Gym Progress 11/7/219: Back to the Gym II (The Fatass Edition)
So, I hurt my arm last month at the gym, and spent most of October sitting on my butt sucking down Halloween candy.
Result?
I gained 9 pounds. Keep in mind that probably about half of that is just from breaking keto alone, but that is still more than a pound a week. MMMMMMMmmmmmm, Halloween candy.
I started wearing a compression sleeve last week, and that seemed to get my arm feeling better. It's still tweaky, if that's a word. I'm limiting myself to compound lifts and stomach work that doesn't require the use of my arm for another week, to hopefully strengthen it up. All in all, I think I needed to use the arm more often (and beyond that, I should have done other exercises that didn't involve the use of it).
I'm down about 70% from my max total volume. I will be progressing a lot slower than I have before. I was in a hurry to get to the weightlifters standards of normal (1/2/3/4) instead of recognizing that I am
- old
- short
- (was) in very poor physical shape when I started...
...which is how I hurt myself to begin with.
What I will be doing is spending one week on strength (5x5), one week on muscle building (3x8-12), and one week on endurance, before progressing in weight, and that's only if I complete a full set as scheduled. And I will be adding smaller increments (5 lbs on arms, 10 lbs on legs) as well.
I don't need to advance quickly, but I don't want to take more time off at all.
I started keto up again yesterday, so tomorrow (the third day) is where I have been backsliding this past month. If I can get through tomorrow without fresh baked bread, Life cereal, or tasty cookies, I can combine that with increased physical activity and stay in keto more confidently.
And tomorrow is yoga...
Hey, Steve. Your tenacity is admirable. With that being said, your injury sounded serious enough to warrant a few precautions and workarounds - as in working around rather than thru the injury. Not sure if you've already thought of this stuff, but if not, it could prove helpful.
If you have access to them, go with as many machines as possible. They'll still allow for multi-joint, compound exercises but will help isolate certain muscle groups.
With that specific injury, each free weight workout is a danger to the healing process. With free-weight workouts it's almost impossible to not engage the biceps. The processes of lifting and getting the weight into position and stabilizing, are all a recipe for re-injury and delaying healing.
That bb front squat will suck. So will the bb chest press.
Alternatives? Smith machine (a rack with hinges) squat
You can isolate out the action which caused your injury with a machine peck-deck, aka chest flye. Squeezing pecs instead of pushing the weight in front of body.
For the deadlift, use straps
OK, work smart. Stay safe. Consistency wins in the gym.
I am keeping this in mind; I have dropped weight by 20-25%, and have cut down thwe amount of exercises as well, finally, I'm dropping to 2 sessions a week this week and next week.
and other than DOMS, my arm feels better than it has all month.
I am scared sh*tless about re-injury, so I am def taking things slowww
I did start out both DL and squats (just added the bb front squat to the repetoire in Sep) on the Smith, but it was the idea that I would strengthen stabilizers that led me to move off them to the bb. In fact, other than back rows and the assisted pu machine, I had moved off machines completley ;>
the machine chest fly might be good to rotate in for chest, I had been doing them, but subbed them out for the pinch plate press, and moving up from 25 to 45 probably added to the injury, but I'm sure the main cause was jumping up on bench too quick.
I might look stupid adding 2.5 plates, but i'm not hurting myself again lol
Those 2.5's are the correct play, @stevescoins. No serious athlete would even think about it looking stupid. In fact, it should indicate you know your shitz!
Glad to see you're still trucking!
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