Switching Exersize

Q

quadancer

New Member
I've been plateauing on leg curls these last two cycles, and I've tried Max Stim for breaking through, and that worked a bit, except it made my workout too much longer, and it's allready at an hour and 20 minutes.
Today I decided to swap the curls with SLDL's, despite my back problems. I started easily, using 185 lbs. this workout, which of course, was easy, but I don't want to be walking like a saddlesore cowboy from starting too high.
Question is, should I keep the curls in the workout, alternate the SLDL's with them, or eliminate them alltogether for now? Or maybe do something else?

I don't do any lower back training save the squats I guess, and this may help the back as well. I can always stop if it bothers the disc. I do find them uncomfortable, but that's because I'm not used to doing them I'd think.
 
Quad

You will have to play this one by gutfeel, IMO SLDL's are better than the leg curls, but can be a real bitch on the back if you have problems, usually it is not.

Have you tried an elastic back brace? Keeps things in prespective as far as I am concerned, specially when the weight is getting heavy! Try it! Most physio's would know where to get one, sports shops may even have them.
 
I would drop leg curls altogether and just alternate squats with SLDLs to see how it goes. Start light with SLDLs (as you did) and watch your form. Increment slowly and monitor how your lower back feels. No need to go terribly heavy if you think it will aggravate old back problems. However, I do believe that SLDLs will help you build lower back strength, so I'd say it's definitely worth a try. If not anything else, it will increase core stability.

You may want to do SLDLs and BB rows on different days though, since combined they may be a bit too much on the lower back for some people...

Regards,
Dimitris
 
if you have back trouble bend the knees slightly this would then make them romanian deadlifts but it still works the hammies
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Excellent, guys. Gonna look for one of those belts too. I'm using a 5" heavy leather one, sometimes with a rubber stretch band that has cloth on one side (spandex I think) and velcro closure on the end, under the leather one to keep it from bruising my lap on squats. I don't know if that's the band you're referring to or not, but it only goes just so tight; not enough for real support.
OG, oddly enough, I've never felt knee trouble of any kind doing leg curls; just on heavy squats.
One more question; I didn't feel sore at all from the first set, and will go by feel, but even though I'm in my eights, do you think I should run 15's or something with them? Or just up the weight until it fits the eights?
 
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