Capt Kirk, Just a little intense. and HE's Gonna HOLD IT!
Ok even with awesomeness like that, Squat day today went like complete junk. Nothing felt right and i did not want to pull the leg sleeves on just to simply Squat. Trying to get the tissue used to doing the work especially at the lighter weights without aids. It will come, today was just an off day. Knees felt like they wanted to buckle, things felt stiff, etc, etc.
Warm Ups: Monster Walks /Side Step /leg swings (front to back) /TKE's Squats
5 x 10 x bar
2 x 5 x 135
So with that feeling so crappy i decided to just do some seated Calf raises to at least get something out of the day. Pyramided up to 85 lbs and then back down. Even this felt a little "off". Seated Calf Raise
1 x 20 x 45
1 x 20 x 55
1 x 20 x 65
1 x 17 x 75
1 x 15 x 85
1 x 15 x 75
1 x 20 x 65
1 x 20 x 55
This did not sit well with me all day, especially after yesterday's grotesque-aerie so i decided to salvage the day with a little prowler action after going to see EVIL DEAD this afternoon (very grotesque, only jumped twice).
Skipping 4 min 20 sec On /Off (improvement!) GHR 6,10 PROWLER
2 x 100 meters x 95 lbs (This felt like a ton of weight and i knew there would be no productive sprinting with this today so i dropped the weight down.)
8 x 60 - 80 meters x 50 lbs
Rest was 2 min plus whatever was left of the minute i had started at. My legs felt like Jell-O, my lungs burned. I am going to feel like i fought a tiger tomorrow. But i felt good to re-claim at least part of my day with training. Definitely a solid pump-itude in my Quads. The little things to salvage an otherwise bad trg weekend.
Ok so where have I been? I left after work last Thursday to visit my parents for the Easter weekend. There was not a lot of time to get to the gym and we were focused on a bunch of other things. I did do a lot of stretching, Foam Rolling, and Glute activation. I also am still pushing the ROM in a kneeling position and trying to massage /release the knot in right calf. When that is gone i will be able to kneel fully. I did train this week starting on Tuesday.
02 April 2013 Warm Up: Rev Hyper /Back Ext /Rainbows /Red Band Pull-a-part (thumbs up) Skipping 2 min
Bench
3 x 5 x Bar
1 x 5 x 95
1 x 5 x 115
1 x 3 x 135
1 x 5 x 170
1 x 3 x 195
1 x 5 x 215
3 x 10 x 145 (Close Grip)
Everything moved solid and fast. After driving home the day before hips and low back were extremely tight first thing in the morning. Machine Rows
1 x 10 x 120
1 x 10 x 140
1 x 10 x 165 Barbell rows
3 x 15 x 135
Assistance: TKE /Face Pulls /Dips /Rev Hyper /GHR
The Barbell Rows i am using to help build the leg indirectly. Also i have to really focus on my hip /low back to keep them tight and in position. Something else i having to re-establish. There is a theme building here i will elaborate on.
03 April 2013 Warm Up: GHR /Back Ext /Monster Walks /Banded Side Step /Rainbows /Thumbs up Band Pull-a-parts Skipping 3 min 15 sec On /Off
Deadlift
2 x 5 x 135
2 x 5 x 185
1 x 5 x 205
1 x 5 x 225
1 x 5 x 245
1 x 5 x 275
Front Squat
1 x 10 x bar
1 x 5 x 95
1 x 10 x 95
1 x 10 x 135 (knees wrapped)
1 x 10 x 135 (no wraps
Very happy with this. Still not as strong through the VMO as i would like but it is coming. Used Double Over hand grip until the 245 lbs. My Grip is something else that is feeling better. I made sure to hold the 245 for 5 sec on the last rep and i held the 275 lbs on the last rep for 10 sec before putting it down. The bar is not slipping but the grip is not vice-like mostly because of the time off. The Deadlift is coming along fast i think in a big part due to the fact i did this right up until surgery. The front squat feels solid on the quads, the wraps was an experiment and practice. The plan is to really up the volume on the Front Squats on this day. Deadlifts will begin to fall on Thursdays i think. Still laying out the weekly template.
04 April 2103 Skipping 3 min 10 sec On /Off Run - Walk 1 min x 2 Warm-Up: Hanging leg raise /Rev Hyper /Red Band Pull-a-parts OH Press
2 x 5 x Bar
1 x 5 x 60
1 x 5 x 70
1 x 3 x 95
1 x 5 x 110
1 x 3 x 120
1 x 6 x 135
3 x 8 x 95
05 April 2013 Warm Up: Rev Hyper /Banded Side Step /Monster Walk /TKE /GHR /Dips Squat
3 x 10 x Bar
1 x 5 x Bar
2 x 5 x 135
1 x 5 x 185
1 x 4 x 205
1 x 5 x 205
1 x 5 x 225
Rebuilding the Squat is going to take a few weeks. Trying to figure out how to stay tight without over pressuring is a new problem for me. The first set with 205 my spotter had to catch me, i almost blacked out. I put my belt on after that and it was like an instant cue on how to pressurize. It is also strange for the Knee. No pain but i am also missing nerve ending so my brain is not used to this being the new "normal" for me. Also have to still focus heavily on staying even, my left groin seems to be over working. So it will be slow and steady with the weight so as not to create a new problem. But stretching and foam rolling will solve it i am sure. The stiffness doesn't settle in until later in the day.
06 April 2013 Warm Up: TRX Face Pull /Band Pull-a-parts Pull ups 10, 16, 10, 10 Push Ups 4 x 20 Bosu Spinal flexion 4 x 25 Head Harness 20 lbs - 15, 20, 20, 20
Everything felt slow and sluggish. Especially the Pull Ups, in a word Grotesque. So i shut it down after 30 min and stretched for 30 min. Felt better after that. I will schedule a full Scale Pull Up assault later this week. I really want to get these back on track. The goal is to smash 20 reps by my Birthday in May this year.
Notes and thoughts:
So that is everything up until this morning. I did do pool sessions this past Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. The Explosiveness on my jump squats is becoming awesome, now to transfer that power onto to dry land. My Conditioning when i swim is coming along nicely. The pieces are still coming together.
Speaking of pieces when i sat down last week to re-write my template it was almost overwhelming I am allowed to do everything i used to do. Except i realized i am not healthy yet. So i was trying to schedule my old program with the stuff i still have to do now (jumps, glute activation, Quad strength, ROM, etc) so i had a page full of stuff i wanted to work in. Unfortunately i only have one energy source and trying to do super high volume twice or three times a day was way to much. So i came up with a different approach. DO LESS.
I will still Squat /Bench /Deadlift /OH Press /Pull Ups every week. The difference is until i am 100% i will do little to no Big assistance exercises (straight leg Deadlifts, good mornings, leg press, weighted glute bridges, etc) Instead i will do TKE's, Seated Calf, Standing Calf, single leg work(lunges or step ups) Skipping, and GHR. Lots of GHR. I think simply high volume on the Squats and Deadlifts will make a difference for now anyhow rebuilding my lifts. I will continue working on the running daily in some form or fashion.
Speaking of the running, i am still only hitting 2-4 Runs a session, but i am getting faster every time out. The leg still fatigues which leads to the patellar knee pain. This is also lessened since i raised the volume on the glute work. I do more glute work than a Brazilian Butt Lift Trainer. It is helping. Now that my street is clear of Snow and crud i will start running outside. There is a nice 1 mile Loop in my neighbourhood. I will work on completing that. Being able to run straight only i think will help.
This video is from last year may 2012. The day after the seminar i am going to. This is the level of lifters that the presenters and coaches attending this May are at. Mind blowing to say the least.
Short week and work has been insane but who cares about that? this is about training and recovery from surgery. Short timeline this morning but i got to the gym as it opened so i gained some precious time. To say that there is an absence of people in the gym the past few months that need some massive esophageal reconstruction through trauma is an understatement. I simple have moved away from complaining about it.
Standing OH Press
2 x 10 x Bar
1 x 5 x 60
1 x 5 x 70
1 x 3 x 85
1 x 3 x 105
1 x 3 x 120
1 x 3 x 135
The way the 120 lbs moved off my shoulders i was unsure how the 135 was going to feel, besides heavy of course. Every weight was fast and snappy up till the 120 lbs which was a little odd but meh. The last set everything moved very smooth and easy, it felt like a ton but i had the raw grinding strength to simply push it over head. Good Times.
Done Before, During, and After OH Press: Black band Face Pulls 3 x 40 TKE's 3 x 20 Horizontal Shrug 3 x 15 x 55 lbs Seated Calf Raises 3 x 20 x 65lbs ADduction Machine 2 x 20 x 115 lbs ABduction Machine 2 x 20 x 205 lbs Trap Machine Shrug 3 x 20 x 90 lbs Head Harness 3 x 25-30 x 25 lbs V Bar Press Down 3 x 20 x 60 lbs
The knot is still lingering a little in my right Gastrocnemius (calf). The Physio things it is less Soleus /Gastroc and something called the Plataris which is related to the knee locking and unlocking of the knee. Which would make sense why when certain aches get irritating going up and down stairs some days felt sketchy at best, those days are behind me. Also why the only position i still have discomfort is when kneeling except when i jam my thumb into the muscle. The Acupuncture is working so when i see my new Physio in a week or so we can keep the needles coming. If required of course.
As i am still re-structuring, the week is disheveled to say the least. The weekend will be a snow globe for training. I was not entirely sure what to tackle today. I need to get a run in but i can do that this weekend if all else falls through. The restrictions have been changed so why not do something i cleared to do? So i opted to get my first Deadlift sessions of the year and post Surgery. My max Deadlift is 440 lbs. Going into Surgery i Deadlifted, 340 lbs x 5 reps the week before Surgery to be exact. In all honesty my two main thoughts going into Deadlifting this morning was expect nothing and focus on technique. So with that in mind I got to work.
Done Before /During /After Deadlifts GHR 5, 5, 8 Banded Side step 2 x 10 Banded Monster Walks 2 x 10 Rainbows 2 x 10 Black band Facepulls 2 x 50
Deadlift
2 x 5 x 95
2 x 5 x 135
2 x 5 x 185
1 x 5 x 205
1 x 5 x 225
1 x 5 x 245
I took my time. Made sure to run through my technique cues and squeeze the weight off the floor. next time i will add some TKE's to my warm up just to ensure my VMO is contracting a little harder. But over all for a first time out i was very happy with this. 55% of my all time PR is very solid to start from. I might have had some more weight in the tank but physically this felt like a solid place to end at. The Knee was tired but not over fatigued. So i moved onto another favorite activity.
Front Squats
1 x 10 x bar
3 x 10 x 95
Very solid for all 3 sets. I will try and add a 4th /5th set next week. From there i will add ten pounds, drop 2 sets and repeat the cycle. The goal of front squats is to make my Quads work hard through some volume. Which will add strength and Size to my leg. In the process the atrophy should disappear. I am working on how to intelligently add single leg stuff into my trg without going to crazy. having extra pieces is a good thing but i am trying to keep my training simplified.
So a very short simple session today. Getting some solid work in but working the volume back in.
OK, time to get caught up. Saturday & Sunday i did not train. My body was burnt, my knees (both of them) were sore and over all i felt like i needed rest and food. I was also behind on sleep all week. So some times training is about recovery and letting your body get the time it needs out of the gym to grow and build. Monday was a strange day and after 2 days off i was out of the groove. Between work and groceries i let this day pass, which eats at me and drives me insane to no end which was a good thing. Come hell or high water Tuesday i was training.
Bench
3 x 5 x Bar
1 x 5 x 95
1 x 5 x 115
1 x 3 x 135
1 x 3 x 160
1 x 3 x 185
1 x 8 x 205
3 x 10 x 140
The set with 185 was a complete mess. I had to Un-rack it twice, the first time it felt entirely unbalanced, to the point where after i racked it i checked to make sure it was loaded correctly. It was. I Un-racked it a second time for a slow, wobbly set of three. Which lead me to asking for a spotter. The 205 i SMASHED. 100% solid, set up felt perfect, leg drive was spot on and the weight moved very fast. I racked it at 8 but definitely had 2-3 left in the tank. But the idea is not to train to complete failure. Barbell Rows 3 x 15 x 135 Double DB Rows 3 x 15 x 55
Did some Rev Hypers, GHR, and back Extensions too.
I re-evaluated over the weekend and happen to even catch an article that helped me re-assess. I will be taking a few more days to re-jig all of my training. I have to maintain certain priorities while still re-building old skills and technique. This includes Jits, Lifting weights, bodyweight conditioning, and running /ruck marching. Not everything is a priority but picking dates and working backwards to set some goals and marker posts for the next few months.
Monday i also registered for the Learn to Train seminar in Ohio in May 2013. Super excited to be going. It is for the Make a Wish Foundation in that area. On the list of Coaches and presenters is a simply mind blowing list of who's who in the world of Strength.
Up early but short on time...again. Damn these early timings at work. I just wish the gym could open earlier. Everything felt great or as good as be expected. The right shoulder seemed relaxed and a little looser thankfully.
Done Before /During /After Dynamic bench: Red Band Pull-a-parts (pronated thumbs /thumbs up) 3 x 15 Head Harness 3 x 20 x 25 lbs Hip Extensions 3 x 10 Rev Hypers 3 x 15
Dynamic Bench
2 x 5 x bar
1 x 3 x 95
1 x 3 x 115
1 x 3 x 135
8 x 3 x 155
Everything felt a lot better this week. Whole body was tight, i had good snap off the chest, leg drive was consistent. Very happy with this speed work. Super set Horizontal Shrug 3 x 15 x 55lbs V-Bar PushDowns 3 x 15 x 140 lbs (older double pulley machine, makes all weight lighter, but the height difference changes the angle up)
So another short session in the books. Everything felt very solid and smooth. My throat became oddly sore last night so i will endeavour to get extra sleep this weekend. going to relax tonight no trg. I will foam roll and stretch though.
ORTHO SURGEON VISIT NOTES -he was very impressed and happy with my progress
-everything is stable, so now it is about control and getting strong(er)
-currently everything i do i think about the leg. the goal is to get to where i just do without having to think.
-10 cm difference in leg size, but with my leg size this is not worrisome (Left 62 cm /Right 52 cm)
-did a single leg jump to two leg landing. Alternating sides. My range was from 92cm to 108 cm. But the big take away is i am nearly equal between left and right.
-keep working with the physio on the quad issue.
-not concerned about the slight swelling /patellar bursa problem, just keep working on it.
-Cleared to start rolling and doing lite Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with trusted partners and the goal is to work movement and body awareness. Work the basics.
-Continue to push everything but use my level of confidence as an indicator. If it feels sketchy or dodgy then back off. Confidence at this point is key.
-Goal is to regain full control of the leg.
Now for the big one... I AM CLEARED TO SQUAT AND DEADLIFT!!!!
The numbers will take time but the chains are off and the weapons are switched off safe. There is still a lot of road left but this is one of those days where the sun is shining, the birds are singing and it feels good to be breathing the fresh air.
Woke up and my hips, low back, and knees were feeling stiff. I did not have an actual plan besides "do some neck work". So what to do? Why not greet the day with some Good Mornings! This is another exercise i have not done in awhile. i do not typically push these to super human levels because i got a better result out of light weight with sets of 10.
Good Mornings
2 x 10 x Bar
2 x 10 x 95
4 x 10 x 115
I held it at 115 because i noticed my right knee was doing a very slight buckling motion. Nothing scary but enough that i knew my Glutes were capable of handling that much more. Besides first day back with doing these i am simply trying to revive motor patterns. As with all things, time and patience, the weight and strength will return.
Red Band Facepulls 3 x 30 (very slow tempo) Black Band Side Step 2 x 10 Monster Walks 2 x 10 Trap Machine Shrugs
1 x 20 x 45
4 x 15 x 90 Kirk Karwoski Shrugs 4 x 15 x 135
Capt Kirk Himself doing the Karwoski Shrugs
That is it that was all. Had to be into work early. My Right Delt was sore and very stiff which is why i did the Red Band Facepulls with a slow controlled tempo.
Pool Session Flutter Kicks w/ Board 7 min Front Crawl 10 min Deep End Running w/Water Db's 6 min Shallow End Running 10 min Jump squats
2 sets x 1 Jump x 3 times
3 sets x 3 jumps x 4 times Single Leg Jumps
2 sets x 5 jumps x 2 times
I attempted keep the strain on my shoulder a little less so i did 2 extra minutes with the flutter board. I also slowed my arm motion right down and kicked faster with my feet /legs. My upper body and shoulders were not as worn out as usual. In regards to the Shallow end running, i ran from the wall to the deep end, then walked back continuously for the 10 min. This was not quite so taxing on my feet.
The Jumps feel better and better with each time out. My confidence is building. It is carrying over to dry land too which is even more awesome. hopefully the shoulders are recovered enough for Dynamic bench. Also the deep end running relaxed and moved the swelling in my knee this continues to be a great source of relief for the patellar bursa which i am grateful for.
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