I have been told not to train legs - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

T-man · 12-03-2004, 11:43 PM

Hi again,

I am having a bit of a bad week I think.

I went to the physio at the hospital the other day about my back which has been playing up for about 6 years now. For which he has given my some core stability work for and told me not to sit at the computer for so long.

Anyway whilst there I got him to look at my knee which has been bad for over 8 years. It turn out the tendon is inflamed under the knee cap and as I have been training it every week it has never healed and I have just been working through it all this time. I allways wondered why I can't walk 100 yards these days without my knee killing me, but I can still squat lol .

He told me not to squat anymore (got told that a year ago as well) I said what about leg presses he said they will still aggrevaite the problem and not to train legs at all. Then I said ok I will not train legs for 4 weeks and then only train legs every 2 weeks he said that was still to frequent. So it looks like I will only be training legs once a month or less and I really like training legs.

There are people with much worse leg problems than me who have torn the muscle and tendons off the bone and are back squatting 6 months latter. So what do you think I should do I will take some time off but I don't want to stop squatting?

I currently do the following routine and really like it.
mon legs
wed chest, shoulders, triceps
fri back, traps, biceps, forearms
only 1 or 2 exercises per body part and short intense workouts.

What split do you think I should do now as I can't train legs for a while?

As I love being in the gym I might go back to 1 bodypart per day like I used to but then my workouts will only be like 15 mins each. I am more concerned with the basic and building strength at the moment and don't want to overtrain.

Sorry for the long post.

robin_3_16 · 13-03-2004, 12:05 AM

hmmm mate that is very difficult
it sounds liek you shoudn't train mate,
but this is a hospital and they are very bitter about training etc
their solution to everything is stop training
they do not realise the love
i would say if worst came to worse not train them for a while then do a few light workouts, and rest after
let the leg heal and let muscle memory kick in when you are recovered, just think positive about it
as for your split i recently went from four to 3 days a week at the gym and i found that hard because i love the place
maybe one body part a day would work, or split the main parts up
chest
shoulders
Back
add arms in when you wish, HIT like you already do
this way you can stick to a monday wednesday friday split, so you are getting adequate rest between each bodypart
hope this helps mate
good luck sorry to hear about your leg!

T-man · 13-03-2004, 12:17 AM

cheers robin,

yeah I think I will just not train legs for a while and as you said I am sure they will kick back in when I start training them again. Just like Pauls did and his was much more serious.

Most people don't train legs anyway and it might give me a chance to bring my arms up a bit (must break 18 inches this year!)

I am also doing cardio (bike) 3 time a week for 30 mins before breakfast to loose a bit of fat before summer. So my legs will get a bit of work, but do you think this will be to much for my knee. They said I could use the bike a bit, but this might not be resting my leg enough.

robin_3_16 · 13-03-2004, 12:44 AM

bikes can be good for knees i know many people who doctors have told that before they train legs they must use a bike to warm their kness up,
i would not have though this would put great strain on the knee
but the saddle height and everything must be right
i would not do it everyday though, must rest the leg at least a day or 2, maybe aim for 3 days total rest for the leg a week, and 4 days of 30 mins on a bike? something like that?
and don't put it on a high level as to out strain just light and relaxed
don't be negative be posotive, then you wll not drive yourself mad
say that even if your legs get smaller you will get it back
make sure you know that muscle memory will give you everything back
i have been doing this to try and get confidence up because i am bulking and gaining fat and i want to get rid of it, but still want to get bigger so i can't really do this, maybe have to work towards next summer not this one, the tshirt may have to stay on
good luck breaking 18 inches,. i would love to be there someoday and i am sure i will
be posotive as well, about things like paul had it much worse and he bounced back fine
and i know a guy who was told he may not walk on his leg again just 8 months ago, then he started light training
squatting but no weight and he used to be very strong
just maybe the movement but no weight
etc
he can now squat 160kg and rising, after just 3 months back proper training, and his legs have caboomed to bigger then before
mate you will do it
good luck bro!

**hackskii** · 13-03-2004, 12:47 AM

Hey T, I would do a layoff on the legs for 8 weeks. If it swells then Ice it. After that you could start by doing leg curls. This should not aggrivate it at all. Then maybe some calves and some inner thigh work. If you get swelling then ice it but if it percists then you just might have to do as the Dr said.
Sitting behind the computer along time can be a prob too. I have been into computers since 1994 and have played some games that have played hell on my back and the mouse arm. Had to change to a more ergonomic environment too to heal up.

GoldenArrow · 30-03-2004, 11:15 PM

Go see a physio. Doctors tend to not train, and thus not know what they are talking about. Helps to find one that has been recommended by someone that trains too....

T-man · 30-03-2004, 11:34 PM

That was a physio that told me to stop training legs and he was the 3rd one to tell me that. I have another appointment with him of thursday.

I have not trained legs for over a month now and my knee still hurts when I walk/stand. I have also lost 20 pounds and over an inch on my thighs. I think I will start training them again soon but only light and unfortunatly no squats.

GoldenArrow · 30-03-2004, 11:47 PM

Physio at the hospital or private? If it's still the one at the hospital they'd be erring on the side of caution.

Have you had any X-ray/MRI done on the joint?

T-man · 31-03-2004, 10:21 PM

Currently seeing a physio at the hospital. Used to go private but could not afford it.

Your right about the hospital as it is more for the general public and they don't really know much about weight training. They put me in a class for my back with a load of old people (no offence hackskii/winger) where all we did was walking on the spot, side steps, step ups and push ups against a wall. I don't know how that was meant to help my back but at least it let me get my foot in the door up there.

I have never had a x-ray or anything on my knee and it has been bad for about 8 years. Like I say even just standing or walking a few feet hurts it and I have to ice it down every night. It feels loose and always clicks out when I move it and the pain is like someone is stabbing up under my knee cap trying to jimmy it off.

I really want to start training legs again but it is not getting any better.

12-03-2004, 11:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
T-man Gym Addict Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: England Posts: 253	I have been told not to train legs Hi again, I am having a bit of a bad week I think. I went to the physio at the hospital the other day about my back which has been playing up for about 6 years now. For which he has given my some core stability work for and told me not to sit at the computer for so long. Anyway whilst there I got him to look at my knee which has been bad for over 8 years. It turn out the tendon is inflamed under the knee cap and as I have been training it every week it has never healed and I have just been working through it all this time. I allways wondered why I can't walk 100 yards these days without my knee killing me, but I can still squat lol . He told me not to squat anymore (got told that a year ago as well) I said what about leg presses he said they will still aggrevaite the problem and not to train legs at all. Then I said ok I will not train legs for 4 weeks and then only train legs every 2 weeks he said that was still to frequent. So it looks like I will only be training legs once a month or less and I really like training legs. There are people with much worse leg problems than me who have torn the muscle and tendons off the bone and are back squatting 6 months latter. So what do you think I should do I will take some time off but I don't want to stop squatting? I currently do the following routine and really like it. mon legs wed chest, shoulders, triceps fri back, traps, biceps, forearms only 1 or 2 exercises per body part and short intense workouts. What split do you think I should do now as I can't train legs for a while? As I love being in the gym I might go back to 1 bodypart per day like I used to but then my workouts will only be like 15 mins each. I am more concerned with the basic and building strength at the moment and don't want to overtrain. Sorry for the long post.

13-03-2004, 12:47 AM	#5 (permalink)
hackskii UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 30,089	Hey T, I would do a layoff on the legs for 8 weeks. If it swells then Ice it. After that you could start by doing leg curls. This should not aggrivate it at all. Then maybe some calves and some inner thigh work. If you get swelling then ice it but if it percists then you just might have to do as the Dr said. Sitting behind the computer along time can be a prob too. I have been into computers since 1994 and have played some games that have played hell on my back and the mouse arm. Had to change to a more ergonomic environment too to heal up. __________________ Power over others is weakness disguised as strength. Scott

13-03-2004, 12:05 AM	#2 (permalink)
robin_3_16 Getting HUGE! Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: england Posts: 1,459	hmmm mate that is very difficult it sounds liek you shoudn't train mate, but this is a hospital and they are very bitter about training etc their solution to everything is stop training they do not realise the love i would say if worst came to worse not train them for a while then do a few light workouts, and rest after let the leg heal and let muscle memory kick in when you are recovered, just think positive about it as for your split i recently went from four to 3 days a week at the gym and i found that hard because i love the place maybe one body part a day would work, or split the main parts up chest shoulders Back add arms in when you wish, HIT like you already do this way you can stick to a monday wednesday friday split, so you are getting adequate rest between each bodypart hope this helps mate good luck sorry to hear about your leg!

13-03-2004, 12:17 AM	#3 (permalink)
T-man Gym Addict Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: England Posts: 253	cheers robin, yeah I think I will just not train legs for a while and as you said I am sure they will kick back in when I start training them again. Just like Pauls did and his was much more serious. Most people don't train legs anyway and it might give me a chance to bring my arms up a bit (must break 18 inches this year!) I am also doing cardio (bike) 3 time a week for 30 mins before breakfast to loose a bit of fat before summer. So my legs will get a bit of work, but do you think this will be to much for my knee. They said I could use the bike a bit, but this might not be resting my leg enough.

13-03-2004, 12:44 AM	#4 (permalink)
robin_3_16 Getting HUGE! Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: england Posts: 1,459	bikes can be good for knees i know many people who doctors have told that before they train legs they must use a bike to warm their kness up, i would not have though this would put great strain on the knee but the saddle height and everything must be right i would not do it everyday though, must rest the leg at least a day or 2, maybe aim for 3 days total rest for the leg a week, and 4 days of 30 mins on a bike? something like that? and don't put it on a high level as to out strain just light and relaxed don't be negative be posotive, then you wll not drive yourself mad say that even if your legs get smaller you will get it back make sure you know that muscle memory will give you everything back i have been doing this to try and get confidence up because i am bulking and gaining fat and i want to get rid of it, but still want to get bigger so i can't really do this, maybe have to work towards next summer not this one, the tshirt may have to stay on good luck breaking 18 inches,. i would love to be there someoday and i am sure i will be posotive as well, about things like paul had it much worse and he bounced back fine and i know a guy who was told he may not walk on his leg again just 8 months ago, then he started light training squatting but no weight and he used to be very strong just maybe the movement but no weight etc he can now squat 160kg and rising, after just 3 months back proper training, and his legs have caboomed to bigger then before mate you will do it good luck bro!

30-03-2004, 11:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
GoldenArrow Gym Addict Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: London Posts: 302	Go see a physio. Doctors tend to not train, and thus not know what they are talking about. Helps to find one that has been recommended by someone that trains too....

30-03-2004, 11:34 PM	#7 (permalink)
T-man Gym Addict Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: England Posts: 253	That was a physio that told me to stop training legs and he was the 3rd one to tell me that. I have another appointment with him of thursday. I have not trained legs for over a month now and my knee still hurts when I walk/stand. I have also lost 20 pounds and over an inch on my thighs. I think I will start training them again soon but only light and unfortunatly no squats.

30-03-2004, 11:47 PM	#8 (permalink)
GoldenArrow Gym Addict Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: London Posts: 302	Physio at the hospital or private? If it's still the one at the hospital they'd be erring on the side of caution. Have you had any X-ray/MRI done on the joint?

31-03-2004, 10:21 PM	#9 (permalink)
T-man Gym Addict Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: England Posts: 253	Currently seeing a physio at the hospital. Used to go private but could not afford it. Your right about the hospital as it is more for the general public and they don't really know much about weight training. They put me in a class for my back with a load of old people (no offence hackskii/winger) where all we did was walking on the spot, side steps, step ups and push ups against a wall. I don't know how that was meant to help my back but at least it let me get my foot in the door up there. I have never had a x-ray or anything on my knee and it has been bad for about 8 years. Like I say even just standing or walking a few feet hurts it and I have to ice it down every night. It feels loose and always clicks out when I move it and the pain is like someone is stabbing up under my knee cap trying to jimmy it off. I really want to start training legs again but it is not getting any better.