Alternatives to stiff leg deadlifts/reverse hypers?

[Ronin_]

I cant do stiff leg deadlifts or good mornings due to a prolapsed disc in my back at L5 S1, and there isnt a reverse hyper machine at my gym.

What can i do to work the extension aspect of my hams?

Bare in mind I dont squat or deadlift either due to my back. My leg work consists of seated leg presses and leg extensions

[Bob Smith]

From the sounds of it, the glute/ham I recommended in your other thread isnt a good idea with your back condition.

[Ronin_]

Yeah there is a reverse hyper machine as in a panatta machine not a hyper bench, at one of the gyms near me, which works the lower back quite well. I was using this plus crunches, leg raises to stop sciatica by keeping my core a bit stronger.

So will standard leg pressing plus leg curls work my hams to the point where I WONT make myself liable from injury from a muscle imbalance? Ive never really had hamstring injury problems whilst training

[HeadDoc]

use a therapy ball. Lay with your back to the floor, your heels on the ball, and your butt off the ground. Now, roll the ball back towards your butt with your heals and lower legs. Keep the body rigid and in as straight allignment as you can. When you get proficient using both feet, then raise one foot above the ball and do the reps one-legged. Do front and sideways planks holding each posture from 20 seconds and build to minute. Do one legged stiff legged deads with very light dumbells and slowly build the reps and amount of weight.

I have a congenital l5-s1 deformity that I have been coping with all my life.

[dave_r]

I'd say get your back sorted first mate, there are no real alternatives to these exercises!!!

You'll need to work on your 'corset' strength too!!!

Once your back is sufficiently healed, try romanian deadlifts keeping the weight against the legs throughout the entirety of the lift. Try seated and bent legged good mornings. Again once you are healed.

[jago25_98]

I use a stability ball and jam my feet under something. I've never seen a hyper bench in any of the 6 gyms I've been to.

[bigtrevm]

I prolapsed 2 discs about 4 years ago and it was agony, however I found that squating with a slightly lighter weight and with a straight back twice a week relieved me of most of the pain!

Bear in mind that I could hardly walk at the time! When I asked the back surgeon that I was seeing if this made any sense to him, he said it did and advised me to carry on this way as long as my back was really straight and that I was carefull i.e not too much weight.

I eventually got an epidural into the spine which worked a treat. I now do all my training without a belt and whithout any pain whatsoever!!!

Best of luck!

bigtrevm