Recovery after major shoulder repair

[moshvr]

So awesome Andrew! Congrats! Beers to celebrate this weekend I hope! haha

[viennafat]

Atta boy!
Great job on that DL PR. Congratulations.
Cant see the vid so I wont comment on the form but just getting it up is a great sign. 185kg next.

What's really impressive is that you nailed it even after doing the morning PT session.
But maybe the frustration you experienced there carried over in some added fuel.
Add to that that you had some lower back things going on and still managed to hit the PR. Very impressive overall.

Massive session all around. Whole body must be hurting after that.

[nads786]

Congrats on the PR!!!!!! I think everyone here knows about shoulder demons, that's probably why you took so long. I'm the same way.

edit: How did you set up the 2 lacrosse balls for foam rolling? I remember you had a picture or was that someone else?

[RyouBakua]

awwww yeah!

straight killed that 4 plates!


then you did a ton more

overhead squats and weighted steps really stand out to me


get ready because your body will definitely be building muscle off this workout!

[adamsz]

4 plate (metric) deadlift!!!!! Wooot!!!! (hehe I had to throw in the mention of metric just cuz you made a big deal out of it before )



I know this has been a big goal of yours, so it's awesome to finally accomplish it! Now you only have to lift 99 more lbs to catch up to me

It's funny - when you showed pics of your PT earlier he looked MASSIVE, but TBPH in that video clip I would say you were actually dwarfing him! He looked pretty skinny next to you, and you looked really thick and muscular (no homo).

Form as a bit sloppy, but hey it was a max attempt so it was to be expected. I can't believe you did another PT session earlier in the day too... you crazy SOAB!

[NaturalPursuit]

DUUUUUUUUUUDE 4 PLATE DEAD!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!

Big congratz on that man and the overall session looked TIGHT!!!

DOMS tomorrow?

[pastorpritch]

What they said

[Raigs]

Congrats on the PR!!!! Next week 400?

Suprised I didnt hear no one in the video screaming pick that Sh^^ up!!!!

[fittofattofit]

And bumped over

8th November 2012

169lbs

Round 2 --- Deadlifts with the new PT

Thoracic and hip rotations

Deadlifts
5 x 60kg (132lbs)
5 x 90kg (198lbs)
3 x 110kg (242lbs)
1 x 150kg (330lbs)
1 x 170kg (374lbs)
1 x 180kg (4pps/396lbs) PR

180kg PR ...... fukyeah!


Tri-set
Deficit deadlifts - snatch grip 4" deficit
5, 5, 5 x 90kg (198lbs)
Thoracic extensions on a swiss ball
15, 15, 15
Leg curls + glute bridges on a swiss ball
15, 15, 15


Forward lunges
12, 12, 12 x 60kg alternating legs
Concentrated on back and hip control down
Power up using the quads


Superset 45 second rest between SSs
Overhead squats
12, 12, 12 x 30kg (66lbs)
Kettle bell swings
12, 12, 12 x 32kg (70lb)
OH squats for core stability/posture
Swings to get the explosive hip drive for the lockout


Superset 45 second rest between SSs
Weighted Pull-ups + 10kg weight vest
5, 5, 5 x BW+10kg
Step-ups to 18" box + 10kg weight vest + two 16kg kettle bells
12, 12, 12 x 42kg (92lbs)
Power off the ground

Thoracic rotations

Stretching glutes, hammies, lats and triceps

60 minutes


Seventh session with the new trainer!
My lower back was really killing me on the drive so I had the tennis ball stuck into my back the whole way

The Deadlifts
We got into the deads after the stretching. I felt my SI joint 'pop' during the hip rotations
The lifts:
150kg was painful. I leant forwards and lifted with my back. A spasm shot down my glute!
170kg I concentrated on pulling up and keeping the glutes tight. No pain and he said it looked much better
180kg I wasn't going to try for the 180kg but he said 'you've got it if you want', so I sucked it up and gave it a go!



I did everything wrong......took too long on the set up, kept my head and chest down and lifted the bar away from my knees......but it still went up!
We looked at the vid afterwards and he said I kept my lower back solid and the lift looked strong, even though I forgot to keep my chest up.
It looked rough but it didn't feel unreasonably heavy
Next stop 190kg

Deficit Deads
I used a snatch grip and stood on 4" plates. The idea was to keep a narrow stance so that I had to go deep, keep upright and keep my weight through my heels to stay balanced. They felt good and my back was fine. He was very happy with my form

The lunges
The first set felt awkward because I was clenching my right lower back because of the strain. When I started relaxing the lower back, but thinking about the glutes and core and keeping my chest up it became 'easy' --- slow and controlled down, then power up!
I did 3 sets x 12 reps x 60kgs

The Overhead squats
The Overhead squats are challenging for me because of my limited external rotation. I held the bar with a snatch grip and was able to go ATG. This is a great execise for keeping tight through the whole core, hips and posterior chain --- any instability immediately throws you off balance. A great exercise for forcing me to keep my weight through my heels and drive up through the hips, keeping the torso more upright

Accessory exercises
The swiss ball leg curls and glute bridges were to help get the feel of the 'lockout' using hip drive. My glutes and hammies were sore after this
The 'step-ups' with a weighted vest plus the kettle bells killed me! BW + 42kg/92lbs and I was absolutely out of breath
The kettle bell swings are to help with explosive hip drive and lock out
Other exercises are for core and upper body strength and stability


Summary
Today was a great day. I started off with the demons telling me I wasn't going to get it, but I got the 4plate deadlift! This has been eluding me and given everything that was against me today : lack of sleep; trained core this morning; tweaked my SI joint/lower back muscle spasm - I was very pleased with myself
My form was sh!tty and it still didn't feel too heavy, so 190kg is the next stop. Maybe 200kg for the New Year!

Our next session is on Tuesday next week!
Can't wait!

So awesome Andrew! Congrats! Beers to celebrate this weekend I hope! haha

Lots of beers!

Atta boy!
Great job on that DL PR. Congratulations.
Cant see the vid so I wont comment on the form but just getting it up is a great sign. 185kg next.

The form was sh!tty ---- I leant forward and hunched my back and then forgot to use my hip drive to lock out. It was too much multi-tasking

What's really impressive is that you nailed it even after doing the morning PT session.
But maybe the frustration you experienced there carried over in some added fuel.
Add to that that you had some lower back things going on and still managed to hit the PR. Very impressive overall.

Massive session all around. Whole body must be hurting after that.

I was going to stop after the 150kg because it felt so bad on the lower back, but to some extent bracing tightly to protect my back helped me with the leg drive off the ground. That was my weak point up to now so hopefully that means that if I think about keeping my chest up and remember to drive my hips the next bump won't be so tough!
And my glute are suffering today!

Congrats on the PR!!!!!! I think everyone here knows about shoulder demons, that's probably why you took so long. I'm the same way.

edit: How did you set up the 2 lacrosse balls for foam rolling? I remember you had a picture or was that someone else?

Thanks Nadeem!
That was me --- I just used athletic tape to stick the two together

awwww yeah!

straight killed that 4 plates!


then you did a ton more

overhead squats and weighted steps really stand out to me


get ready because your body will definitely be building muscle off this workout!

Thanks for the support Ryou!
The step-ups were the hardest part of the day! I had to stop after 8 reps on the last set to catch my breath before I could get the last 4 reps out. I couldn't wait to throw off the weighted vest --- I was dying of the heat!
I love these sessions --- they have to be growing muscle. All I want to do is sleep afterwards, so that's my body telling me it wants to grow!

4 plate (metric) deadlift!!!!! Wooot!!!! (hehe I had to throw in the mention of metric just cuz you made a big deal out of it before )



I know this has been a big goal of yours, so it's awesome to finally accomplish it! Now you only have to lift 99 more lbs to catch up to me

It's funny - when you showed pics of your PT earlier he looked MASSIVE, but TBPH in that video clip I would say you were actually dwarfing him! He looked pretty skinny next to you, and you looked really thick and muscular (no homo).

Form as a bit sloppy, but hey it was a max attempt so it was to be expected. I can't believe you did another PT session earlier in the day too... you crazy SOAB!

Thanks Zack! I'm on your tail ---- I got that 99lbs easily jk
I've been wanting that 4 plates for ages so at least I've got that monkey off my back at last. The form was way off but at least the lift from the ground didn't feel hard at all and that has been my mental sticking point.
And he is a big dude but I carry my mass on a frame that's 6" shorter. It'd be nice to be 6' with my frame -- I'd probably be nudging 200lbs

DUUUUUUUUUUDE 4 PLATE DEAD!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!

Big congratz on that man and the overall session looked TIGHT!!!

DOMS tomorrow?

Thanks Alex! It was a big session after the deads! And I've got plenty of DOMS today!

What they said

Thanks Pritch!

Congrats on the PR!!!! Next week 400?

Suprised I didnt hear no one in the video screaming pick that Sh^^ up!!!!

Thanks Raigs............and yes......... that's the plan.......407 next week
He was telling me 'just grab it and pull'! It's good to have someone telling you to just do it!

[rallyum]

Epic!

4.5 next!

[fittofattofit]

Epic!

4.5 next!

Not with that sh!tty form, sweetheart

[rallyum]

Not with that sh!tty form, sweetheart

Can't watch vid, is it that bad active senior?

Can you believe it's only 6 weeks till Christmas, where has the year gone?

[fittofattofit]

Can't watch vid, is it that bad active senior?

Can you believe it's only 6 weeks till Christmas, where has the year gone?

The set-up looked brill, after that it was a mess



At least it was quick off the ground which has been my sticking point --- it's just that I forgot to do everything else that I was supposed to. Damn that senile dementia........

If you do drop in and get a chance to look at it though I'd appreciate your critique! IMO I needed to keep my chest and head up and stay back on my heels. I was also so determined to get that weight off the floor, that I forgot to squeeze the glutes/drive the hips to get lockout

Any criticism/tips appreciated!

[RyouBakua]

just keep driving that 4 plates whenever you can!


chest up and sit back a little when you pull

you got dis

[fittofattofit]

just keep driving that 4 plates whenever you can!


chest up and sit back a little when you pull

you got dis

Thanks Ryou!
The next session is on Tuesday so I suspect that I'll be doing sub-max triples and working on keeping that chest up, sitting back and dragging that bar up my shins!

[moshvr]

Watched vid ... thought you were exaggerating about poor form ...

Don't spend so much time at the bar. Get yourself ready, breathe in, grab, pull! You'll nail it man! (You know this already, just had to say )

[viennafat]

I just got an email today with some simplified Deadlifting tips.

- Touch your butt to an imaginary wall a foot behind you. (regarding hip positioning)
- Show me the logo on your shirt. (chest out)
- Don't just lift; put force into the ground. (using your heels, keeping the bar close to you while lifting)


Actually here is the whole damn page: http://www.ericcressey.com/3-coachin...lift-technique

Maybe someone with good deads can chime in on whether these tips are helpful.

[wonderdude2]

I just got an email today with some simplified Deadlifting tips.

- Touch your butt to an imaginary wall a foot behind you. (regarding hip positioning)
- Show me the logo on your shirt. (chest out)
- Don't just lift; put force into the ground. (using your heels, keeping the bar close to you while lifting)


Actually here is the whole damn page: http://www.ericcressey.com/3-coachin...lift-technique

Maybe someone with good deads can chime in on whether these tips are helpful.

Great link, dude. Eric Cressey is one of the best strength & conditioning professionals to follow.

Andrew, great deads! Congrats on the 4plates.

As you already know, you let the bar get a little too far away from you and that caused a little bit of excessive forward lean, but it still looked good. Whenever you do your next 1RM with the bar closer to your body, you'll be able to lift an extra 5kg no problem. It's simple physics.

[rallyum]

Your elbows give when deadlifting which kills energy/force production

Didn't retract scaps hard enough which led to rounding/bar path

Hip bobbing - is a ballistic stretch imo, muscles are in a fixed state/stretch and you're bopping around. Wastes energy, relaxes the muscles and switches off force production/activation (muscle spindles). Also ruins timing if not careful - picking the bar up before your hips are fully down.

And can't see but prob missing dorsi (heel drive) from bar path


^^ Try pulling the slack WHILE setting up instead. Pull slack, keep pulling slack, set feet, drop hips, lock spine/look up, push abs out and pull when ready - longer you wait, more the bar wants to slingshot up due to all the tension you create and just gives a better tightness/patterning overall. Idk, might just be me but try and see *shrug*

I always shudder when i see elbow give, usually leads to bicep tear/spinal phcuk up

[fittofattofit]

Watched vid ... thought you were exaggerating about poor form ...

Don't spend so much time at the bar. Get yourself ready, breathe in, grab, pull! You'll nail it man! (You know this already, just had to say )

Thanks Michael! There were so many things I should have done better. You're right about spending too much time at the bar ---- that's one of the things the trainer has said to me: 'just grab it and lift'

I just got an email today with some simplified Deadlifting tips.

- Touch your butt to an imaginary wall a foot behind you. (regarding hip positioning)
- Show me the logo on your shirt. (chest out)
- Don't just lift; put force into the ground. (using your heels, keeping the bar close to you while lifting)


Actually here is the whole damn page: http://www.ericcressey.com/3-coachin...lift-technique

Maybe someone with good deads can chime in on whether these tips are helpful.

Thanks Tom!
I'll try to put it into practice next time!

Great link, dude. Eric Cressey is one of the best strength & conditioning professionals to follow.

Andrew, great deads! Congrats on the 4plates.

As you already know, you let the bar get a little too far away from you and that caused a little bit of excessive forward lean, but it still looked good. Whenever you do your next 1RM with the bar closer to your body, you'll be able to lift an extra 5kg no problem. It's simple physics.

Thanks Tyler! Whenever I feel that I've done a good deadlift I'll have scuff marks along my shin and down the front of my thighs. This time it was all forward. I'll really try to work on keeping that bar closer

Your elbows give when deadlifting which kills energy/force production

Didn't retract scaps hard enough which led to rounding/bar path

Hip bobbing - is a ballistic stretch imo, muscles are in a fixed state/stretch and you're bopping around. Wastes energy, relaxes the muscles and switches off force production/activation (muscle spindles). Also ruins timing if not careful - picking the bar up before your hips are fully down.

And can't see but prob missing dorsi (heel drive) from bar path


^^ Try pulling the slack WHILE setting up instead. Pull slack, keep pulling slack, set feet, drop hips, lock spine/look up, push abs out and pull when ready - longer you wait, more the bar wants to slingshot up due to all the tension you create and just gives a better tightness/patterning overall. Idk, might just be me but try and see *shrug*

I always shudder when i see elbow give, usually leads to bicep tear/spinal phcuk up

Thanks Rally!
I didn't notice the elbow giving until you mentioned it --- now I can see that at my last bob down, me elbows bent before I started the lift --- this has to mean that I slacked off the tension on the lats just before the pull.
I know I waste a lot of time and energy at the bar and that is one thing the trainer is trying to get out of my system
And you're right.....I didn't really feel the heel drive and it was only after the bar was lingering at my knees that I thought 'weight through the heels and thrust the hip forwards'

I like the way you describe the sequence. I just don't get the 'tensioning' of the bar right and I don't really make use of my lats. If I focus in the order you describe, and don't linger so long on the set up I'll have a reasonable chance of making that 180kg a little easier next time!
I think that I need to work better on my breathing as well --- taking a big gasp and holding it in for the lift. I could hear a lot of panting on that vid before I pulled the bar!

[NTT91]

YES! Killed that lift Andrew. Getting me pumped to start going heavier on deads again!!

[fittofattofit]

10th November 2012

170lbs

Rows

Tennis ball rolling and stretching - Pyriformis and glutes
Thoracic extension work

Yates Rows
10 x 70kg (154lbs)
10 x 90kg (198lbs)
10 x 100kg (220lbs)
10 x 110kg (242lbs)
8 x 120kg (264lbs)
8, 8 x 130kg (286lbs)
6, 6, 6 x 140kg (3pps/308lbs) PRs
10 x 120kg (264lbs)
14 x 100kg (220lbs)
I did 3pps -- really untidy form, but I wanted to see how it felt and looked


Seated close grip rows Tempo 5:2:5
6, 6, 6, 6, 8 x 80kg (176lbs)
Slow and squeezed the scaps at the end

Rear delt flyes - reverse pec deck Tempo 5:2:5
5, 5, 5, 5 x 68kg (150lbs)
10 x 51kg (112lbs)
Slow - great pump - shoulders felt great

Wide grip lat pull-downs Tempo 5:2:5
6, 6, 6, 6, 6 x 80kg (176lbs)

80 minutes

After my deadlifts the trainer had me doing all of those OH squats, lunges and weighted step-ups. Yesterday (Friday) my glutes were sore, but today (Saturday) my quads and hammies are toast!
I still had discomfort from the facet joint I 'popped' so yesterday was an off day.
Today was rows. I've been doing Yates rows for a while now and had been comfortable at 130kg with the form getting better. Ryou suggested to try the 140kg for a few reps next week
I was feeling good today, so I loaded up the bar with 140kg/308 = 3 plates per side......it was actually 1x25kg+ 2x10kg+ 3x5kg plates per side. I know that the form isn't good.....there's a lot of body English and should try to get a squeeze at the scaps, but I'll work to improve it and make it stricter. All of the other sets to 120kg are pretty strict and with a squeeze

I set up to do Pendlays which are my favourite way of hitting the lats, but I could feel my back getting tight so I left them and just did some light strict seated rows and pull-downs

And the joys of having teenagers!
My 15 year old had been misbehaving so we told her she couldn't go to this Harry Potter/Dr. Who/Vampire show (believe me, that's what 15 year-old girls are into )
There was lots of yelling and screaming, and then she locked herself in her room
In the morning we found this posted to her door:

[fittofattofit]

YES! Killed that lift Andrew. Getting me pumped to start going heavier on deads again!!

Thanks Nate!
Now that your squatting strength is heading back up you should be able to nail some really heavy deads!

[RyouBakua]

308lb rows..................





great job man. and after deadlift day no less.

lulzy sign too

[fittofattofit]

308lb rows..................





great job man. and after deadlift day no less.

lulzy sign too

Thanks Ryou! When the BO rows get heavy I start to think of them as a strengthening/stability exercise for the lower back --- it is hard work after deadlift day though

[Raigs]

Wow man so soon after that huge DL PR you throw up another one. Thats so many sets at the 140kg as well I hope your taking a rest day soon?

[viennafat]

Nice heavy rows, Andrew.
Once in a while it's cool to bump that weight and just go for it.
Great pull day.
If that had been me doing that PT session from the other day, I would need a week to recover.

Oh boy.....Teenage girls sure do like their drama.
It will be interesting to show her this picture in 4-5 years and see her reaction.

[NaturalPursuit]

Pullin some BIG weight as always man! how you likin the OH squats? I've never tried em before

[Sinaku5]

I've been out for a while Andrew but that's a pleasant surprise to come back to - 4 PLATE DL?! :O...

and form wasn't as bad as u made it sound...

much better than this -

[fittofattofit]

Wow man so soon after that huge DL PR you throw up another one. Thats so many sets at the 140kg as well I hope your taking a rest day soon?

No more rest days for the next week! I've got too much that I want to do
Actually the strength accessory work on the deads has really helped with the lower back stability so that the rows were feeling really good. The other thing is that my straps have been getting worn and my grip was slipping on the 130kg sets, so I chalked them up and it made the grip stronger as wellso that I could concentrate on locking my lower back.

Nice heavy rows, Andrew.
Once in a while it's cool to bump that weight and just go for it.
Great pull day.
If that had been me doing that PT session from the other day, I would need a week to recover.

Thanks Tom! I can feel my lats and tris today after that rowing sesh. My back position looked pretty good but there is a fair bit of body english in the row at 140kg. And those PT sessions are hard at the time, but I like being pushed and I feel great afterwards. I'm getting 3 day DOMS afterwards though

Oh boy.....Teenage girls sure do like their drama.
It will be interesting to show her this picture in 4-5 years and see her reaction.

I've got two teenage drama queens and an irish wife with a hot temper!
I seek solace with the only other male in the household........the dog!

Pullin some BIG weight as always man! how you likin the OH squats? I've never tried em before

The OH squats are great! They are a challenge for me because of my shoulder issues so I have to get the bar overhead with the bar in a snatch grip, and maintain that during the squat. It forces me to keep really stable through the core and hips otherwise I lose control and I'll have to dump the bar

I've been out for a while Andrew but that's a pleasant surprise to come back to - 4 PLATE DL?! :O...

and form wasn't as bad as u made it sound...

Thanks! I was glad to get the 4pps deadlift to get the monkey off my back! Now that I know I can get it, I'll hopefully stop over-thinking it and work on getting the form right. The form felt bad for me because I knew what I should be doing and it was 'Oh....I should be doing this' while the lift was underway.
I've got a few more tweaks planned for next time! (Tuesday)

much better than this -

Yep..........that one was a shocker!