Low Back Stiffness

BlakKat

BlakKat

Cathlete
I was just curious if anyone else has had low back stiffness more than usual with the new workouts. Granted, I do have back issues due to 2 bulging dics I had a few years ago. Even though they have healed some time ago and I have been back to all of Cathe's intense workouts 6 days a week since then, I noticed my back being more used in the new workouts. I did 3 days in a row (Low Impact HIIT 1, Hiit it Legs, Plyo HIIT 1) so maybe this series is way more intense & 3 days is more than my back was ready for. I am loving this new series so much, I'm anxious to do more but I had to take a few days off due to my lower back being so stiff that it was uncomfortable to move for a few days & I didn't want to aggrevate it more. No pain, it was just like my lower back muscles were so used & the stiffness wrapped around the sides where I felt it when I was standing or walking. The only other time I had the same feeling was after going surfing in Hawaii for the first time for 2 hours. I did some stretching & heating pad and is now better. My husband and I get a little secretly competitive when we work out together & I want to be back up to par when Cathe puts us to the test again this weekend. I loved the ones I have tried so far & I am loving all the reviews - I'm going through serious Cathe withdrawal these past few days!
 
Yes! Sort of low back / waist area - I'm assuming it's all the twisting / reaching /pulling moves. I'm also assuming it's DOMS, rather than back ache for me (if you see what I mean). I'm pretty pleased, as it's an area I could do with targeting. It's the HiiT and circuits which have done it for me. Also my hips and side of the buttocks....again, good news in my case!
 
Hey Blakcat - I have the same issue with my back, too, I think it's all the embedded core/stabilization that is going on in the workout. I'm 18 months from two herniated disks and still rebuilding myself, too. I took a day off and did Low Max and felt fine the next day. We just have to listen to our bodies :)
 
ellenj73 said:
Hey Blakcat - I have the same issue with my back, too, I think it's all the embedded core/stabilization that is going on in the workout. I'm 18 months from two herniated disks and still rebuilding myself, too. I took a day off and did Low Max and felt fine the next day. We just have to listen to our bodies :)
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My back was sensitive too after HiiT Circuit LB on Tuesday, so I am very aware of it during these workouts. Pulling my core in tight during the sensitive moves helped me.
 
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I've noticed my low back area to be sensitive as well. I had done both upper and lower body circuits and then low impact hiit one and two. I thought it would be good to do something less intense so i did supercuts. I was totally fine until the eight rounds of sit up/push ups when I found my back was really sore doing the push ups. Never had that problem before and I don't have any back problems in general. Something about this series must be hitting that area in a totally new way. I'm hoping it is a good thing. [emoji51]


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Hmmm, I'm thinking you may have done too many HiiT's in a row? Our enthusiasms get the better of us! Lol! Three HiiT's in a row maybe a little too much and even though you did a Legs Hiit there were plyo moves in between each weight work. You may want to intersperse them with the weight work to give your lower body which would include your lowerback a break from the intensity and high power moves. Too many HiiT's especially back to back – no pun intended! lol! – maybe just a little too much of a good thing. Food for thought. Also, might be a great idea to check out the User's Guide if you haven't already to give you an idea of safer routines to not stress out your back. :)
 
Justinef said:
Yes! Sort of low back / waist area - I'm assuming it's all the twisting / reaching /pulling moves. I'm also assuming it's DOMS, rather than back ache for me (if you see what I mean). I'm pretty pleased, as it's an area I could do with targeting. It's the HiiT and circuits which have done it for me. Also my hips and side of the buttocks....again, good news in my case!
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I've also had some new tightnesses with these workouts. Like Justine, I've had some DOMS-like low-back soreness, as well as soreness around sort of my outermost glute area. Hip flexors have also been super tight.
One other thing I don't think anyone has mentioned here: my spinal column of nerves feels really tight, so forward folds/rounding feel good but very tight.
 
Hummm... I'm glad to see this thread because I am another one with stiffness/DOMS/soreness in my lower back. I thought maybe I should have tighten my core even more next time I do any of the RWH workouts. I did Low Impact 1 (twice) on Wed., Chest, Shoulders & Triceps on Thursday and Legs yesterday. I guess I should take a rest day today since also my buttocks, hams, quads, and triceps have some serious DOMS. :eek:
 
Justinef said:
Yes! Sort of low back / waist area - I'm assuming it's all the twisting / reaching /pulling moves. I'm also assuming it's DOMS, rather than back ache for me (if you see what I mean). I'm pretty pleased, as it's an area I could do with targeting. It's the HiiT and circuits which have done it for me. Also my hips and side of the buttocks....again, good news in my case!
Click to expand...
I'm experiencing this exact feeling as well. Mostly on right side and that's the side I've had muscular issues with this past 1.5 yrs. I'm going to be more aware of those twisting moves and lowering the weight. Cathe's weight seems ok when doing them but this tightness (that wakes me at night) tells me to lighten up on those moves.
 
Justinef said:
Yes! Sort of low back / waist area - I'm assuming it's all the twisting / reaching /pulling moves. I'm also assuming it's DOMS, rather than back ache for me (if you see what I mean). I'm pretty pleased, as it's an area I could do with targeting. It's the HiiT and circuits which have done it for me. Also my hips and side of the buttocks....again, good news in my case!
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That made me think of work. I work sales floor and get horrible back pain mostly from folding cloths so it is alot of twisting,turning,reaching,slightly bending my back when reaching.
 
maggie101 said:
That made me think of work. I work sales floor and get horrible back pain mostly from folding cloths so it is alot of twisting,turning,reaching,slightly bending my back when reaching.
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Maggie, so sorry to hear that work gives you back pain! That's the pits.
Maybe this is not a helpful thought but... do you do Cathe's kickboxing workouts? The more I do them, the more I find that I can use my mind (or my mind-body connection) to engage my core muscles more and more in the kickboxing work. I wonder if you could train your mind-core muscle connection to take some of the strain off your... ligaments? I have similar feelings about the standing core work (as in RWH bonus abs 1 and Cathe Live Stong Upper Body + Core).
Also, a good chiropractor can do wonders.
Not trying to preach/prescribe, just had that thought...
Hope you're surviving the holiday season! I'd be having daily panic attacks if I worked sales during the holidays, so hats off to you...
Roz
 
I will have to start doing my kb dvds again-soooo many! Since my hours have increased,usually 2-10pm I have not been working out. I did one of the new workouts and also had lower back pain.Luckily my clothes still fit and I still have some strength in me-I broke a pair of sizzors at work!
 
Thank you all for this thread. My lower hip/back soreness (mostly on the left) actually scared me at first. I literally own all of Cathe's DVDs and never had this problem (except for once doing Butts and Gutts a long time ago and I thought that was due to skipping the stretch).

It took four days of no Hiit workouts until I felt better. Then today I did Plyo 2 and Bonus Abs 1. During Abs 1, in the floor move that is similar to oblique twists but with an 8 lb weight, I felt that pain again. I think it must have been that move that did me in, as I haven't even gotten to the circuit workouts yet. At least I feel a LOT better that maybe it was that exercise that caused the pain--or at least irritated it. I'm going to skip that ab routine for now and keep going.

I generally love the series (0nly 1/2 a star off because I don't think the music is as good as the last few series) and want to finish my rotation. I'm just scared at hurting my back/hips. I'm surprised because I really did consider myself in pretty good shape, having finished a third round of STS last month. I wonder why this hip/lower back area is so vulnerable to me.
 
Hi Dawncharlie! I also considered myself to be in pretty good shape thanks to Cathe, so I was bummed when this happened. I did the same thing, I took 3 days off and then when I started back up again I felt hints of the same pain in the same area so I just didn't give the workouts my all. I went to my chiropractor and he said my muscles were really tight that even though I work out all the time, it may just of been too much of a new intensity too much together (I did 3 days in a row). My back did loosen up pretty quickly after that and I've been doing the new workouts, just taking more rests days (2-3 days on & 1-2 days off) until I get used to them. I don't know if this will help anyone else, but I've been doing extra stretching afterwards for my back and I haven't had any problems since.
 
When doing any new workout series the body works a lot harder initially to adapt. It's very normal to need additional rest days in between workouts especially if the DOMS are unbearable at first. After three weeks of putting longer rest in between workouts your body will start getting stronger and require a little less rest. If you're still experiencing some sensitivity then go a little lighter on your deadlifts & weighted squats and on the lift it hit it back shoulders biceps workout, you might want to substitute additional one arm rows in place of the underhand and overhand grip dead row finishers. Stay Strong!

BlakKat said:
I was just curious if anyone else has had low back stiffness more than usual with the new workouts. Granted, I do have back issues due to 2 bulging dics I had a few years ago. Even though they have healed some time ago and I have been back to all of Cathe's intense workouts 6 days a week since then, I noticed my back being more used in the new workouts. I did 3 days in a row (Low Impact HIIT 1, Hiit it Legs, Plyo HIIT 1) so maybe this series is way more intense & 3 days is more than my back was ready for. I am loving this new series so much, I'm anxious to do more but I had to take a few days off due to my lower back being so stiff that it was uncomfortable to move for a few days & I didn't want to aggrevate it more. No pain, it was just like my lower back muscles were so used & the stiffness wrapped around the sides where I felt it when I was standing or walking. The only other time I had the same feeling was after going surfing in Hawaii for the first time for 2 hours. I did some stretching & heating pad and is now better. My husband and I get a little secretly competitive when we work out together & I want to be back up to par when Cathe puts us to the test again this weekend. I loved the ones I have tried so far & I am loving all the reviews - I'm going through serious Cathe withdrawal these past few days!
Click to expand...
 
Yes, I'm feeling sore in my lower back too. I think I'm not stretching as much as I should as I do have a history of back pain. In today's workout I just didn't squat as low and I went lighter on my weights and made sure I held in my tummy. There is a lot of squat type work in these workouts and last year I threw my back out doing line taps just when I was feeling like I am now so I'm very aware. We know our body so just be cognizant and know it's okay to either take extra rest days or allow ourselves to do some less intense workouts is key. I'd rather continue to workout then have to take time off and recoup.
 
Thank you Cathe for your reply! Adding more rest days has really helped and now after doing the new workouts several times each, I do not notice it anymore. By the way, I had a gift certificate for a massage awhile ago - she and also my chiropractor always tells me that I have such great muscle tone - especially in my lower back & he always ask about my workouts!:) You should make a t-shirt "made from Cathe"!
 
Low back pain for me usually means IT band tightness. I usually feel it on the left side more than the right but that is just me. It took me a long time to figure it out since it isn't the most obvious explanation. Now I stop the workout after the warm up and do IT band stretches on the half roller as well as glute stretches with a small ball before I do the workout. I repeat the stretches at the end. I've had to be more consistent with the stretches with the new workouts. I think the speed of the moves puts more demand on the IT bands.

It is worth ruling out IT band problems as the cause of low back pain since it is very easy to resolve. I miss the time when workouts had good stretches after the warm up.
 
Soapmaker said:
Low back pain for me usually means IT band tightness. I usually feel it on the left side more than the right but that is just me. It took me a long time to figure it out since it isn't the most obvious explanation. Now I stop the workout after the warm up and do IT band stretches on the half roller as well as glute stretches with a small ball before I do the workout. I repeat the stretches at the end. I've had to be more consistent with the stretches with the new workouts. I think the speed of the moves puts more demand on the IT bands.

It is worth ruling out IT band problems as the cause of low back pain since it is very easy to resolve. I miss the time when workouts had good stretches after the warm up.
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Same here. I've started doing a mobility training-based warm-up and stretch on top of my workouts recently. I make sure to work and stretch my glutes, IT band, and abductors well. That's made a BIG difference in my hip and lower back pain post-workout. Also, I upped my protein intake a bit...I think eating too little really weakens recovery.
 
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