I really appreciate it!
I feel like I actually squat well between my knees, but I’m more than aware how I “feel” probably holds little merit.
I’ll film a couple sets when I get back next week and put here so we can see what’s up.
I’m the meantime, I’ll try some of the glute drills - you couldn’t have been more right about the mobility stuff earlier, so I’d be foolish not to give this a go.
Thanks again - I love this community.
My injury was more acute. I partially subluxed my patella during basketball practice and that sidelined me for two weeks. I got a cheap brace from Wal Mart and started wearing that, but quit after a couple months because I spent too much time pulling it back up during games and practice.
I fully subluxed the patella in a game just by doing a drop step to spin around a guy in the lane. I tried to treat it with the training staff for six weeks but I couldn’t come back. The swelling never went down. I just did ultrasound, heat, and stim I think with the training staff along with rest (other than the elliptical).
My surgery did the lateral release but also scraped off all of the shredded pieces on the back of my patella. It’s supposed to be nice a smooth on camera but mine looked like ground beef. I also managed to nick the cartilage on my femur a bit.
My recovery was pretty standard as far as knee surgeries go. I was in one of those ROM restricting braces and I had to learn how to flex my quad again by doing leg extensions with assistance (pulling on a towel to get my leg to lock out). Surgery was in January and by April I had my vertical back.
@Frank_C thank you for that! My issues are definitely more chronic at this point - my acute injuries were ACL and meniscus tears, but those were fixed and are fine. We’ll see how this goes. I’m thinking maybe my patella tracking is less serious, because I certainly don’t have dislocations, and it’s more the OA thats bothering me.
Anyway, today I actually did a travel workout at a Y!
I warmed up with the agile however many I do, plus some additional IT band stretching.
A. Plyo Push-ups: 3 sets of 5
B. Decline Bench 1.5 reps
45/5
135/5 x 3
C1. Decline Bench (no benches available) w/ a closer grip
135/5
185/5
225/5
245/5
265/2
C2. Band Pull-aparts
10-12 between every bench set
D1. Incline DB Press
40/8
60/8
90/8
100/5
95/6
D2. C/S Machine Row
60/8
100/8
150/8
180/8
200/8
E. Rope Pressdown
125/15 or so x 3
F. BOSU Crunch
BW/15 or so x 3
How did the 1.5 reps on decline feel? And Incline with the hundos? Beast!
I didn’t like it, honestly. It felt funny on my shoulders. I can’t remember the last time I did decline. I was just messing around hoping a bench would free up, but it didn’t.
Thanks! I’ve dropped my volume by half, and it’s really letting me get after the fewer sets I do.
I did 0 more workouts last week, but really had fun with the family
Today:
Warm-up with the Limber Some Number
A. Box Jumps: 3 sets of 5
B. Power Clean
45/5
135/5
155/5
185/3 —> I really suck at these. Basically curls
C. Squat
135/5
185/5
225/5
275/5
315/5
Knee braces were way less annoying than I’d anticipated.
I’m using reduced speed as “failure” for legs; not straining at all, since that’s probably when I lose form and keep screwing myself up. My goal right now is playing with my kids this summer anyway.
C1. KB BSS
40/8 x 3
C2. KB Single-leg RDL for @Frank_C. Solidarity!
20/8 x 3
D1. High-resistance Bike Sprints
~10 seconds x 3
D2. BOSU Crunch
3 sets of ~15
I’ll be doing the RDLs for the foreseeable future. I just might not use much weight.
It’s impossible to use much weight. You just fall over
Lowering my volume and lifting in the afternoon has been great.
No warm-up (whoops)
A. Plyo Push-up: 3 sets of 5
B. Close-grip Bench 1.5 reps
45/5
95/5
135/5 x 3
Fast turn-around on both bottom portions
C1. Close-grip Bench
135/5
185/5
205/5
225/5
245/2.5 —> ugh; hit the rack on the way up. Definitely could have done 4
185/14
C2. Band Pull-aparts
12 reps between bench sets
D1. Incline DB
45/8
70/6
95/6
100/6
100/5
D2. C/S Row
1 plate per side/8
2 plates/6
2p+25/ 6 x 3
E1. Triceps Pushdown
100/12
160/16
180/14
200/12
E2. Hanging Leg Raise
2 sets of 10
Yesterday!
A. KB Swings
35/12ish
40/12-15 x 2
B. Hang Power Cleans
45/5
135/5
155/5 x 2
I’m starting to figure out I need to get my elbows way up on these
C. Deadlift from 2” mats
(this is not much easier than the floor for me I don’t think)
185/5
225/5
275/5
315/5
365/5
405/5
455/1 —> freaking yay. This was fast and easy, but I didn’t do more because I’m sticking to the not being stupid on lower body.
C1. Horizontal Leg Press
1 plate per side/ 8
3p/8
5p/8 x 3
C2. RDL
135/5
225/3
275/6 x 3
D1. Sled Push
40m x 3
D2. Hanging Leg Raise
3 sets of 10
Today:
A. Plyo Push-up: 3 sets of 5
B. “Double Bounce” OHP
45/5
65/5
95/5 x 2
C. OHP
115/5
135/5
145/5
155/5
165/3 —> I sucketh at this
*Band pull apart between sets
D1. Seated (no back support) DB OHP
40/8
60/8 x 2
60/6
D2. MAG Grip Lat Pulldown
84/8
132/8
144/8 x 2
E. V-bar Pressdown
60/10
140/20
180/15
220/12
No, I suck. 125 for 3 today… I did 165 for 3 last year during a Built 4 Battle circuit.
Saturday I worked up to a 255/5 Pendlay Row and did some other stuff like pull-ups and curls
The other day I squatted with SSB up to 295 + chains for an easy 5 and then 335 and the chains for what ended up being a harder than I anticipated 1. The gym got a titan yoke and I did some walks with that with one plate on each of the 4 posts - I’m going to return to that thing; it was cool. I’m also going back to box squatting. I do believe it’s more joint-friendly and there’s no reason for me to be dumb.
Since then I’ve been on planes, trains and automobiles, and headed to the airport now. This morning though:
A. Plyo Push-ups
3 x 5
B. Close-grip “double bounce” Bench
45/5
95/5
135/5 x 3
C. Close(ish) Grip Bench
185/5
225/5
235/5
245/5 —> new me record
*Band Pull-aparts between sets
D1. DB Incline Press
45/10
70/6
100/ 6, 6, 5
D2. MAG Grip Low Row
60/10
120/8
200/8 x 3
E. Triceps Press-down
A couple warm-ups, then 3 sets
F. BOSU Crunch
3 sets
How’s it going, TfP?
I’m doing well! Thanks for checking in. When school picks up, I tend to lose track of this.
This week’s highlights so far:
Squat: 285 x 12
Bench: 215 x 12
Deadlift: 325 x 17
I started losing a little weight two weeks ago. I lost 2.5lbs the first week, but nothing this week. I don’t want to diet harder yet, so I’ll add a little cardio.
Pioneer belts are on sale this weekend. I’m going to bump up from my 6.5mm belt. I’ve broken my back and done some spinal cord damage (long ago), so I do err on the side of protecting my back. I don’t know anything about thicker belts, so I’m throwing out the help call here if anyone is available.
The question:
Should I go 10mm or 13mm?
Basically, is a 13mm too much for me? I don’t compete in anything. I split my time between John Meadows’ stuff, Thibaudeau and Alsruhe.
I squat low to mid-400 max, depending on how old I’m feeling, and think I could deadlift right at 500 but the most I’ve done recently is 455.
Thanks anyone with insights!
@Frank_C @littlesleeper @TriednTrue @losthog @simo74 @FlatsFarmer @ChongLordUno @flipcollar @T3hPwnisher
Hopefully it’s not bad internet form to just tag the world. If so, sorry!
I see no benefit to a 10mm belt if you can get a 13mm one. I’ve had all sorts of belts, and the only one I use after trying out various others is my Inzer 13mm forever belt.
Awesome. Thank you very much. I know you’ve tried a lot of stuff, so this is really helpful.
100% leather, I assume? From what I read, the suede is cosmetic-only and actually reduces the functional thickness?
I’m honestly not too well versed on materials: just brands. I like a stiff belt over a supple one.