[quote]Benanything wrote:
Here’s to wishing you happy birthday in advance![/quote]
Thanks man!
Woke up at 189.4 after a cheat meal. Pretty awesome. Also, made a deal on craigslist for 2x35lb and 2x25lb bumper plates for $155. Pretty stoked about that. I’ve got enough weight in bumpers now to not need to mix and match steel plates for my overhead work.
CHEST DAY
Low incline axle press 230
2x6
1x3
1x5
1x4
Notes: Supposed to be 4x6, but hit the j-hooks on the third set and it threw things off pretty hard. Threw in an extra set at the end just to get in all my reps. Still, really felt this hammering the chest today, getting a better emphasis on the contraction.
Flat DB press
10x105
8x105
8x105+reactive slingshot
7x105+reactive slingshot
13x50+miniband
Notes: Supposed to be 5x10, but I hit the intent at least. Got a little creative with my toys. I have a metal catapult too that my wife stole for assisted push-ups, I should bring it back into the garage. Really just need to hunker down and get some 75-80lb DBs just to have a nice middleground. On the final set, really focused on contracting the chest, and it seemed to drive the point home.
Feet elevated wide grip push-ups
3xfailure
Notes: Put my feet up on a keg. As long as I put the right foot up first, the knee doesn’t mind. Left knee is still death otherwise.
General notes: Woke up at 189.0. Knee continues to improve, slowly but surely. ROM is significantly better, and I can perform most of my everyday functions without thinking about them. Still hitting an occasional twinge, but otherwise sound. Getting my MRI report/images today, going to get an unofficial diagnosis from my father-in-law, and then the official one on Wed. Got a little Juggernaut action figure hanging out at my desk at work now to be my rehab motivator. He looks pretty pissed off. Also, like me, his knee can twist in all sorts of crazy directions.
Just got the MRI report. Still got to meet with the doc officially on Wed, but this is what was there
“Conclusion: ACL tear with torn lateral meniscus. Medial osteochrondral injury and edema throughout the tibal plateau and lateral femoral condyle.”
So, blew out the ACL AND the meniscus. Still been squatting too, haha.
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
Just got the MRI report. Still got to meet with the doc officially on Wed, but this is what was there
“Conclusion: ACL tear with torn lateral meniscus. Medial osteochrondral injury and edema throughout the tibal plateau and lateral femoral condyle.”
So, blew out the ACL AND the meniscus. Still been squatting too, haha.[/quote]
Sorry to hear it. Doc will advise you if it requires surgery or if there’s any chance of PT and healing on your own? BTW, I find both you and Alpha inspiring to lurk, even though you’re completely out of my league in terms of what you do.
Best of luck and Happy Birthday!
[quote]Powerpuff wrote:
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
Just got the MRI report. Still got to meet with the doc officially on Wed, but this is what was there
“Conclusion: ACL tear with torn lateral meniscus. Medial osteochrondral injury and edema throughout the tibal plateau and lateral femoral condyle.”
So, blew out the ACL AND the meniscus. Still been squatting too, haha.[/quote]
Sorry to hear it. Doc will advise you if it requires surgery or if there’s any chance of PT and healing on your own? BTW, I find both you and Alpha inspiring to lurk, even though you’re completely out of my league in terms of what you do.
Best of luck and Happy Birthday! [/quote]
Hey, thanks for posting. It means a lot to know people are out there reading, and I appreciate having you as a lurker.
Yeah, the doc should give me a way forward. I’m pretty certain surgery is in my future, but if I can avoid it and still be able to compete I’ll do it. The last part is going to be the most significant factor, as I’d rather go under the knife if it means full recovery than avoid surgery just to “get by”.
I’m keeping positive though, in spite of all the people in my life trying to be really toxic about this, haha. I’m glad I live in an era where the surgery is pretty common and successful and people come back from this stuff.
On the bright side, injuries haven’t been all that bad for you thus far. You’ve managed to work around them, I’m sure you’ll do the same this time, can’t wait to see you back and kicking ass.
Sorry to read this on the diagnosis.
If no surgery you can still do things with a torn ACL - you just won’t have the stability there to change direction quickly, etc (as I understand). Also - not sure on the meniscus complication (I had only minor damage on the meniscus - rest healed that part up ok).
Rock that positive attitude!!! Ignore the haters.
11 months post op here, stronger on squats now than previous (mind you I’m nowhere near your level/league). But the knee is clicky sometimes, and gets a little sore occasionally after walking/running - but no swelling at all now since maybe 6 ti 7 month mark regardless of workload on the knee.
I would keep doing anything light weight that can engage your glutes, hammies. As post op, you will lose some muscle in these areas (typically). Work the mind muscle connection where you can imo.
Stay strong!!!
Thanks all, really appreciate the support. It’s nice to be around folks that “get it”.
Raven: Much appreciated on the input, glad to hear from those that have been there. Definitely got lots of ideas for work arounds. Going to ask my doc if I can make the ACL/meniscus any worse at this point, and if the answer is no, I’m just going to go full tilt until surgery day.
You will get through this. Just be careful and smart from here on so we can all read about your successful recovery.
Don’t want to see you screw up so interesting a log.
Hah, I’ll make sure to keep things interesting for as long as I can. I’m excited about my comeback.
BACK DAY
Kroc rows 135
1x20
Notes: Busted out the old adjustable olympic handles for this. Missed these heavy rows, glad to see them back in the rotation. Got a great pump from just the 1 set.
Chins (rotating grip: wide grip overhand, parallel grip, v-handle close grip)
6x10
Wide grip cable rows 140
4x8
Notes: Actually have the equipment for this amazingly. Used a lat pulldown bar and gripped as wide as I could. Really tried to focus on the lat contraction.
Shrugs 365
3x20
Notes: Felt a pop in my middle back on the 7th rep of the first set. Might be a slight sprain or something. No issues finishing the workout.
Hyperextensions
3xFailture
Notes: 30 second rest between sets, made it a nice finisher.
General notes: Woke up at 189.8. Knee continues to get better. Got a bunch of supplement samples the other day, to include a ton of BCAAs. Keep meaning to take them before the workout to see the magic they hold, but keep forgetting.
SHOULDER DAY
Seated DB power cleans 20lbs
3x20
Notes: With 2 warm-up sets, this got pretty brutal. Program said to not stop moving for the entire set, just keep pumping the arms up and down. Really focused on moving the weight with the rear delts.
Seated bent over lateral 20lbs
3x20
Seated DB shoulder press
6x10lbs
6x20
6x30
6x40
6x50
6x75
6x85
5x90
Notes: Programmed called for a slow work-up to 6. My powerblocks only go up to 50, so I broke out the old adjustable DB handles to go higher. These things absolutely suck to get into place, since the collars extend so far beyond the plate that it’s difficult to kick the bell up to the shoulder. Basically have to do a full body hammer curl. Still, once things got up there, this finally felt like a challenge, and it was nice to really push my seated press. May get some power hooks to make things easier.
DB shrugs 105
3x25
General notes: Woke up at 189.4 today. It’s my 30th Birthday, and my wife surprised me with a Prowler 2 from Elitefts. I have an amazing wife. It shipped yesterday, so hopefully it’ll be here soon. That’s going to be a boon for my knee rehab, since there is no eccentric to deal with.
Planned to just have a massive cheatday today, but really just not feeling that. I’m going to have nachos for lunch, and slightly more low carb pizza than usual for dinner tonight, but otherwise I just don’t like cheat food as much as I like being in shape and feeling good. I’m hearing from the Ortho today about my options, and maybe if I can still train heavy and hard I might finally go push the bodyweight up a touch. Planning on doing the 5/3/1 “Building the Monolith” template for that.
Hey, happy birthday.
My 30th actually got a wikipedia page: Tornado outbreak of November 17, 2013 - Wikipedia
“The November 17, 2013 tornado outbreak was the deadliest and costliest in the U.S. state of Illinois to occur in the month of November and fourth largest for the state overall.” I was in Chicago at the time.
Hopefully yours goes a bit smoother.
Best of luck with the rehab. It’s never nice being injured, but I’m sure your upper body lifts will benefit from the extra focus and you should be back and stronger eventually! Hopefully we’ll continue to find the usual inspiring work in your log as you recover.
Lorez: So far I’d say the only apocalyptic storm I’ve had to deal with is the one brewing inside my intestines after those nachos, haha. Sustained periods of clean eating followed by dirty eating never end well. Or maybe this is just “getting older”.
Halcj: I appreciate the kind words dude. This has been a good forced off-season for sure. Going to get the most I can out of it.
Tabata slam ball slams
Injury update: Met with the Ortho today. Apparently, my ACL is just plain gone (can’t find it on the MRI), my meniscus has a radial tear, and I have a small fracture where my knee meets my tibia. Looking at surgical reconstruction via harvesting my hamstring to make a new ACL. Going to wait a few weeks to let the fracture heal. Given 6-9 months recovery time post surgery. Things are looking up, as I finally have a way forward. Excited to get repaired and get back to the game.
It looks like you have a better idea of the road ahead now. I’m looking forward to your upper body gains, haha.
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
Lorez: So far I’d say the only apocalyptic storm I’ve had to deal with is the one brewing inside my intestines after those nachos, haha. Sustained periods of clean eating followed by dirty eating never end well. Or maybe this is just “getting older”.
Halcj: I appreciate the kind words dude. This has been a good forced off-season for sure. Going to get the most I can out of it.
Tabata slam ball slams
Injury update: Met with the Ortho today. Apparently, my ACL is just plain gone (can’t find it on the MRI), my meniscus has a radial tear, and I have a small fracture where my knee meets my tibia. Looking at surgical reconstruction via harvesting my hamstring to make a new ACL. Going to wait a few weeks to let the fracture heal. Given 6-9 months recovery time post surgery. Things are looking up, as I finally have a way forward. Excited to get repaired and get back to the game.[/quote]
I had almost the exact same injury, in 2 stages, when I was younger, and it recovered 100%. I sheared my tibial shelf completely when I was in high school, and the had to do surgery to put it back in place, and at that time I think my ACL was damaged, but the doctor who did the surgery wasn’t an ortho and I wasn’t an athlete so it was left at that.
Then when I was 29 I popped that ACL completely playing flag football, and the Navy ortho did the repair using my hamstring tendon like you’re getting. My options were hamstring tendon or patelar tendon, and he told me there was more to work with and quicker full recovery with the hamstring. Even with early 90’s rehab protocols I was back to 100% inside a year, although that’s 100% of untrained, only doing military PT and running, vs. being a strength athlete. Almost 22 years later, it’s really stronger than it ever was since now I am training for strength.
lift206: Much appreciated dude. So far, I’d say my chest seems to be responding the most to this type of training, which makes sense considering how little it comes into play in strongman. I’m hoping a bigger and stronger chest will mean a stronger bench which will mean a stronger overhead, but even if this is all for vanity it’s at least got me focused on different goals and is keeping my mind off of my old training/numbers. I think I’d go crazy if I were just going to the gym, trying my old routine, and watching myself get worse, so this will keep that away, haha.
OTHSteve: I really appreciate you sharing your experience man, especially with such a positive outcome. It’s good to hear that you were able to recover as well as you did. I got a lot of folks wanting me to believe that I’m done because of this, and I’d rather hear from those that have been there and done that than those that are just speculating, so your input is huge. I’ll make sure to check in with you during my rehab if I have any questions about if things are “normal”.
ARM DAY
DB curl/hammer curl superset
1x10/10 of 35lbs
3x10/10 of 30lbs
Notes: Really focusing on contracting the bicep through the movement and not just moving the weight.
Average band pushdown superset to lightband overhead extension
4x15/15
Notes: Program deviation. This was supposed to be done with a cable, but I was training at home and my rig won’t support this type of movement. The bands did an awesome job though.
Axle seated curl to standing curl superset 45lbs
4x15/10
Notes: Program deviation as per usual: axle used instead of barbell. With the seated curl, I assumed the point was the let the axle run into my legs to limit ROM, so that’s what I did.
Axle skull crusher to closegrip bench (chains only)
4x15/15
Notes: Program deviation with the axle again. Chains were actually part of the program, and they worked well. Didn’t need any additional weight, and my triceps were destroyed by the end. Even got my pecs in a little bit.
General notes: Woke up at 189.2 this morning. Was 188.8 yesterday after my cheatmeal, which was pretty awesome. Knee keeps gradually getting more ROM and I can do more and more stuff with it. Going to try some axle deads and some heavy-ish squatting tomorrow.
I’m sorry to hear that so many people are telling you that things are over. These aren’t Al Bundy times, look how many football players have come back from more severe knee injuries. I think the key is having a strong “base,” and training smart to maintain your base while you recover. You have both of those covered.
I tore an adductor/groin years ago. No where near as serious an injury as yours, but the biggest problem I had was standing crooked. Or balancing over 1 leg while sticking the other leg out like an out-rigger. After awhile it messed with my hip alignment and “bracing.” The band through the belt technique you mentioned months ago was great to challenge the hips without bending the knees too far.
Not much of any use to add to this, other than to repeat what others have said. Your attitude is always inspiring and I’m sure you’ll keep up the good work, albeit in a different direction.
[quote]FlatsFarmer wrote:
I’m sorry to hear that so many people are telling you that things are over. These aren’t Al Bundy times, look how many football players have come back from more severe knee injuries. I think the key is having a strong “base,” and training smart to maintain your base while you recover. You have both of those covered.
I tore an adductor/groin years ago. No where near as serious an injury as yours, but the biggest problem I had was standing crooked. Or balancing over 1 leg while sticking the other leg out like an out-rigger. After awhile it messed with my hip alignment and “bracing.” The band through the belt technique you mentioned months ago was great to challenge the hips without bending the knees too far. [/quote]
Thanks for sharing your experiences man. It has honestly been amazing to me how toxic a lot of the folks that are close to me have been in this regard. My family and closest friends seems to get it, but co-workers, acquaintances, friends of friends, etc, all seem to really want this to be the end for me. I’ve gotten so many comments about how I shouldn’t still be training, how I shouldn’t go back to strongman after this, how “sorry” for me people are, and it’s just baffling.
I try not to think too highly of myself, but I honestly figure these people resent seeing someone get knocked down and immediately pop back up ready to fuck up more stuff and just juggernaut through this. So many people make excuses about how they can’t train because they’re hurt, tired, old, don’t have the time, etc, and to see someone not skip a day after getting injured upsets them because it points out their own inadequacies.
I also get it that some folks legitimately are concerned for me, but my wife gets it that it would be far MORE concerning if I DIDN’T train than if I did. She’s been so awesome through this, not questioning a single decision or pitying me in the slightest. She’s been talking about my comeback even more than I have, looking forward to my next show and seeing how much stronger I get with a healthy knee. Her buying me that prowler was just such an awesome show of faith.
Through out this all, one of the biggest things I’ve learned is how to treat an injured athlete. It seems rational to tell them how sorry for them you feel, but anyone with any ounce of pride doesn’t want to be pitied. I’ll tell them about how they’ll bounce back real quick and that this isn’t anything.
Long rant, haha. I plan to be doing a blogpost about this in a little more in depth. Really happy to hear about that band through the belt thing working out. I’ll probably have to give it a go as a way to get some more leg work in. Also happy to hear that you came back strong from your injury.