Only half my muscles work!?!!?!

Sounds like muscles out of balance. This is why cross-training is good, and why changing your weight routine around to work different muscle groups is recommended.

I don't think that half of your muscles are not working at all, but that half are working more than they should and half are working less than they should.

See what is recommended by the trainer. If it's different exercises to train up strength in the "non-working" muscles, that's probably the correct thing to do.

Disclaimer: I may have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about since I'm neither you, someone who knows you, or a personal trainer myself. However, I am armed with a brain and I like to try and use it.

I like the disclaimer.

I agree it probably a muslce imbalance. Going along with strengthening up the ones not pulling their load should be stretching the overworked ones. A lot of time they get overworked because they can't relax and stay in a shortened position.

For what it's worth, I don't buy what you're trainer said completely. First things first, is your pain debilitating? Does it keep you from doing anything? Regarding the source of your back pain, if your abdominal muscles are stronger than the muscles that support your lower back, that may contribute to back fatigue or back pain from other causes. I don't think it's likely the cause of your pain. There are FAR more common causes of low back pain that can be easily identified. How is your posture? What kind of chair do you sit in while at work? What kind of shoes do you work/walk in? What kind of surfaces do you run on? How supporive is your mattress? Do you use proper form for strength training exercises?

As far as a muscle imbalance making you tired because the overworked muscles are working too hard....on the face of it that just doesn't sound right. Far too many other common identifiable things to make you tired. Do you overtrain? Do you get enough sleep? Do you get GOOD sleep? If you drink caffiene in the afternoon or evening, you may sleep at night but not so good right? I was tired all the time at one point this year and I did a nutritional analysis and found I was eating 1000 too few calories a day! So it could be a very common thing making you tired. I just don't see your abs contracting all day to support your spine as a cause of fatigue. :-)

Just some things to think about. But if your back pain doesn't get better, I would see a physician you are comfortable with and let them help you.

Best of luck to you.

Bill

Yeah, I meant physical therapist. He's given me some exercises to do (stretching).... But I just don't feel like it's going to work.