Glad to hear your back is getting stronger. Will you be adjusting your routine based on what we’re discussing in “Questions and Answers”?
[quote]cavalier wrote:
Glad to hear your back is getting stronger. Will you be adjusting your routine based on what we’re discussing in “Questions and Answers”?[/quote]
Yes indeed. I have already been trying to wotk out where the real weaknesses are now that i am better established on the big 3.
At the moment it looks like the worst areas (for strength) are lifting in the overhead plane where i really struggle on anything over 50lbs and in ‘row’ plane --that is where i seem to have most back issues eg bent over barbell row.
Also–i have added the gm as a warm up movement and i will be looking to slowly add some weight into these as well.
Of movements : where i am lacking is in rotation, basically in either canoe or kyak i can lock-up quite easily and there is a strong suggestion that my biggst back problems might be rotation related so i may well have to look to specifically working with that weakness too.
When i get back from a trip i am about to do i will also be trying to find someoene to teach me the basic oly lifts as well.
So yes–another round of thinking and learning and lots of solid ideas from the Q&A.
[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
that’s good to hear, apparently training with some restraint leads to sustainable progress, who knew?
I was asking about your deadlift technique in particular because every time i’ve pulled my back on it, I didn’t take the time to ease pressure into the bar and tighten up my posture 100% before the lift. that invariably takes a bit of oomph off the lift but even at my current max I’ve never hurt myself as long as I’m tight.[/quote]
I have to say that of all the lifts the dl is the most intimidating for me simply because of my history.
Main stratgey is to always work up slowly to my working weight sets. I don’t know what my 1 rep maximum is right now as i han’t tested it for some time. I do know that i was comfortable a couple of weeks ago at lifting 220lbs for a set of 5–so based on that waht i always do at the moment is :
1.Deadlift movement during warm up routine of 2x10 moves
2.1 warm up set at 132lbs–this is the crucial one, if it doesn’t feel right like today then i have learnt to not do any more.
3.Gradually work up to the working sets for the day–on thebig dl day that’s a lot of volume but in a quite tight range usually 3x176-180lbs or 5x5 at 200-220 but if things aren’t quite right i am happy just to get a couple of sets at a lower limit.
Technique–i have learnt to be a lot more aggressive when i actually do the lift alomg the lines of : walk up to the bar, set my feet, dip and rip.
If your DL warmup is 10 reps, 135# might be too much. As a very general rule, warmups are 50% of your max, which in this case is 220, so warmup could be a hundred lbs or a bit more. Deads take a LOT out of you.
If you’re concentrating on rehabbing the back, then 10 reps is excellent. If you’re a beginner with very light weights, 10 reps is minimum.
Bear in mind I’ve had back problems, too. Scoliosis - 2 separate C curves, one cervical, one lumbar. Spasms so intense they sent me to the floor. Weeks of literal rehab work. That was years ago. Last week picked 305 off the floor without a whisper of trouble. Hopefully, your progress will go a bit faster.
I think Brett nailed it when he identified squat, bench, DL, OH press and row as the bare minimum for someone who doesn’t know what his weaknesses are. If you’re understanding your body, you can tweak accordingly.
If you have lo back problems with bar rows, there are substitutions. One hand DB rows take all pressure off lo back, for instance. Don’t know if you’re strong enough for chins, but they’re easy on the back.
that’s good to hear, apparently training with some restraint leads to sustainable progress, who knew?
I was asking about your deadlift technique in particular because every time i’ve pulled my back on it, I didn’t take the time to ease pressure into the bar and tighten up my posture 100% before the lift. that invariably takes a bit of oomph off the lift but even at my current max I’ve never hurt myself as long as I’m tight.
[quote]cavalier wrote:
I think Brett nailed it when he identified squat, bench, DL, OH press and row as the bare minimum for someone who doesn’t know what his weaknesses are. If you’re understanding your body, you can tweak accordingly.
If you have lo back problems with bar rows, there are substitutions. One hand DB rows take all pressure off lo back, for instance. Don’t know if you’re strong enough for chins, but they’re easy on the back.
[/quote]
I have just got to the point in the last few weeks where i am doing sets of chins–like today where i did ‘sets’ where :
1 set of 10 squats +
1 set of 5 chins +
1 set of 10 press ups
Made 1 super set and i got through about 10 of those.
Must take a look at more db work ie the supported rows.
Looks like i will be off to france for a couple of weeks.
Life’s a beach sometimes.
Yep–confirmed, ferry booked for midday tomorrow, car nearly packed.
What has happenned is that a planned yacht delivery trip hasn’t worked out as planned and i am taking jax down to arnaoutchot (swest france) for a break instead.
i intend to treat it like a full on training camp, should be a lot of fun now i have a better idea of where i am going with the training.
Now where were we :
Ohp…row…db work…lots of bwe…
Arna…the return of the animal…!!
Enjoy your break BN.
Could be down that way myself in a few weeks time.
Hi BN thanks for the welcome. And I have to say your log name is classic!
I may steal it for an adlib! I’ll be sure to send a royalty check! LOL
[quote]cavalier wrote:
I think Brett nailed it when he identified squat, bench, DL, OH press and row as the bare minimum for someone who doesn’t know what his weaknesses are. If you’re understanding your body, you can tweak accordingly.
If you have lo back problems with bar rows, there are substitutions. One hand DB rows take all pressure off lo back, for instance. Don’t know if you’re strong enough for chins, but they’re easy on the back.
[/quote]
5 of Arnold’s Big 6!
[quote]big nurse wrote:
[quote]cavalier wrote:
I think Brett nailed it when he identified squat, bench, DL, OH press and row as the bare minimum for someone who doesn’t know what his weaknesses are. If you’re understanding your body, you can tweak accordingly.
If you have lo back problems with bar rows, there are substitutions. One hand DB rows take all pressure off lo back, for instance. Don’t know if you’re strong enough for chins, but they’re easy on the back.
[/quote]
I have just got to the point in the last few weeks where i am doing sets of chins–like today where i did ‘sets’ where :
1 set of 10 squats +
1 set of 5 chins +
1 set of 10 press ups
Made 1 super set and i got through about 10 of those.
Must take a look at more db work ie the supported rows.
[/quote]
COOL!
?10? of those, EXCELLENT!
Hey Big Nurse
Your the first Nurse I’ve seen on T-Nation other than me. I hve seen many a nurse retire early due to On the job injuries. I am a transplant RN, heart/lung and multi-organ by training.I recently went into administration and left the bedside. I have been lifting all my life and have all ways been in shape. Nursing placed many a obsticle in my path to stay in shape, double shifts, extra shifts, crazy schedules nights and days, having to stay late with a bad patient(never minded that), no breaks or lunches.
You have the education and knowledge to achieve your goals. Just like we do on the unit, when ten things have to be done now. piortize you life and off time to focus on youself and your health. I have worked out in scrubs and my whites after work. I’m 50yrs old, 6’3", 280lbs(127KG), 20-25%BF, RN for 30 years, I all ways tell my staff,“take care of yourself like you take care of your patients and you will all ways have great outcomes.”.
[quote]Daviebo wrote:
Hey Big Nurse
Your the first Nurse I’ve seen on T-Nation other than me. I hve seen many a nurse retire early due to On the job injuries. I am a transplant RN, heart/lung and multi-organ by training.I recently went into administration and left the bedside. I have been lifting all my life and have all ways been in shape. Nursing placed many a obsticle in my path to stay in shape, double shifts, extra shifts, crazy schedules nights and days, having to stay late with a bad patient(never minded that), no breaks or lunches. You have the education and knowledge to achieve your goals. Just like we do on the unit, when ten things have to be done now. piortize you life and off time to focus on youself and your health. I have worked out in scrubs and my whites after work. I’m 50yrs old, 6’3", 280lbs(127KG), 20-25%BF, RN for 30 years, I all ways tell my staff,“take care of yourself like you take care of your patients and you will all ways have great outcomes.”.[/quote]
/wave
← also a male nurse
Hey Man
I worked in New Jersey at Robert Wood in Newark for a couple of weeks a few years ago.
[quote]Daviebo wrote:
Hey Big Nurse
Your the first Nurse I’ve seen on T-Nation other than me. I hve seen many a nurse retire early due to On the job injuries. I am a transplant RN, heart/lung and multi-organ by training.I recently went into administration and left the bedside. I have been lifting all my life and have all ways been in shape. Nursing placed many a obsticle in my path to stay in shape, double shifts, extra shifts, crazy schedules nights and days, having to stay late with a bad patient(never minded that), no breaks or lunches.
You have the education and knowledge to achieve your goals. Just like we do on the unit, when ten things have to be done now. piortize you life and off time to focus on youself and your health. I have worked out in scrubs and my whites after work. I’m 50yrs old, 6’3", 280lbs(127KG), 20-25%BF, RN for 30 years, I all ways tell my staff,“take care of yourself like you take care of your patients and you will all ways have great outcomes.”.[/quote]
Nice to hear from you,just back from a holiday in france but will post a better reply when i have some time !!
[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
[quote]Daviebo wrote:
Hey Big Nurse
Your the first Nurse I’ve seen on T-Nation other than me. I hve seen many a nurse retire early due to On the job injuries. I am a transplant RN, heart/lung and multi-organ by training.I recently went into administration and left the bedside. I have been lifting all my life and have all ways been in shape. Nursing placed many a obsticle in my path to stay in shape, double shifts, extra shifts, crazy schedules nights and days, having to stay late with a bad patient(never minded that), no breaks or lunches. You have the education and knowledge to achieve your goals. Just like we do on the unit, when ten things have to be done now. piortize you life and off time to focus on youself and your health. I have worked out in scrubs and my whites after work. I’m 50yrs old, 6’3", 280lbs(127KG), 20-25%BF, RN for 30 years, I all ways tell my staff,“take care of yourself like you take care of your patients and you will all ways have great outcomes.”.[/quote]
/wave
← also a male nurse
[/quote]
Nice to hear from you as well…
Just checking in after an unplanned break in france.
We were supposed to have been doing a boat delivery down to north western portugal but having heard nothing from the owner for several weeks we suddenly found ourselves on the day (night shift) before annual leave with no plan.
A quick call to jax ward and she was happy to go with ‘plan b’ i.e get down to south west france again, just an aside here–uk having the 3rd completely shite summer in a row, weather forecast just giving rain…rain…and more-----rain for the uk and pretty well the opposite for south of bordeaux–so tough choice but somebody has to make them eh ?.
So back to (naturist) arnaoutchot for a couple of weeks and jolly nice too. Last time was really spoiled by the worry over what was happenning at work re our jobs and the likelihood of not having one (nhs in self destruct mode right now).
Main thing at arna this time was that being a bit more familiar with the gym i was able to get in there ,do some good sessions and set a new deadlift pb of 124kg (272 lbs) which i was pretty happy with.
Oh well time to have a look at the threads and see what the guys n gals have been up to.
Hey, you’re back Nurse! And with a whopping DL to boot! Good luck with your job, I’m still looking.
Just got back from family reunion, loads of fun. Found out that my cousin’s son is a male nurse, didn’t know that. General nursing, he likes it, will specialize later.
Hiya cav.
I was reading about your reunion trip just now–sound like you discovered the joys of hiking !!! that was the kind of experience i was having week in/week out last year–walked so much i could hardly…walk !!!.
I was pretty pleased with setting a new maximum deadlift, i felt that it was on the cards when the 90kg sets were becoming comfortable, more significant than the 124 kg max is that i can just about handle 100kg for sets of 5.
Big difference at my max is that where before i just couldn’t break 115 off the ground i can now obviously break 124 off the floor–difference is that it come sup quite slowly ie it’s work all the way.
Ok–another nurse in the family, lifter yet ??