@Ganymede said in RL things I love:
@Catsmeow @Arkandel
Actually, my friend turned me on to something called "Jefferson curls." You grab an unweighted bar, step up on a short platform, and then "curl" by doing Romanian deadlifts slowly, with at least 5 seconds per rep.
It's good for strengthening up your lower and mid-back muscles. Good for people with back problems that deadlift a lot, ARKANDEL.
So like a deficit romanian deadlift? Interesting... I might try that as a warmup. It's awesome to find little new things like that, isn't it?
I think what turned things around for me (so far... herniated discs don't simply go away, so it's always going to be a vulnerable area) was tuning in my sumo deadlifts so I can use proper hip drive. Once my body realized it's not supposed to pull up with the back but push forward with the glutes/hamstrings and down through the floor with the heels, and that the core's only real job is to keep the torso at a steady angle, everything else fell in place.
Accessory work helps... planks, dead bugs and barbell glute raises are great, even if they take a hell of a toll out of the nervous system for the next day or two. It almost feels like I have a cold, every time. Oh, and stretching. I think that was the biggest change overall, I had completely underestimated what a huge effect shitty flexibility had on me, and what difference it makes when that starts turning around.