Spīnal 'tap' of question for Chick

[Alex23]

Couple of pros including you had back problems but didn't seem to end their career. Ronnie blew a disk, they wanted to operate but he got away with it. In your case you had a disk partially removed. How much did it affect your career & training?

How would you compare back injury compared to shoulders or muscle tears that seem to be career killers? There's been speculation that the end of career Levrone's leg athorphy could've been caused by nerve damage. What's your opinion on this?


Also, baby advice, be careful not to get the formula can & the bodybuilding.com whey can mixed up.

[flexingtonsteele]

good ol' bump.

And Bob, what did you do after u messed up your back for leg training. I know alot of guys have this problem, they cant train legs properly after experincing back problems cos all they know how to do is squat.

Any advice big Bob C?

And Baby advice..........I only recommend .5g of protein per lbs of bodyweight for infants, .75 for toddlers, and 1g for children!

[Chick]

...all depends on the extent/ severity of the injury...and how successful the surgery is.

In my case, I broke off the disc...they removed the rest and fused the spine together. I was lucky enough that the nerve damage healed to almost 100%...In most cases, it may partially heal...or not at all.

The other end is being smart enough to not do exercises that will put yourself at further risk AFTER the surgery...

[Chick]

good ol' bump.

And Bob, what did you do after u messed up your back for leg training. I know alot of guys have this problem, they cant train legs properly after experincing back problems cos all they know how to do is squat.

Any advice big Bob C?

And Baby advice..........I only recommend .5g of protein per lbs of bodyweight for infants, .75 for toddlers, and 1g for children!

I did every thing except for squats, as the direct downward pressure on the spine would have certainly led to re-injuring the back...

Leg press, hack, extentions, smith lungess, walking lunges, horizontal press.

[flexingtonsteele]

Hey Bob,

So what kind of therapy do you do?? Massage, chiropractic, active relase technique, etc?? I know u have to do something to stay loose and mobile.

So once u couldnt squat/deadlift anymore, what did u do? Just fire up on the leg press and lunges??? Hit the hams hard with leg curls???

Also do you agree that past a certain point of development, guys really dont need to squat anymore, and that they already built up enough muscle in the leg, and they need to do other movements. Or do u disagree and dont think that squats will build up the hips/glutes?? So you can do them forever???

oh yea and what do u think about sissy squats??

Lots of questions, but I seek ur advice, ur a knowledgable MOFO

[Has Beens]

Chick,
 How far down can you get away with while doing presses ? I too have a disc problem and it seems presses give me the most trouble if I go too deep.

[flexingtonsteele]

Hows the contest prep going hasbeens???

[Chick]

Hey Bob,

So what kind of therapy do you do?? Massage, chiropractic, active relase technique, etc?? I know u have to do something to stay loose and mobile.

So once u couldnt squat/deadlift anymore, what did u do? Just fire up on the leg press and lunges??? Hit the hams hard with leg curls???

Also do you agree that past a certain point of development, guys really dont need to squat anymore, and that they already built up enough muscle in the leg, and they need to do other movements. Or do u disagree and dont think that squats will build up the hips/glutes?? So you can do them forever???

oh yea and what do u think about sissy squats??

Lots of questions, but I seek ur advice, ur a knowledgable MOFO

Never did any therapy...

Yes, I think squats can be counter=productive at a certain point...of course, that is highly subject to the build of the BB in question...for many, they would be better off switching to front squats, or lunges, or hacks for more detail...or to build something other than the size of their ass.

Any good BB should assess their physique annd make changes according to what they need to work on...not mindlessly train and do exercises just because thats what they've always done...

Sissy squats or front squats are excellent...

[Alex23]

Never did any therapy...

Yes, I think squats can be counter=productive at a certain point...of course, that is highly subject to the build of the BB in question...for many, they would be better off switching to front squats, or lunges, or hacks for more detail...or to build something other than the size of their ass.

Any good BB should assess their physique annd make changes according to what they need to work on...not mindlessly train and do exercises just because thats what they've always done...

Sissy squats or front squats are excellent...

In my case, the problem comes from the piriformis muscle pinching the left sciatic. I don't really get pain on the right side. However it radiates on the leg when I push with my abs when sitting.

Was your disc rupture caused by a single event or something going on for a while?

[Chick]

Both.

I had on-going problems with the L-4, L-5 disks...for years. I had no problems doing full squats for many years, until I got stronger...then it seemed that any time I got close to 600, I would throw a disc...

Ultimately, I believe that the main cause is having 1 leg a little shorter than the other. Most people have 1 leg and 1 arm a little longer...but I think mine might be just a hair more, leading to an imbalance in th lower spine.

Incidently...I've also had a lond standing theory that having 1 arm longer than the other may also contribute greatly to pec tears...

[onlyme]

Both.

I had on-going problems with the L-4, L-5 disks...for years. I had no problems doing full squats for many years, until I got stronger...then it seemed that any time I got close to 600, I would throw a disc...

Ultimately, I believe that the main cause is having 1 leg a little shorter than the other. Most people have 1 leg and 1 arm a little longer...but I think mine might be just a hair more, leading to an imbalance in th lower spine.

Incidently...I've also had a lond standing theory that having 1 arm longer than the other may also contribute greatly to pec tears...

See Chic we have more incommon than you think.

[arkk]

Bob did this injury affect your back training in any way?  I have an orthopaedic appt. on Thurs where the results of an MRI show I may have spinal stenosis and 3 bulging discs as a result of it.  I am undoubtedly not going to be able to squat anymore, if I know whats good for me.  I know you aren't a fan of deadlifts, but I've seen you do various types of rows in videos and pics.  So do back injuries impact things such as deadlifting and heavy rowing? 

[Alex23]

Bob did this injury affect your back training in any way?  I have an orthopaedic appt. on Thurs where the results of an MRI show I may have spinal stenosis and 3 bulging discs as a result of it.  I am undoubtedly not going to be able to squat anymore, if I know whats good for me.  I know you aren't a fan of deadlifts, but I've seen you do various types of rows in videos and pics.  So do back injuries impact things such as deadlifting and heavy rowing? 

How old are you arkk ?

[Chick]

Bob did this injury affect your back training in any way?  I have an orthopaedic appt. on Thurs where the results of an MRI show I may have spinal stenosis and 3 bulging discs as a result of it.  I am undoubtedly not going to be able to squat anymore, if I know whats good for me.  I know you aren't a fan of deadlifts, but I've seen you do various types of rows in videos and pics.  So do back injuries impact things such as deadlifting and heavy rowing? 

Of course it impacted my training...I no longer did deadlifts, bent over rows, T-bars, or squats.

I had a choice...continue to perform those exercises and put myself at a high risk of injury and ending any hope I had of turning pro....

OR

Don't put myself in Jeopardy (along with Alex Trebeck and Greg Kihn) train smarter and avoid those exercises, and go on to win the USA and turn pro...

I chose option B.

[flexingtonsteele]

Hey Bob,

What happened to the masters world championships this year???

[body88]

Hey Bob,

What happened to the masters world championships this year???

He came in second! It was a great show!

[rockyfortune]

just goes to show that you don't need to squat planet earth to get decent sized legs...if i'm not mistaked bob, you don't even advocate doing barbell bench presses either...due to the damage it can do to shoulders...

[Chick]

Hey Bob,

What happened to the masters world championships this year???

Beats me...Steve decided to not put it on, and as far as I know.no one else is carying any Pro Masters shows.

If I had to guess...I would say it's not profitible to the promoter as it doesn't really bring in any "new" money.

[Grundle]

Beats me...Steve decided to not put it on, and as far as I know.no one else is carying any Pro Masters shows.

If I had to guess...I would say it's not profitible to the promoter as it doesn't really bring in any "new" money.

Uncle Manion left a big lump of coal in your stocking this year.

[Chick]

Uncle Manion left a big lump of coal in your stocking this year.

You ARE a big lump of coal.

[Cap]

You ARE a big lump of coal.

Bob, do you recommend front squat to taller BBers?  I know you said guys with longer legs should put their feet high on the platform for leg press...anything else?

[Chick]

Absolutely...less pressure on the lower back, great work for the quads.

[Stark]

Absolutely...less pressure on the lower back, great work for the quads.

A serious question Bob

The time you did squads were u actually sometimes afraid of them them? Not the pain as much but just afraid?

Seriously please.

[Chick]

A serious question Bob

The time you did squads were u actually sometimes afraid of them them? Not the pain as much but just afraid?

Seriously please.

No...I was great at the squat. I could rep out with 405 like nobodies business...It was more frustrating that I could only go up to a certain weight without throwing a disc from the strain...

Ironically, It wasn't from lifting or squating that I finished it off...but a homerun swing playing on a softball league!

[flexingtonsteele]

Totally off subject, but Bob whats your opinion on BCAA's.

And also, if you had to write down perfect sissy squat form, what would u say it is???