What if weight lifting hurts your back?

One day, I went to track and I could see that something was bothering my friend Marcia. 

She loves CrossFit and lifting weights, but the day after lifting her back would be sore and painful when she went out for a run. 

This was clearly bothering her, because she didn’t want to stop lifting weights and she didn’t want to stop running. 

No need. You can do both. (And more!)

I asked her what her warmup was (typical: nothing!) and we went about crafting one. 

It doesn’t have to take up a ton of time, but you need to pay attention to the muscles to make sure the ones you want are actually the ones working. 

I notice this all the time; people just assume an exercise will get the right muscle working just because they are doing the exercise. 

That, unfortunately, is not often true.

Back to Marcia: after two (2!!) exercises, I asked her to take a spin around the track. 

I know that people are feeling better when they shift the conversation from what hurts to in Marcia’s case, “I should have timed that lap!” 

Another happy story (plus her warmup if you want to use it too!) in the 90 second video above. 

I want the world to be out of pain; this has always been my mission in life. 

Don’t put up with it! 

Here’s to balance, strength and running AND lifting happiness!

Laura 

P.S. She just sent our track team this message: “I did have a fabulous competition this weekend down in Eugene. My first masters competition. I was 1st in discus and 2nd in the 200m.”  Congrats, Marcia! You rock!

 ….By the way, results are not typical because only 35% of people ages 45 to 64 engage in regular leisure-time physical activity. If you are in that 65% of not regularly active, you are doing your brain and body and organs a big disservice.