I don't know what I'm doing but I know what I've done

Wednesday 1/6/2022

A) Bench (@9)

92.5kg x 3, 3, 3

B) Leg Extension

10 @6

10 @7

10 @8

3 back-off sets

C) NG Pull Ups

6 x 9

D) Side Planks

12 rounds (6 e/s - 50s / 10s rest)

Monday 6/6/2022

A) Bench

90kg x 2 (@7)

95kg x 2 (@8)

97.5kg x 2 (@9)

87.5kg x 2 x 3

75kg x 11 (@9)

B) Hamstring Curl (cable)

5 x 12-15 

3 @10 

C) Curls

17.5kgs x 4 x 8

D) Weighted Plank

20kg x 22s go / 38s rest for 11 mins

E) Cardio

Row:

1500m in 5.22.8

3 min rest

500m in 1.39.3

Wednesday 15/6/2022

A) Bench

95kg x 1 (@7)

100kg x 1 (@8)

102.5kg x 1 (@9)

92.5kg x 2 x 3

77.5kg x 12 (@9)

B) Hamstring Curl

5 x 12-15 

3 @10 

C) Curls

17.5kgs x 4 x 8

D) Ab Rollouts

30s go / 30s rest for 10 mins

E) Cardio

Row:

1500m in 5.27.8

3 min rest

500m in 1.39.3

Monday 13/6/2022

A) Weighted Back Extension

8 @6 (40)

8 @7 (45)

8 @8 (50)

-10% x AMRAP (45kg x )

-10% x AMRAP (40kg x )

B) Bench (92% @8)

97.5kg x 2, 2, 2, 1

C) Lat Pulldown

3 x 8 (plate loaded: 105/110/110kg) (cable: 150/155/160)

D) Tricep Pressdown

3 x 10 (125/135/135)

E) Cardio

1,000m row: 3.29.9

750m row in 2.55

500m row in 1.47

250m in 0.47

Been training away...mostly 3 times a week and sometimes 4.

Got a new MRI (was told the last time, after there had been no significant changes, not to come back for 2 years). All of the significant changes. Osteoarthritis changes to femoral head, bone marrow edema, labral cyst etc etc.

The last while, in hindsight, the exercises I had been doing to improve things in and around the hip, felt shorter lived.

Means the hip replacement will happen sooner rather than later. It's not been wear and tear...they don't know why its happened but that isn't uncommon.

Probably looking at getting it done in about 2 years.

That said, I had a bar on my back down low box step ups (7-8") and used a barbell cos it was just easier and it felt class. Obviously not heavy but having a bar on my back for the first time since late 2020 felt great.

Thanks lads.

This day next week, the op will be over me.

Then the work starts.

Very light work for a good while. Where reps of squeezing my arse is a workout.

So...5 days post total hip replacement.

On the day, I was first one on the table. Was only a local anaesthetic (spinal) but the sedation knocked me the f*** out. Still, way better for recovery than general. Woke in recovery about 9.45am and wasn't groggy at all. Fresh like you might be after a good sleep.

Physio came to get me out of the bed to sit on the chair for a bit that evening. Had a walker and had to make my way to the jacks...the first steps.

Was brought crutches the next morning and did a short walk with physio assistant. The physio came around later and said I needed to be trying to put as much weight as I could bear through the operated side and to not rely on crutches. She brought me to the stairs so was up and down those. Brought me sticks in the afternoon and had me walking on those. Sticks are better for recovery. Sticks are like dumbbells and crutches are like a barbell. The sticks mean you end up working a bit more muscle in the hip for stability and that's what you want.

Did stairs with sticks on the Friday morning (2 days post op) and was good to go home.

Started the exercises on Day 3. There aren't many...main ones are raising the knee to the front, raising the leg to the side and to the back. 10 reps of each, 3 times a day. Getting in short (100-200m) walks. Trying to stay within myself cos the hip gets sore walking and when it gets sore, the gait suffers and its not helping.

Still stiff, tender and sore (if you don't stay on top of the medication) but that's to be expected cos, frankly, the pulling and dragging that goes on with a hip replacement is bound to leave you that way. Improving little by little every day. Need to rein in my eagerness to push myself to recover faster cos I'll just f*** myself up otherwise but getting there.

They cut off the femoral head and neck and then clean out the hip socket with a drill that's a bit like a hemisphere. Then they put in a new socket, drill into the femur, and cement in the new metallic bit that goes into the femur and has a new femoral head that goes into the new socket.

It's a bit mad what they do alright and even though they make a 5/6" incision, they have a lot to do in there. But all very straightforward.