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Bodyweight Pistol questions

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Shawn

Level 5 Valued Member
Hi I'm in my mid 40's and have worked my way to doing pistols years ago. A little injury history, I was diagonosed with 3 herniated and 2 bulging disc in my lower back about 10 years ago. I walk around now pain free. When I was doing pistols I would be fine until later in the day when my back would go out. Currently I've been doing S&S but would like to GTG with Pistols and One Arm Pushups. I haven't tried Pistols in years. I was wondering if anyone else ever had this experiance? Is there a way to stop this tightness?
 
As a general rule, I'd say you should stay away from pistols if your spine doesn't tolerate flexion well, and it sounds like yours doesn't.

What "tightness" are you referring to?

There are ways to do pistols with a bad back (I do them) but it's not a short discussion and it's frankly not something I'd recommend unless you had someone to work with you individually.

-S-
 
Shawn, "my back would go out" and "tightness", for me, anyway, are two different things - that's why I'm confused.

You mention a diagnosis from "about 10 years ago." If you're considering a big change in your exercise, and adding pistols after that diagnosis is a big change, please have a fresh visit with your doctor and see what, if anything, has changed in your back over the years.

If your tightness is your back going "out" and then responding by tightening up, that's a bad thing and, at least in my experience, the more it happens, the worse it gets so it is to be avoided at all costs. If your back is tight just because the muscles are tight from being used, that's probably OK and you can stretch, but I'm guessing it's the former and not the latter, and if that's the case, I'd stay away from pistols.

I am not a doctor and the above is not a diagnosis. Again, I think some in-person counsel is the best thing for you before considering adding pistols. See the doctor, get together with one of our instructors, and map out some things that will make you better, not worse.

-S-
 
Back when I did pistols later in the day my back would tighten up and my back would go out. I would be double over. Sorry for not explaining it right. I will do what you said about the doctor and instructor, Thanks Steve.

By the way Steve, I tried to look for instructors but the website won't let me. If I don't click on disscus it goes to word press and sign in. Everytime I put my user name and password it says invalid. When I click on instructors it goes right back to this.
 
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Shawn, if you have a different username and password on the web site/blog, you need to use them to login over there.

@StrongestXen may be able to help you if you can't work out the login situation yourself - please send him a PM if you need to.

I wasn't aware that one needed to login to the web site in order to search for an instructor.

-S-
 
I am not a doctor either but I would say from the sounds of what use to happen and the disc issues, I would say Pistols are probably not for you. Now after you check with your doctor you may find that you are clear to move forward in that direction. However I do not like to just work thru pain or do skills that cause my back to be in pain after. There are other ways to go about doing single leg work with out doing strict pistols.
 
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