Back pain programming

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

BBM,

I recently tweaked my back and I would greatly appreciate some advice on how to structure my training. I just finished the 5th week of the powerlifting template in preparation for my first meet. I tweaked by back during banded deadlifts on the fourth week of the template. Immediately following the incident, and the day after I had egregious pain and through following many of your strategies on pain management, most of the pain has subsided. Prior to the incident my best deadlift was 340lbs x5 @9 and currently I expirience discomfort/pain when pulling 240lbs. My squat was bothersome a few days after the incident, but currently I have no issues squatting and benching. How would you reccomend structuring the template with this issue? When deadlifting, should I just work up to a weight I can manage relatively pain free for 3-5 sets of 5 at a low intensity untill I feel somewhat back to “normal”? I am 21 years old, 6 feet tall, 31 inch waist, 190 lbs. Squat is 295x5, bench is 210 x5, deadlift is 340 x5. The programmed pendlay rows are also bothersome by the way. Thanks for your time.

2

Sorry to hear about this, Z.

While I’m thinking you may not have to do anything given your pain free squat and bench, you may need to use a lighter load on pulls- either increasing the tempo, rep scheme, or both- and gradually return to normal training.

Some additional info:

https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog…ining-what-do/

-Jordan

1 Like
3

Dr Feigenbaum,

Would you reccomed that I continue the template as perscribed for the movements I can perform and just use the programmed deadlifts and pendlay rows as a means to work my way back up to my previous numbers?

4

If you can do the programmed movements with higher rep ranges, e.g. 12’s for 2 weeks, 10’s for 2 weeks, 8’s for 2 weeks, then 6’s for 2 weeks- that’d be what I do to get back to regular training.

5

Dr Feigenbaum,

Thank you for your advice, I’ll give that a go.