your back: the number of reps that you're performing in the session.
"Sometimes the amount of weight you lift can be problematic for a back injury, but the other factor that matters is how long the body is under that stress," says Kirstie Griffiths, DC, a chiropractor, and yoga teacher who teaches yoga programs that help with a backache. "The body starts to get exhausted when you go through a lot of exercises, and certain people get to a point that they can feel that their form starts to come out of alignment." This is an indication that the exercise should cease. Otherwise, you may get hurt in your back (among other parts of your body.
According to Dr. Griffiths, the ideal strength training workout should follow a "descending pyramid," which means that near the beginning of the workout you are doing the highest amount of reps — when your body is the strongest — and then working from there down. The exact opposite is achieved by a standard workout: you appear to start with a smaller number of reps, then work your way up and do the most at the end. "If you can't maintain a healthy place [in the exercise], you'll face more of an injury chance," she says. "But at the very beginning of your workout, you are the best because your muscles have not yet fatigued."
You know the sensation in your workout finisher after getting through those last kettlebell squats? Your legs are frail and shaky, your arms feel like a zillion pounds, and it's harder to keep your chest going up and down with each and every rep. All this boils down to the value of the shape, which is becoming increasingly difficult to retain as all the muscles hit their limits. "If you do a lot of reps in a row, especially towards the end of a workout, as you get closer to the end number, things get riskier," Dr. Griffiths says.
Switch up your strength workouts to keep your spine as healthy and happy as possible, and knock out those high-rep sets near the beginning of your sesh. Not only will your back be safer in the downward structure of the pyramid, but you'll probably crash your workout as you get the harder lifting out of the way first.
Try this kettlebell workout at home to work on lower body strength and glute strength:
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