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I can't do deadlifts, squats, or military press...alternatives?

MetalDead

New member
So due to a degenerate disc in my spine, I have been advised by my doctor not to do squats, deadlifts, or free-weight military press. Obviously, as an EF member, I know that these are essential exercises, and I was wondering if there was anything I could do to sort of "simulate" the stimulation one gets from these three exercises, say, with a few alternatives or something.
For example, instead of squats, I could just do leg presses, or leg press combined with something else. Instead of free-weight military press, use the machine for military presses. Etc.

Any tips?

Thanks in advance!
 
you can do leg presses combined w/hack squats combined w/leg curls combined w/leg extentions... OR you can get a second opinion from a orthopedic surgeon.

Alot of regular MDs are not educated about weight-training & assume squats, deads are gonna screw your back. most hardcore lifters have injuries of some sort & still hit the big three. good luck :)
 
though i am not a doc this is where i disagree with their opinion on this matter. but please do not take this as advice as to what u should do.

i personally do standing military presses. with seated i find u can lift more bc u can use more back against the seat for stability and strength. i dont have that with military presses. i will wear a belt and find less stress on my back than seated.

just my $0.02
 
MsBeverlyHills said:
you can do leg presses combined w/hack squats combined w/leg curls combined w/leg extentions... OR you can get a second opinion from a orthopedic surgeon.

Alot of regular MDs are not educated about weight-training & assume squats, deads are gonna screw your back. most hardcore lifters have injuries of some sort & still hit the big three. good luck :)

I would also get a 2nd opinion from an ortho. Do some research and see if any docs (sports med maybe) have worked with others with similar injuries and what they did.
 
Overhead pressing will push your neck forward and is kind of hard on the upper vertebrae, I've been told. It can result in a condition where the neck is forward.

Bench presses do not cause this problem.

Rows are probably fine.

Any core work like Pilates would help stability.
 
Singleton said:
Overhead pressing will push your neck forward and is kind of hard on the upper vertebrae, I've been told. It can result in a condition where the neck is forward.

Bench presses do not cause this problem.

Rows are probably fine.

Any core work like Pilates would help stability.

Two weeks ago I tweaked something in my neck/shoulder doing either the overhead or the bench. A trip to my pal the ortho surgeon and a few xrays revealed arthritis in my neck and related disc issue. I'm healing with the tweak right now...
What the doc wants, though, is for me to stop with the overhead and the bench and cut back on the dips and the pull ups. If I do that, there goes my supersimple supergreat stronglifts 5x5 program right out the window.
Question is, if i do follow doctors orders, is there a program i might follow that's similar to the 5x5er's but cuts out the stuff i shouldn't do? Maybe not as good as them but good enough?
Thanks!
 
there are probably LOADS of examples out there of lifters who were told their injury meant they'd NEVER lift. many of them came back to break their old records.... so i agree with whoever said to get a 2nd opinion, especially from someone who's more acquainted with lifting.
 
I know I'm two months late here but I'd like to thank you all for the advice. I sought a specialized sports orthopedist, and was told to try the exercises and if they bothered me to strengthen core (as someone here suggested as well) and try again later, but stop if my back bothered me. I followed this and am now back to doing squats and deads and military presses like before.
Cheers! :beer:
 
MetalDead said:
So due to a degenerate disc in my spine, I have been advised by my doctor not to do squats, deadlifts, or free-weight military press. Obviously, as an EF member, I know that these are essential exercises, and I was wondering if there was anything I could do to sort of "simulate" the stimulation one gets from these three exercises, say, with a few alternatives or something.
For example, instead of squats, I could just do leg presses, or leg press combined with something else. Instead of free-weight military press, use the machine for military presses. Etc.

Any tips?

Thanks in advance!

Get multiple opinions regarding the disc from qualified personnel. Asking for spine advice from random forum posters isn't the smartest thing to do.
 
GUARDIAN said:
though i am not a doc this is where i disagree with their opinion on this matter. but please do not take this as advice as to what u should do.

i personally do standing military presses. with seated i find u can lift more bc u can use more back against the seat for stability and strength. i dont have that with military presses. i will wear a belt and find less stress on my back than seated.

just my $0.02

Damn, it was something so simple. My workout partner and I wondered why seated MP's were so much easier than standing. I've always read that standing MP was better so we tried it.

As for back injuries, regular doctors dont know jack. You need somebody who did a good residency in sports medicine. My brothers are docs(one GP and one pain mgt) and they both tell me not to squat, just b/c they see so many back injuries.
 
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