Jorday's return: Recovering from heart disease and open heart surgery

[Jorday]

What's up everyone. I was member here in the journal section back in late 2004-mid 2005. Then, I was out of lifting for a while due to a thumb injury. I was diagnosed with heart disease at 24 years old early this year. I had open heart surgery at the Mayo clinic on May 25, 2006, the kind where they saw your chest in half with a bone saw. I had a large hole in my heart and an abnormal heart valve that had to be fixed. Two weeks after the surgery I was lifting a laundry basket that was no more than 20 lbs and it tore the top of my right pectoralis muscle off my sternum because of the incision being there. As if the pain from the surgery wasn't enough, it was a month before I could move my right arm around without it hurting from the injury to the muscle. The doctors cleared me to lift again after 12 weeks, but I tried some light bench pressing and it pulled on my chest a lot so I felt I wasn't ready yet.

Not that my lift story from the last year out of the way...I recognize some of you...scott donald, jagerboy, waitlifter...what's up guys? Long time no talk. To everyone else, good to meet you.

My new program will be very simple and similar to my original MaxOT program, but with some key differences.

1. I will be putting more emphasis on cardio than the weights because the cardio will help heal my heart more than the weights will. My doctors have told me that 30 minutes of cardio per day would be fantastic if I have the motivation. The cardio will be almost entirely light intensity.

2. I will no longer be deadlifting at all at this point, and squats will be done with only moderate amounts of weight. Gone are the days of me deadlifting 450+. The surgeon said that your blood pressure goes up very high during max effort lifts like this, and blood pressure this high could tear my newly repaired mitral valve. No thanks.

3. I'm going to be doing a little less volume for shoulders. I think I was overdoing it last year.

Here is the basic program outline

Monday
AM Shoulders
PM Jogging

Tuesday
AM Arms
PM Stationary bike

Wednesday
AM Legs
PM Jogging

Thursday
AM Back
PM Stationary bike

Friday
AM Chest/Abs
PM Jogging

Saturday
PM Stationary bike

Sunday
off

I haven't touches a weight in 14 months so here goes.

current stats:
5'10"
~170 lbs or so, maybe a touch less

[Jorday]

Wednesday October 4

Squats
185 x 6
205 x 6

SLDL
205 x 6

Barbell calf raise
205 x 10
205 x 10

comments: Just taking it easy. First workout in over one year, kept the intensity nice and low. My PR on the SLDL is 345 x 8 so 205 for 6 was not real hard. It felt REALLY good to squat again, even with light weight. I can't believe how much more quickly I can recover between sets now that my heart is fixed. I lived for 24 years with a heart that was no good and never knew it. It's unbelieveable.

PM workout: 1 mile run

[Jorday]

Thursday October 5

Back

Chins
BW x 7
BW x 6

Barbell Row
155 x 6
165 x 6

Hanging Leg raise
10
10

Comments: those rows were pretty easy at that weight. I decided to do abs today rather than Friday.

PM workout: rode the bike for 45 minutes

[Jorday]

Friday October 6 AM

Chest

Incline Press
135 x 6
155 x 6
165 x 4

Bench Press
165 x 4
165 x 4

comments: taking it real easy on this chest workout, but the lifts felt great.

PM workout: Rode the bike since my leg is a bit sore from the running.

[Jorday]

Saturday, October 7

Rode stationary bike for 1 hour, nothing too exciting.

[Jorday]

Monday, October 9

AM Shoulders

Military press
95 x 6
115 x 6
115 x 4

Side lateral raise
35's x 8 poor form-too heavy
30's x 8
30's x 8

Barbell shrug
225 x 6
255 x 6
275 x 6

comments: Another good workout. It just feels good to be back. Could have went much heavier on the shrugs.

[Jorday]

Monday, October 9

PM cardio

Ran 3 miles at an easy pace. My leg is feeling much better now.

[Jorday]

Tuesday, October 10

AM workout-ARMS

CGBP
Bar x 6
95 x 6
135 x 6
155 x 6
155 x 5

Lying Triceps ext
95 x 6
105 x 6
105 x 6

Barbell curl w/strict form
bar x 6
95 x 6
105 x 6
105 x 6

Hammer curl
30's x 6
35's x 6
40's x 6

Barbell wrist curl
95 x 10
95 x 8

Barbell reverse wrist curl
bar x 8
bar x 6

comments: Great workout. I can't believe my arms are that still that strong.

[Jorday]

Tuesday October 10

PM workout: Stationary bike 45 min

[Jorday]

Wednesday, October 11

AM workout: LEGS

Squats
195 x 6
225 x 6
245 x 6
265 x 2

SLDL standing on 6.5" block for more ROM
225 x 6
225 x 6
225 x 6

Skipped calf training today...didn't have the energy.

comments: This was my first time doing SLDLs on a block. 225 is a lot heavier when the bar is going down to the tops of your shoes instead of mid-shin. The squats felt good. My back is really tired from this quick workout.

[littlechick]

I applaud you for all your hard work, and the your determination! Good luck!

[Jorday]

I applaud you for all your hard work, and the your determination! Good luck!

Thanks

[Jorday]

Wednesday, October 11

PM workout: 1.5 mile run. Man, are my legs tired from squatting and running in the same day.

[Jorday]

Thrusday, October 12

AM workout: Back

Chins
BW x 8
BW x 6
BW x 6

Barbell Row
165 x 6
175 x 6
175 x 6

comments: I am really sore from yesterdays work. It sucked bending over for the rows because my hamstrings are so tight from the SLDLs. Not a bad workout, though. Any gain over the previous session is a good workout in my book.

[Jorday]

Thursday October 12

PM workout: Stationary bike 1 hour.

[Sandguy]

I agree with littlechick...that's some hard work and self-discipline...good to hear your doing better...keep lifting!

[Jorday]

I agree with littlechick...that's some hard work and self-discipline...good to hear your doing better...keep lifting!

Thanks. I hope I can keep going and stay healthy.

[Jorday]

Friday, October 13

AM workout: Chest

Incline Press
175 x 4
165 x 5
165 x 4

Bench Press
165 x 5
165 x 4
155 x 4

comments: My triceps were still pretty sore from Tuesday, so I didn't expect this workout to be really spectacular. It wasn't too bad though. Next week should be good, though. I forgot to do abs this week also. Oh well, get 'em next time.

[Jorday]

Friday, October 13

PM workout: Stationary bike 30 minutes.

comments: My legs were too sore for running today, so rode bike instead.

[Jorday]

Saturday, October 14

3 mile run.

comments: Not a bad little run. I've been battling a shin splint in my left leg, but it has been getting better lately. My hamstrings are still quite stiff from the squatting on Wednesday, so hopefully they will loosen up some as my legs get used to the weight lifting again.

[Jorday]

Monday, October 16

AM workout: Shoulders

Military press
115 x 6
115 x 6
125 x 6

Side lateral
30's x 8
35's x 6
35's x 6

Barbell shrug
275 x 6
275 x 6
275 x 6

comments: The weights and reps were up from last week. Can't complain. Last week 115 was actually giving me a bit of trouble in the Military press by the 3rd set, but even with 125 this week I could have done more than 6 reps on the 3rd set.

[Jorday]

Monday, October 16

PM workout: 3 mile run

[Jorday]

Tuesday, October 17

AM workout: Arms

CGBP
165 x 6
165 x 5
165 x 4

Lying Tri Ext
115 x 3
105 x 5
105 x 5

Barbell curl
115 x 5
115 x 4
114 x 4

Hammer curls
40s x 6
45s x 6
50s x 4

BB wrist curl
115 x 8
115 x 8

BB reverse wrist curl
bar x 8
bar x 8

comments: Good workout. Triceps were out of juice by the last set though. I think my body will be more used to lifting again after a few more sessions.

[Jorday]

Tuesday, October 17

PM workout: Stationary bike 40 min.

[Jorday]

Wednesday, October 28

AM Workout: LEGS

Squat
265 x 3
255 x 4
245 x 4

SLDL
225 x 6
275 x 6
275 x 4

BB calf raise
275 x 12
275 x 12

comments: The squats were a little weak, and my hamstrings were still stiff and a little sore from last week's leg workout. I just have to keep reminding myself that I haven't lifted weights in over a year until about 2 weeks ago. I'm finding that it is really a pain in the ass to do any calf training with just a regular bench, a bar and DBs. I had to take my power rack apart when I moved back in with my parents due to my health problems. I guess I'm gonna have to try and make some room for it over here and put it back together, because I found that using it was the only I could get a decent calf workout in.

[JAGERBOY]

Wow man, didnt know you went through all that, glad you are able to still workout. Sucks you no longer deadlift 450+, I need a little competition round here....

[Jorday]

Thanks for the reply. Its been a rough year, I'm lucky that I am still able to lift and my heart condition wasn't worse. yeah, my PR was 455, but I at the time I felt I had a good chance at 475. The doctors have advised me against 1 rep max testing and stuff like that for now. Maybe I'll work my way back up that high again someday though.

[JAGERBOY]

yeah, my PR was 455, but I at the time I felt I had a good chance at 475. The doctors have advised me against 1 rep max testing and stuff like that for now. Maybe I'll work my way back up that high again someday though.

Did they say anything against 4-5 rep maxes?

[Jorday]

nope

They said "no heavy lifting"

I just thought to myself well what's heavy?

Heavy to one person is not heavy to another, ya know? So, I just try not to push myself too hard.

[littlechick]

do you strech at all after a run, or squatting etc....I find when I don't, that is when I get really sore. Just a suggestion you seem to be doing great!