The Monkey's Training Journal

[Nikhil Rao]

This will be interesting. I haven't done squats since I screwed up my knee in a car wreck back in 2000 at the age of 16. And I've never done deadlifts. Most of my routine revolved around upper chest, back, and arms for boxing, rowing, and swimming. Which is something I've been ignoring since march 2004 when I screwed up my brachialis doing a tricep exercise.

I've got something called complex regional pain syndrome, also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy; I've had it since 1997. Basically the only unaffected muscle on the right side of my upper body is my bicep, and my back is all jiggered up. Vertebrae are twisted and compressed and junk. A lot of the notes in this training journal will mention joint and/or muscle imbalance problems. Unless I ask for feedback, just go ahead and ignore it; they'll mainly help me work on my physical therapy. I've been really bad about working on the problems, instead just trying to power through them. Which has resulted in a lot of injuries over the year and an aggravation of the back misalignment.

While I've got the genetics and the drive, I don't know if my body can hack it. But I intend to find out.

[Nikhil Rao]

5'10 - 190 pounds

Went to the gym to feel things out, practice technique etc. My leg strength at the bottom of the squat position is pathetic, although from hamstrings parallel I'm plenty strong. I practiced deadlift technique with just the bar. It felt really awkward but I'll try 135 on Thursday. I'm only going to do machines while I remind myself what weight is. Once I can max out all the machines for at least 8 reps, I'll move to free weights.

Machine Shoulder Press - neutral grip

130x15
150x12
170x7
190x0 - got the weight started, not much else

Machine Back Extensions

150x15
170x12
210x8
210x8
250x4 form wasn't great

Leg Press
205x15
225x12
245x8
265x6
285x3

This was the most pathetic I've ever felt after a workout.

That leg press is about what it was in 9th grade when I was 5'6 and 135 pounds. I could clear the 450lb stack with ease 8+ times back in 2004

I used to be able to clear the 250lb shoulder press stack for reps in 2004, although I did blast my tris yesterday with weighted pushups. Still, I can tell it needs work.

Back extensions I felt alright with, my hamstrings were straining to keep me in my seat more than my back was exerting itself. I'm 90% sure that's why I wasn't getting full ROM on it.

Spine is twisted to the left a bit, the ribs on my left side are pulling out of joint on the bottom. And my upper thoracics are still way too compressed. Gotta go heavy on PT tonight.

[Jason Oyler]

Good luck with the leg workouts man. Hope all goes well!

[Russell Selcho]

Dont get discouraged with your first workout, everything will come back it is just going to take some time.

[Nikhil Rao]

Decided to be prudent and take today off and dedicate today to PT. Hopefully I'll get the rib/spine issues settled enough to do some higher volume stuff on shoulders/tris tommorrow.

It's funny, doctors always tell people not to overdo it with training etc. when they've got problems like this. But I had half as many back issues when I trained hard and lifted heavy than I've had the past couple years when I've been doing calisthenics only.

[Nikhil Rao]

5'10 195

I felt less worthless today

Leg Press
200x15

Too sore to do anything else

Machine Low Back Extension
250lbs 5x5
210x15
170x15

I think I'm done with that machine.

Machine Shoulder Press
110x15
150x12
170x7
190x2

Had 200 in me but when I put pressure on the bar, my back felt retarded. Didn't even try. Didn't do any incline bench press for the same reason.

Cable Lateral Raises
25x15
30x8

Stupid back feeling again. I should be good for 40 or 50 if I can get that sorted.

Pulley Seated Row
100x15
120x12
140x8
160x5

Tricep Pulldown - Overhand Grip, single arm
50x15
60x12
70x10
80x5 elbows flared a touch

Tricep Pulldown - Underhand Grip, single arm
60x15
70x12
80x8 sticking at 90 degrees, but can pull through
90x0 can't get it started

I farted around with 135 on deadlift for a bit. I looked like a retard moving the bar around so I could see myself in the mirror from all angles, but I think I've got the form down. Still feels awkward, but it also feels 'strong'. Kinda like how I feel about reverse grip tricep pulldowns.

Saturday I'll start with deadlifts, then leg press (bah!), then shoulder and incline and finish off with some light tri and bi work.

And yes, full body workouts are my norm. Always have been.

[Nikhil Rao]

5'11 197

Deadlift
135x6
185x5
225x5
275x3 PR (lol)
315x0 Got it off the floor, not much else

Machine Shoulder Press
150x15
170x8
190x3

Cable Upright Row
120x15
140x10
160x3

Cable Lateral Raises
30x15
35x8
40x3 PR (wtf?)

Tricep Pressdown - Overhand Grip, single arm
60x15
70x12
80x8
90x5

Tricep Pressdown - Underhand Grip, single arm
70x15
80x10
90x0

High Pulley Bicep Curls
40x15
50x12
60x8
70x6
80x3 PR (wtf?)

Yes I'm an inch 'taller'. Courtesy of PT. Course, I got that inch by forcibly stretching the back muscles that shrank me in the first place. So my entire upper back was sore as balls going into this workout just from PT. It interfered pretty heavily with upright row and shoulder press.

My lower back and legs were sore just cuz I suck. I'm sure there's at least 350 in me for deadlift. Just gotta go in fresh. We'll see what happens Tuesday. Keep in mind this was my first time ever doing deadlift.

I'm kinda weirded out by the PRs I set in shoulder and bicep curl. And I'm only 20 and 10 lbs off my PRs in overhand and underhand tricep pressdown. Like I said, I haven't really trained in 2.5 years. I did do a lot of pushups in the weeks/months preceding my return to training, so I guess that could explain the shoulders. But not the biceps. Oh well, not something to lose sleep over.

I'm looking forward to going in Tuesday with a sorted back and fresh legs and lower back.

[Nikhil Rao]

5'11 194 - still got at least 5lbs of fat I can lose without getting into 'cutting' territory

Stairstepper Level 13 10 minutes 160 calories

Deadlift
185x5
225x5
275x3
295x2 PR
305x0 Got it off the ground

Seated Leg Press
190x15
210x12
230x10
250x8
290x5
310x5
330x5
350x5
370x3
390x2
410x0

I should probably have started with more weight, but last week's MAX was 285

Machine Shoulder Press
150x8 (intentionally stopped WELL before failure)
170x6 (same deal)
190x3
210x5 to the sticking point about 3 inches above my head

Seated Row
130x15
150x10
170x4

Cable Lateral Raises
35x15
40x8
45x3 PR

High Pulley Bicep Curl
60x15
70x10
80x6
90x0 Bad cut on hand would've busted loose

Dumbbell Shrugs
65x15
75x12
85x8
95x0 Cut on hand

Tricep Pressdown - Overhand Grip, single arm
60x15
70x12
80x10
90x5
100x0 That would be a tie for my old PR

Tricep Pressdown - Underhand Grip, single arm
60x15
70x12
80x8
90x3
100x0

All in all I felt much better about this workout, especially legs. Seems a lot of the lost strength is more in my head/nervous system than in the muscle. Although my legs were never very impressive.

As for shoulders they're coming along nicely, but this is still more physical therapy than training at this point. Maybe in a month my back will be sorted enough that I can put in 100% effort with proper biomechanical positioning (my shoulder blades aren't in the right place at the moment).

Triceps were always my favorite muscle, no surprise there. Still, they almost seem like the weakpoint in my OHP, which seems odd given the numbers I'm putting down on pressdown, which are bigger than I've ever seen anyone else put down in any gym I've been at.

[Nikhil Rao]

5'11 194

Awesome workout today

Stairmaster Level 14 10 minutes 170 calories

Leg Press
270x15
310x10
370x5
410x3
450x2
470x0 bah!

Machine Shoulder Press
170x8
180x6
190x5
200x2
210x1
210x5 to sticking point

Seated Row
140x12
160x5

Lat Pull
120x5
140x5
160x5
160x5

Incline Press
95x15
135x15
185x12 PR

Tricep Pressdown, Overhand Grip single arm
70x15
80x10
90x8
100x5 PR reps
110x3 PR
120x2 PR

Tricep Pressdown, Underhand Grip single arm
70x15
80x8
90x4
100x2

High Pulley Bicep Curl
60x15
70x10
80x5
90x0

Dumbbell Shrugs
75x15
85x10
85x10
85x10
Cut on hand interfered with going bigger

I'll be maxing out the leg press machine (505lbs) for reps in a month or less, then time to start hack squatting. My severely limited ROM in my right ankle and crooked/compressed back will NOT take real squatting...this'll have to do.

I have no idea where those triceps PRs are from, I've been out forever. Still I'm not going to complain. I'll have to take a vid and post on youtube once I'm maxing out the stack with proper form.

I'm pleased with my shoulder progress and look forward to starting barbell OHPs in two months or less.

The inclines revealed some ugly shoulder problems I didn't know I had, but since this was my first time ever incline pressing I'm glad to see I can at least put up bodyweight for reps. Lots of crackling in the left and lots of pain in the right. Lateral raises weren't so hot either.

The back work wasn't fun either. Freaking thoracic vertebrae.

Still, I'm pretty happy that I can push my crippled butt this far, and think I can go much farther considering that I am very much still in physical therapy mode as far as upper body goes. The strength building phase is at least a month away, if I'm lucky.

[Adam Ray]

Nikhil, great work with the PR's man. Hope all goes well with training and therapy.

[Nikhil Rao]

Thanks for the words of encouragement man.

Good luck yourself.

[Nikhil Rao]

5'11 - 195

Felt like crap but still managed to make progress. I'm happy.

Stairmaster Level 15 10 minutes 180 calories

Leg Press
210x15
310x8
370x6
410x3
450x0 Went too hard on the treadmill. Because I'm an idiot.

Machine Shoulder Press
110x15
180x6
190x5
200x3
210x2
220x0
220x10 to sticking point

Lat Pull
140x5
160x5
160x5
180x3
150x5

Cable Upright Row
120x15
140x5
140x5
150x3
140x5

Rotator work

Incline Bench Press 60 degree Smith Machine
135x15
185x10
205x5
225x2 PR
205x4

Tricep Pressdown Single Arm Overhand Grip
60x15
80x10
100x6
110x4 Rep PR
120x3 Rep PR
130x1 PR Left Arm Only

Tricep Pressdown Single Arm Underhand Grip
80x10
90x6
100x5
110x3 Left Arm Only
120x1 Left Arm Only (tied old PR)

Hammer Bicep Curl
40x15
50x8
60x6
55x8
55x5

High Pulley Bicep Curl
70x10
70x10
80x4
90x0

Cross Body Bicep Curl
35x15
45x15
50x10
55x5
60x5

Bench Dips
BWx40 Rep PR
BW+45x15
BW+45x8

Happy with my progress thus far. Need to not be stupid about treadmill and leg press. Leg press FIRST, THEN treadmill. Stupid boy. Also I might be overtraining legs, so gonna drop them to 2x week.

Also, the local paper decided to show up and do a feature on the Y and people working out. I was one of the two people they took video and pictures of. I guess my ego should be stoked. Still, I'm wishing they'd done this 3 years ago. When I was bigger and leaner. Not to mention hammer curling 85s and cranking out 4x15 EXPLOSIVE bench dips with 180lbs in my lap.

Still they caught me doing the exercises i look most impressive doing, so meh.

[Nikhil Rao]

5'11 193

Stairmaster Level 16 10 minutes 190 calories

Machine Shoulder Press
110x15
180x5
190x5
200x5

Dumbbell Shoulder Press
25x15
35x10
45x5
55x5
65x0
60x5
55x5

Bradford Press
45x15
95x5
95x5
105x5
105x5
95x5

Cable Row
120x15
130x5
140x5
150x5
150x5

Lat Pull
120x15
140x5
150x5
160x5
160x5
140x5

High Pulley Lateral Extensions
15x15
20x10
25x5
30x5
35x5
25x5

Tricep Pressdowns Overhand Grip Single Arm
50x15
80x5
80x5
90x5
100x5
110x5

Tricep Pressdowns Underhand Grip Single Arm
50x15
80x5
80x5
90x5

Didn't sleep last night. Or eat well. It showed today. That and the fact that my right trap is absolutely trashed hurt the entire workout.

But the high pulley lateral extensions are a perfect exercise to target the most damaged muscles in my right side, which is a win. I wish I'd discovered these when I was first rehabbing all those years ago. The Bradford Presses are freaking awesome. No I didn't go high in weight, but I wasted time and energy on that stupid machine shoulder press.

On wednesday, machines will be eliminated from my workouts. Awesome.

[Nikhil Rao]

5'11 193

Dumbbell Shoulder Press
45x15
50x5
55x5
60x5
65x3 PR
60x5

Bradford Press
45x15
95x10
105x5
105x5
115x3
95x5

My shoulders were killing me today. As was my right elbow, i think cuz the long head of my triceps is super tight. Gonna go back to rehab exercises (cuban presses, lateral extensions, internal/external rotator exercises with cables).

[Nikhil Rao]

5'11 192

Dumbbell Shoulder Press
40x15
50x12
55x10
60x3
65x1
50x5

Bradford Press
95x10
105x5
115x5
125x5
135x1
95x10

Shoulder rehab work (about an hours worth)

Right elbow tried to eat me alive on tricep extension movements. Meh.

[Nikhil Rao]

5'11 193

25 seated dips
10 pullups

Reverse EZ Bar Curls
35x15
65x12
85x10
95x3
105x1

Supersetted with

Skullcrushers
35x15
65x15
85x10
95x6
105x5

Overhead Rope Tricep Extensions
60x15
80x15
100x15
120x15

Elbow pain. Yum

[Nikhil Rao]

DB Shoulder Press
40x15
50x10
55x8
60x5
65x2

Bradford Presses
45x15
95x5
105x5
115x5
125x5
135x2

rotator work.

[Nikhil Rao]

Reverse grip EZ Bar curls
65x15
85x8
95x5
105x2

skullcrushers
65x15
85x10
95x5
105x5
115x3

freaking elbow.

[Nicolette L.]

Sorry about your elbow!

[Nikhil Rao]

5'11 188

Clean then strict OHP for reps
95x15
115x5
125x5
135x3
145x0
145x0 stuck about 6 inches above my head 3 or 4 times

DB shoulder presses
50x12
55x5
60x5
65x4
70x0 stuck above my head once

Bradford Presses
95x5
115x5
125x5
135x4

Pullups 5x5 supersetted with
Hanging leg raises 5x10

Arnold Presses
40x15

Happy with the volume I was able to do. I really respond to 15-ish sets or so. I still need to add some modified seated rows and some lat pulls into the routine. My arms tend to dominate those exercises even with perfect form

[Nikhil Rao]

5'11 189

Reverse EZ Curls
65x15
85x5
95x5
105x3

Skullcrushers
85x10
95x6
105x5
115x5
125x0 didn't control the descent after the press

Hammer curls
45x10
50x5
55x5
60x3

CG bench press
135x3x8

Standing skullcrushers
65x10
85x5

Dips
BWx3x10

Gimped out on the CG and standings. Next time I won't be a wuss.

[Nikhil Rao]

5'11 188

Squat/GM day

Squats
45x15
95x15
135x5
185x3 (bleh)
205x0

wow I think I suck at life. My bench is officially higher than my squat despite never training it.

GMs
45x15
95x10
135x5
155x5
175x5
185x5

Hypers
BWx15
BWx15
BW+25x15

Hadn't eaten in 12 hrs, my arm was on fire, and my head wasn't in it. But no matter how you slice it, this was officially the most pathetic workout of my life. I NEVER thought a day would come when I couldn't throw up 225 for 10 or 315 for 5

[Nikhil Rao]

Triceps/Biceps Day

Reverse EZ curls
65x15
75x10
85x6
95x3 Grip gave out

Hammer Curls
45x10
50x5

Skullcrushers
65x15
85x8
95x5
105x5
115x4
125x0 my head just gives up on these. Gonna try 120

Brachialis was burning, went home.

[Nikhil Rao]

Shoulder Day

DB overhand press
40x15
50x5
55x5
60x5
65x4
70x0 got it to arms parallel

Bradford Press
95x5
105x5
115x5
125x3

Scarecrows
25x15
30x10
35x5
40x5

Pullups
5x5

Lat cable thingies with arms extended in front
100x15
120x10
150x5
150x5

[Nikhil Rao]

triceps biceps

reverse ez curls
65x15
75x10
85x5

hammer curls
50x5
55x5
60x5

skullcrushers
65x15
85x10
95x6
105x5
115x3
#$&*(#@^ ARGH

CG Bench
95x15
135x15
185x5
took it easy, trying to get used to the motion again

Standing skullcrushers
65x10
75x8
85x5

worthless

[Nikhil Rao]

shoulder day

DB overhand presses
35x15
50x5
55x5
60x5
65x5
70x0 bah!

Bradford Presses
95x5
115x5
125x5
135x5
145x3

DE Barbell Presses
45x3
55x3
65x3
75x3
85x3
95x3
105x3

Pullups
5x5

Leg Raises
5x10

[Nikhil Rao]

did a leg workout sunday, can't remember jack from it though.

Shoulder day

DB overhand shoulder presses
50x5
55x5
60x5
65x3
70x0

BB military press
105x5
115x5
125x5
135x5

supersetted with

Bradford press
105x5
115x5
125x5
135x3

joints were trashed, went home.

[Nikhil Rao]

Back Rehab Day

Pullups
5x5

Face Pulls
40x15
50x15
60x10
60x5
70x10
70x5
80x10
need to start at 70 or 80 next time

straight arm lat pushdowns
100x15
120x10
150x5

Overhead Shrugs
95x15
135x15
185x10

[Nikhil Rao]

weird day. One of the student organizations was having a deadlift-a-thon.

I was peer-pressured into becoming a late entrant. Which turned out to be awesome.

220x1
300x1
330x1 PR
341x1 PR
352x1 PR

This was my second time ever deadlifting and cuz the guy running it was a powerlifter, he was able to critique my technique. Which was wayyyy off (bar never touched my thighs until top of pull). 352 is weaksauce, but I got some time.

The workout that followed wasn't so hot though.

Front Squat
5x95x5

Hack Squat
5x135
5x185
5x225
0x295 - broke floor but had no energy.

I like hack squats.

[chrisklavette]

Congrats on the deadlift improvment.
I am not going to pretend that I am even some what familar with the condition you have so I am just going to blurt out some questions and you fire back with the appropriate answers.
1) Are you going to post any videos so others can check out your form?
2) have you/can you try oly lifting? I feel if you can't train events oly lifting is the next best thing.

You will forever be my enemy and any advice I give you is to completely steer you in the wrong direction

[Nikhil Rao]

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer has always been my motto.

And I'm very close to my friends, if you know what I mean...

The only lift I'm new to is deadlift. I was planning on taking vids of my OHP and DL at the end of the month. I feel like it's not even worth the time until then because I'm still somewhat behind my old numbers in OHP and wayyy behind my old numbers in squat.

I won't be back squatting until I get through a fair amount more physical therapy, since the bar rests on the only part of my ribcage that can expand when I breathe. Hard to squat when all the air is knocked out of you as soon as you descend. Hence the front and hack squats.

I've been doing a fair amount of hang and power cleans, just because the school gym doesn't have a power rack so you kinda have to just so you can do incline, OHP, and front squats. I'll start doing full cleans and maybe snatches after midterms.

And event training hopefully this summer. Earmarked my tax refund solely for strongman equip. Got a classmate who's gonna try his hand at 231 so we can split costs.

[Nikhil Rao]

DE shoulder day

DB seated shoulder press
50x5
55x5
60x5
65x5
70x1 PR left arm only

BB military press
45x3
2x55x3
2x65x3
2x75x3
2x85x3
2x95x3
Gonna stick to 75 and 85 for all sets next time

rotator work

Pullups
5x5

Leg raises
5x15

[Nikhil Rao]

Arm Day

Reverse Grip EZ Curl
65x15
85x5
95x5
105x3 (PR)

Skullcrushers
65x15
85x5
95x5
105x5
115x5
125x3
135x1
Wooh, only 20 pounds off where I was three years ago.

Hammer curls
50x5
55x5
60x5
65x1 brachialis was tweaking

Standing Skullcrushers
65x5
75x5
85x5
Could've gone higher, ran out of time before class.

[Nikhil Rao]

pathetic leg day

Front Squats
95x5
2x115x5
125x4
135x3

RDLs
135x15
155x10
175x5

GMs
95x15
135x5
155x5
175x5

Back was still feeling the DLing from wednesday, went home.

[Nikhil Rao]

Heavy shoulder day

DB overhand presses
40x15
50x3
55x3
60x3
65x3
70x1 PR would've had two but right arm kept falling backwards

Barbell clean then strict OHP then one rep push press
95x5
115x5
125x5
135x5
145x3 PR
155x2 PR
165x1 PR push press only

SOOO pissed at myself. I actually had to dip to catch the hang clean (like three inches lol) on 155 and that scared the crap out of me even though it was easy. Cleaning 165 psyched me out 8 times before I finally manned up and hit that (also easy). Then I expended so much mental energy cleaning I couldn't strict press. Push press went up within 6" of lockout before arms started working. This was my first time PPing, seemed fairly natural.

Strict press bodyweight isn't far off. Especially if I quit being a doof about cleaning. Will try to take vid of the clean after midterms next week.

L-Lateral Raises
15x15
20x15
25x15
30x10
35x5
40x5

All in all I'd have to call this workout a win.

[Nikhil Rao]

Blowing off steam. Was in a pissy mood decided to go see what I could do in PP. Muscles already fatigued, hadn't slept in 27 hours, didn't work so well, but two new PRs

No cleans

Strict Press
95x15
135x5
155x1
165x1 PR

Push Press
155x1
165x1
175x1 PR

Front Squat
115x5

Within 25 pounds of bodyweight on strict press. I'll bring it down either next monday or the one after.

Strategy with FS is just to keep going up 10lbs and do a single set of 5 every day or every other day. Doing more on leg days. My current poundages are more mental than physical I think.

[Nikhil Rao]

Back Rehab Day

Pullups
5x5

Leg raises
5x15

Straight arm standing cable pullovers
100x15
120x5
140x5
160x5
180x3

Face pulls
60x15
70x15
80x12
90x10
100x6
110x5

DE smith CG bench
95x3
105x3
105x3
105x3
105x3
115x3
115x3
125x3
125x3
135x3

Smith partial OHP (from forehead)
135x5
155x5
185x5
205x5

Smith OHP lockouts (8")
185x5
205x5
225x5
245x5

Front Squat
125x5

blah

Tommorrow's deadlift day! woohoo

[Nikhil Rao]

Damn lack of gym etiquette. People kept deciding to setup within inches of the damn bar. Some dumbass decided to move the hyper stand so that his head overlapped with the bar every time he went down. Then some moron decided what she really needed to do was 10lb cheat curls right in front of the bar.

I tried staring daggers. Didn't work. I tried putting on my skullcap and looking especially minoritylike. Also didn't work. I knew if I spoke I was going to start screaming and yelling and hitting people.

Seriously, this was the most weight I've ever seen on a bar at the Y ever. The second most was the last time I checked max bench for poopy and laughs several years ago (335). And these people decided that the best thing to do was get in the way of the guy lifting it.

I've never seen such a lack of respect for exercise boundaries in my life. Still, no excuses, I lifted like an idiot and put way too much volume into it before getting anywhere near max

Front Squats
95x10
135x5

Deadlift
135x10
185x5
225x5
275x5
315x3 Came up like a joke (as it should)
365x0 (PR attempt)
335x1 Came up decently easy
355x0 Got it to knees, back was rounding, decided wasn't worth it

Rack Deads (just below knee)
225x5
275x5
315x5
335x3
355x0

See what I mean? Retarded amount of volume

12" Squat followed by stand/stationary walk for a minute
225 60sec walk
275 60sec walk/stand
315 60sec stand
365 30sec stand

Trying to train for yoke and get my back ready to squat (if it can). The standing/walking/squatting was no prob for legs and core. Right shoulder stabilizers were crying uncle though.

No DLing at all next week. Gonna box squat instead, see if my back will tolerate it.

Practiced power cleaning. I can hang power clean more weight comfortably than I can full power clean. Not normal.

[Nikhil Rao]

arm day

reverse EZ curl
65x15
75x12
85x8
95x5
105x3

Hammer curl
55x5
60x5
65x5

Skullcrushers
85x10
95x8
105x6
115x5
125x5
135x2

All the way to the bench behind my head. Warm up with 95 or 105 and that 145 is soo mine next time. I can smell my old PR again.

[Nikhil Rao]

between tests and spinal realignment this is going to be an ugly week.

Shoulder day
DB Overhand Press
35x15
55x5
55x5
60x5
65x5
70x0 dammit

BB clean then shoulder pess for reps
95x15
115x5
125x5
135x5
145x5 (strict through here)
155x3
165x0 missed the hang clean. I'm a douche.

Smith lockouts (8-10" range)
185x5
205x5
225x5
245x5
275x3

test time woohoo!

[Nikhil Rao]

Coan Phillipi DL Routine Week 1

DL
315x2
8x255x3 speed pulls

Circuit
SLDLx8 135, 185
Bent over rowx8 135, 185
Underhand Lat Pullx8 100, 120, 140
RDLx8 135, 185

Grip failed on gimp hand. No getting it back once that happens. Should've gone heavier from the start on circuit. Can't wait till next tuesday

[Nikhil Rao]

back rehab day

Forgot face pulls cuz I'm a tard

Lat Pull
110x8
130x8
150x8
160x8
170x5

DB Shrug
85x15
90x15
95x15
100x15

BB Shrug
225x10 grip was done at this point.

Pinch grip DLs
2 5's x10
2 10's x10
2 10's x10

Need to move this exercise a day or two after DL day. Grip was still weak from yesterday. Was planning on doing BB holds but couldn't.

[Nikhil Rao]

arm day

Reverse EZ Curls
65x15
75x10
85x8
95x5
105x3

Skullcrushers
85x8
115x7
125x5
135x4
145x1 2 more with help at the bottom.

10lbs away from old PR wooh

BB curls
45x15
95x15
115x8
125x5

[Nikhil Rao]

Shoulders

military press
95x15
115x10
135x8
145x5
155x0 wtf?

Push press
155x3
155x3
165x3 plus 1 miss
175x2 plus 3 misses
185x1 plus 4 misses

It's all about form. Either it's a total joke or I just can't get it up. Just need to keep working on it.

L lateral raises
25x15
35x10
40x8
45x5
45x5

Wrist kept popping out of joint on gimp hand. Have to work on that.

[Nikhil Rao]

leg day

Hack Squats (real thing)
135x15
185x15
225x10
275x5 PR
295x5 PR
315x3 PR

Gonna do these standing on a block next time for more ROM.

Tried kneeling squats. Felt it in my low back not my hams and glutes.

Tried real squats. Same deal.

Tried front squats. Hard on back, easy on legs.

Need to find a trapbar so I can get a decent pseudo-squat workout. Time to check play it again.

[Nikhil Rao]

shoulders

military press
95x12
115x5
135x5
135x0 wtf?
115x5
125x5
125x5
125x5

Bradford press
95x5
105x5
115x5
125x5
135x5

DB Front delt raises
10x15
15x15
20x12
25x5

I have once again underestimated my gimpiness. Wooh! The muscles are fine. The nerves supplying them can't fire well enough and are emptying out by the second or third workset. hence the 135x0 miss. Gonna move to a high rep 4x10 program, keeping the bradfords and the front raises.

At least now that I know what's wrong I can fix it. And get back to strict pressing body weight for reps again.

[Nikhil Rao]

Coan/Phillipi Deadlift Week 2

warm up doing both hack and regular dead with each weight
135x5
225x3
275x1
315x1

Deadlift
340x2

Speed deadlift
8x260x3

Circuit 3x
SLDL 135x8, 185x8, 205x8
Underhand lat pull 160x8, 180x8, 200x8
RDL 135x8, 185x5, 205x5 grip kept failing.

Today was a really tough day for me. I had to take yesterday off completely. My spine's been moving around, which is technically a good thing but also really painful. My spine felt fine today but my nerves were and are absolutely on fire. I could feel my lat and teres trying to tear on those heavy DLs but knew if I gave in now I'd never get anywhere. Even typing this is a fucking chore.

I'm proud of myself for pushing through but my nerves weren't happy before the lifting session and certainly aren't now. Oh well.

[Nikhil Rao]

Push Press Day

strict press
95x15

push press
2x135x2
145x2
155x2
165x2
2x175x2
185x2 with 2 misses My form totally broke down here.

I was pissed at my form so i started from the beginning using a clean finish position (only fingertips on bar)
45x5
65x5
85x5
95x3
105x3
115x3
125x3
135x3
145x3

Starting position feels awkward but as a whole the entire lift goes smoother this way. It's going to take a while for my wrist to get used to it though.

My right trap and supraspinatus were at their ripping point. Decided not to injure myself and dropped the powerclean training and partial OHPs. I'll do partials on arm day tommorrow and PC on leg day sat/sun.

[Nikhil Rao]

arm day

reverse ez curls
65x10
75x10
85x8
95x5
105x3

Skullcrushers
95x5
105x5
115x5
125x5
135x3

Need to move to a volume heavy workout on both of these.

ez curls
95x10
105x10
115x5
125x3

Face pulls
60x15
80x15
100x15
120x15
150x10

Well gee guess i should be doing it with 150 the entire time huh. Stupid Indian.

Yay! today I found out that my nerve disorder has spread to the nerve that innervates my biceps. That was one of my two spared big muscles in my right upper body.

I'm now down to my pointer and my middle fingers at full function. Bleh.

[Nikhil Rao]

press day

push press
95x5
115x5
125x5
135x5
145x3
155x3
165x2 easy
175x2 somewhat easy
185x1 form was off. Head shuts down.

Partial OHP (top of head)
135x5
155x5
165x5
175x5

Joint pain, went home.

[Nikhil Rao]

Coan/Phillipi Deadlift Week 3

335x2 - this was supposed to be 360 but it just wouldn't go up. I screamed and cussed and everything.

6x295x3 These came up like molasses but I got the job done.

SLDL
185x8
215x8
245x6

I swear I break these off the floor easier than conventional DL

Underhand lat pull
160x8
180x8
200x5

Sorry for the vent but now I remember why I took three years off. It gets harder and harder to progress the worse my problems get. Had flu-style body aches in my rib joints and shoulders all day yesterday and today and pulled two intercostals yesterday stretching--feels worse than subluxated ribs. I won't blame my missed 360s (which would've been PRs) on them because I honestly just wasn't there mentally today.

Ok done feeling sorry for myself. Tommorrow it's back to the gym but if you'll excuse me I'm going to try to give myself tylenol-induced acute tubular necrosis.

[Nikhil Rao]

push jerk.

Was still feeling sick and my upper back is pretty beat up from yesterday. I had to take it easy on my right side but wanted to do something productive so I tried the push jerk today. maybe 30-40 total reps up to 175lbs. Just trying to play with form.

One more week of playing with form in PJ and PP and I'll start trying to build some strength in them.

Gonna do 4-6 sets of 50 pushups with my feet up on a 40" table. Not exactly strenuous but it's something.

[Nikhil Rao]

Leg Day

Hack Squat
135x15
185x10
225x5
275x5 this was my first actual work set
295x1 apparently it would be my last work set

Rack Squat
135x5

Jump Squats
5xBWx10

My low back on my left balled up. Matched the teres and lat ready to tear on my right. Which is a good thing in a weird way. Upper back rearranged more, lower back followed suit.

Trap and lower thoracic issues are mostly solved.

I'll be back stronger next week.

[Russell Selcho]

Once you get put all back together your lifts will skyrocket.

[Nikhil Rao]

arm day

reverse ez curl
75x10
85x10
95x6
95x5
95x4

skullcrushers
95x10
105x5
115x5
125x5
135x5

ez curl
95x10
105x10
115x5
115x5

Played around with a couple 50s at home.

[Nikhil Rao]

Push jerk day

95x5
115x5
135x5
145x3
155x3
2x165x3

Can't tighten my core with these stupid pulled intercostals

CG bench
95x15
135x10
155x8
185x5
205x2

Used to work up to 265x4 on this.

[Nikhil Rao]

deadlift day

135x10
185x5
225x5
275x5
335x2 - this came up the easiest it ever has for me
380x0 - was supposed to hit that for today's Coan/Phillipi session.

Couldnt' speed pull 315, couldn't even do a 225 SLDL. Stupid pulled intercostals along with all the old back problems are preventing me from tightening my core. my lower ribs are visibly displaced when I do my BBer posedown post workout.

It occurred to me that the last time I had a truly healthy back was almost 10 years ago. So I've got no frame of reference. My back's come along dramatically in the past three months so I'm acting like its healthy when it's really anything but. Being aggressive with physical therapy and strength gains has worked really well for me, but I think i'm being too aggressive.

DL is my best physical therapy exercise. Even with today's abbreviated workout, my back is feeling a ton straighter, more flexible, and less painful. So I'm going to treat it like physical therapy and not like a strength exercise for a while.

Gonna do everything in the 5-10 rep range (with reset) off a 4-6" block for hte next 6-8 weeks. I'll make sumo DL my 'strength' lift during that time period since I think it'll make me better off the floor, it uses more leg (and i can't squat), and is less taxing on the lower back.

This is going to hurt my pride and my race to 500 with Selcho, but so be it.

I think I can still push press, but no telling since my form is so bad it isn't yet a taxing lift for me.

[HunterHenzler]

This is going to hurt my pride and my race to 500 with Selcho, but so be it.

Hmmm..sounds like something I'd be interested in...haha

S olet me get this right- after DL, your back feels better? hmmm...what about the day or so after? I tend to get some DOMS going on with DL's, hell...I still have some soreness from DL's on Sunday...

Just curious- Have you ever tried a chiropractor? or do you think/did it make things more painful? I was just trying to think of something to help alleviate the pain, but I'm not even sure if chiropractors would be suited to do anything for you...

Keep it up man

[Nikhil Rao]

oh my back is sore as balls after DL and I've definitely got some DOMS all the way up my back. But as my back gets less sore, the back alignment problems get worse. Muscle soreness is sustainable, the arthritis, joint erosion, and asymmetry I've been dealing with isn't.

Basically if I want to stay active and narcotic-free as long as possible I gotta trade the joint problems for muscle soreness.

Chiropractors won't work because my back would immediately unalign itself; good pain relief but temporary functional effect. Lifting heavy is the only thing that can realign it for an extended period of time.

Cuz of the nerve damage, my muscles on my right are weaker and they have less resting tone. The only solutions are things which reduce the difference in tone and strength between the two...Which is lifting.

[HunterHenzler]

aaaahhh I see...
I'd take muscle soreness over narcotics and joint problems anyday ;)

[Nikhil Rao]

bah, the pulled rib muscles are getting worse, not better. Was tweaking even doing a 95 push press. I'm going to avoid the gym for a week and try not to die of frustration.

Watching scrubs was...painful to say the least today.

[Jared Enderton]

get better soon man!

[chrisklavette]

deadlift day

This is going to hurt my pride and my race to 500 with Selcho, but so be it.

I think I can still push press, but no telling since my form is so bad it isn't yet a taxing lift for me.
Was there a race to 500 DL no one let me know about?

[Nikhil Rao]

Was there a race to 500 DL no one let me know about?

I told you! when you went to Arnold I got lonely and replaced you with Russel Selcho.

[Russell Selcho]

I know Nik is using me to make you jealous.

[Nikhil Rao]

have been doing sets of 25 BW, BW+25, and BW+50 pushups last night and today. At least 150-200 each day, although I haven't been keeping track.

If I hold my core perfectly straight and don't move my ribcage when I breathe, it doesn't hurt my intercostals.

I don't think it's working much of anything other than my core stability and my aerobic capacity, but better than nothing I guess.

my elbows feel great though.

[Nikhil Rao]

And several hundred band tri extensions and shoulder presses.

My elbows feel even better.

I think 100 diamond pushups (weighted or feet elevated) and 100 band tri extensions are going to become an every day thing. :disgust:

Now my ribs need to stop sucking.

[Nikhil Rao]

more pushups, more band extensions, more frustration.

For some reason I'm almost better at pushups now than when they were a regular part of my daily routine.

Last night ribs sucked hard, this morning they barely hurt. I'll be back monday.

[Nikhil Rao]

guess what I'm doing?!?!?!?!

*spit*

[Nikhil Rao]

3xdiamond pushups for max reps

3x feet elevated (40") pushups for reps.

Don't konw don't care how high I got.

Lots of band extensions.

Don't care either.

[chrisklavette]

Where is the motivation?

[Nikhil Rao]

my intercostals are still all jacked up so I can't do anything that involves my ribcage shifting position too much (like DL, OHP, bench, squat, etc.)

When I mean going to failure I mean grinding out until my face smashed into the floor. Was putting plenty of effort into doing it.

But at the same time pushups are more of an aerobic workout for me than anything. So I'm kinda annoyed.

Anyway, I'll be back in the gym tommorrow or wednesday, so back to heavy lifting and gains again.

[Nikhil Rao]

250 i think diamond pushups.

Gym tommorow. Finally.

[Ian Duggan]

Nice. Good to finally get back in to do some weights eh?

Instead of, y'know... a million push-ups...

Hang in there Nik.

[Nikhil Rao]

thanks Ian.

Today had its upsides and its downsides

Push Press/Jerk (all of htem were somewhere in between)
95x5
2x135x5
145x3
155x3
2x165x3 The most consistent i've ever been on these
175x3 Same deal. Went up nice and easy
175x1 plus two misses. Pinched my left side C5 nerve on the last miss.

Decided to be prudent and back down on the weight for my work sets due to pinched nerve

7x155x3 Easy, no misses

I need to work on my consistency in pulling under. Some times it'll be textbook and sometimes it'll be a straight up push press.

Incline Press
95x8
115x8
135x8

was about 50lbs too low on these at least.

Front raises (thumbs down)
25x8
30x8
35x8

L lateral raises
25x8
30x8
35x8

Bradford presses
95x3

Should be able to traction that vertebra loose before tommorrow. If I don't, I'll skip tommorrow.

[Nikhil Rao]

blah when it rains it pours. Sore throat.

6" box deadlifts
135x8
185x8
225x8
275x6
275x5
275x4

Those were supposed to be a 3x275x8

sumo deadlifts
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
275x1
That was supposed to be 3x275x5

can definitely feel it in my legs, and I can tell this'll carry over to my starts. Was supposed to have SLDLs here but they just weren't coming up.

[Nikhil Rao]

almost skipped today cuz I was sick. Glad I didn't.

Push Jerk
95x5
135x5
155x5
4x165x2

Push Press
4x165x2

Umm yeah that was supposed to be a 8x165x2 of push JERK, not half and half. Oh well.

Was too spent to do any accessory work. Even had trouble unracking the warmup weight for CG bench.

I tried to learn how to snatch. Ummm, no.

Time for cervical traction. yay!

[Russell Selcho]

Good to see you pushing through. By the way the overhead press race is nearly over. :N:

[Nikhil Rao]

ignore my ranting

can't wait to be healthy enough to train again. I think I've gotten 3 days in in the past two weeks? Something like that.

My upper back has taken three steps backward in the past couple weeks so even if I wasn't sick, I wouldn't be able to go heavy. Plenty of stretching, pushups, and traction are the order of the day today.

Push press Sunday or I'm killing someone.

Good news is that my new DL routine will I think get me somewhere both in PT and strength. Pulling sumo as my strength lift left my hammies and glutes feeling like they'd actually done something. So even if I can't put a bar on my back (or collarbone apparently), at least I can still get some leg work in with hack squats and sumo DL as well as pulling from a deficit.

[Nikhil Rao]

warmup

Push press (no true jerk today, timing was off)
135x5
145x5
155x3
165x2
7x175x2

tweaked a vertebra, right pinky went totally limp and right ring finger started tingling around the fifth set. Stabbing pain in left longissimus and right rhomboid. I think.

No misses. Easy peasy. I might make a 20lbs jump on wednesday instead of a 10lb one.

Incline press
95x8
115x8
135x8

right shoulder is not liking these. Will probably take these out for a few weeks

Bradford Press
95x8
95x8
115x6

L Lateral Raises
3x35x8

Front raises
2x25x8
30x8

My back feels as bad as it does before i started rehabbing. costovertebral joints are sucking it, vertebral articulations are sucking it. Blah. Gonna take a muscle relaxant and wrap myself in an electric blanket now. And do some inversion and traction this evening.

First time i've needed a muscle relaxant since I started lifting again. 3 months without needing one is a pretty huge victory. So at least there's something resembling a silver lining.

DL tommorrow.

[Russell Selcho]

now is a good time to start gaining on me Nik. I wont be doing any DLing for 2 or 3 weeks. Try not to kill yourself though.

[Nikhil Rao]

i'm on the 4" box and sumo DLing for the next 5 weeks. Hopefully it'll be some gains, but that's not the main goal for DL.

[Matt Brouse]

Good to be back to real weights...keep going pussy.

[Nikhil Rao]

DL Day

6" box deadlifts
135x8
185x8
225x8
275x5
275x3
275x3

Upping weight next week

Sumo DL

225x5

wasnt' happening today. Back's a mess

SLDL
185x8
205x8
225x8

Should've done 3x225x8

Supinated lat pull
140x8
160x8
160x8

need to use a revolving bar next time, forearms fatigued early

Overhead shrugs (scraping paint style)
45x15
95x15
145x15
145x15

push jerk/triceps accessory tommorrow.

Back is still a mess, but once the DOMS sets in at least my alignment will be better. More muscle relaxants tonight. maybe i'll take a full pill.

edit: ok just popped my neck/back. That did not feel good. And now i can't turn my head to the right. I'm a tard.

[Nikhil Rao]

Hoped to work some stuff loose

Hang powerclean
95x5
115x5
135x5
2x145x3

Hang powersnatch
45x5
65x5
75x5
85x3
95x1

I looked like an epileptic chimp trying to learn the snatch. My time is anything but consistent. I also learned that the bar needs to leave my body slightly before I initiate the shrug. Or barbell meets junk. Slightly painful lol.

Did work some stuff loose. Back's feeling better, relatively speaking.

[Russell Selcho]

I looked like an epileptic chimp trying to learn the snatch.
So by that statement, I guess you spend every day looking like a regular chimp. That should add 10lbs to your DL so you should be hitting triple digits anyday. Where are the Zubaz pics.By the way my 3 year old just DL 50lbs and I will be taking video of my 10 year old daughter using the axle later, both of those should motivate you. HAHA I am a real funny guy.

[Nikhil Rao]

you know what I'd kill for? Two straight weeks of rehab/pt progress. Barring that I'd kill for two weeks of dealing with the same problems consistently.

I was warming up for push presses today and as I got up against 155, pulled my elbows forward and unracked, massive amounts of pain shot through my mid back. I know the pain, sometimes I can train through it, sometimes I can't. Not today.

It never fails, the better my upper thoracic and lower thoracic problems get, the worse my interscapular pain gets. Then when i work that loose I might get a whole week with minimal back pain. Two if i'm totally lucky. Then the cycle starts again.

CG Bench
135x8
155x8
155x8

Well there's a silver lining, the work capacity in my gimp arm is going up. I can do 245 for a single on these, so those weights should be 30lbs higher if I were healthy, but not bad. Not bad at all.

Reverse grip bench on smith machine
135x8
155x8
155x8
165x8

Face Pulls
60x15
80x15
100x8
120x8

Now a story that's kinda cool (if you cock your head at an angle and keep things in perspective) for those few who actually read my log:

On rotations at the VA today we talked to an OIF vet who'd darn near had his wrist severed by shrapnel (I know it's not technically shrapnel) when an IED exploded under the hummer he was driving.

He'd regained a fair amount of strength in the hand put they'd stopped PT about a year ago when he 'plateaued'. Huh where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, me.

Weirdly enough the pattern of damage in his hand mirrored mine almost exactly with a lot of thumb, ring, and pinky finger weakness but none in his pointer or middle.

He'd started getting contractures in his pinky and ring finger because he wasn't using them very much. The tendons were basically getting rigid because they weren't getting stretched and moved regularly.

He vented about the frustration he had with finding meds that would take care of the pain, and I think he found some solace in the fact that he was talking to someone who'd been through the same things (especially since neither of us is willing to be a longterm opiate user--unlike a lot of other people with neuropathic pain). Everything either makes you stupid, fucks with your personality, or makes you sleep all the time. Sometimes all three.

I couldn't help him there of course, but I told him a little about what had worked for me in regaining functionality. I told him about rubber bands, the IMTUG, and the importance of high rep resistance training and always pushing the limits. And since he used to be a workout-a-holic I think he really got the analogy I made between successful PT and weight training.

The PTs and OTs all too often place limits on how far they're willing to push you. Imagine if your strength and conditioning coach told you that you could never put more than 135 on the bar, then told you he expected you to keep setting PRs at every meet? It might work for a while, but eventually 135 simply won't be enough weight to build your limit strength.

The problem isn't that you've plateaued, it's that the weight isn't enough to challenge you anymore. You gotta add more plates.

I did all the PT exercises in my time. They're good at getting him to the level he's at. They're no good at getting him past it.

My numbers are pretty dang good for the average 185lb person, even if they're mediocre for an athlete. And they're just barely sufficient to pretend to be normal. I still can't play the bass for more than a song, and essay tests are hell, but still...

It breaks my heart that people with peripheral nerve damage aren't pushed, because if you don't push your limit strength AND your repetition ability, you will NOT regain functionality. You need to be higher in both than healthy people to pretend to be normal.

[Russell Selcho]

Way to stick with your training. I read the story afterwards also. The part about the meds making people stupid, changing personality, or sleeping all the time made me think whats my excuse for these same side effects. :LOL:

[Nikhil Rao]

DL to knee
3x225x3
3x275x3
5x315x1

Well, 315 keeps getting easier to get off the ground. Too bad I still haven't set a new PR since my 2nd time DLing lol. PR check in 5-6 weeks, I'm sticking to my routine until then even if it kills me.

Power Snatches

45x10
3x65x3
85x3

Stopped when I started pressing out, timing not strength issues. I'm doing more of a 1.5 extension than a triple extension. But man this is a fun lift. I still have no idea why swimmers aren't trained on the oly lifts since we are pretty much entirely explosive strength...especially breaststrokers.

Then I pottered around and tried to figure out what I could do that resembled leg exercises that didn't tear up my low back and scapula.

Lunges
4x95x5

Back hates these

Stepups
4x95x5

Back doesn't completely hate these. I can sorta feel it working in my legs. Scapula isn't a big fan of them, but it held 365 for 30 secs last month, so I know it can put up with them. It will.

edit: forgot to mention while doing power snatches I discovered that I should probably be alright in overhead squat. No back squat, no front squat, but overhead squats and deadlifts are ok. I don't even understand how a back gets this retarded.

My low back balled up right before I was gonna put some real weight on the stepups. Went home.

[Nikhil Rao]

arm day

reverse EZ curl
3x75x10
85x5
95x5
105x5

EZ curl
3x95x10
105x5
115x5
125x2

Skulls were a no go, elbows just wouldn't put up with it. Did one with 95 (warmup) and i swear my elbows ached for 3 minutes afterward, right along the medial side of the olecranon. That sucks, i love skulls. Oh well.

Wrist curls (EZ bar)
35x15
45x15
55x15
65x15
75x15

Reverse wrist curls
35x15
45x15
55x15

these are awkward

Tate Press
20x8
30x8
40x8
50x8

Should've done these before forearm work. I now have no idea how much higher than 50 I need to be doing these at. First time doing these, they're interesting and kinda fun. Even with very low weight I coudl feel them working. I give em two thumbs up.

[Nikhil Rao]

Hack Squats
135x10
185x10
225x8

Will move that up to 3x225x8 over the next two weeks then start adding weight.

275x3
295x3
305x3 grip started to fail on gimp hand
315x2 PR grip almost failed on gimp hand again, might've had one more rep in it, decided to save it for a second PR attempt
325x0 Grabbed it and got it off the ground then felt the rib injury tear loose again. Dropped it.

Didnt' reinjure it too badly. Actually hurt worse after bench work wednesday. Just playing it safe.

powersnatches
barxlots

Starting to come together. I might be up to double extension. Someday it'll all come together. My shrug and 'snatch' part of the lift is almost together though. Very fun lift.

[Nikhil Rao]

ribs didn't hurt too much today, glad I didn't do anything too retarded Saturday.

Push Jerk
115x5
135x5
155x3
175x3 started getting that ugly intrascapular pain
185x1 starting position sucked, weight went up easy
185x1 same deal

I couldn't rep out 185 and didn't want to rip anything. So I just did accessory work. Frustrating.

Bradford Press
95x8
105x8
115x8
125x6
125x6

start with 115 next week

Front raises
(alternating thumbs facing each other and thumbs down)
30x8
35x8
40x6 right hand grip failed
40x6 right hand grip failed

L Laterals
20x8
30x8
35x8
35x8

Lateral extensions
20x8
25x8
30x8

my hand looks hilarious right now because my ring and pinky are contracted and won't stay open. I've been chasing my dog around screaming 'THE CLAW WILL GET YOU!!!!' she is not amused.

[Nikhil Rao]

6" box deads
3x185x8
225x5

reset each rep hands stay on bar
275x3
285x3
295x3
305x3
315x3 right hand grip failed on last rep

I have only pulled more than that from the floor twice. That's a rep PR at that weight


No sumo DL, bothered the ribs

SLDL
225x8
235x8
245x7 BAH!!!!

No lat work cuz of rib injury

Hammer curls
40x8
45x8
50x8
55x8

My back feels pretty good after that workout. Low back hurts like a bitch, but I am inches away from being able to hold my head up as high as a healthy person can. Which if I pull that off will be the first time in 6 or 7 years.

I should be able to jerk it, I mean push jerk tommorrow.

[Nikhil Rao]

Blah

Push Press
Even 155 was painful today. Gutted it out through 185 for a couple of sets and screwed up my middle trap and rhomboid for my trouble. I need to stop being stupid.

I'm pulling these out for a few weeks while I get my scapular issues better sorted. Most of the upper body stuff I do in the gym is rehab/PT or combination rehab/strength training/PT. Push press was the only exercise I was doing motivated purely by strength, and it's directly working against everything I'm doing to get my thoracic spine and scapular issues sorted. I gotta keep my priorities straight no matter how frustrating it is.

Ultimately I lift so I can go longer without becoming dependent on pain meds or needing thoracic spinal surgery (nasty outcomes compared to lumbar and cervical). I just need to keep reminding myself that.

CG Bench (ring finger on rough)
135x5
155x8
165x8
175x7 right arm nerves gave out

Start at 165 next week

RCG bench on smith machine (ring finger on rough)
135x8
155x8
165x8
175x8
185x6 right arm nerves gave out

Start at 175 next week

Illegal wide bench (just getting used to it)
95xmillions

Really awkward feeling lift

Hang Power Snatch
45xlots
3x65x3
3x75x3
2x85x3
1x95x3

Looks like I might be doing a push/pull meet before my first strongman meet rather than after. Meh

[chrisklavette]

are you ever going to invest in some equipment?

[Nikhil Rao]

Waiting for my tax refund.

I'm planning on an axle and maybe farmers handles. The log can wait till my back's healthy enough to let my shoulders and tris do their job.

What were you thinking I should get?

[chrisklavette]

Waiting for my tax refund.

I'm planning on an axle and maybe farmers handles. The log can wait till my back's healthy enough to let my shoulders and tris do their job.

What were you thinking I should get?
I don't know where you planning on buying an axle but my suggestion would be for you to go to Home Depot. There are tons of LBG's just like you to help you out. Find a piece of 1.9 OSD steel piping and they will sell you 7' of it. Take a couple of bolt down clamps and screw them in real tight on the ends about where the collars are on a normal oly bar. There for $25 you got a 2" axle. Now, where to spend the rest of that money? Get a 10 inch log. They only way 75lbs and you can at least get the feel for a log. and yes, farmers. Any thoughts about stones?

[Nikhil Rao]

don't have the room for stones unfortunately.

So you recommend the 10" huh not the 12"? What would be the difference between the two anyway in terms of mechanics and difficulty of use?

Since they're light I'll think about adding one to the list. Given the hand position it's probable that the start position won't rip up my back the way an axle or BB press does.

[chrisklavette]

don't have the room for stones unfortunately.

stop wearing such tight underwear :LOL:

So you recommend the 10" huh not the 12"? What would be the difference between the two anyway in terms of mechanics and difficulty of use?
.
First off a 12" is about 20-25lbs heavier so if you are already worried about your back handling a log you probably want to start with a lighter one. Secondly, as a LW it appears that you will be running to more 10" logs than 12's. and finally it is the middle ground so that is always nice.

[Nikhil Rao]

My back doesn't start hurting bad till I try to hold 175 on my shoulders. But if 10" is what we'll be seeing that's probably what I should get.

[Russell Selcho]

c'mon Nik, really. When is the last time you got 175 to your shoulders.
Good luck with the log.

[Wes Richardson]

Get the 12" log bro, most contests use a 12" even for lw's.

[Nikhil Rao]

DL to knee
6x275x2

5x325x1 easy peasy

Stepups
95x5
105x5
115x5
125x5
135x5

I kept getting that squat headache thing. Had to rerack when switching legs just to get some blood into my face. Annoying as balls.

Start at 135x5 next week and try to wave up to 155x5 then back down.

Overhead Squats
bar and light weight x lots. Just getting used to it.

Overhead Shrugs
45x20
95x20
115x20
135x15
155x15

high hang powersnatch

Something came together on these today. I was catching admittedly light weights fully erect.

Amazingly I have managed to cobble together a decent leg workout without being able to front or back squat. My legs basically always feel a little worked out now, both quads and hams. I am stunned but happy.

new PT strategy:
Traps first. This will be hairy since my right upper trap is basically a piece of string at its lateralmost attachment. Overhead shrugs, snatch, and clean pulls.

Get left lat loose. Doing this on my right is what jacked my ribs, which still haven't healed. Worth it though.

Strengthen right lat and teres insertions. These aren't quite as bad as my trap but they're not good either. Tricky to find an exercise that'll strengthen them without causing a partial tear. Haven't managed to do that yet.

THEN i get to put OHP back in my routine weeks/months from now. YAY!!!

[Nikhil Rao]

arm day

EZ curl
3x95x8
105x5
115x5
125x5

Tearing up my gimp wrist. I'll have to try DB curls and see if that goes easier on it.

Standing EZ-bar extensions
45x15
65x15
85x15
Well at least I'm getting a good pump. I think once my biceps strength is back in the vicinity of where it used to be my elbow pain will disappear. That's the only thing I can think of why I have elbow pain now but not when I used to lift. My bis are a LOT weaker than they used to be and my tris are only a little weaker...

Tate Press
40x8
50x8
55x8
55x8

the Y's DBs do not work good for these. Will do this workout at school in the future.

Various wrist and reverse curls

Crappy crappy workout, but whatever.

[Nikhil Rao]

Have I mentioned that I'm a doofus? Because I am. After the epiphany that OHP is holding back my rehab efforts what do I go ahead and do today? Do strict press. Yeah, not smart. a 125 strict press is an easy weight, but rips up my back even worse than a 195 power jerk. Don't ask me why. Then what do I do? Bradfords. Yeah I'm a tard.

illegal wide bench
95x8
115x8
135x8
155x8
175x8

Gimp arm died before I found my target weight. Because did I mention that I'm a moron? When you have a physiologically limited work capacity, you can't waist time piddling around. Start at 185 on wednesday, that didn't even qualify as a workout.

Front raises
2x35x8

L Lateral Raises
30x8

Hang power snatches
45x15
65x10
75x5
85x5
95x3

Too many reps with a low weight, baked the hand nerves to match the pec nerves. Went home. Pissily.

[Nikhil Rao]

yet another crappy day. Upper and mid back were thoroughly trashed, my low back was groaning trying to compensate. I had 2 new rib subluxations sunday/monday and one that wouldn't make up its mind. Last night I had to jerk three vertebrae loose with traction instead of the normal one. By the way there is no sound on this earth more disgusting than two vertebrae that have gotten locked together popping loose. Not just popping your vertebrae. This brings me back up to the 6 or 7 bad ribs that I started training again with instead of the 2 i'd gotten down to. I've still got a lot more thoracic mobility than I had a few months ago though, thank god. If I can't get my back at least somewhat realigned in the next two weeks i'm gonna suck it up and pay for that osteopathic manipulation session...and an MRI. I really don't want to see all those osteophytes and bulging discs if I don't have to though *shudder*.

6" box DL
135x5
185x5
225x5
295x3
305x3
315x3
325x0
335x0

I think I might have to drop these back to a 3x3 instead of a 5x3 on the top sets.

SLDL
225x8

was supposed to be a 3x8

Overhead Shrugs
45x15
95x15
135x15
155x15
175x15

Hang Power Snatch
45x5
65x5
85x5
95x5
105x0 RH grip failed

Things keep getting better in the snatch. I had honest to god triple extension for the first time and the weights were just flying up with an almost fully erect catch with basically no trap explosion since they were pretty much dead after the OH shrugs.

Can't wait to see 135 and feel like only a sort of wuss

[Nikhil Rao]

Back's feeling a little better. Finally figured out a way to get some decent thoracic traction, although unlike cervical, it's not comfortable at all. Load up the stack on the lat pull, grab on as wide grip as possible and sit down. Relax every muscle in your body. Got about 10 minutes in today in between sets and another 5 straight after I was done. This started to hit some of the ugly spots in my mid back. 3x a week and lets see where it goes. With any luck i might be putting PP back into my workout in 3 months or less. That will also mean that I'll have found a way to minimize the arthritis progression in my entire back, rather than just about half of it. Pray that it works.

Illegal Wide Bench
185x8

This was just to feel the weight out, my pecs are still trashed from their first workout PERIOD since ummm early 2003 when I hit that 365. I'll probably start with 195 and see where it goes on Monday. I'll be relatively happy if I"m doing a 3x8 with 225 by the end of the month.

CG bench (ring finger on rough)
165x8
175x8
175x5

RG Bench on smith machine
175x8
185x7
185x6

Took every set of those two exercises to failure

Pendlay Row
95x8
115x8
135x8

Not a working weight, just getting used to the motion.

Rope triceps pushdowns
80x15
100x12
120x8
150x6
150x5

I am sick and tired of feeling like my triceps have done nothing. And I miss pyramiding. This is the first time my tris have been fatigued since I started working out again. So I'll keep these and you can all shove it.

Not a full workout by any means. Lack of sleep, midterms, back problems, and monday's workout ate away at my energy. But you know what? I left it all on the floor. Better sleep, better energy, and better nutrition next week.

[Russell Selcho]

[QUOTE=Nikhil Rao]

I am sick and tired of feeling like my triceps have done nothing. And I miss pyramiding. This is the first time my tris have been fatigued since I started working out again. So I'll keep these and you can all shove it.

Not a full workout by any means. Lack of sleep[QUOTE]

Lack of sleep explains the top paragraph. You didn't say you were doing curls on the smith machine while on a bosu ball. If pyramiding works for you, keep it up. Glad you found new ways to help your back.

[Nikhil Rao]

This was just an awesome day for me. Most of my ribs popped back in last night and the rest popped in during workout, cept for the two stubborn ones. And weirdly enough this is the strongest I've felt on deadlift starts ever. Especially given my performance tuesday and the fact that i've only slept three hours and worked out once before since then. Snatch came together too, the weights were caught fully erect almost flying out of my hands. Girly weights yes, but it means my technique is getting down.

DL to top of knee (4-6 inches to lockout)
2x275x2
2x285x2
2x295x2
5x345x1

Stepups
5x115
5x125
5x135
5x145
5x155

Lat Pull
5x100x10

Parallel grip Lat Pull
100x10
110x10
120x10
130x10
140x10

Hang powersnatch
2x65x3
2x85x3
2x95x3
2x105x3 RHG failed

Powersnatch from floor
2x85x3
2x95x3

Something popped and felt nasty so I went home. I'll be hitting 135 in no time and then i'll have graduated from girly to sissy.

[Josh Kamins]

Do you mean you deadlifted from ground to your knee and then dropped back? If so, I really don't think thats a great idea....seems like a recipe for not teaching your body to carry the speed and momentum through to the top and for it to me one move to push the hips through and lock the glutes at the end.

[Nikhil Rao]

Do you mean you deadlifted from ground to your knee and then dropped back? If so, I really don't think thats a great idea....seems like a recipe for not teaching your body to carry the speed and momentum through to the top and for it to me one move to push the hips through and lock the glutes at the end.

I set the spotter bars just above the knee and pull hard into them for a second or two, then lower the weight. I agree that if I just stopped at the knee and lowered the weight it'd be a bad exercise. This is easier on my trashed midback and it trains the most deficient part of my lift with minimal risk of overtraining the low back muscles. My rack pull is a billion pounds higher than my full DL. I'm so weak off the floor relative to the rest of my lift that it's ridiculous. Plus I'll be rotating between these and full speed pulls every few weeks.

My main DL movement is paused rep full pulls from a 6" box, which I do once a week.

[Josh Kamins]

That is better if its more of an iso pull like that...still think you'd be better of with full speed pulls or deficit pulls. How is the lockout hard on your back? At that point it should be mostly glutes and shooting the hips through, the initial pull and some of the midrange being harder on the low back

[Nikhil Rao]

That is better if its more of an iso pull like that...still think you'd be better of with full speed pulls or deficit pulls. How is the lockout hard on your back? At that point it should be mostly glutes and shooting the hips through, the initial pull and some of the midrange being harder on the low back

it's because I'm a super gimp. It's not so much the muscles as the spinal and joint asymmetry. I do agree with you that full pulls are better. But I'm working around my gimpiness as best I know how.

[Nikhil Rao]

Hang Power Snatch
45x5
65x5
85x5
95x5
105x3 PR
115x3 PR

my traps are so trashed right now from snatching 20-50 reps every day. But my gimped out upper back is absolutely loving it. I will keep at the high rep work for the next two weeks, moving up in weight when I feel like, but right now my priority is working my traps not snatching well. Then I'll deload and do some full powersnatches and work up to a PR. Somewhere over 135 for sure. I doubt hitting my 185 end of year goal will be a problem.

Hack Deadlift
2x225x5
295x3
305x3
315x3

YIKES. I knew Hack DL is good for my rib alignment, but that last rep was a bit TOO good. Ribs flew back into their facets pulling unwilling muscles with them. It was all I could do not to scream. Then I thought about Hacking some more then realized I'm a dufus.

DB Bicep curls
35x15
40x12
45x10
50x8
55x6
60x5
65x0 blah

EZ Bar biceps curls
105x5
115x5
125x3

Both of those supersetted with

Standing EZ Triceps Extensions
45x15
55x12
65x10
85x8
95x6
105x6
115x6
125x5

Wooh! If I superset with biceps curls I don't get even a twinge of triceps tendonitis. That's what I was hoping. Now to up the weight to something reasonable instead of that girly garbage.

Hopefully I can DL tuesday, but the nasty rib incident was good in the long run either way.

[Nikhil Rao]

Illegal Wide Bench Press
45x8
95x8
135x8
185x8
Boob cramp
165x8
155x8

Too much warm up. Next time 45x8 and 135x5 and that's it

Front raises
25x8
30x8
35x8
40x8
45x5
40x8

L Lateral Raises
25x8
30x8
35x8
40x5
35x8

High Pulley Lateral Extensions
15x8
20x8
25x8
30x5

Hang Power Snatch
45x5
65x5

Trap insertion was screaming went home.

Dunno where my head or my body was at today. Need to work on spinal alignment some more because something was off, the lift felt asymmetric.

[Nikhil Rao]

Gotta change things up with upper body work. I keep training like a healthy person and keep falling face first into plateaus that don't even make sense.

Bench Press
5x95x10 - up weight to 115 next week

Supersetted with

Incline Press
5x95x10 - leave it alone



Pseudo Floor Press (off pins with upper arms just lower than bench)
135x5
185x5
225x3
275x3

most bizarre thing ever, but this is exactly what I was talking about. 275 wasn't hard at all (shouldn't be) but it felt like my right tricep just plain wasn't firing. Hard to explain, it was like I was slow as molasses but wasn't putting any effort in either.

Hang Power Snatch
10x95x3

Form is starting to get more consistent.

I can almost pull my head up straight. Hurts like hell, but I can do it.

Gonna go back in the afternoon to get some volume work in for tris and bis.

[Nikhil Rao]

Hammer Curls
35x15
40x12
45x10
50x8
55x6
60x4

Yeah this ain't gonna work for hammer curls, regular curls sure, but not these guys. Heavy 6x6 only in the future.

Supersetted with

Tate Press
35x15
40x12
45x10
50x8
55x6

Didn't go heavy enough

Single arm pressdowns
40x15
60x8
80x8
100x8

Single arm reverse grip pressdowns
40x15
60x8
80x6
100x6

Didn't go heavy enough but at least my tris feel like they're doing something. No elbow pain till last set though. This is the main reason I have biceps work.

[Nikhil Rao]

yet another crappy workout

Step ups to knee height bench
45x10
95x5
135x5
5x115x5

Light Zercher Squats - I like these

Overhead Squat with bar - made it ATG. Yay spinal flexibility! Shoulder pain, not muscular, cartilage-ish in right side. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Lat Pull
100x10
120x10
140x10

V-Bar Lat Pull
140x10
140x10

Hang Power Snatch
65x3
85x3
95x3
2x105x3

Back is coming along but i'm freaking tired out as hell. I've been trashing my upper back every day for the past few weeks and its starting to show. I might not be able to make it through next week. But I've hit my PT goals by pulling my head straight and being able to OHS ATG. So mission accomplished.

Hopefully next week my muscles will work.

[Nikhil Rao]

crappy workout

Bench Press
135x15
4x185x6

At least my triceps seemed to work today.

Front Raises
25x15
30x12
35x10
40x8
45x6

L Lateral Raises
20x15
25x12
30x10
35x8
40x6

Up weight on both of these

Face Pulls

No workout tommorrow, possibly wednesday

[Russell Selcho]

Your training looks good Nik. I will get back to insulting you as soon as I am 100% sure that I am much stronger than you.

[Nikhil Rao]

Thanks Russ.

Bench Press
95x10
105x10
115x10
125x10
135x10

supersetted with

Incline Bench Press
2x95x10
105x10
2x115x10

135/115 next week

hang power snatches

Thoracic traction with lat pull machine
5x200lbsx30sec

Overhead shrugs with my 50s at home.

Pushups

Cervical traction

[Nikhil Rao]

full damage assessment:
Pinched left C5
Pincled left T6
Pinched right T4
subluxated left 10th rib

All that from 8 hours on planes, an hour spech, and a night sleeping against my backpack in a park in Virginia. It's days like today I love being a gimp . Shouldn't have even tried to lift, but well, it's me.

Step ups
45x10
95x5
115x5
5x135x5

Next week 145

Hang power snatch
65x10
85x5
95x5
105x5
115x5
125x5
135x5

AWESOME, jacked up my right trap and rhomboid on that last snatch, hence the retard weights in the upcoming zubaz vid.

[HunterHenzler]

great snatching man...look out tho...my form and everything is getting a lot better...
EDIT-haha..saw the vid..I take back everything lol..jp Nik

[Nikhil Rao]

blah

bicep curl
40x15
45x12
50x10
55x8
60x6
65x4

supersetted with CG/JM hybrid (hard to explain)
45x15
95x15
135x8
155x8
175x8
185x8

lat pulls

muscle snatches

more cervical traction today.

can't flex my right trap and can't ice it either cuz the nerves and blood vessels are hyper-reactive from the nerve damage. Hopefully heating will do the job. i'm so close to physical therapy PR that I will probably be impatient with it. Oh, did get t6 loose last night.

[Nikhil Rao]

lazy but good day

6" box DL
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
315x3

Sumo DL
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
295x3
315xblah broke floor but kept letting my core loose...really need to work on core stability.

Hang power snatch
barxlots
65xlots
85xlots
95xlots

Basically went till my right arm stopped working, took a break and went again. Didn't count reps.

I can feel the bar moving in more of a straight line, it's not pulling me forward so much. My second pull is getting snappier and better timed. I've been doing hangs only above the knee. I need to keep dropping them and dropping them until I'm closer to floor, instead of training hang and then randomly attempting to do from the floor. Doesn't work.

My low back is taking its sweet time re-adjusting to my new found decreased kyphosis so I'll be going lightweight high reps for a while on DLs. Except maybe sumo. Good news is breaking from the floor keeps getting easier and easier. bad news is gimp hand grip is starting to look like an issue. I knew it was overtrained but didn't realize how badly...

[HunterHenzler]

forget the hand DL is all that matters!!!
haha just playin man....thats good that the floor is getting easier....

hope that hands starts improving soon...

[Nikhil Rao]

crappy day

knee height stepups
45x10
95x5
5x145x5

Low back balled up hard

Hang Power Snatch
65x10
95x5
105x5
115x5

Had no explosion because low back.

Still pretty freaking sick. Low back is taking forever to re-acclimate. Didn't get to do my pulls to knee. Meh.

[Nikhil Rao]

my back was tore up today. Got a quick upper back session in and went home to cry. My legs were jelly...and I wasn't even working them today.

lat pull
100x10 - wide grip
110x10
120x10
130x10
140x10
140x10 - v handle
150x10
150x10

Supersetted with

Hang power snatch
5x75
3x95
3x95
3x105
3x105 - lost trap explosion from here on
3x105
3x105

Wow this sucks. i actually had to break out the pred and the muscle relaxant today. Haven't been that bad in a long time, probably since before I started lifting again. Which makes it a victory of sorts. I hate pred. And i hate muscle relaxants. But I can't see straight or even swallow right now. Blah.

[Nikhil Rao]

First halfway decent training session in a couple weeks. Back's stil suffering, but it's coming along.

Sumo Deadlift
135x5
185x5
225x5
5x275x5

My shins and knees are all bloody. My mom's gonna bitch. I love it. This was really easy but I"m taking it slow and getting used to technique. I'll do 295 next week. Which will also probably be easy.

Clean pulls
135x10
3x185x5

I need to get some straps, my right hand fell apart on these. Afterward I couldn't open it.

Lat pull
120x10
130x10
140x10
140x10
140x10

Hang Power Snatch
65x5
85x5
95x3
95x3
95x3

Right trap totally shut down. Wasn't evne able to shrug it up to my ear with no weight in my had. Between the grip and the trap, I was done.

But a mostly halfway decent, if low key, workout.

30-40% chance my back will be good enough to push press tommorrow. We'll see. I have yet to ever enter a decent groove in training it. I have no idea what my max is, my form still needs work, and the total number of times i've ever done it I can count on both hands.

This weekend was the most medicated I've ever had to be. 50mg of prednisone and two pills (taken in halves) of tizanadine. And I really didn't get that much relief from them. Just enough to be semi-functional and take the edge off to the point that I was able to have one or two coherent thoughts. That is not good. Especially considering I needed some pred and tizanadine (half as much) 6 or 7 weeks ago. Extenuating circumstances in both cases (sickness + unforeseen pulls/tears), but still, not good. Not good at all.

Still right before this latest downswing I was up as high as I've been in almost ten years. So on balance my jury-rigged self-designed PT is working. I just need to keep tweaking it.

I think the reason so many people fail at rehab and PT is because of the massive ups and downs...and because it is harder. I got real good at looking like nothing was wrong over the past decade. Inside...that was anything but the case. My back kept getting worse, i lost more and more muscle endurance. I'd shrunk two inches in 3 years. Back then, just by doing what I was doing I defied expectations and 'medical wisdom'. The fact that I was able to act so normal with so much pain with no meds meant that they never believed how screwed up I was until they actually measured my spinal compression and did nerve conduction and strength tests.

Now, my back is healthier and healthier. And I hurt less on average. But the highs and lows suck. The slow progress sucks. Knowing I'll never be healthy and that the only thing I'm doing is delaying the inevitable also sucks. I've defied everyone's expectations in my rehab progress...including my own. And in a couple weeks I get to rub my doctor's face in the superior efficacy of intelligent weight training in doing what no amount of physical therapy devices and medications can achieve when I show him that I can pull my head and neck fully erect for the first time in 9 years. But it's been one of the toughest things I've ever done. Actively taking on something like this is so much harder than just sitting there passively, no matter how well you handle that.

Sorry for the rant. Been in a difficult place.

[Nikhil Rao]

Quickie

Smith partial OHP (top of head)
135x8
185x8
225x8
275x5 - felt oddly heavy
245x5
265x5 - felt light
275x5 - felt very light

My lat tie in to my ribs was starting to bother me again. That still hasn't healed up totally from beginning of March. Oh well.

Push Jerk for form
95xlots
135xlots

BTN Jerk for form
95xlots

My form is looking better and my back didn't feel horrible doing it.

My back felt...almost good today. With tommorrow's back work I might be able to do some decent OHP work on thursday. And maybe go heavy on partial OHP. I barely started feeling like my triceps were doing something when it started tweaking.

[Matt Brouse]

Good rant above. You should write a series of articles or something detailing the obstacles and the efforts to overcome them. Especially being as they are "non-traditional."

Good training, man, keep going.

[Nikhil Rao]

Speed pulls
2x295x2
2x305x2
2x315x2

Even 225 felt heavy today, instead of like nothing.

Went for 365 and barely pulled the bend out of the bar. Not too long ago I pulled 345 for 5 easy singles. That's annoying. Lat insertion felt like it was going to tear today. not good.

Overhead Squats
45x10
65x10
85x3 lost it in front when right trap died and scap fell

My flexibility is way improved, had no problem going ATG. This was mainly form work.

Lat pull
120x10
120x10
120x10
130x10
140x10
140x10 - v handle
140x10 - v handle

supersetted with

Snatch
5x95x3

Snatch pulls
2x115x5

Didn't make it through the 10x10 but came close. Got the tearing lat feel so I left.

[Nikhil Rao]

Push Jerk
95x5
135x5
145x3
155x3
165x3

Right scapula and trap were really bothering me.

Parital Smith OHP (top of head)
135x8
185x8
225x5
245x5
265x5
275x0 wtf?

Tricep pulldowns single arm reverse grip
50x10
80x8
50x10

still get elbow pain

Partial concentric front squats
135x10
185x8
205x5
225x3

With these I explode at the top and let the barbell get thrown from my shoulders. I like the feel of it. With push jerk, it feels heavy on my shoulders and ridiculously light up top. So I figure this is a good way to get acclimated.

[Nikhil Rao]

Sumo deadlift
5x295x5

Considering how badly last week went, this was easy as hell. reps were fast and strong, reset each time. Mimimal breaks between sets. 315 next week.

This was supposed to be followed by lat and trap work, but my right scapula and everything attached to it doesn't feel great. And i hadn't slept in two days and ate some hash browns and that was about it during that time period.

[Keenan Hollingsworth]

hahaha hash brownies, nice :YR:

Nice pulling Nik

[HunterHenzler]

He said hash browns...but knowing Nik...prolly were hash brownies haha...
btw-Nik, I watched some vid in geography yesterday about Indian...and rats....it talked a lot about rats...

[Nikhil Rao]

worthless

Push jerk form work
95x3
105x3
135x3
145x3
155x3

Shoulder girdle felt like it was going to rip. And then T10 and its ribs started acting up. I kept going until it got dangerous, then backed off.

Reverse grip single arm pushdowns
50x10
60x10
70x8
80x5
90x5

Tris almost felt like they were doing something. Tried to move to 10x10 but lack of sleep and food caught up with me.

I did a lot of concentric explosive front squats too, but my shoulder girdle was whining with 185 so I didn't push it.

[Nikhil Rao]

heh to counteract all the bad juju in The Kevin Nee's thread, I wanted to say that today was a really cool day in the gym. I've always got along well with other guys who hit the gym to train, not just to workout. Whether they're BBers, PLers, or just guys who want to be strong and jacked like me, we've always enjoyed each others company, even if we weren't buddies outside the gym or even training partners inside.

There's a common bond that goes with getting up every day to fight the iron, and today for the first time in a long while I shared the gym with a couple other guys who saw things the same way.

It's a sad thing but when other people are courteous and work in properly these days, it actually brings a smile to my face. Mutual respect and courtesy. Helping each other put the right weights on the bar. Words of encouragement, pointers. Little things. But all the same, they have a huge impact on me.

Swapped stories with a black guy about my dad's age about being some of the first colored people to move into the 'rich' part of my city. Turns out we live in the same neighborhood and moved here within months of each other. The DEA accused him of being a drug dealer. Local cops accuse me of robbing liquor stores... We laughed a little, talked about how great it is to be back in the gym (three years in my case...12 in his).

I really enjoyed it.

Pisses me off something fierce to see all the bickering and stupidity in some of these threads. We share a bond that most people don't even begin to understand. We're all strong, and we all want to get stronger.

I really enjoy the fact that I've gotten to know in a small way other guys who share my passion and my drive. Its hard to find people like that in real life. Sometimes I wish we could just take a page from the pros we look up to and show our mutual respect. Jesse opened a forum where other internationally recognized pros feel comfortable dropping in, occasionally gracing us with their comments, and in general showing a degree of camaraderie that's nothing short of admirable.

/rant off

[Rob Haan]

I do not know what set you off, Nik, but I agree 100% that it is hard to find people with passion and drive for anything any more which is really sad. Keep up the hard work.

Rob

[Nikhil Rao]

did something nasty to my right infraspinatus and rear delt. Only thing I know for sure is that it's not a full tear in either. Partial tears probably. Either way I can't extend my arm at my side or pull it backward without pain right now.

I get to add that to my still healing ribs and lat on that side.

Time to get serious about pushups again. I used to be a pushup monster. Still not bad at em (cranked out 130 to the floor in about 3 minutes without stopping a couple weeks ago). But I used to do 300-400 weighted up to 75lbs and unweighted almost every day religiously in sets of 25 and 50. My joints and little muscles felt a lot better back then.

I'm about 200 through today's 400, all unweighted, sets of 25. Taking it slow.

Hopefully deadlifting will not be a problem. Because tommorrow is a 5x315x5 sumo.

[Keenan Hollingsworth]

Dude, your body is messed. Ever consider taking a bit of time off?

[Nikhil Rao]

Dude, your body is messed. Ever consider taking a bit of time off?

my body being messed up is why I train lol. Believe it or not, I was a lot worse off 6 months ago. That's why even with all these little aches and pains I keep going. I lived the alternative for three years and it SUCKED.

I do need to get a little less stupid about training when it involves my shoulder girdle though.

[Nikhil Rao]

sumo deadlift
4x315x5

On 5th set, did a couple of reps with a rounded back, couldn't hold my arch. Decided it wasn't worth it.

Arm might be more tendon than muscle. Either way it was bitching about doing anything today.

Pushups.

[Nikhil Rao]

Gonna work strict pressing back into my routine. my push jerk is still being held back by form/confidence/back issues and will for the forseeable future (no quick fix, I'm afraid, just taking forever to get comfortable with a barbell on my shoulders). So I'm not worried about hurting my PJ training with some strict work.

Tried to go for a max single today, my shoulder injury wasn't cooperating though. Probably stupid to even try, but that's me in a nutshell. Stupid.

Military Press - will be a 3x3
45x3
95x3
105x3
115x3
125x3
135x3
145x0 strength was there, but shoulder was on fire...ditched it.

Barbell Front Raises - will be a 3x8
45x8
55x5
65x5 - shoulder was screaming

Just getting used to form. I like these better than DB raises.

Bradford Press - not with this shoulder. would be a 4x6

Cable Lateral Raises - again, not today. would be a 4x6

Push Jerk - will be a an 8x2
145x3 - form was the best it's ever been.

Tried to rack 155 and my shoulder screamed at me.

Rack Front Squats - will be a 6x2 with 125% of whatever current jerk is.

To my few readers, hows that routine look as far as shoulders? I'll be doing PJ and FS first, then the shoulder work in the order I posted. I'm not sure if I need the lateral raises or not.

I'm just not doing any triceps accessory work because everything else is so far behind I just plain don't need it. Pushups and dips'll hit them hard anyway.

[Keenan Hollingsworth]

I'm no expert on shoulder training (obviously hahaha) but I don't think you need those lateral raises. Kind of like beating a dead horse in my eyes (the horse being your shoulders hahaha)

[Rob Haan]

It looks ok, I would do the push jerks first than the pressing. My biggest problem with over head work is confidence which is why I am doing the reverse band push presses. I think I get more benefit out of doing upright rows pulling the bar almost to my chin than I get out of doing DB raises, but some big pressers use heavy DB's for front raises. In Milo a few years ago Gary Taylor was using 45 kg DB's, so what do I know.

[Nikhil Rao]

pushups.

Was supposed to train with Scott but I overslept and then the roads were impassable up here, but not 8 miles south where he was. Weirdness.

4 times through
25 diamond pushups
25 extra wide pushups
25 reverse knuckle pushups (like an RG bench)

I died with 10 pushups to go on my last reverse knuckle set. Quite annoying but not bad considering how long I've been out of the game. Will start adding weight as soon as I'm not sore the day after and I can run through all 4 sets in an hour.

4x5 one armed pushups each side.

would go higher but my gimp arm can't take that much rep work. These are amazing for upper back and scapular alignment. Funny thing is I couldn't do them when I was only 10lbs heavier but vastly stronger three years ago.

I missed pushups more than I thought.

[Jared Enderton]

I don't think the shoulder routine looked bad at all.

I would throw those raises in there every so often though, once ever 3-4 workouts maybe. Some things aren't necessary every workout but every so often I like to do things like that.

Keep improving man!

[Nikhil Rao]

I don't think the shoulder routine looked bad at all.

I would throw those raises in there every so often though, once ever 3-4 workouts maybe. Some things aren't necessary every workout but every so often I like to do things like that.

Keep improving man!

thanks.

I'm getting to the point where I'll settle for being as strong as I used to be.

[HunterHenzler]

I might have to start doing one-armed push-ups, just for show maybe:D...
You know I'm always hear when you need to talk to someone bro

[Nikhil Rao]

DL day

Sumo DL
3x325x3

Felt strong and good. Grip almost failed on last pull but I got it up. Could have done a 3x5 or a 5x5 but i'll talk about that later.

Concentric GMs
worked up to 5x145

Just getting used to form, these feel awkward but I think they'll need to play an increasing role in my DL. Would've kept going but my low back balled up while I was warming up for the DL. Only reason I made it through my DL work was because it was sumo.

Wasn't feeling overhead shrugs today. I'll throw them in on oly day tommorrow or the day after.

--------------
Wow my rear delt and infraspinatus hurt BAD today whenever hte weight was on the front of my shoulders. I thought it was starting to heal up. Starting is apparently the operative word here.
---------------------------------------

I really paid attention to my gimpiness today. Tried to separate nerve pain from muscle pain from joint pain. My nerve pain is out of control on DL days. From the time I go to the gym to the time I go home, I can practically trace the paths of the nerve trunks as they descend my arm.

the muscle pain and joint pain are bad too, but now that I sit down and analyze things, they're getting better over time, not worse. Just as they were supposed to. So that's good at least.

The tipoff should've been a couple of months ago when I realized that my right tricep was getting sore on DL days. My radial nerve is the most damaged nerve, and the triceps isn't involved in the lift, so that should've been a sign that a lot of my DL problems were neurogenic in origin. That's the same reason my triceps and anconeus get fried when I write, even though they're not exactly big forearm/hand muscles.

I've gotten so good at ignoring my nerve pain (cuz there's not much I can do for it other than going on narcotics or anti-seizure meds--both of which suck) that I was blocking out the signs that I was letting things get outta control in that department.

With anything over 315, my nerves are seriously on fire. i've noticed it. And just ignored it. Because I couldn't do anything about it. But by ignoring it I've been hindering my progress. Even if it's just at the edge of conscious awareness, its wearing my body and CNS especially down to the point where my athletic performance is suffering.

I refuse to give up. But I'm going to have to get smarter and learn to listen to my nerves again. Which will suck because I'll be in essence upping my perceived pain levels. I'm going to have to limit my workload in the deadlift on any given day. And just pull more frequently.

This should be fine since I've tried to arrange for pulling 2-3 days in any given week anyway. I'll just have to be pulling less on those days than my muscles are capable of. Which is frustrating, but thems the breaks.

[Nikhil Rao]

press day - concentrated on form

The personal trainers in there had people doing rack pulls with a mixed grip...WITH THE BAR! It was all I could do not to walk over there and smash their faces into the mirror. I stopped myself...barely. I've only got 1.5 good fingers in my right hand and I pull double overhand without hooking. The only reason to pull mixed is if grip is an issue...which it shouldn't be with just the bar. And if your'e going to pull mixed with any amount of volume, you need to be alternating hands...which they weren't.

What really gets me is that a lot of their clients are people rehabbing after injuries. Which makes it even harder for me not to intervene when I see stupid garbage like that.

45x10
95x8
115x8
135x8
155x5
165x3
175x3
185x3
195x3

Cut these short when the nerves in my right arm stopped firing properly--having one arm suddenly collapse out of nowhere isn't very fun. Next couple of pressing days, hopefully I'll work up to a true 3rm based on muscles rather than form or peripheral nervous system.

I'm weaker with a PLing bench than I am with a BBer bench. That'll improve as I figure out how to use my lats and get used to the form. Because of my ridiculously short torso and ridiculously long arms, a proper PLing style bench has the bar touching a couple inches BELOW my sternum. Feels awkward as balls.

Kaz Press

45x10
95x10
135x8
145x8
155x8
165x8
175x8
185x8

Killed it here when the tendonitis started acting up...Only in right arm.

CG Smith Bench (two boardish ROM)
185x8
195x8
205x8
225x1
225x1

Right arm stopped working again.

Took it up to a 3 or 4 boardish and tossed around 3+ plates just for bowel movements and chortles.

1 arm underhand pushdowns
60x8
80x8
100x8 - tendonitis in right.

Machine chest press
250x5

I normally hate machines, especially cammed machines with extremely stretchy rubber belts. But i can set this up so it's like doing a neutral grip cambered bar bench. And the cam is adjustable to set maximum tension at the beginning of the lift. And the stretchiness just makes the initial push that much more annoying. I sit there and let the stretch reflex bleed out (5 or 6 count) and then hit a rep, descend and do another 5 or 6 count. I like it.

The pushups are definitely working. My right arm is learning how to fire again...slowly. The atrophy of the hand muscles on the ulnar side sucks balls though. No cushion. Hand's full of popped capillaries and shows bruising just with the little weight I'm using.

I haven't had an upper body day that ended with any appreciable amount of triceps fatigue in over 3 years. But I'm confident that I'll be able to push the weights my muscles are capable of in the next few months. Then I can finally figure out how far down my bench has dropped.

Goal is to achieve Raw Class II with a token 225-315 squat before I graduate. 1068 in the 198s. with a 225 squat that'd mean my push pull would have to be 843. Currently I'm deadlifting 365 and I'd estimate about a 275 on bench based on my 245 for 4 incline a few months ago. That leaves me 213lbs to put on. Shouldn't be a problem. If I get back up to my old bench levels, I wouldn't even need to DL 500 to pull that off. And I haven't even rehabbed enough to start really training my bench. Class I would require me hitting a 986 push pull with a 225 squat or a 876 with a 315 squat. If my back gets into decent enough shape by 2009, I should make class I no problem.

Later today:
9x25 pushups - doing my 3 variations
9x50x8 db curls

[Matt Brouse]

Nice. I think that much of what is now considered a "powerlifting bench" is with regard to a shirt. Certainly your elbows should not be 90 degree and the bar is no where near your sternum, but we must find a medium between what is actually beneficial for us and our leverage what we might do wearing a shirt. The shirt will require a much lower bar position (with regard to the sternum) to maximize efficiency and definetely this increases tricep dominance but once again we must find a medium. Essentially I am saying, because so and so wrote about it in an article does not mean it is an absolute necessity. But you knew that...

Just laying down my thoughts. I agree on the rack pull thing by the way.

Keep going.

[Keenan Hollingsworth]

Nice. I think that much of what is now considered a "powerlifting bench" is with regard to a shirt. Certainly your elbows should not be 90 degree and the bar is no where near your sternum, but we must find a medium between what is actually beneficial for us and our leverage what we might do wearing a shirt.
Keep going.
I'd agree with this. On the EFS Bench Exercise Index, when talking about the bench form, they say when raw benching, you should take a nice natural tuck. Not pulling your elbows into your ribs, but not 90 either.

[Nikhil Rao]

my grip won't change. middle on the rings is comfortable and that's all there is to it.

But I was wayyy too flared out before. Just trying to find a happy medium.

My tris aren't tired at all today. Could go closer to my max today. But I'll probably just do some DL work.

Not being able to do oly/midback with my torn rear delt is really bothering me.

[Nikhil Rao]

abortive DL day

Low back cramped up when I was warming up. And my hip socket felt ugly. So I did rack pulls, sort of.

2" below knee
135x5
225x5
275x5
315x5
365x3
405x2

My low back kept cramping up. I'd stretch out for 5 minutes between sets and then would cramp back up on rep 2. I was hoping to work up to a 3rm, but during that set with 405, my back cramped hard and I wasn't able to maintain neutral spine.

Farted around with some other stuff, but at that point I was pretty useless.

My low back has adjusted to the decreased lordosis somewhat but it's an ongoing process.

And I really need to start paying attention to my nutrition. I hadn't eaten or drank anything in 12 hours when I hit the gym. And I only had 2 meals and no snacks the day before.

Training is pointless if I don't have the nutritional foundation to do what my muscles are capable of.

I need to pick up some glutamine and ON amino-whatever 2222 tommorrow. Maybe some NO supplements too.

[Nikhil Rao]

abortive bench day

Bench Press
Shoulder started hurting at 185. No reason to push it

Kaz Press
135x5
185x5
205x5
225x5
225x1 right arm stopped working

Rack Pulls (just above knee)
135x5
225x5
315x5
405x3
495x1 low back cramped up

405 was easy enough. 495 wasn't

Later today:

4 times through
25 triangle pushups
50x8 DB curls
25 super wide pushups
50x8 DB curls
25 reverse knuckle pushups
50x8 DB curls

Can't train bench. Can't train OHP. Indian is annoyed.

[Matt Brouse]

Dispite some disappointing final sets there is some good work in there man.

[Nikhil Rao]

first ever event day

Whole day went like ass lol

450 tire

4x100ft

Wow that was winding. Tire never felt heavy, but my cardio wasn't there. I wasn't expecting cardio problems given that I can still run a 6-7 minute mile. But with weight is a totally different experience.

My right trap was screaming at me. Only about one putdown on any given run was from being winded. The others were from the shooting pains all through there. I NEED MORE TRAP WORK.

Scott has a funny incident on video

165ish log

No one knows how much it weights for sure. Struggled with the clean (I was trying to hang clean it). No problem on the press if I kept my elbows up and didn't lose it in front. Scott showed me what to do. And then the clean was no problem. Awkward though. I could only get 3 reps from the shoulders before I'd lose enough balance to have to set it down.

Didn't hurt my upper back AT ALL though, and normally I hurt with anything over 135 on overhead. So I'm going to have to order a log from Beninga for sure.

Scott got a PP and a PJ on vid. I need a lot of technique help.

Atlas Stones

bleh. Let's leave it at that. My right hand did NOT like these at all. I'll be adding in low zerchers now.

Stone Carry
375 - got it up (off a tire) and it didn't feel too heavy. Started walking with it, pinched my crotch against the stone twice and dropped it. I've actually got rockburn on both of my inner thigh...that went through cargos and boxer briefs. Edit: correction my crotch is actually bleeding. I need a higher pick next time lol.

This was the second time I nearly lost the family jewels today.

110ish - just about ran with it, lost my footing, walked with it, just about ran with it again. 200ft.

Goals for next sunday
5 reps on the log without losing balance
50 reps with the 70lb anvil overhead
110 stone press
235 atlas stone - break ground/lap
375 stone for 50ft
110 stone for 100ft RUN.

My ribs and right arm are not happy. But I had a lot of fun. Just need to not suck.

[Keenan Hollingsworth]

Edit: correction my crotch is actually bleeding. I need a higher pick next time lol.
lmfao

Sounds like a fun training day Nik :KD:

[Russell Selcho]

Well you got an events day in and want to do it again, that's a step in the right direction. So many of the implements just take time to get used to, especially the log and atlas stones but once you get it, it is like riding a bike, a very heavy bike.

[Nikhil Rao]

yeah, Scott said at the beginning that SM is just plain different. I now understand what he's talking about. Except for the atlas stones I didn't feel particularly weak, just off balance.

I'm really glad my back held up as well as it did. I only popped 2 or 3 ribs out of place. And only made 2 or 3 of the already popped ones worse. Which isn't any different than a heavy DL day really. And I feel better today than I would after a DL day.

I really can't wait to get my own log now though.

[Nikhil Rao]

been ignoring my physical therapy the past couple weeks. And I'm feeling it. A lot.

The weight training is supposed to be over and above what the PTs say to do. Not instead of. Stupid Indian.

I hereby dedicate the rest of the day to as much stretching and traction as I can tolerate. Will probably be far too sore to lift tommorrow. Might go for a jog with a 50lb pack. My conditioning with extra weights blows these days.

Cervical traction
Thoracic traction - on lat pull machine
Gymnastics bridges
Swiss ball arches
Thoracic mobility
Neck harness

[Nikhil Rao]

since about mid-afternoon yesterday I've started feeling my strongman training day in my upper and mid back. lower thoracics started tightening up again which they haven't done for a few months.

More stretching today, same routine as yesterday.

Back to gym hopefully thursday.

[Nikhil Rao]

Back went to hell on me. Wasn't from event day. Just one of those things that happens when you're a gimp.

T7-up shifted about half an inch forward relative to T8. You can actually feel and see the forward displacement. That is not good. I've been working it back into position and stretching the crap out of my upper back muscles. They're still too tight to function effectively.

Stepping up the upper back work. Can't do much else till my spine gets closer into position without making it worse.

Clean pulls
3x135x8
3x185x8

Lat pull - wide grip
3x130x8

Lat pull - v handle
3x150x8

Snatches for form

[Nikhil Rao]

Monday

Push Jerk
95x3
105x3
115x3
125x3
135x3
145x3
155x3
165x1 ouch

Lat Pull
3x130x10

First day jerking it again in a long time. Rear delt/infraspinatus appears to have healed. No pain at all. Considering I couldn't even raise my arm up and out without screaming in pain not too long ago, I'm not gonna complain. I can strict more than that but when I caught the 165 my displaced vertebra started screaming. Working on pushing my head through will make that better.

After I hurt my rear delt again I've been going crazy with the soft tissue work in my lower traps, rhomboids, lats, and basically everything attached to my thoracic spine. Stepped it up further after I displaced those vertebrae since I couldn't even deadlift or oly lift. Definitely paid off because racking a barbell in the clean position has never been so comfortable.

It might be a couple of months (or just a couple of weeks) before I'm able to DL again so I'll have to reorganize my training once again. front squats, overhead squats, jerks, bench and maybe rack pulls. We'll see.

My strength training has been basically stalled the last 7 months but the rehab has gone extraordinarily well. There's still a lot of work to do with my back but I'm making steady progress even if I keep straining, spraining, and tearing muscles every couple of weeks.

I'm still a bit frustrated that I really haven't been able to do any real strength training for my upper body and legs (just my back lol) despite this long at it, but I'm confident I'll get there.

Now that the book-learning part of med school is done I'm probably going to start a v-log about my unconventional rehab efforts both as far as nerve damage and upper and mid back problems go.

[Nikhil Rao]

worthless day

Push Jerk
worked up to 165x3 at which point my displaced vertebrae screamed. Nice and easy up though. Felt good and strong. I don't know if they count as jerks since I didn't even have to dip to catch.

15" front squat
Went down once with a girly 225 on warmup and my right quad started cramping. Went down again and my right hammy started cramping. Went down for a third rep and my adductors cramped. I figured it was time to throw in the towel

Power Cleans
Lots with 135 to 165 just doing form work with my retard leg.

Lat Pull
120xlots

Kaz Press
3x225x6

Lots of thoracic traction on the lat pull machine. Got some stuff loose. Got plenty more to go.

really need to start focusing on nutrition and hydration. I'm not eating enough quantity often enough and not drinking enough water. First time I've cramped up in the gym that i can remember.

[Nikhil Rao]

well, that was atrocious

Clean Pulls
135x8
185x8
205x8
205x8

Lat Pull
120x8
130x8
140x8
150x8

Shoulder isn't as healed as I thought it was. Snatch kinda hurt and so did lat pull. And my lower thoracics still haven't repositioned completely so I can't hit full triple extension or hold a jerk that well. I'm gonna let the tear heal and just keep working the stretching to get those thoracics back in place. Will work in the gym as much as I'm able (which obviously isn't much).

I figure in a couple of weeks I should be in a position to *finally* max out on the jerk (somewhere north of 205) and figure out what a working weight is. I should be able to DL then too.

[Nikhil Rao]

blah

Pushups
8xbwx25

supersetted with

DB Curls
8x50x8

Was hoping to hit 300 but that wasn't happening. Right arm was almost entirely not working from 125 on, had to take a break during the sets of 25. By the time I was done my nerves were so fried that my arm was almost frozen up by my shoulder like I was holding a phone. Hilarious

Need to get some 60s.

I've been having hot flashes in my ring and pinky. Apparently this can be a sign of nerve regrowth and damage repair. Pinky seems a bit stronger too. Still have trouble straightening it but it doesn't seem to fade as fast as it did a month or so ago. I find it hard to believe that it's getting better given that it's been 10 years of slow and steady decline but I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth.

A more likely explanation is that my upper back bulging discs have been reduced to such a degree that the C8/T1 fibers are no longer suffering from compressive symptoms. We never did a full back workup because there wasn't much point. We knew I had problems in the areas and there wasn't much you could do about it.

Surgery wasn't an option and neurology is too vague to be able to tell the difference between direct nerve damage and signs of impingement. Especially since we knew at least the former was operating there wouldn't have been much point.

It does provide even more corroboration that I'm not so crazy for thinking weightlifting could help me where medical 'wisdom' failed miserably.

On another note I appear to have pinched left C5 sometime in the past couple days. Gonna traction it loose today and tommorrow.

Lower thoracics are settling down a bit but I still have some ways to go.

Hopefully I'll be jerking tommorrow. We'll see.

[Scott Markowitz]

Hopefully I'll be jerking tommorrow. We'll see.

I was going to make a comment on this, but I think it speaks for itself.

We've missed you in the mudpit...err, my yard. This weekend will be the last one that I'm here, so if you want us to make fun of you...scratch that....if you want to do strongman with us again, it's the last shot. At least until December. But then it'll be cold. And I'm a wuss when it comes to cold weather.

[Kevin Cronin]

blah

A more likely explanation is that my upper back bulging discs have been reduced to such a degree that the C8/T1 fibers are no longer suffering from compressive symptoms. We never did a full back workup because there wasn't much point. We knew I had problems in the areas and there wasn't much you could do about it.

Surgery wasn't an option and neurology is too vague to be able to tell the difference between direct nerve damage and signs of impingement. Especially since we knew at least the former was operating there wouldn't have been much point.

It does provide even more corroboration that I'm not so crazy for thinking weightlifting could help me where medical 'wisdom' failed miserably.



This was my interpretation while reading this

"Stuff was all swelled up where it shouldn't be swelled up. Then I lifted weights, that made it stronger. Stronger is always better, so now the things that aren't supposed to be pressing against one another aren't pressing against one another. The lesson, as always, is that doctors suck"

[Nikhil Rao]

Hit it in one. rep points.

[Nikhil Rao]

worthless

worked up to 105 on power snatch. Caught with no dip. Then I missed a 105 because I suck at dipping. And then my shoulder started acting up

Clean Pulls
4x135x8
4x185x8

Pullups
8xBWx4

alternating parallel and widegrip

[chrisklavette]

first ever event day


Goals for next sunday
5 reps on the log without losing balance
50 reps with the 70lb anvil overhead
110 stone press
235 atlas stone - break ground/lap
375 stone for 50ft
110 stone for 100ft RUN.

My ribs and right arm are not happy. But I had a lot of fun. Just need to not suck.
so what ever happened to your next event day? I'm so bored I'm commenting on your training log.

Man, I hate you.

[Nikhil Rao]

I re-crippled. T7 shifted half an inch forward on T8. Bunch of ribs pulled out. It was pretty nasty. Not cuz of event day, just one of those things. Taken a while to resort out my vertebrae.

http://www.marunde-muscle.com/forum/showpost.php?p=122799&postcount=165

I'll be there again next sunday but doubt I'll be able to do much.

I've got a lot longer to go on rehab than I thought.

Also, I hate me too.

And I hate you. Partially because you're a chink. But mostly cuz you're worthless.

[chrisklavette]

I'm feel bad that you are crippled, but being Indian isn't all bad. You know where EVERYTHING in the gas station is and you can smell shoplifters before they even get in the door, so that is cool.

Let me know how your next event day goes AND when are we gonna see Nik the competitor?

[Nikhil Rao]

I was hoping we'd see Nik the competitor this fall. That was ridiculously optimistic. PT gains have been steady, but not very fast. I keep injuring things and I can't avoid the injuries either unless I also want to avoid getting a better back. So strength gains have been slow. Course I wasn't supposed to make it this far anyway so I can't exactly complain.

I'm hoping for a spring debut now. But that's got maybe a 50% chance. Fall 2008 for sure.

[Kevin Cronin]

I'm feel bad that you are crippled, but being Indian isn't all bad. You know where EVERYTHING in the gas station is and you can smell shoplifters before they even get in the door, so that is cool.

Let me know how your next event day goes AND when are we gonna see Nik the competitor?

if ANYONE actually read this training log the two of you would be banned for your racial insults. just like brouse was banned for his ugliness ... oh wait, that is still in the works

[Nikhil Rao]

8xbwx25 Pushups

About half of these sets were reverse grip. Gimp arm behaved pretty well. Still turned to jellow about 15 reps in on the last few sets, but I made it all the way through without ever actually pausing.

Not bad, not good.

Ran out of time to do curls though. Which I really, really need to do.

[Nikhil Rao]

today went really well even though I was about to collapse from the upper back cramps i'd been dealing with all day.

clean pulls
135x8
135x8
185x8
185x8
205x8
205x8
225x8
225x8

Touched ears and did not count a rep unless bar made it up to sternum. For some reason these were a lot freaking easier than any other time I've ever done them. Not going to complain.

Pullups
8xbwx4

Will add a rep per set each workout.

Overhead Shrugs
3x135x15

Easy enough but something was off

Tried to DL from floor for the first time in a long time. Was doing some warmups and form work with 135. Rep 3 my left lower erectors locked up and my face almost smashed into the ground. Was kinda funny.

What was really funny was that I showed 'shocker hand' today. Normally with a grip intensive workout my gimp arm displays the classic claw hand for ulnar palsy:
http://www.surgical-tutor.org.uk/pictures/images/orthopaedics/ulnar_nerve2.jpg

For some reason today my pinky didn't lockup, but my ring finger did. It faded by the time I got home unfortunately, but hopefully i can get a picture of it soon.

[Nikhil Rao]

quick note to self.

The latest iteration of the upper back program is a clear success. I am sore in all the right places today and FINALLY started popping the left 4th rib back into place after months and months of working on it. In a few months it's possible that all my ribs will be back in joint. I'm throwing a party then.

I'm not sure if it was trading out lat pulls for pullups or if it was going heavier on clean pulls, but my mid back is being hit the way it needs to be hit.

Will try to make it out to Scott's for a last strongman session before he goes back to florida. Won't be doing anything heavy at all, though. Which is a huge bummer.

[Nikhil Rao]

ribs were in that finicky place where they're not quite in joint and not quite out of joint. Bad time to go heavy, which I know from painful personal experience. The setbacks suck more than the pain, though. So I skipped Scott's. Bummer.

Pushups
8xbwx25 - half RGK pushups

DB Curls
8x50x8

Dang. Dropped on my face (literally) with three stinking pushups left. Right arm is kinda upset with me at the moment but it can go to hell. I'm adapting to the volume pretty fast and was able to crank these out in under an hour.

As well as I made it through this workout, I'm thinking I might be able to combine the upper back and arm work into a single workout. Maybe an AM/PM split or a PM/later PM split. Something so my rehab stuff isn't every dang day. Just upper back work (like I'd been doing) wasn't an issue--practically a cool down after DL. It's the arm work that's ridiculously fatiguing and time consuming.

First day of 3rd year of med school. Next few months schedule will be nuts. Come end of December it gets easy peasy though. Gotta go.

[Nikhil Rao]

yesterday

Pullups
8x5
half parallel half wide grip

Power Shrugs
185x8
225x8
225x8
225x8
235x8
245x8
255x8

Went home.

[Nikhil Rao]

new training plan for next couple of weeks:

Every Day
150 pushups --Half feet elevated diamond, half reverse knuckle. Start adding weight when there's no vestige of soreness.
6x8 pullups. Same deal with weight.
ladder deadlifts 1:5:1 1 or 2 times through. (starting with 185 or 225)

Alternate days
6x8 bicep curls (50s for now, more in a week or two)
6x8 power shrugs 225 for now, 275 in a week

Things to do:
Buy barbell, 4 45s, 2 25s, 4 10s, 2 5s
Make appointment with PCP, neurologist, physical therapist, and osteopath. Wooh! And thank god my parents' insurance deigned to cover me again.

3rd year is beating the hell out of my upper back and arm's endurance so I'm having to build a bigger foundation just to keep it from crapping out again. Do NOT want to go back to where I was 7 months ago.

By mid-August/early-September I'm hoping to be back in the gym 3-4x a week.

Now I just need to figure out a new gym plan, but it'll be a while. I'm thinking about an ME/RE split on overhead/bench, one week OHP ME, bench RE, other week OHP RE, bench ME. But i've got other ideas too. Not sure what to do with deads, legs, core yet. But I'll figure something out.

[Scott Markowitz]

what is a reverse knuckle pushup? is it where your palms are pretty much facing each other and your fingers are flat on the ground?

[Nikhil Rao]

basically a reverse grip bench press. So your palms would be facing toward your head (if they weren't curled up in fists). Great for getting the chest out of the movement. And increasing lat work.

[Scott Markowitz]

Ouch. There's no way I could do those.

[Nikhil Rao]

aight the pushups are getting nice and easy. I'm doing all sorts of variations at this point. No soreness. I start loading next week.

Found a guy on craig's list selling 365lbs of weights and a BB for cheap. I'm taking it as a sign from god since that is my current DL max. I'll be dropping by to pick them up tommorrow after work. And get my first DL workout in months as well afterward.

Just ordered a metric assload of protein bars/shakes/BCAAs too. I usually don't need to pay attention to nutrition but the hospital and the seventeen layers of clothing i have to wear so i look 'professional' (like a fucking twit) are dehydrating me and melting away my muscle. Dropped under 180 for a bit. It was disgusting.

[Nikhil Rao]

I got antsy and did a random gym workout. Hit lots of things for lots of random sets.

Power shrugs were good today. 8x225x8 no problems.

Picked up the weights. Gonna make a platform this weekend. Tommorrow will be first DL day in a long time.

[Nikhil Rao]

Shoulder rehab workout

Strict Press
45x15
55x12
65x10
75x8
85x6
95x5
105x5
115x5

Real lightweight, working more on neural endurance than anything. I'm right near BW for a single now on strict press, but that's worthless if my arm won't put up weight more than once.

Friends came over so I cut the workout short. Normally there'd be raises and bradfords too.

Tommorrow is hack deads

[Nikhil Rao]

Power Shrugs
145x8
195x8
235x8
235x8
235x8
235x8
235x8
235x8

Hack Deadlift
1-10x225

55 reps total

Row/Shrug/Upright Row/Cuban Press
45x8
45x8
45x8
55x8
65x8
65x8

I'll probably do this as row/shrug and upright row/cuban separately.

Real good workout. I feel blasted right now. Although surprisingly I'm not feeling the hacklifts at all. I haven't really done any deadlifting at all in the past two months and that's more volume at that weight than I've ever done period.

I was going to come back down to 1 for 100 reps, but i had an impromptu counseling session, so I had to cut it short.

That and my grip has not been happy since I burned the crap out of myself lifting DBs for lots of reps that had been in the sun all day. I wasn't not going to do it though. Oh well.

Some jerking and strict press tommorrow.

[Nikhil Rao]

shoulders

Barbell Front Raises
8x65x8

Bradford Press
3x125x5

Weaker than I was before. Shoulder's still hurting but not enough not to lift. Not happy with these current numbers but they'll go up shortly. No worries. Should be front raising 95 for that many reps and bradford at least 155.

Tried to do some powercleans but something in my form just wasn't working. Bar was going way out in front or smacking me in the sternum. Probably fatigue and traps being trashed.

Oh yeah, creatine has done wonders in preventing me from going catabolic and helping me stay hydrated throughout the day. Been struggling with that since school started again. That's right. STAYING hydrated.

foot elevated closegrip pushups. 150 in sets of 25.

I may deadlift this evening if I'm not too burned out. Otherwise deadlift on Friday after work.

[Nikhil Rao]

Deadlift day

Worked up to 325 which came up nice and easy, but I rounded and wrenched something. Nothing bad at all. Already fading. But wasn't going to go for 375. Glad I didn't lose much strength in this lift.

Partial Deadlift (top of kneecaps)
40x135
25x135
25x135

Deadlift
135x15
185x10

Deadlift/Shrug Complex (cluster)
3x255x5

[Nikhil Rao]

upper back rehab

Power Shrugs
195x8
215x8
225x8
225x8
6x235x8


Bent Over Row/Overhead Shrug Complex
10x115x10

I think I've finally figured out what the hell a BOR is. Yay for me. Cramped up and couldn't finish out today's work which is supposed to be an upright row/cuban press complex 10x75x10

Back keeps moving along. You won't see much 'strength' work in here for a while. Shoulder day, DL day (maybe two), and possibly a jerking day. We'll see. I'm on the verge of getting all my ribs back where they belong for the first time in 10 years. Not to mention being able to hold my head up high (literally) in almost as long. I'm pushing for that right now.

On the bad news front, I've finally given in and started learning to use my left hand to do things. Taking five minute breaks for every minute of shaving is getting old. Needless to say I looked kinda patchy today to say the least.

[Nikhil Rao]

finished off yesterday's workout.

shrug/upright row/cuban press complex
45x8
55x8
65x8
75x6
85x6
5x95x6

Form starts to turn crappy with 95. I'll stick to 85 and try for an 8x8.

Not sure what I'll be doing for the Monday workout. Depends on what's sore.

[Kevin Cronin]

On the bad news front, I've finally given in and started learning to use my left hand to do things. Taking five minute breaks for every minute of shaving is getting old. Needless to say I looked kinda patchy today to say the least.

It really makes it that much more impressive when I remember that you have health considerations that make it that much more difficult to do these things.

Nik, what exactly is wrong with your right hand that you cant shave, but you can grip the bar to snatch?

Also, the power shrugs - do they hit any other muscle besides the traps? Because doing them last week aggravated whatever muscle it was that I hurt on the yoke last week that made me worry i'd herniated a disc or something.

[Nikhil Rao]

It really makes it that much more impressive when I remember that you have health considerations that make it that much more difficult to do these things.

Thanks man. That really does mean a lot.


Nik, what exactly is wrong with your right hand that you cant shave, but you can grip the bar to snatch?

Endurance in some cases. Pure weakness in others. I've got fewer peripheral nerve fibers powering the same muscles. The nerves themselves run out of juice much faster. And on top of that the blood vessels are all massively vasoconstricted, so the muscles are getting less blood flow. Overall it leaves me with less maximal strength and less endurance. No matter how hard I train it, it will always be weaker than my left. The endurance more than the maximal strength.

Getting stronger is the only thing that works and the only thing that's kept me functional. Because the stronger you are, the less your nerves have to fire to impart the same amount of force. Basically, I'm really efficient with what I've got left. But there's little enough left that I still struggle and fatigue with a lot of everyday activities. That hand position (shaving, phone, violin, whatever) has always been the most problematic for me. I should've started shaving and brushing left handed a long time ago. But unlike holding a phone, they require a bit more dexterity. Plus I'm kinda stubborn.


Also, the power shrugs - do they hit any other muscle besides the traps? Because doing them last week aggravated whatever muscle it was that I hurt on the yoke last week that made me worry i'd herniated a disc or something.

Power shrugs tend to work a lot more than the traps because of all the body english. They turn into a pretty decent midback spinal erector, rhomboid, middle trap, and even glute (minimally) workout. They can wreak havoc with a tweaked midback. even moreso than the upper traps.

[Scott Gonzalez]

you got a great log nik...keep the hard work going !!

[Nikhil Rao]

thanks scott

Shoulder Day

Barbell Front Raises
45x8
55x8
3x65x8
3x75x8
2x85x8

Bradford Press
3x125x5

Foot elevated CG pushups
6xbwx25 Nice and easy

Getting better. Start with 75 next time move to 85 half way through on front raises. I'll start with bradfords next time. Today is upper back day. Will try to go heavier on shrugs and maybe but some decent weight on those bent over rows. Or at least a wheel on each side. Taking it slow just to make sure form is decent.

[Nikhil Rao]

Upper Back Day

Power Shrugs
195x8
215x8
4x235x8
2x255x8

255x8 for all work sets next time. Can drop down to 6 if necessary.

Bent Over Row/Overhead Shrug Complex
8x135x8-15

8 BOR 15 OS

Hack Deadlift
1-10-1x225

100 reps baby! 20 more lbs next week.

It's funny. Today was pretty bad back wise. And by pretty bad I mean as bad as I get before I break out meds. But after the workout things are much more aligned and I no longer want to rip out my eyeballs. Tommorrow when the DOMS sets in, I'll feel almost normal.

God I love it. I really need to get off my butt and start writing my story for other chronic upper back and nerve disorder people. There will never be a day when I'm healthy, when my back doesn't hurt, when my ribs stay in their rightful places all day. And I don't really give a damn. I'll keep going until I can't anymore. My body will fail long before it should. But it'll last a lot longer than it could.

[Nikhil Rao]

Shoulder Day

Strict Press
75x15
85x12
95x10
105x8
115x6
125x4

Was going to work up to a 1RM from here (175-185ish probably), but I tweaked something on the way up with 125 on the last rep.

Start with 85 next time.

Nice thing about lifting outside on days like this is it toughens the hands up like crazy. They're slowly but surely turning into one gigantic callus.

Had a very cool wtf moment the other day. Looked over at my buddy and said "did you shrink?" "what?" "I'm almost as tall as you." "i'm wearing sandals." "so am I." "Dude, you grew." Cracked 6ft for the first time in my life and am still not done decompressing my spine. When I started training again I was 5'10.5" on a good day and an inch shorter on a bad day (down from 5'11 in HS).

Gonna go traction out whatever the hell I just did to my back and neck. And finish the day with 250 pushups. Wooh!

Traction didn't work entirely. Pushups helped some. Did some one arms (those usually do the trick in helping scapular repositioning).

Pushups
24" Foot elevated close grip - 4x25
Ultra Wide - 4x25
Reverse Knuckle - 3x15 - bah! should've been 2x25

If only being a pushup machine transferred over better to maximal strength. Oh well. My muscles are tired. And that's the important thing. Or something.

[Russell Selcho]

I am closer to the same weight as you now and will still beat you to a 250 OH press. Your training looks good keep it up.

[Nikhil Rao]

My back was still tweaking pretty bad today. Pinched C8 nerve on left side. WOOH! Had some trouble with portions of the workout that required a clean and/or overhead work as my back is too rounded/hunched at the moment to catch a clean or receive the bar overhead properly. I'm also not sure how well I was actually activating my traps during the workout even though I was moving through a full ROM. I'm going to hit the traction hard again and hopefully finish the stupid workout off tonight.

Power Shrugs
195x8
235x8
6x255x8

Stick to 255 next workout. I was getting the weight to the proper height, but I guess cuz of the pinched nerve I really wasn't feeling it in my left trap. Right one felt it fine though.

Bent Over Row
8x145x8

This weight is pretty light, but there's supposed to be 15 overhead shrugs after each set (complex style), so it has to be. As I become more confident in my form, I'll probably break them apart. As it is, my form is still not as tight as I'd like. Couldn't OS because of the aforementioned hunching problem.

Shrug/Upright Row/Cuban Press/Overhead Shrug
8x85x5

Well that just plain didn't work. No volume at all. tonight i'm gonna go back through the BOR/OS and the S/UR/CP/OS portions and see if I can't actually make them work.

Hands are blistering and raw from the heat of an outside barbell. Note to self. Put BB in shed before you go to work tommorrow.

[Nikhil Rao]

I finished up last time's workout a few hours later and walked a buddy through some REAL exercises. Totally trashed him. He's coming back for more tommorrow though. I'm gonna set him up on a 3 day split that can be modified for 3, 5, or 6 day a week workout depending on schedule. He's going to hate me.

Shoulder Day

Barbell Front Raises
45x15
55x15
65x12
75x10
85x8
95x6
105x4

These are *cough* hard

Bradford Press
105x8
115x8
125x8
135x8 FINALLY
145x5 Not bad, not good.

I'd like to be doing 185 for 8 not too long from now

Front Raise/Bradford Press/Tricep Extension Complex - finisher

5x65x12

I could have gone heavier on these, weirdly enough. Will do that next time.

That right shoulder is going to take a LOT of rehab before it even resembles crappy in terms of endurance and maximal strength. Still hoping for a possible spring debut as a strongman, but it'll depend a lot on where I am at the end of October when surgery rotation is over.

Back's doing better than ever and the ribs seem to be grudgingly accepting of being moved back into their joints. I only need to nudge them back in once or twice a week.

I was pretty frustrated by the lack of weight in today's workout, but whatever. Tommorrow is snatch, clean, push press, push jerk day. Wish I had squat stands so I could go heavy on the jerk. But whatever. I'll probably start doing Bakke's (i think it's Bakke) PJ program with 8x145x2 tommorrow. Maybe heavier. Depends on how the clean is going. 2x a week hopefully, taking it nice and slow back into the 200s.

[WesleyInman]

I like how you focus alot on the upper back, and shoulders!!! Great job working out, and Im sure your intensity will be back for next workout!!! Awesome work :)

[Nikhil Rao]

Oly Day

Hang Power Snatch
3x75
3x85
3x95
3x105
3x115
3x125

Had a lot more in the tank but just couldn't get my left trap to fire with this (these?) pinched nerve. Not to mention that subluxated 12th rib. Just couldn't get into proper receiving position. frustrating. Never felt this comfortable snatching before or so explosive, even with a one-sided second pull.

Hang Power Clean/Push Press
3x135
3x145
3x155
3x165
3x175
3x185

Not bad. Not good. Same deal on second pull. I was getting really good speed coming under the bar though, and racking pretty well, which isn't usual. still hesitant on the dip before the drive, but that will come with time.

Need some squat stands so i can work my push press and push jerk with more volume.

Finished up with some curls and overhead extensions
3x105x8

[Nikhil Rao]

Not Dead Yet

Friday I walked a buddy through a light upper body program. He didn't actually make it all the way through. I laughed, reminded him that not only am I an indian, but I'm a cripple. And then I peed on him while he lay collapsed in a pool of sweat and exhaustion. It was pretty funny

His lifts
3x55x10 BB Drag Curl
3x65x10 BB Overhead Extensions
3x65x6 Bradford Press
3x45x8 45# Plate Raise
3x85x8 Bent Over Row (here's where he fell apart)
2x45x25 Complex 1 (two reps)
2x45x25 Complex 2 (three reps)

It's a simple workout, but one I've had success with with skinny people in the past. He's gonna be doing it 2x a week. If I didn't scare him off. I did this workout with about twice the weight with him, didn't break a sweat, then moved on to my real workout

Power Shrugs
2x235x8
2x245x8
2x255x8
2x265x8
2x275x6

Snatches up to 155

Bent Over Row/Overhead Shrug
8x155x8-15

Had to cut the workout short to go party and hit on 1st years (first med school party of the year). It was a toga party. I wore a loincloth.

[Scott Markowitz]

I wore a loincloth.

Unless you wore it under a burka, you might be personally responsible for the state of Oklahoma closing down OU's med school.

:disgust:

[Nikhil Rao]

Sunday workout

Power Shrugs
235x8
235x8
245x8
245x8
255x8
255x8
265x8
265x8

Doing these with double supinated grip improves posture. Grip is shot to hell. Left is barely taxed but my right took a beating from this. Need to get some straps

Bent Over Row
8x145x8

Finally getting the feel. Will start going up in weight and move down to only doing a 5x5 as I get near a proper loading.

Overhead Shrug
4x145x15

I didn't feel this workout...until several hours later. At which point my traps were on fire. yay me.

[Nikhil Rao]

Monday Workout

Went to the gym and screwed around doing tris and bis and a buttload of thoracic traction on the lat pull

Dumbbell Bicep curls
45x15
55x12
60x8
65x4
70x1 BIG FAT BLAH

used to hammer curl 85s...strict. Sigh

Cable Triceps extensions, single arm underhand
70x15
80x12
90x8
100x5

more in me but grip failed on right hand.

Cable Triceps extensions, single arm overhand

80x15
100x10
110x8
130x6

Then I did the 250lb stack both handed strict, just because I can and not many 180lb dudes with 7ish wingspans can claim that.

Probably overdid it since my right long head feels just shy of tear today. But at least I had some fun and moved a decent amount of weight, even if its pathetic by past standards.

Main reason I came in was to do some thoracic traction. Which went awesome. I'm so close to straight I can taste it. And that came out wrong, but I'm in a good mood so I'll leave the mockery fodder there.

[Alex Apostol]

you ever beat that 100 lb preacher curl? hahahah

[Nikhil Rao]

Blah just got the MRI results of my T-spine study. Need to take a look at the films myself and see a couple of specialists but it's not pretty.

Diffuse osteoarthritis throughout the T-spine and rib heads.

Gross compression of T-spine.

T8/T9...And the nasty bit is the bulging disc and massive osteophyte growth resulting on impinging on my nerve roots and possibly the spinal cord itself...which is the super nasty part. Almost definitely surgical. Almost definitely lifechanging. More than this whole ordeal has been.

The good news is that the crazy rehab did result in HUGE improvement in my upper T-spine. Bad news is the minimal impact at the lower T-spine. Not unanticipated since that's the point where you have the fewest muscles and therefore have the least you can do through strength training and flexibility exercises.

Still it hit me pretty hard. I made sure to thank my doctor for choosing to call me 15 minutes before surgery oral exams, which are supposed to be one of the toughest things you do in med school. Course, i'm already pretty unflappable, but you've never seen a more laid back guy when my turn came. "What? you think your silly questions are going to intimidate me? HAHA. Yeah, like i'm really worried about your silly little grades."

I've been handed 'death sentences' before. Quite a few of them. And overall my back is doing a lot better. I just started with an awesome chiro...who refuses to charge me (thanks Scott), who in two sessions has had dramatic results with the few nagging ribs I was only having a marginal effect on. I ain't giving up yet. Until the day comes when they say i need to stop lifting and get surgery or I WILL be paralyzed...and make me believe it...I'll just keep on keeping on.

Thanks for all the support I've gotten on this forum over the past year or whatever. I was taking a break from SM training and just farting around the gym while I got this stuff taken care of but now I'll be back with a vengeance.

[Kevin Cronin]

nick, that sucks. I did a search on inversion tables on this site and your log is actually the second hit, so im guessing you already have tried that. In fact, im sure you've done your research, so you've probably heard about band traction and joint distraction, etc etc, but i just thought of that AFTER spending the last 10 minutes searching for this video link, so im gonna post em anyway dang it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhFVhIziDlk - middle upper back
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoBQjvxew5U - lower back

thats dick hartzell, invented the jump stretch bands of westside fame, dave tate's gonna need a shoulder replacement eventually and says dicks traction stuff is the only stuff thats really helped him. so you may wanna check it out, if you havent already

EDIT to add: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFQwpjnThYs - this one too. in fact, this one most of all. the middle upper back thing seems like its just a latpull/facepull to the belly with appropriate retraction and extension, the other one is a bunch of stretches THIS is the one I was thinking of where you basically make a gigantic swing out of the bands

[Nikhil Rao]

Thanks Kevin, I appreciate the sentiment. And it's always nice to see vids so you know if you're doing it right or not.

What's got them worried is the osteophytes more than the bulging discs if I'm translating the radiologist's report right. They like to be as cryptic as possible. That way they can't be blamed if it turns out they're wrong. Freaking weasels. That's why I'm waiting ot pick up the films and CD myself monday. That's when i start my radiology rotation so I'll be able to get about 90 million second opinions as well.

From what my doc said, I gather they might want to go in there and just shave some of those osteophytes down. Which sounds awesome. Take a grinder to the INSIDE of my vertebrae.

[Rus Mandery]

an awesome chiro...who refuses to charge me (thanks Scott), who in two sessions has had dramatic results with the few nagging ribs I was only having a marginal effect on.

But when you find a good one they are most definitely worth whatever they charge! Or they are just a pillfreak waiting for you to get your scrip pad so they can trade their personal equity for some good drugs! Probably some unholy combination of Benzedrine, Cialis, Androgel, and some Valium to get to sleep!

[Bob Wanamaker]

Nik,

Sorry to read about the negative MRI.

But: you now know more about your enemy and can better formulate your plans for victory. Knowledge is power.

Keep up the good fight. You set the bar higher for the rest of us.


Bob

p.s. if there's anything I can do to help you out with this, please hit me with a PM anytime.

[Nikhil Rao]

Upper Body Day

DB Hammer Curls
45x15
50x12
55x10
60x8
65x4
65x3

Brachialis was the limiting factor here. And gimp hand grip

DB Front Raise/Swings (just being honest)
35x15
40x12
45x10
50x8
55x4
55x3

That's a new wimpy Nik PR. Not terribly pleased with it though

DB L-Lateral Raises
20x15
25x12
30x10
35xno

Weak for me. In my defense, left C5 (nerve that innervates the delt) is pinched currently.

One arm palms down Cable Pushdowns
50x15
60x12
70x10
80x8
90x6
100x4

One arm neutral Cable Pushdowns
40x15
50x12

Right arm got tired

Tommorrow's back day. Yay for cables. And by yay I mean boo. I shall deadlift again as soon as I finish reading this damn MRI myself and it isn't a full herniation and/or spinal cord impingement. If it is, I shan't be deadlifting again without a consult with sportsmedicine. Hopefully if I go to a sports doc he'll actually be able to appreciate and possibly even understand my mindset.

The radiologist who read my MRI has an area-wide reputation for shoddy work. The MRI pictures on plain film are too tiny to read directly but it appears he missed at least 5 bulges and 2 herniations lol. The bulges don't bother me...I've been dealing with them for years. The herniations do. It seemed to good to be true that I'd completely erased all the upper T-spine and C-spine bulges I had. Still, they do look better. I really wish I had a better baseline so I'd know if these herniations are better or worse than they had been, because I guaran-goddamn-tee you that I had them before I started the rehab process (again). I haven't taken a look at costovertebral joints or osteophytes yet since the plain films are wayyy too low res for that.

[Nikhil Rao]

Back Day

Seated Row
4x170x8

felt weak as a kitten today

V-handle Lat Pull
4x170x10

these felt good

Cable Shrugs
4x250x25

these felt real good

Pullups
bwx8
bwx5
bwx3
bwx3

weaksauce for me

Cable Lateral Extensions
5x65x15

I love how these hit the entire upper back musculature

Tricep Pressdowns - Straight Bar
4x80x25

Tricep Pressdowns - Rope
3x60x15

triceps were trashed, but these have nearly eliminated my elbow tendonitis. Also, wicked pump dudes.

My attending (im on radiology right now) and I pored over my MRI and x-rays today for a few hours. The osteoarthritis is only bone on bone in a couple places. Still got some cartilage, so time to go nuts with anti-inflammatories, Glucosamine/Chondroitin/CLA, and possibly low-dose steroid weekends. Osteophytes are only horrible in a couple places, but present throughout as well as thickening and hardening of the anterior spinal ligament (why roids might be helpful). Rotation to the left in upper t-spine and rotation to the right in lower t-spine. Degenerated discs throughout the upper t-spine but not herniated. Three bulges. Two BAD BAD BAD herniations, but I have the spinal canal of a VERY healthy person thank god (lots of CSF and space to cushion my cord). No spinal cord edema. Still bad news and good news. I won't know if I can avoid surgery in the near future or not till I see a neurosurgeon with sports experience (as pathologists and radiologists say 'needs clinical correlation') since I've been at this too long, am too good at dealing with it, and have too much crap going on to differentiate between the various potential causes of my symptoms very easily. About 5 docs have tried and failed to do that now (none of them spine/sports/hardass specialists).

[Nikhil Rao]

DB Hammer Curl
45x15
50x12
55x10
60x7
65x4

blah

One Arm Tricep Pressdown
60x15
70x12
80x10
90x8
100x6
110x4

Face Pulls
4x80xfailure

had to do these with chains because our damn gym refuses to buy a rope

More shoulder work with the BB last night. Didn't keep track.

Gonna start doing leg press...better than nothing to work my legs while I try to keep loads off my back.

Apparently mom has talked to a neurosurgeon she knows about me. How she did this I don't know because she refuses to hear details and will run in the opposite direction whenever I'm looking at my films. I'm supposed to go talk to him sometime next week.

[Bob Wanamaker]

Nik,

I'm guessing you're talking about cortico-steroid therapy for the anterior ligament thickening? In any case, can you elucidate a bit - I have obvious interest in this.

Good luck with all this.

Bob

[Nikhil Rao]

Bob, sorry I have no details. No one has any clue what to do with corticosteroids for that, but they know it'll be effective. No ideas on dosages, schedules, how long you can go on it, how long drug holidays have to be. It's just an idea that's been tossed around.

Tried to do some good old fashioned C&j and snatch today. Jerks are a no go. Paresthesias across the ribcage every time I tried. Push Press felt alright though. My already pathetic form is even worse for the several month layoff.

Worked up to an easy 185 on C&PP. Stopped when form deteriorated. Only managed 125 on snatch which was disappointing. But whatever.

Hopefully as form comes back the numbers'll go up. Need a squat rack so I can train the PP without the clean.

Been a weird couple weeks. I've had to drop the mental defenses i've built up over ten years in order to feel the extent and nature of the pains I have. Not very fun.

On the upside, my girl and I (i actually have one? crazy???) discovered that if she walks, jumps, and stands on my back in high heels, my trigger points disappear for several days (instead of hours).

[Matt Bosnick]

On the upside, my girl and I (i actually have one? crazy???) discovered that if she walks, jumps, and stands on my back in high heels, my trigger points disappear for several days (instead of hours).

Now how did you find that out? :F: :FF:

[Nikhil Rao]

weaksauce

DB Front Raises
35x15
40x12
50x10
55x8
60x0

DB Curl
40x15
45x12
50x10
55x8
60x3

Cable Tricep Pressdown (1 arm)
60x15
70x12
80x10
90x8
100x5

Knew I was going to have a bad day at the gym. Pinched nerve in neck and another in the thoracic spine. Couple dislocated ribs too. Not fun. Which is why I chose to do a sissy BB-er workout today. Didn't expect it to be this pathetic though. Was going to get some vids of my PP. This plan fell by the wayside after I screamed, dropped my warmup weight and ran around the gym like a crazy person because it made my right periscapular area tingle in an alarming way.

Gonna try to take some equally pathetic snatch vids tommorrow.

[Nikhil Rao]

Monday

DB Curls
40x15
45x12
50x10
55x8
60x6
65xsuck at life

These went well. Stick with this weight another week. Brachialis and brachioradialis in right are whining though.

Tricep Pressdown - one arm
50x15
60x12
70x10
80x8
90x6
100x4

Too freaking light. Go to 70 next workout.

Strict Press
No go.

[Nikhil Rao]

Tuesday

Rack Deadlift (2" below knee)
225x15
315x10
3x365x5

Did not want to overdo it since this was the first time in months. Not pulling from the floor for a long time. Will back down to a 5x5 at 335 and add 5 each side a week. Right lat is not happy, or I'd go heavier.

Good Mornings
barxlots
2x95x12
135x10

Wow, hamstrings were TIGHT. Guess that'll happen if you don't work or stretch them for several months. I couldn't even hit parallel until i'd stretched for 10 minutes and did probably darn near 100 GMs with the bar. I'll be doing these concentric only (safer for my back). 3x8 as an assistance.

Lat was still bothering me so I didn't do any BOR which I need to do since the lat really hates the deadlift, more than any other muscle. I'm gonna ask my chiro to take a look at it on Friday and see if this is just something i'mgoing tohave to live with, been bothering me on DL and anything overhead since May.

Strict Press
135x3

Lat was really bothering me.

Feels good to deadlift again and chiro said he could see a huge difference in my SI joint alignment and low back curvature (not excessively lordotic) even from one session.

I'm going to train for Topeka but won't send in my entry for a few more weeks. If I keep feeling good, I'm going to pop my contest cherry there though.

[Scott Markowitz]

I just noticed your sponsor - I don't make it to the training journal section very often. Tell Bugg I said hi, and that the next time we're in town (should be mid- to late May) we'll have to do lunch, although I imagine Deb is still mad at me for making Kristal move away. I always wondered how he stays in business without charging anyone... :confused:

Good to see you deadlifting again. It's too bad I won't be in Topeka to laugh at...err, cheer you on. :D

[Nikhil Rao]

Deadlift - 24"
225x15
5x315x5

Easy peasy. Probably jump to 335 on Tuesday. Lat didn't bother me too much. Hopefully it's just a matter of getting it used to handling weight again.

Hammies were so tight and sore I didn't even try the GM. Plus we ran out of plates and I wasn't waiting for the bench only crowd to finish their 90 sets a piece of 6" lockouts...oh sorry I mean legit 315 benches *cough*.

Strict Press
5x115x5

Also too easy. Lat was acting up on these though.

Bradford Press
115x10

DB Front Raises
30x15
35x12
40x10
45x8
50x2

Neither my elbow nor my shoulder tolerated these very well at 50. Just up the reps on the lower stuff.

Couple sets of pullups to failure. Didn't count, but it was over 10 on the first set.

[Nikhil Rao]

OHP
3x95x3
3x115x3
135x3
145x3
155x3
165x3

Oh my god my right wrist and elbow were screaming. Left my wraps at home like a doofus. Upset because I felt like I had an easy 205 in me. Lat was not acting up too badly either. Even on the eccentric.

Anderson Front Squats 8" ROM
8x225x3

Anderson Front Squats 12" ROM
8x185x3

FS were nice and explosive. Bar coming up several inches off my collarbone. These were done concentric style. Will probably leave weight alone and try to do these several times a week. Only have to do 200 at my projected first contest.

Kept rounding over on GMs, so I went home. Mediocre workout. Looking forward to hitting the OHP (training PJ rather than PP) with my wraps.

[Scott Markowitz]

(training PJ rather than PP)

I always train better in my PJs...and since this is a family-oriented board I won't get into PP training methods.

[Matt Brouse]

Anderson front squat?

[Nikhil Rao]

bottoms up front squat. At least that's what I think they're called. I basically do them to build explosivenss out of the hole.

[Nikhil Rao]

DB Curl
45x15
50x12
55x10
60x8
65xstill sucking at life

One Arm Cable Tricep Extensions
60x15
70x12
80x10
90x8
100x6
110x4

Meh

Strict Press

Soooo. Right C5 is pinched. My left side pressed. My right didn't. Then I screamed. Tractioned some on lat pull. Tried again. No go. Tried to do some work on the incline bench. Got a few sets of 12 with a paltry 135 on the bar. Didn't keep count. Rather annoyed. I have to get to bed soon but if I can traction it home loose on my cervical thingy, I'll hit some shoulders tonight. Otherwise I have to throw it on tommorrow's workout.

Blah freaking blah.

[Nikhil Rao]

Tuesday December 4

Deadlift (2" below knees)
225x15
315x8
5x365x5

Lat Pull - V Handle
4x150x10

Seated Row
4x140x10

Strict Press
3x135x5 = pain

DB Front Raises
35x15
40x12
45x10
50x8
55x6
60xno

L-Lateral Raises
3x25x12

Assorted rehab work with shoulders and tris.

Big fat no go on strict press. Highly upsetting. Not heavy, but my right periscapular muscles are NOT happy with these. My lat is doing better though. Very hard to train the press when you can't. But I've been cleaning, front squatting and doing the shoulder and triceps work I can tolerate. Working all the parts individually is obviously not as good as just doing the dang lift, but it's the best I can do. We'll see how it goes.

[Nikhil Rao]

Thursday December 6

DB Curl
45x15
50x12
55x10
60x8
65xno all mental I think

Triceps pressdown - one arm
70x15
80x12
90x10
100x8
110x6
120x4 little body english on these

Front Raises
35x15 pain

L Lateral Raises
4x30x10

Cross Body Hammer Curls
3x65x8

Overhead Rope Cable Extensions
3x150x12

Can't remember the rest of the workout.

[Nikhil Rao]

Friday December 7

Deadlift (2" below knee)
225x15
315x10
5x385x3

Form died by third rep every set. Minimal soreness the next day.

Form work on GMs

Strict Press
No go

Circuit - 4 times through
Seated Row 120x10
V Handle Lat Pull 140x10
Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown 100x20
DB Front Raise 40x10
Cross Body Curl 65x8

I have no idea what I'm doing obviously. May oly lift Sunday if the roads aren't garbage up in Edmond.

[Nikhil Rao]

Fun couple of weeks. Power outage. Gym closed. 70hr work weeks. And finals. Yay.

I missed logging three workouts. The highlight was definitely subluxating my right SI joint over 2/3 of its length doing rack pulls with 405. I felt strong, wasn't over-reaching, but my imbalances and asymmetries clearly bit me in the ass there. Still managed to finish my workout with tears in my eyes.

Dr. Bugg relocated it. I knew my right hip abductors were tight but clearly hadn't been attacking them well enough. Now I am.

I also did some easy push pressing up through 185 for form work. Holding the weight at lockout still hurts like crazy. Couple subluxated ribs and assorted muscular problems will do that. Pain's getting better and so is my rib geometry.

Today was cleans, shrugs, pullups, rhomboids, and rotators. Didn't log numbers. Weren't important. This was a pure rehab workout. I'm feeling pretty good right now with the exception of the inability to hold a weight at lockout and this tight right hip. The right SI joint doesn't twinge too badly.

If I'm able to train every lift (sans squat), I'll still compete at Topeka. Otherwise, I'll try for an SM debut later this spring.

I'm done with all my surgical rotations, which is good. Those tore me up so bad that my back made several steps backward. Training my butt off kept me from falling too far back but I wasn't able to move forward at all.

Less time at the hospital, more time to train, and a lady friend with high heels. This'll be a good spring.

[Nikhil Rao]

Highlights of last couple workouts:

Rack Pull (just above knee)
5x405x5

Push Press
Hit 205 for the first time since I believe August...20lbs more than BW. This went up nice and easy as it should. Surprised since I was incredibly kyphotic and stiff after a three day back country hiking/camping expedition. Not to mention just plain being out of practice with this lift. No pain at all this time during the lift (yesterday). Today my shoulders felt a little beat up but not too bad. Made the decision to go to a press instead of doing a jerk. Doesn't come natural. Besides my strongest muscles are far and away my triceps...might as well use the darned things then, huh. Got it on video. Will post as soon as my camera cooperates in doing so.

Not going to be ready for a February comp. I'm so kyphotic and stiff that I can't even get to the floor to pull. No point in doing a comp where I'll have to do a ridiculous uncomfortable and borderline dangerous continental clean in order to press, and where I can't DL PERIOD when those are 2 of the 5 events.

[Nikhil Rao]

Monday

Rack Pull
315x15
3x405x5
2x455x5

GM
3x95x15

200 reps on cable triceps extensions

Pullups
BWx8,7,6

Bradford Press
3x95x12

[Nikhil Rao]

Tuesday

Push Press
4x155x2
4x165x2

Smith Overhead Partials
185x15
205x12
225x10

[Nikhil Rao]

Seated Row
120x10
130x10
140x10
150x10
160x10

Lat Pull
120x10
130x10
140x10
150x10

Snatch
3x105x3
115x3

Clean
3x145x3
155x3

[HunterHenzler]

Nice to see you training again
You know I missed ya ;) :T:

[Nikhil Rao]

missed you too baby, smooches.

Pulls to knee
3x225x3
3x275x3
5x325x1

Plate Loaded Leg Press
4x225x8
3x275x8

Last set of 275 my right hip abductor balled up HARD. I've had problems with this for years. Been working on stretching it and everything, but apparently there's still some ways to go

Bradford Press
3x95x10

200 reps cable triceps extensions.

I'm still pretty kyphotic but marginally able to pull from the floor. Not with the weights I'd like however.

[Nikhil Rao]

Power Clean from spotter bars at knee height.
3x135x3
2x145x3
2x155x3
2x165x3

Wow, my traps are just not firing right. And my elbows aren't rotating. Not happy abt that.

Clean Pulls from spotter bars at knee height
3x235x3
2x255x3
2x275x3
2x285x3

Assorted tricep pushdowns

Overhead Shrugs
3x105x15

[Bob Wanamaker]

What's up with the DL? Not sure I understand how kyphotic means not getting to the floor - looking at my DL, I'm more kyphotic than QuasiModo, and I always thought that gave me an edge on DL.

Could it be something with hips?

(Good to see that you're still training, and that the hard part of the school year is behind you.)

[Nikhil Rao]

Saturday

Push Press from rack
4x165x2
4x175x2

Smith Partial OHP
185x15
205x15
225x15
245x15

When I let it go down to top of head these beat the hell out of my lower ribs far more than they actually work my triceps. When I do it from 6" ROM, I can throw another 90 lbs on there same reps. Good news is that the PP itself doesn't bother my ribs as much as it did last weekend. But wow my right shoulder is crying. It hurts in both the rack and at lockout. No idea.

Kaz Press
3x135x15

Went home. Shoulder was just too beat up.

[Nikhil Rao]

Pulls to Knee
3x275x3
3x325x3
335x3
345x2
355x0

Psyched myself out of it. First time pulling decently heavy in about 4-5 months. And I started wigging about my back. Pinched nerve on left side didn't help. What a wuss

Leg Sled
2x275x8 narrow footing
2x275x8 wide footing

Looking forward to loading up on these in the next few weeks. I think it'll have a huge carryover to DL. Could feel the difference in the pull today compared to last week.

Good Morning
115x8
125x8
135x8
145x8
155x8
165x3

Wasn't able to hold neutral spine on the 165. The eccentric's a beast, but the concentric's a joke, as it should be. Hopefully as I get used to this exercise it'll continue to pay dividends. I can feel it working wonders on my back already even at these low weights.

Triceps Extensions
Straight Bar - 100,110,120x20
Rope - 60,70,80x20

Damn tendonitis!

[Kevin Cronin]

This thought just occurred to me, but do you ever drag a sled to work your legs without loading the spine/muscles in your back (the weak, weak muscles in your sissified, womanly back)?

[Nikhil Rao]

No I have never dragged a sled. I need to. I kind spent all my strongman implement cash on my car after I realized how far I had to go.

Seated Row
130x8
140x8
150x8
160x8
170x8

Straight 5x150x8 next time.

Parallel Bar Lat Pull
120x8
130x8
140x8
150x8
160xfail

Straight 5x140x8 next time.

Clean Pulls
2x225x3
2x235x3
2x245x3
2x255x3
2x265x3
2x275x3

Start at 275 and work way up next time. Lost a rib on that last set. That combined with being sick (fever, body aches sore throat), meant I skipped the BOR and Overhead Shrugs. Gonna try to do them tonight if I can stretch that rib back into place.

[Nikhil Rao]

ok umm, the subluxated rib turned into a full on intercostal strain when I tried to OHS just now. Can't hardly walk straight now.

What a pain in the butt. Training's been steady. My back has more ROM than ever. Basically everything was going great. Then I get sick yesterday and today. And now I strain an intercostal. Last time this happened I couldn't really pull for a month. Or put anything overhead. This really really blows.

[Nikhil Rao]

Wooh! Been sick for most of the past two weeks. Got healthy for three days, then got sick with a new bug. Couldn't hold food down for a good chunk of the time. And was too sore to move most of it. When I got sick I was 190 and lean. Now i'm 183 and not much leaner. Basically threw two months of hard work down the toilet with that.

Seem to have kept most of the new ROM and flexibility I'd gained, but I've also been at home since they won't let me in the hospital. They kicked me out friday again after I upchucked for the third time before rounds.

One good thing through all of this is that my intercostal has gotten a nice break. No pulling or overhead for two weeks or anything really has probably been good to it, given the fact that normally after I tear one I'm back up and at it and only vaguely working around the injury.

These setbacks are getting really really old. But I'm not really that discouraged. Gotta put off my contest debut again. And now I've got 17 lbs to put on instead of 10. But bring it on.