Programmers and Gluteal Atrophy
Web Development, FitnessAs a man approaching my mid-30's and having had an office job for right at 10 yrs now, I was very surprised what awaited me the first time I went back to deadlifting and squatting. I was weak! So shocked was I by this that I thought that surely something must be wrong and/or broken inside me. Not only did I feel weaker than I thought I should be, but I was extremely inflexible. Ten years of sitting around was causing me problems.
From wikipedia:
Sitting for long periods can lead to the gluteal muscles atrophying through constant pressure and disuse. This may be associated with (although not necessarily the cause of) lower back pain, difficulty with some movements that naturally require the gluteal muscles, such as rising from the seated position, and climbing stairs.
About a year and half ago, I started to get myself back into the routine of working out. I mainly focused on running at first (more on that in another post) but eventually realized that I hated running :) and I loved moving heavy weights. It has taken me several months of dedicated deadlifting and squatting to begin to feel like I am approaching a good baseline strength (totalling 1000 lbs between bench/deadlift/squat) and my back is feeling better than it has in probably a decade.
So to all of my fellow programmers out there, get into the gym and deadlift. You will be glad you did!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/abunur/3986227542/in/...
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