I can push the prowler or do loaded carries. Which one do y’all like better for leg strength and conditioning or should I do both and just alternate? Thanks.
What kind of back injury?
I broke my back and injured my spinal cord in a skiing accident 28 years ago. I have a bunch of hardware in my back. The spinal cord injury was not complete, but I have about 25% strength in my right leg and about 70% in my left leg.
Seriously ask your doctor what allowed./preferred.
This is a very old injury. I can do both safely. Just wanted opinions on which is preferred in the absence of squatting or deadlifts.
Sorry I don’t feel qualified to give an opinion.
But loaded carries is not dissimilar to bracing as in a squat deep or otherwise.
Prowler / sled pushes are great for building the posterior chain if pushed forward. It’s possibly not so good at building anterior chain the i.e. the quads when pushed backwards. You will still feel a burn so you know it’s working. I would probably not do the loaded carries because it will work the lower back harder. There are doctors , physios on here so may get a better opinion.
I would say prowler pushes would be best for leg training. Loaded carries are really only best when done fairly heavy. Have you tried some movements such as Bulgarian split squats? High reps, without weight could be a good option
Also you should consult a medical professional. I’m sure they will advise you against anything but if you explain the situation I’m sure there is someone who could give advice.
My recommendation would be any movements that are limited to spinal loading. Prowler over farmer carries.
Thanks everyone! I think the prowler sled is probably a better option. As was pointed out above, I can’t really carry much weight so the carries are probably going to be less effective.
have you heard of a belt squat machine AKA pit shark before? its basically a belt squat that has the ease of loading. I had some back issues and it really helped zero spinal loaded. If you can’t find a gym that has one after that I would go prowler pushes and backwards sled drags
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My gym is the most well stocked gym I’ve ever been in, but I don’t believe they have this particular piece of equipment. My problem with any leg strengthening exercises is that my legs are so weak and the innervation is so off that I can’t coordinate the muscles to do the exercises. I can do most machine exercises that aren’t weight bearing.
I think that ‘do both’ is the best option, simply because both have training value. But if we’re talking specifically about leg development, the clear choice is the sled push.
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Never done belt squats, but they would be a great squat alternative and can be done with a dip belt and boxes if no belt squat is available.
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There really hard to set up without the machine though, multiple people need to be involved.
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Search up “Unnamed Single leg Gem of an Exercise” article by Ben Bruno. Yes, I know, its my answer to nearly every leg or back question. But read it anyway.
Thanks for the reference. I think I can modify that move to suit my needs. I’m going to try it today.
When in doubt …following the golden rule. If it hurts dont do it.
I did a poor job of explaining my situation. I’m not at all concerned with my back. It’s the significant nerve damage and lack of strength in my legs that is the limiting factor. The nerve damage causes balance and coordination issues. I can’t get my legs to cooperate. I can push the sled or carry kettlebells and walk. My legs are so weak that I can only do deep body weight squats while holding onto something stationary for maybe 15-20 reps and 3 sets. Even something as minimal as that will wear my legs out for several hours. So, I’m trying to increase the strength without using machines.
I do loaded carries at medium weights and my strength is moving forward well.
Time under tension/volume rules apply just like regular lifts.
Not giving medical advice. I am an Orthopaedic Surgeon who does spine surgery. I would go with what you want to do, and feel SAFE doing. You probably know your strength and weaknesses better than any doc or PT.
I would go with the sled, keep the weight comfortable and , don’t train to exhaustion. Match your training to what you can recover from, to train again a few days later.
You are correct in thinking after all these years you are probably long past hardware issues.
Enjoy!