Finally back on the deads after about 6 weeks off due to injuring my knee in the bastard half marathon... which is ace... unfortunately last week my lower back was absolutely fried for about three days after pulling and the same this week, I did 5x3 (deliberately keeping the volume down as I was concerned about my back) last night and yet today I can barely bend over, I look like a geriatric.

I suspect (well, it's pretty obvious) that my legs and particularly glutes will be weaker for the layoff which means I'm probably using the low back to do more work than it really should so will be hitting the RDLs in a big way to try and correct that, but I also think that some direct lower back work might be a good move; what do you lot recommend?

To complicate things my gym has no back extension station, and nothing remotely remembered a step that I could lower myself onto when doing GHRs in the lat pulldown machine, so I'm going to have to get a bit creative. All suggestions gratefully received.

A Preacher Curl bench allows you to hypers whilst holding onto a plate. Just make the eccentric phase 3-4secs and reps between 8-12.

health4ni wrote:A Preacher Curl bench allows you to hypers whilst holding onto a plate. Just make the eccentric phase 3-4secs and reps between 8-12.

Genius, I'll defo give that a crack. Which way round do you lean over the thing? I can't visualise it offhand.

Your thighs/hips lean on the main pad that is at the 45 degrees angle, and then you bend forward towards the seat. The one in my gym has a metal bar underneath where the bar rests and this can be used to stand on for shorties like me.

health4ni wrote:Your thighs/hips lean on the main pad that is at the 45 degrees angle, and then you bend forward towards the seat. The one in my gym has a metal bar underneath where the bar rests and this can be used to stand on for shorties like me.

I'm with you now, the other way round in my gym would involve me repeatedly banging my head against the mirror so I'm glad you gave that answer...

I would do reverse hypers as well as regular hypers.

Matt wrote:I would do reverse hypers as well as regular hypers.

Need a reverse hyper machine for that though... I could do them straddling a Swiss ball I suppose, but I'm not sure I can bring myself to sink that low.

You don't need a reverse hyper machine, I use a incline bench set at 45 ish, with 3 10kg plates under the stand towards the head rest with a weight inbetween my legs.

Deads off of blocks or Rack so you eliminate any leg drive.

Matt wrote:You don't need a reverse hyper machine, I use a incline bench set at 45 ish, with 3 10kg plates under the stand towards the head rest with a weight inbetween my legs.

How much weight though?

Tough to hold much more than a 30kg DB in between your feet, plus you really need to separate the legs at the end of the ROM on a R/H

The exercise that has worked best for me is good mornings.

Tall wrote:

Matt wrote:You don't need a reverse hyper machine, I use a incline bench set at 45 ish, with 3 10kg plates under the stand towards the head rest with a weight inbetween my legs.

How much weight though?

Tough to hold much more than a 30kg DB in between your feet, plus you really need to separate the legs at the end of the ROM on a R/H

I managed (after some work) to set up the cable machine to go around my ankles.