Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

...one squat at a time

2

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Stretching and mobility stuff.

    - kudos to COH for having a look at my broken-ness; did a straight leg lift lying down to test my mobility and my left leg only raised halfways - everything is just tight as fcuk. Going to see the physo Wed and make an apt with Teran as he has a waiting list of a few months - fingers crossed I won't need it by then though.

    I'm probably not doing half enough mobility stuff because I haven't a clue what I'm at and I'm ****e at working from online demos. I need a plan so going to try get that sorted with the guy on Wed. Even if it's just a 'go do an hour of mobility stuff and go home' I don't care, I just want to do something.

    Did 30 mins on the crosstrainer. Not sure that was wise, we'll see in the morning.

    Ugh, my increasing fatness is getting disturbing now.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Went to the physio today. Was optimistic going in, but more frustrated than ever leaving to be honest.

    He thinks the damage is stemming from the time I fcuked up my lower back deadlifting a few year ago. So it's damage to my general lower back on the left side, around the SI but not isolated to the SI, more lumbar- disc, nerve, etc.

    Said there is definite nerve damage and wanted me to get an MRI, but at 200 quid that isn't happening for a while at least. Upper back is stiff so got stretches to work on that to take the pressure off my lumbar spine and also got some lower back stretches. Have to do them for a few weeks and go back to him when I see some improvement.

    I asked him about the gym and he said no weight training and couldn't give me a time scale as to when I'll be back at it; apparently could be a few weeks or 6months. In the meantime can do some upper body stuff and crosstrainer. Haven't learnt a whole lot I didn't know but I guess I needed it verified.

    So I've these stretches to do until it's feeling a bit better with no timescale and to be honest I'm not really seeing the point right now. Getting back into a proper programme/routine was really important for other reasons so this is a kick in the teeth.

    I don't really know what I'm going to do now but there doesn't seem much point updating this anymore.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,793 ✭✭✭gymfreak


    TheBellJar wrote: »
    Went to the physio today. Was optimistic going in, but more frustrated than ever leaving to be honest.

    He thinks the damage is stemming from the time I fcuked up my lower back deadlifting a few year ago. So it's damage to my general lower back on the left side, around the SI but not isolated to the SI, more lumbar- disc, nerve, etc.

    Said there is definite nerve damage and wanted me to get an MRI, but at 200 quid that isn't happening for a while at least. Upper back is stiff so got stretches to work on that to take the pressure off my lumbar spine and also got some lower back stretches. Have to do them for a few weeks and go back to him when I see some improvement.

    I asked him about the gym and he said no weight training and couldn't give me a time scale as to when I'll be back at it; apparently could be a few weeks or 6months. In the meantime can do some upper body stuff and crosstrainer. Haven't learnt a whole lot I didn't know but I guess I needed it verified.

    So I've these stretches to do until it's feeling a bit better with no timescale and to be honest I'm not really seeing the point right now. Getting back into a proper programme/routine was really important for other reasons so this is a kick in the teeth.

    I don't really know what I'm going to do now but there doesn't seem much point updating this anymore.
    Hey, I know that's really disappointing but I have to say when I did all the physio stuff he told me to do for my hip it really started to feel MUCH better and then the squat PBs started to come!

    So hang on in there! And get your programme done and hopefully you'll be surprised by the improvements.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    gymfreak wrote: »
    Hey, that's really disappointing and although it is a set back there is still ways to train around it. I know I'd rather be able to do something rather than nothing!

    Did you go to the physio I recommended or did ya find someone else?
    Yes, that one.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,793 ✭✭✭gymfreak


    TheBellJar wrote: »
    Yes, that one.

    Sorry, Just edited my above post cos Im an idiot and didnt read your log proper:rolleyes::rolleyes:

    He helped me BIG TIME with my hips...which have since started to get worse since I stopped doing his rehab stuff:rolleyes:..started to do it again today though.

    Best of luck with it..and keep doing your programme and hopefully you'll be as right as rain in no time.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 7,017 ✭✭✭COH


    Welcome to my world!

    Be patient.. train smart and never ever ever give up :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Started the physio prog today and decided I'll just work on my push ups and pull ups and set goals for those to keep myself going for now.

    Physio prog: around 30mins

    Push Ups
    x15
    x15
    x15
    x10
    x10
    - going towards 5 sets of 15 and then 5 sets of 20.

    Chin Ups (green band)
    x6
    x6
    x6
    x6
    x4
    x4
    x4

    OH Plate Ext
    10kg
    x20
    x20
    x10
    -figured this would do no harm so threw it in there.

    Crosstrainer: 60mins

    Finished up with more mobility work and foam rolling.

    This is basically what I'll be doing for the next while til I see some improvements in my back; I have to go back to him then and see where I'm at. But sure it's better than nothing!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Physio stuff - flew through it today once I knew what I was at.

    Then:

    Push Ups
    x15
    x15
    x15
    x10
    x10
    - grand.

    Chin Ups and Pull Ups - forgot my band so had to use the black one in the gym, it's alot stronger so I upped the reps and alternated.

    Chin ups x15
    Pull ups x15
    Chin ups x15
    Pull ups x10

    OH Plate Ext
    10kg
    x20
    x20
    x10

    Seated Bicep Curls
    10kg x10
    10kg x7
    8kg x8
    - arms were fcuked!

    Crosstrainer: 60mins
    ....boresville

    Finished up with more mobility work and foam rolling.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,793 ✭✭✭gymfreak


    60mins on the Xtrainer...I AM impressed!!!

    Don't think Id ever be able for that..nor would my calves appreciate it!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    gymfreak wrote: »
    60mins on the Xtrainer...I AM impressed!!!

    Don't think Id ever be able for that..nor would my calves appreciate it!
    My toes go numb when I hit the 30minute mark, I kid you not!
    Ah sure, I'd be spending that hour there anyway if I could train properly so I might as well be doing something!;)


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Ran through Mobility work at home.

    Have abs DOMS today which is surprising, not sure where that's coming from!

    Won't get to the gym til Fri/Sat now but as long as I get 3 sessions in this week sure it's a start :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Mobility work, then:

    Push Ups
    x15
    x15
    x15
    x10
    x10


    Chin Ups - green band
    x6
    x6
    x6
    x6
    x3

    Tricep dips - elevated
    3x10

    Crosstrainer: 60mins

    Made lovely dinner and whilst in process of making lovely dinner had protein shake to curb lovely appetite. But now I'm already full and lovely dinner is sitting looking lovely and I can't ****ing eat it. This is what happens a body when you stop squatting. **** sakes!!!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    And the award for the most boooring log ever goes to......


    Mobility work, then:

    Push Ups
    x15
    x15
    x15
    x10
    x10

    Picked a 25kg plate up without thinking, back went straight away. Bit of a reality check:(

    Chin Ups - green band
    x7
    x7
    x7
    x3


    OH Tricep Ext, 10kg plate
    x20
    x20
    x20
    - do more tricep work=get better at tricep work...who'd have guessed it.

    Crosstrainer: 60mins: 9.54km

    Bloody.Fcuking.Hell. Lesson of the day: do not underestimate the crosstrainer. Normally hover around 8.5k in the hour so decided to up the ante today and go for 10k. Felt my lunch coming up again halfway through and my face was so red I looked like I was about to spontaneously combust. Great craic.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Mobility work, then:

    Push ups
    x20
    x17
    x15
    x12
    x10

    Chin Ups - green band
    4x6

    OH Tricep Ext, 10kg plate
    x20
    x20
    x15

    Crosstrainer: 30mins


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Mobility work, then:

    Push ups
    x20
    x17
    x15
    x15
    x10

    Chin Ups - green band
    4x6

    OH Tricep Ext, 10kg plate
    x20
    x20
    x20

    DB Floor Press 15kg
    5x5
    - these were harder than I remember.

    Inverted Rows
    - did these from a bar as I figured there'd be less pressure on my back.
    3x10


    Crosstrainer: 20mins


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Mobility work, then:

    Push ups
    x25
    x15
    x15
    x10
    x10

    Chin Ups - green band
    4x6

    OH Tricep Ext, 10kg plate
    x20
    x20
    x20



    Crosstrainer: 30mins


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Doing the rehab work and back is still ****ed. Spent the weekend doing a fair bit of walking with the sister and in serious pain now going right down my leg. From WALKING.

    I need to find someone who will A. Fix me enough to allow me to do at least bodyweight lower body work or even just add running to the mix and B. Not tell me an MRI is the most likely only option as I seriously do not see the point in forking out 300 quid on an MRI to tell me what I already know. If it's nerve damage grand, looks like it, feels like it, probably is it - so I want someone to just fix it!

    Jesus fcuking christ, why is that so hard?


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,017 ✭✭✭COH


    I'd get an MRI - You cant just get 'fixed', you need to create an environment that allows you to heal. If you don't know the nature and full extent of the damage then any advice you get is going to be leaky.

    If you have a bulging disc, causing discomfort, then that's one thing. Some traction and some mobility/stability work might do it. If you have a disc protruding into the spinal canal that's another, same rehab might not do f*ck all, and if you have pounded your disc away into nothing and you have 2 vertebrae sitting on each other with nothing to absorb shock between them then that's something else altogether. Same area, similar-ish issues - but in reality worlds apart.

    In my experience going to a physio and saying 'my back hurts' will get you one course of treatment.

    Going to a physio saying 'I have damage to L5-S1 approximating the S1 root nerve - here's a picture of it, here's an x-ray showing that my pelvis is completely out of alignment, my spine is curving to the left, some range of motion testing indicates X and Y, but mobility is day to day movements is uncompromised so Z isn't an issue' might get you an entirely different course of treatment. It might also help you decide who best to see about your pain and zero in on the best options going forwards. Best case scenario is you get it done, and everything looks fine. An elbow in the piriformis might change your life!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    COH wrote: »
    I'd get an MRI - You cant just get 'fixed', you need to create an environment that allows you to heal. If you don't know the nature and full extent of the damage then any advice you get is going to be leaky.

    If you have a bulging disc, causing discomfort, then that's one thing. Some traction and some mobility/stability work might do it. If you have a disc protruding into the spinal canal that's another, same rehab might not do f*ck all, and if you have pounded your disc away into nothing and you have 2 vertebrae sitting on each other with nothing to absorb shock between them then that's something else altogether. Same area, similar-ish issues - but in reality worlds apart.

    In my experience going to a physio and saying 'my back hurts' will get you one course of treatment.

    Going to a physio saying 'I have damage to L5-S1 approximating the S1 root nerve - here's a picture of it, here's an x-ray showing that my pelvis is completely out of alignment, my spine is curving to the left, some range of motion testing indicates X and Y, but mobility is day to day movements is uncompromised so Z isn't an issue' might get you an entirely different course of treatment. It might also help you decide who best to see about your pain and zero in on the best options going forwards. Best case scenario is you get it done, and everything looks fine. An elbow in the piriformis might change your life!

    Thanks a lot for that, I needed a bit of sense talking - I’d been holding off and hoping it’d ease up on its own but that’s not happening this time. Got a referral letter from the physio yesterday and going to make an apt with Charter Med for the end of the month.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Wanted to make an apt for tomorrow for the MRI but they wouldn't book it without the letter scanned to them and I didn't have it with me. They don't open every Sat apparently so going to call back tomorrow and see when the next Sat apt I can get is.

    Referral says: 'Physical examination reveals globally restricted and painful LSP movements, pain reproduced on palpation of the L4/5/S1 segments and postitive L SLR testing. Findings are consistent with L sided LSp nerve root impingement most likely at the L4/L5 or L5/S1 levels.'


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Wasn't up for this today so was really a 'just get something done' session. So it was a big fcuking kick in the teeth to find 90quid missing from my gym bag afterwards. No-one to blame but myself for not using a locker, but there was hardly anyone in the gym and you don't expect someone to open a zipped up bag to take 90quid from the inside pocket, especially not in my gym. That MRI was going to be a serious push this month as it was, so it's definitely not happening anytime soon now. Great.

    Session:
    Rehab Mobility stuff

    Push ups

    x27
    x20
    x15

    Pull ups, green band

    x7
    x7
    x7
    x5

    OH Tricep Ext 10kg plate
    The green plates are gone and I can't grip those other plates properly for this, going to have to start doing with DBs I think
    x15
    x15

    Crosstrainer
    30mins


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Just out of physio and got MRI results. A disc has worn down and is pushing on a nerve, hence the pain. Told me I can never squat or deadlift weight again or do any significant lower body weight training. Can't run either.

    I can do upper body, cross trainer and body weight squats/lunges. He's also booked me in for Pilates to strengthen my core and I have a rehab prog to try take the pressure do the nerve and get rid of the leg pain.

    So that's it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,390 ✭✭✭Stench Blossoms


    OMG.

    Are ya ok?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    'Single degenerative disc at L5/S1. At this level there is loss of signal and slight loss of disc height. There is a posterior annular tear and a small left paracentral disc protrusion which causes marked narrowing of the left exit foramen. '


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    OMG.

    Are ya ok?

    Not a whole lot I can do about it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,603 ✭✭✭Scuba Ste


    TheBellJar wrote: »
    Not a whole lot I can do about it.

    Fcuk that sucks. Can you not get an operation or do anything at all?

    I know they said you can't lift again but could you take your MRI results to a different physio and get another opinion? Someone with a bit more experience in either back injuries or sports rehab.

    Sorry to hear that.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    Scuba Ste wrote: »
    Fcuk that sucks. Can you not get an operation or do anything at all?

    I know they said you can't lift again but could you take your MRI results to a different physio and get another opinion? Someone with a bit more experience in either back injuries or sports rehab.

    Sorry to hear that.
    The guy I went to is a athlete and also trains the Olympic team and Will vouched for him too, so he knows his stuff. :( Nothing I can do about it, it's simple wear and tear. I did ask him alot about it but it kept coming back to a resounding 'no'. In six months time when/if the leg pain goes then he said I can look at introducing some weight training again, but still no compound lifts or leg pressing or running etc.

    I don't really know where to go from here. I know some people won't get it, but getting back to proper training was about alot more than just getting fit for me, so it's really knocked me sideways to be honest.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,793 ✭✭✭gymfreak


    TheBellJar wrote: »
    The guy I went to is a athlete and also trains the Olympic team and Will vouched for him too, so he knows his stuff. :( Nothing I can do about it, it's simple wear and tear. I did ask him alot about it but it kept coming back to a resounding 'no'. In six months time when/if the leg pain goes then he said I can look at introducing some weight training again, but still no compound lifts or leg pressing or running etc.

    I don't really know where to go from here. I know some people won't get it, but getting back to proper training was about alot more than just getting fit for me, so it's really knocked me sideways to be honest.

    Really sorry to hear that G:( That's really, really crap.

    As regards proper training..you'll find something you enjoy even if it does take a while.

    Keep the head up


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭TheBellJar


    As frustrating as this is, dwelling on it won't change anything. I know what the issue is now and what I can/can't do so that's a good thing as it means I can find a way to work around it.

    I spent last night doing a bit of research and came across a few people recommending KB swings, so I've emailed the physio to see if I can do these. He did say no weight training for a few months til my leg pain goes though, so I'd say it'll be a no-go. Still, if it's something I can work towards then that's a good thing.

    In the meantime, these are the things I CAN do:

    Bodyweight movements:
    Squats
    Split Squats
    Lunges
    Burpees
    Push ups
    Pull ups/Chin Ups
    Inverted Rows
    Tricep Dips
    Hanging Leg Raises
    Plank/Side Plank

    Cardio:
    Crosstrainer
    Bike

    I think they have bikes upstairs in RAW but I'm not sure if they're just for classes or if anyone can use them, so I have to check that out.

    With the bodyweight stuff, I'm thinking circuits will be the way to go to get the most out of it. So I'll aim for 2 circuits each session followed by either the bike or crosstrainer. With regards to strength, I've been watching some youtube videos and I wouldn't mind having a look at some gymnastic type rings work like trying L-sits etc. - it'd give me a few goals to work towards. I need to look into it more with the beginner progressions and see where I'm starting from etc. The Pilates should work hand in hand with that too.

    So, that's where I'm at now. It's not ideal, but there's still alot I can do and I'm going to focus on that. If anyone has any ideas of any other bodyweight type work I'm all ears :)


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,390 ✭✭✭Stench Blossoms


    TheBellJar wrote: »
    If anyone has any ideas of any other bodyweight type work I'm all ears :)

    Paddy's bars?


Advertisement