Want to strengthen core but have back injury

[Atom Smasher]

Last October I was rear-ended by a lady talking on her cell phone and I got some crushed vertebrae and an almost completely destroyed disk (L2). It look pretty much like bone-against-bone now.

I have found that I'm able to do bench presses, curls (surprisingly), and lat pulldowns, and I'm looking for other things I can do, but I really need to do something about my belly. Oh, btw, I'm able to walk 2 to 3 miles four times a week. I've started trying to run a little, but I think that is irritating my back.

My belly is a real problem. I'm 5'11 and about 205 lbs. Most of the overweight is in my belly. I was wondering if you guys have any suggestions for strengthening my abs in a way that will stress my back minimally. The medical profession isn't being much help to me here, essentially telling me that all I can do is to tighten my stomach when I strain.

I realize I need to improve my diet, too. My plan is to eat 6 small meals a day and cut out sugars and cut down on carbs. I can't have any dairy whatsoever, so I was planning on using egg protein powder to help my muscle growth.

Anyway, I'm realizing that I'm all over the place in this post. My real question is, do you guys see any way I can start to tighten up my abs without straining my lower back too much?

Thanks.

 

[WhitePimp]

Strengthening your lower abs will usually alleviate a bit of the pain in lower back injuries too. I myself messed up a disc from deadlifting improperly and found regular ab work to be helpful with my back. Can you do hanging leg raises without injuring yourself? Those seem to work wonders for the core.

 

[mikeyb]

If you can't do hanging leg raises like WhitePimp suggested, try lying leg raises. Just make sure that your lower spine is always in contact with the floor.

 

[ThreeStorms]

Last October I was rear-ended by a lady talking on her cell phone and I got some crushed vertebrae and an almost completely destroyed disk (L2).

I get angry just by reading this. Wish you the best man.

 

[waynejohn]

My belly is a real problem. I'm 5'11 and about 205 lbs. Most of the overweight is in my belly.

Spot reduction is a myth. Only way to lose bodyfat is to lose it all over your body.

How?

Calorie deficit. Eat less. Burn more.

But when you eat less, your body will compensate by burning less.
And when you work out to burn more, your body will compensate by making you feel hungry.

It is not an easy job, but you have to suck it up. I've lost 35 pounds in the last 5 months. Taking periodic breaks where you eat at "maintenance" helps with the grind.

The key is to not lose or minimize lean muscle loss. Low volume/High Intensity strength training and a lot of protein is the prescription.

 

[waynejohn]

Last October I was rear-ended by a lady talking on her cell phone and I got some crushed vertebrae and an almost completely destroyed disk (L2). It look pretty much like bone-against-bone now.

Did you file a suit? Was it out of your control? Is the statute of limitations up in your state?

It's none of my business, you don't need to respond. Just don't be 'nice'

 

[Atom Smasher]

Thanks, guys. I appreciate your advice. I'll have to experiment with what I can do. I'll let you know what worked for me.

I don't know how to do multiple quotes in a post, so,

Whitepimp,
Hanging leg raises sound like a good idea, but I don't have a bar to hang from. I'll see if I can get one.

mikeyb,
I'm going to start that today. THanks.

Thanks for the well-wishes, ThreeStorms.

waynejohn,
I know what you mean about spot reduction, but I do believe there is a subtle difference, probably just from toning the muscles. I have definitely gotten to the "hungrier" stage now. I'm trying to eat 6 small meals a day now to keep the furnace burning.

Yes, I filed a lawsuit. I was simply stopped at a red light. I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw her car bearing down on me at 40 mph. She never even hit the brake because she was dialing her phone.

Thanks to all!

 

[waynejohn]

I have definitely gotten to the "hungrier" stage now. I'm trying to eat 6 small meals a day now to keep the furnace burning.

Yes, I filed a lawsuit.

Protein and fiber during each meal. I'm sure you have the protein part down already. Veggies, obviously.

Also, taper your carb intake as you get closer to bedtime. Only exception is if you work out at night - then your post workout meal should contain carbs, especially fructose.

Many will disagree, but Ephedrine + Caffeine goes a long way to suppress appetite and keep the metabolism from slowing, and is not dangerous as long as you follow directions.

Ephedrine is available, legally, through many breathing aid medications as either Ephedrine HCL or Ephedrine Sulfate. Some are expensive, others dirt cheap. Check behind the counter as local pharmacies. Sulfate provides around 80% of the ephedrine that HCL does, but is fine.

20 mg ephedrine + 200 mg caffeine 3 times a day - you work your way up to that dosage, however.

Good luck with everything. I hope it all works out.