05 May 2016 - 2 Weeks to go...

In July 2012 I tore my ACL. Surgery in Nov 2012. I started writing this Trg /Recovery Log because I would be asked 20 times a day how my knee was doing. 8 mths post surgery I started having mild back issues and some hip impingement that i kept fighting through, working around, or getting treatment for when it got really bad. Nov 2014: an X-ray and MRI confirmed that I had bones spurs and arthritis in my hip. Sept 2015: I found out this meant a hip resurfacing (read: form of replacement). I write this for me now, to track things, and to organize my thoughts. In addition to giving my friends and family somewhere to go when they want to know how I am doing. It might also help someone else who has similar issues. I am not a medical professional. I did not stay in a Holiday Inn last night. This is simply my story as I progress through things.  Thanks for reading. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can’t – I can’t thank you guys for the opportunity. Let me tell you something: If tomorrow wasn’t promised, what would you give for today? Forget everything else. Forget everything else. Forget that there was any sunlight left. What would you spend today thinking about. Yourself? Or the man that’s beside you? Or the man that you know you’d give everything in your heart for?

We get one opportunity in life. One chance in life to do whatever you’re gonna do. To lay your foundation. To make whatever mark you’re gonna make. Whatever legacy you’re gonna leave. Leave your legacy. And it’s found through effort. 

Wins and losses come a dime a dozen. But effort? Nobody can judge effort. Effort is between you and you. Effort ain’t got nothing to do with nobody else. So that team that think they ready to see you? They think what they seen on film. They ain’t saw what film shows. Because every day is a new day. Every moment is a new moment.

So now you got to go out and show them that I’m a different creature now than I was five minutes ago. (Sir) Cause I’m pissed off for greatness. Because you ain’t pissed off for greatness, that mean you OK with being mediocre. Ain’t no man in here OK with being just basic. So let’s do what we do. Tonight, (Sir) we ain’t gotta worry about taking no breaks. Don’t worry about close calls – let’s do it  -Ray Lewis 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30 April 
It felt good to get back in the swing of things. I pushed the pace throughout this whole session. The descending Pull Up ladder worked out very well. No failed reps and every set felt like I still had at least 1 more in the tank. Pull Ups were done between all sets of bench. Everything was somehow supersetted the whole session.
 Bench 
1 x 3 x 170
1 x 3 x 190
1 x 3 x 215
8 x 3 x 145 (hands in 2")
Pull Ups (Various hand positions)
5 x 5
4 x 4
3 x 3
2 x 2
1 x 1
Ab Wheel 5 x 10
Barbell Curls, Push Up handles, Rolling Triceps to finish things up.
1 May 
I had plans to train. Due to unforeseen circumstances at work I did not get the time. Dog walks and stretching.

2 May
My abs were killing me from all the Ab wheel work on Saturday. I watched a Chris Duffin video the other day and from that I adjusted my ab wheel technique slightly. It did not feel like much at the time, definitely feeling it now though. I have a feeling i will be watching a plethora of Chris Duffin vids post Op.

I decided I would do some TRX Lunges and Pistols with my right leg only. Low Volume should be ok right? Well when you haven't done full ROM in months things go wrong. My leg cramped and stiffened up after only a few sets. Just wonderful the day before my Annual PT Test.
Dips  5 x 3
Pull Ups 5 x 2
TRX Pistols 3 x 5
Lunges 3 x 5
Rows, Rollouts, Facepulls, & Y's to finish up the session.

3 May
My Annual FORCE test. As expected i got up a little sore. I had a hot shower. Rubbed some blue heat onto both legs and hips, popped some NSAIDS and Extra strength Tylenol. Steeling my mind for the impending discomfort. My Numbers this year were definitely a down-slide from last year. This is the first year that there is actual criteria to aim for. I was way off the mark. If you want to understand the test in more detail click here.

2013 - FORCE Test

2014 - FORCE Test

2015 FORCE Test

This years numbers: (The order is the order completed and is now the set order for the test officially now. )
2016:
20m Rushs  - :40
Sandbag Lift - 1:17
Intermittent Carry - 3:03
Sand Bag drag - :17 

Test Score Calculator

This gives me a score 2 points below bronze, so basically miserable. I can live with this for now. The silver lining is that my intermittent carry was my best yet. Everything else was not drastically off since The Fun part came a few hours later. This test put me through a lot of ROM's that i avoid due to hip irritation. It reared it's ugly hip a few days later.

Despite the discomfort I had planned on getting my OHP in for the week.
OHP 5 x 3 x 135
Between sets of OHP
Band Pull a parts 5 x 21 x Red EFS Band
Face Pull 5 x 13 x Black EFS Band
Dips AMRAP 15 reps
Pull Ups AMRAP 11 reps
Happy with the Dips and Pull Ups. These have both increased considerably in the last months doing them almost daily every week. Also considering this time last year I could not do a single rep of either due my upper back /rotator stuff. Finished up with  Ab Wheel,  CS Rear Delt DB Rows, Int & Ext Rotator work. 

4 May
Took it easy. Met a friend for lunch. My hip was a mess. My Low back felt great. My Hip on the other hand was miserable from doing the FORCE test and going through ROM that is simply bone on bone. It took me a few days of upping my NSAID's and Tylenol to get things back under control.

5 May
DB Floor Press, AB Wheel, Pall off Press, Biceps, and Triceps  at 0230hrs. Just 30 min of movement for the day and nothing to irritate the hip further.

Keep Moving Forward, Maintain your fundamentals, Keep Getting Strong(er)