WEEK 127 :: What Is The Best Post-Surgery Hernia Workout?

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TOPIC: What Is The Best Post-Surgery Hernia Workout?

For the week of: 8/13 - 8/18
Monday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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Hernias are a very common injury amongst bodybuilders, powerlifters, and pretty much anyone who lifts heavy weights in or outside of the gym. And getting back into the gym after hernia surgery can be a little frightening.

What is the best post-surgery hernia workout? Be specific.

How can one help prevent getting a hernia?

What are some signs that one has a hernia?

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[Panther87]

It has been one year since I had my Hernia. The hardest part was waiting the three months for it to heal. During that time I used very light dumbells and worked my upper body for high reps never going over 30lbs. I also did running, which I still do because carrying to much fat is bad for the healing hernia. It didn't take long for that to get boring but once I was cleared I started to get into regular heavy lifting.

I was told that nothing was off limits and once you reach three months it's as healed as it ever will be. Once I got over my inital fear I returned to my regular workout.

Bench Press Planks and Crunches everyday
Dumbell Bench
Incline Bench
Cable Crossovers
Dumbell Press
Lateral Raise
Alternate Curls/Rope Pressdowns
Hammer Curls

Cardio

Squats
Leg Press
Leg Curl

Cardio

Deadlift
Chin
Bent Row
T-Bar Row
Lat Pulldown
Incline Curl/Rope Extension
Hammer Curl

You feel tightness and a pull now and then on the cut area but that's normal. It's stronger than before. It just takes a while to get your confidence back

[Shay Williams]

I have hernia surgery next wed. and was told I could resume walking after 3 days and jogging after two weeks. I was also told I could lift light weights after 4 weeks. I think during this time I a really going to have to rely on diet to keep off the weight. I was wandering does anyone have a gradual workout for post operation. I would like to get back ASAP because of the progress I have been making. Also, does anyone have post opt diet or any sugesstion on what I should eat while waiting.

[jasonr1982]

I can relate to the frustration of recovering from a hernia opperation. I just had one 2 weeks ago, and luckily it was successful. The trick here is that my body feels like its ready to go back to squats, deadlifts, and military presses... But unfortunately those are the exersices that put the most pressure on the lower lumbar. So after going through the nightmare of a herniated disk, and fearing that I would never return to a gym, I must be thankful that I can still go and if that means that I have to sacrafice a few things, than so be it. If you think it sucks that you have to take a few months off and watch your muscle mass shrink, think about former bodybuilders just like us that will be in a wheel chair for the rest of their lives. So looking at the big picture, loosing a little mass and having to regain it should be the least of anyones worries. At least you can still walk back into a gym with both legs- BE GRATEFUL!

[Don Dickson]

TOPIC: What Is The Best Post-Surgery Hernia Workout?

Hernias can be painful. What can you do about it?

WORKING OUT!!!

here's a damn workout:

Monday:
glute raise - 300-400reps

Tuesday:
glute raise - 300-400reps

Wednesday:
glute raise - 300-400reps

Thursday:
glute raise - 300-400reps

Friday:
glute raise - 300-400reps

Saturday:
glute raise - 300-400reps

Sunday:
BREAK

All exercises are to be performed consecutively.

What is the best post-surgery hernia workout? Be specific.

JUST DID IT!

How can one help prevent getting a hernia?

This is easy... Dont contract your glutes and squeeze in. Breathe out instead.

What are some signs that one has a hernia?

Take a look at my face! Thats what it looks like to have a hernia.

Good luck!

[Rick777]

Biggest surprise Erik Fankhouser best wheels in bodybuilding

[82dParatrooper]

I just had a hernia operation last week, and I have been trying to figure out my rehab training program. There are multiple kinds of hernias, so trying to say what the best approach is has to be determined by what kind of injury you've sustained. I had an inguinal hernia, so my lower abdomen and groin are really sensitive right now. Just walking around is really difficult. What I have decided is that in my new training program I'm going to think about how I got my injury in the first place, build up my weak spots (isn't there a priority principle or something like that for bodybuilding?) and go from there. Lifting heavy isn't an option, so I've gotta look at ways to stimulate my muscles without a lot of lbs.
I've been watching a lot of Charles Glass training videos and reading his articles. He talks about leaving ego at the door when you train, using lighter weights with controlled movements, focusing on range of motion and building quality muscle. I got my hernia doing heavy squats. I realize now that I could have worked my legs just as hard with lighter weight. I brought my ego to the gym and ended up in the hospital. My recommendation to anyone is to focus on building your body slowly and focusing on not injuring (or re-injuring) yourself. This doesn't just apply to people who have had hernias.
So, good post hernia workouts to me would mean working with lighter weights, higher reps and more control. Focus on controlling your breathing and getting a good squeeze in your muscle. It would be retarded to come back from a hernia and try to max anything out. Give yourself time. Work on balance in your body and work on details until you are strong enough to get back into some heavy weights.

Here's what I'm planning (so far):
Monday
Chest
Incline DB Press 3x10-12
Incline Flye (really light, really slow) 3x10
Machine Decline Press (drop seat really low, focus on deep stretch at bottom of movement, pause and squeeze at top of movement) 3x10
Machine Flat Press 3x10
Abs
Physioball Crunches
Cable Wood Choppers

Tuesday
Shoulders
Seated Lateral Raise 2x10
Seated Front Raise (bring hands together w/ slight DB turnout at top of movement, squeeze front delt, try to make bottoms of DBs touch) 2x10
Smith Machine BB Press 2x10
Upright Row (wide grip, slight lean forward to take stress off traps, stay light) 3x8

Wednesday
Arms
Preacher Curl 3x15
Skullcrusher 3x10
Barbell Curl 3x10,8,6
Rope Pressdown 3x10 w/ drop set at the end
Alternate DB Curl 3x8
Abs
Plank (front and oblique)
Crunches/Sit-Ups

Thursday
Legs
Leg Extension Warm-Up 2x10
Leg Press 2x15
Reverse Hack Squat (it's like a sumo squat) 3x8
Hack Squat 3x8
Leg Extension 3x10
Lying Leg Curl 3x10
Seated Calf Raise 3x15

Friday
Back/Rear Delt
Pulldown 3x10
Seated Cable Row 3x10 w/ drop set on last set (slow down on last sat, focus on extra squeeze)
DB Rows 3x8-10
Plate-Loaded Pulldown 3x8
Cable Rear Delt Pull (it's like the opposite of doing a cable crossover) 3x10

Again, I'm borrowing a LOT from what I learned from the Charles Glass resources I found. I'm also basing a lot on what I have available in my gym. It's a pretty basic program, though. I'm going to hit the cardio four times a week for 40 minutes(ish).

Good luck with your training!

[mrkdrt]

mrkdrt's entry

enjoy!!

[eagles56]

The article was well written, but I disagree with any immediate free weight work as many people rush into training too quickly (and re-injure themselves).

[surferbuild]

In my experience there was a huge difference between recovery from hernia surgery using the front patch vs. laprascopic.

http://blog.bodybuilding.com/surferbuild

As a followup it has been about 10 months since my surgery. I am lifting slightly lighter weights and doing more reps than presurgery and doing P90X on a regular basis. At this point I feel confident the hernia was fixed well and it is solid.

[surferbuild]

What is the best post-surgery hernia workout? Be specific.
Based on my experience, post-surgery hernia workouts are at first very dependent on the amount of pain. The first week walking is about all you want to do, then light stretching and jogging can be used to get the body in condition followed by more vigorous cardio activities (jogging distance). After about two weeks you might be ready to do some lifting. According to my physician I was encouraged to do any activity I felt comfortable doing. Since this was my second hernia I was especially cautious. My philosophy was to lift very light weights with high reps to start, in combination with some core exercises.

At two weeks I started with this workout.
Toe to sky stretches
3 x 25 jumping jacks (gingerly at first since the bouncing can be painful)
4 x 15 push ups using push-up bars
3 x 15 arm curls w/ 10 lb bar bells
3 x 15 overhead lifts w/ 10 lb bar bells
1 x 15 squats- no weights

sit ups and pull ups were too painful at this point.

After this just work out as you feel more confident increasing the weights.

By six weeks I was doing wieights at about 60-80% of pre surgery levels:
3 x 15 curls at 40 lbs
3 x 15 pull downs at 80 lbs
3 x 15 bench press at 120 lbs
3 x 15 rows at 80 lbs

Sit ups were possible at this point, but bicycles were too painful. Pull ups were still very tough to do more than a couple without pain.

After 10 months recovery I am more or less back to lifting preinjury levels but at slightly lower weights balanced against more reps.


How can one help prevent getting a hernia?
Some say warming up is beneficial to preventing hernias. In general it is good to warm up to prevent any injury so this may be true. But some people are just genetically more prone (with weaker adominal walls) to getting a hernia. Being careful to avoid weights and exercises that cause you to put lots of pressure on your abdominal area (the type of pressure you get from sneezing) would be good to preventing it.

What are some signs that one has a hernia?
Slight tenderness in the groin area, with a raised lump that gets painful after exercising.