CMinOZ

Hi John

Not sure if your question is exactly related to "bodybuilding training" though I hope we can help. It seems to me that you have got into your head that you can reduce your love handles by exercising the muscles beneath them, this is definitley not the case and is much more of a diet issue. Can you post up some idea of your current diet?

With regard to your wanting to develop your lower back I would suggest a program that included deadlifts which will help strengthen you entire back, stomach and core (crunches and hyper-extensions are a waste of time). With your back being how it is I would suggest seeing a sports physician before doing any heavy weight training though (back tracking having read this part of your post).

IMHO though you will get rid of the lovehandles through diet (they are often the last bit of fat to go) and you can build up your back, with Doctors advice, slowly but surely. I doubt anyone will be able to give you a specific BF% at which you will not have love handles (unless some smart@rse says 4%) - though they will go in the end, keep at it.

CM