If I dont get around to answering this in the next couple days, quote it reminding me. I have a lot of stuff to catch up on right now.

yup - had to attend class during the day & study at night, then took a test yesterday.

I'll get to that at some point.

Thanks - you're ~70% right

You're probably pretty busy, no big deal, but I figured I should follow orders anyway.

Hopefully when you do get around to answering, involves anything other than "it's ridiculously important that you do those exercises" because tbh I've been pretty bad with them...

While I did some extension stuff during rehab that was similar, I dont think its critical, and I've seen McGill comment that stuff like that can actually be bad. When you get to the end range of extension, you can damage facet joints and bones.

Doing flexion and extension exercises on the low back makes it more likely that you'll herniate a disc, then the fluid leaks out onto the nerve and you have pain that you'll never forget. Flexion exercises are especially dumb. "Functional" my ass - the function of your low back is to remain stable - not to flex and extend. Find a new PT imo.

Thanks for the response cha. I've done a bunch of reading and it seems like what I have is a mild herniated disc where the outer shell is punctured a bit but didn't lose all of the fluid. And then I think my symptoms may be some kind of sciatica. Does this sound right? Also, it seems like it should mostly heal on its own anyway, but I'd be curious if you have any suggested approaches.

One last question, you had a more severe version of this yourself right? What's that date you give people to start from for reading your rehab in your log?

Thanks again

I dont know the definition of what sciatica is, but my understanding is that its nerve pain in your leg caused by a back injury. If you have a herniated disc and leg pain, that might be right.

idk about that.

Yeah - get your core and glutes strong without bending or twisting your torso.

Yeah, I herniated a disc, but the effects of it were debilitating. For five weeks, I could not walk without crutches or sleep for longer than 45 minutes without getting up and finding a different position to lay down. I could not straighten my right hip.

Memorial Day 2011 is when it happened.

If I were to change anything about what I did during rehab, I would have tried to get on the inversion table sooner, and I'd skip the MacKenzie exercise where you lay face down and extend your low back by doing what amounts to a belly push up - the thing that it sounds like your PT wants you to do.

If you really want to do this the right way, read McGill's books, starting with Low Back Disorders, and follow all of his advice.

In addition to being busy since I returned, I had computer problems that slowed me down a lot. It is fixed now, but I'm still pretty busy. I will catch up on my log now at least.

5/12
squat
55x5, 105x5, 147x5, 197x3, 239x3, 289x3
330x2, 350x2, 370x2, 400x2

GHR
15x3

ssb box squats
220 + 8 chains X 3 x3

RDL
147x5, 239x5, 330x5, 380x5

5/20

squat
55x5, 105x5, 147x5, 197x5, 239x3, 289x2
330x2, 350x0, 370x6
I could have grinded out at least 1 more rep, but form might have broke down. I did not want to risk it. E1RM = 430 based on 370x6, which is more than I've squatted before (424). I'm planning to do at least 430 at some point in the meet, either with my 2nd or 3rd attempt. I definitely plugged two energy leaks recently - keeping the obliques tight/rib cage down, and toes pointed forward, have my squats feeling stronger than ever.

GHR
15x3

5/21

light bench
55x10, 105x10x2, 147x5, 197x3, 207x2x8

cable rows
200x20x3

pulldowns
200x20x3

blast strap pushups
10x2

face pulls
125x15x2

5/22

DL
239x5x2, 330x3, 380x2, 421x1, 471x1,
512x1 this was hard
522xf
512x1 this was possibly the longest time it ever took me to grind out a DL. Despite it being very hard to finish two heavy DLs, I felt nothing in my low back at all, which is a great feeling.

I'll post vids later. See if you guys can see a couple things in them.

reverse hypers with strap
110x15x3
These are way easier/feel way better with the obliques tight.

GHR
15x3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sxh...WMMo3Q&index=1

DLs starting at 421x1 going to the end ^

I couldnt get that video to embed.

Nice work Cha. Here's my .02: Squats look strong, but it seems like you are still doing the good morning form of the squats (evident from reps 4-6). On at least the last DL it looks like you rested the bar on your leg. It appears that you shoot your knees forward/under the bar and have the bar rest on the incline of your thigh (right around 0:41). I'm not sure what the rules are for the fed you will be lifting in, but I think that would get a red light in USAPL.

yup - I was getting tired and the form was breaking down. My goal was 6 reps when I started the set. The last one felt the worst, so I stopped. I'm not used to heavy, "high" rep squats.

yeah, I think you're right. I need to work at keeping my shins more vertical so that the bar doesnt get away from me. It started ok, and I kept the weight close to/dragging on my legs, but my knees drifted forward. That's why I gave up on the 522 - the weight shifted about 2" forward, so it felt a lot heavier than it should have. I do not feel as strong DLing right now as I did last fall. Hopefully I can pull a couple good ones

The good news is my grip was solid through all those - even on the grinder, it never felt like it came loose from my hands at all.

5/24

bench press - all paused. Just doing a heavy single to see where I'm at. This is the last heavy bench I'll do before the meet in 8 days.
55x10, 85x10, 105x10, 146x5, 196x3, 238x3, 268x1, 288x1, 308x1, 318x1, 329x1
Well, I dont feel as good about my bench as I did a couple/few moths ago when I did 345, but I think I have a decent shot at 330 or so at the meet. I noticed that 318 felt a little harder than it should have & 329 felt better than expected after the 318 was tough. The only difference I could see was I touched the bar about an inch higher on my chest on the 329. I'll look at the video on my big screen later and see if I can spot anything else. Maybe I'll post it too.

face pulls
125x15x3

cable rows
200x20x3

Note: My left delts (all three) have felt kind of weird and tight the past several days. I used the Fibroblaster on it a few days ago and that seemed like it made my brachioradiais pain flare up. That hasnt happened in a while. Tonight I noticed a large knot in my left tricep too. I hit that with the Fibroblaster and the DMS and stretched it quite a bit and then I put some Biofreeze on it. I'm not sure, but it seems like that might have relieved the brachioradialis pain. We'll see how that feels the next few days.

329 looked easy given that the left side went up faster. But, it was the only one that didn't really seemed paused to me. No big deal, I think you're sitting pretty for the meet, just thought I'd mention that. Although you probably noticed it already.

yeah, you're right, that 329 was a touch & go. I might have got red lighted for that; although, they are usually quick to say press once it touches the chest. I've seen lifts like that get three white lights.

My right side always lags behind when I'm doing a challenging rep. We talked about that. I'm right handed, so it should not be like that, but the unnecessary shoulder surgery I had ~15 years ago gave me too much mobility in the right shoulder, which ultimately weakens the side when I bench.

Nice work. Good luck in your meet

thanks!

5/26

Worked up to about openers for Saturday.

squat
55x5, 105x5, 146x5, 196x5, 237x3, 287x3, 329x1, 359x1, 384x1, 404x1
That took about 45 minutes. I'm planning to open at 402, then do 435 (PR+11), 452 if all goes according to plan. I think I plugged some energy leaks recently, so I'm pretty sure I'll at least break a PR.

bench
55x10, 105x10x2, 146x5, 196x3, 237x3, 267x1, 287x1, 307x1
That took about 35 minutes. I got a pretty decent routine down for getting tight/feeling strong. Gotta remember to dig the traps into the bench right before lift-off. The plan is 303, 325 (ties meet PR), 336 (9 lbs short of basement PR) if all goes well. I'm not thrilled with where my bench numbers are at right now.

DL
237x5x2, 287x5, 329x3, 379x2, 421x1, 456x1, 486x1
That took about 40 minutes. The 486 was hard, but at least I kept my knees back so the bar didnt get out in front away from my body. I'm not optimistic right now, but the plan is 485, 507, 529 (PR+5.5). I'm disappointed with how difficult heavy DLs have been the last couple weeks.

I think I need to change my DL programming, but I'm only going to have ~5 weeks to make any progress before nationals, so I cant really do a lot. I have tentative plans for programs before & after nationals. I'll have 16 weeks, so I can do a real program. I've been looking at the Magnussen/Ortmayer program - its a 12 week program. I made some modifications so I can do part of it for 5 weeks before nationals and a 16 week version between nationals and worlds. http://www.ontariostrongman.ca/resou...dl_program.xls

I would think about opening way lighter on dead lift. Maybe take your last warm up as your opener so you don't get too tired

What do you think about something like 463, 502, 529?

That sounds pretty good. 440 opener won't hurt you though cause there is no way you miss 502. Should keep you a little more fresh. Probably doesn't matter too much though

But on second thought it seems like you do more warm up weights than me so 462 is probably perfect

yeah, assuming I dont get injured or have a complete brain fart, there's pretty much no chance I miss 462. I should get 502 after that. Jumping ~40 lbs seems a little much, but maybe its fine. I kind of want to be sure I hit at least 500, so if I did miss 502 once, I'd have a second shot at it.

I need to do everything right to get 529, but I do have a shot at it - I think we'll be using an Okie DL bar, which makes it easier than with my Ivanko, which is way stiffer. Also, my Ivanko has knurling in closer, so if you drag the bar up your legs, it rips you wide open. I have a narrow enough stance right now so that the smooth part of the Okie bar would drag against my legs.