| Fitness programmes for back problems |
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Each one of us has had some form of back pain at some point in life. This could be a sports related injury, sprain, or injury on account of bad posture or lack of fitness (to quote a few from a range of causes). An increasingly common cause of back pain today is the excess weight brought on by the excesses of modern urban life.
Back problems usually stem from abnormal strains on the spine with resultant damage to tissues. The chief causes are one of two — Sudden, i.e. heavy lifting, or lifting in an awkward manner causing back strain, or Chronic / postural, i.e. spending hours in a specific posture.
The first step to a healthy back is an improvement of general fitness, and loss of weight. Depending on the severity and site of the problem, the exercise will change. A back-strengthening workout before the exercise session is the way to go. Overhead movements should be avoided for cervical problems, as should be exercises involving a lot of flexion of the spine. |
| Resistance training for the back |
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2-3 days a week |
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10-12 exercises per session |
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2 sets per exercise, 12-15
reps per set |
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Intensity level: resistance
adequate to allow 12-15 reps comfortably. |
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1-2 minutes rest between sets. |
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Training progression |
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Increase in reps to 15-18. |
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Increasing the number of
sets. |
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Marginally increasing weight
involved in the exercise. |
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Cardio |
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Thrice a week (every alternate
day) |
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Intensity: 60 per cent -
70 per cent of the max heart rate (MHR) |
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Duration: 30-40 minutes |
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Gradual increase in intensity of the
exercise by varying the resistance on the cycle and inclination
or speed on the treadmill, and an increased duration of
about 45-50 minutes. |
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