In October of 2015, I was in an accident. As a result of this, I had to go through seven surgeries. I had five on my right foot and one (labrum) on each shoulder. I am 6’2" and weighed 262 lbs at my highest weight.
My last surgery, right labrum, was in August of 2017. I have been working out since the beginning of October.
I am going to try to figure out what I need to do for fitness and use this thread as a daily log. If you have any advice, let me know.
Goals: I want to gain strength. I want to feel like I am put back together again. Weight wise, I’d like to see 1000lbs between my Bench, Squat, and Deadlift by the end of this log.
11/15/2016
I didn’t workout yesterday. I have some minor nerve damage in my Long Thoracic Nerve and I did not feel like working out. That probably sounds terrible, but I really wasn’t up to it. Today, I had my second physical therapy session. By the end of it, I could actually lift my right arm above my head.
I ate two chicken tacos for lunch with some cheese sauce. Probably not the healthiest thing. That will be my only meal for the day.
Dinner - I did not eat healthy. I guess you could say that weight loss isn’t my biggest goal right now?
Workout:
ATG Back Squat - 3 x 10 @ 135 lbs
Lunges - 3 x 10 (each side) @ 40 lbs (20 lb dumbell in each hand)
Abducter - 3 x 10 @ 110 lbs
Adducter - 3 x 10 @ 110 lbs
Leg Extensions - 1 x 10 at 50 lbs (slow negative for burn)
Push up position plank - 2 x 60s
Swimming kick board - 50 m
Swimming front crawl - 50 m
Swimming side crawl - 100 m
I am always open to suggestions. I will post videos in the future for form. I have broken my days into Upper body pull and push and lower body pull and push.
Today is a fast day. I won’t eat until the sun goes down.
For Dinner, I ate sushi, crab salad, and some egg rolls.
For lunch, I ate 3 empanadas and has a sugary drink (my bad)
Workout:
Hang Cleans - 3 x 4 @ 115 lbs
Cable One Arm Standing Bench Press (elbow high) - 3 x 5 @ 5 lbs (Serratus anterior)
Pull ups (I weigh 247 lbs and I was assisted with 200 lbs) - 2 x 10
Pull up plus (I weight 247 lbs and I was assisted with 200 lbs) - 1 x 10
Bent over one arm dumbell row - 3 x 10 @ 25 lbs
Single Arm Seated curl - 3 x 10 @ 25 lbs
Push up position plank - 2 @ 60s
BIG NEWS! For the first time in… forever? I was able to contract my right lat and serratus anterior! This has been a long journey and I still have a long journey ahead of me, but that is really exciting for me.
I ate some mac and cheese and grilled chicken with milk for dinner.
Workout:
Romanian Deadlift 3 x 10 @ 135 lbs
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift 3 x 10 @ 25 lbs
Leg curl on all four 3 x 10
Side leg raises 3 x 10
Side leg raises, leg back farther to work lower back 3 x 10
Lunges 1 x 10 @ 20 lb dumbbells
This was my first attempt at a hamstring glutes workout. I’d love to hear about better exercises.
For dinner I ate a steak, salad, and steamed veggies with some milk.
Workout:
Front Squat 3 x 10 @ 95, 95, 85 lbs
Lunges 3 x 10 @ 35 lb dumbbells
Side Leg Raises 3 x 10
Lower Half Superman 3 x 10
Side Squat/lunges 1 x 10 BW
Slow Leg Extensions 3 x 10 @ 70 lbs
Decline Crunches/Back Extension rotation 6 x 10
Swimming Kick Board 2 x 50m
Swimming Side Crawl 2 x 50m (It is engaging my serratus anterior and lat. It feels amazing)
Hang Clean 5 x 1, 3 x 4, 3 x 1 @ 115 lbs (Worked on form and posted video in beginners section)
Cable One Arm Standing Bench Press (elbow high) - 3 x 10 @ 10 lbs (Serratus anterior)
External Shoulder Rotation 3 x 10 @ 5 lbs
Internal Shoulder Roation 3 x 10 @ 10 lbs
Pendlay Row: 1 x 10 @ 115 lbs 1 x 10, 1 x 5 @ 135 lbs
Assisted Pulls ups (Assisted 112 lbs) 1 x 10
If anyone has any advice, let me know. I had to decrease my incline weight because my right lat and serratus anterior began to give out. They were exhausted, which is great news! I hope that, in the next few months, I have no issues with my serratus or lat and they are back up to what the left side can do!
Morning Workout:
Pendlay Rows 1 x 5 @ 135lbs, 4 x 5 @ 155 lbs (That was more difficult that I would have liked)
Kneeling Cable Pull Down 5 x 10 (Focused on contracting my lats)
Cable One Arm Standing Bench Press (elbow high) - 3 x 10 @ 7.5, 10, 12.5 lbs (Serratus anterior)
My focus is on my right lat and serratus Anterior. I can feel them start to grow and come back but I am still a bit nervous and frustrated that LTN was damaged causing them to completely atrophy.
I would greatly appreciate any input that anyone has to work these muscles more effectively.
Afternoon Workout:
Front Squats 1 x 5 @ 115 lbs (too heavy) 4 x 5 @ 95 lbs
This exhausted my back. My right lat is suffering…
I don’t know how how much you are limited by your injuries/accident, but if your goal is OL/PL, my suggestion would be to simplify. You can make waaaay more progress at a beginner level with more compound exercises than with unilateral or single joint movements.
More bench / squat / deadlift / squat / snatch / squat / clean. Also consider squatting since it carries over best. Rows are ok, pulls up good, cable bench / fly… not so important.
Also, out of personal bias… let’s see some snatch and some cleans from the ground with jerks!
If you’re trying some stuff anyway, try out “Kelso Shrugs.”
Its kind of an “idea” more than a lift. You set up like you would for a row, or a chin up/pulldown, then you just keep your arms straight and squeeze your shoulder blades down, or back, or together. Whichever way hits your lat/serratus. People go crazy, bench press shrugs, dip shrugs.
The reason I do the fly’s and cable bench is to work the muscles that completely atrophied due to my LTN damage during my right labrum surgery. I can’t do snatches or jerks yet because my right lat and serratus anterior are atrophied. I can’t even lift my right arm above my head (with no weight) without some discomfort.
I will get there. I used to snatch sets of 185 lbs and clean sets of 225 lbs. Those are my favorite lifts.
The kelso shrug is what I call a pull up plus! I think I will try this cable version though. It is easier to lift using the cables than to try to do an assisted pull up plus!
The reverse shrug is what I call a pull up plus. I call them these things because the physical therapists refer to them with these names.
