[niagareven]

We'll see. If it takes a bunch of sessions and I can't really train for it, then there is no point. I had goals of going in and hitting 260 on the axle and pulling 650 on the hummer tires. If I don't train either event I won't even come close on either.

Dunk's still gonna do it either way and I'm sure I'll end up going with him so you are still able to come with us.

[niagareven]

Just got back from my ART appointment. After a few minor tests he said that when my back popped last year, it was because one of my spinal columns [I think that was the word he used] rotated way out of place and put a ton of pressure on my disc and nerves, which is where the pain is coming from. So then he stretched my legs out a bit, then had me lay on my stomach and put these two little pads that sent electric shocks into my back to loosen it up and relieve the pressure. After about 10 minutes he came back in, and had me move my legs up and down while laying on my side, while he put pressure in a few different spots around the spot that rotated out of place. Then he put his knee on top of mine to hold me in place, and started to basically twist my back, which caused it to pop and put my spine back in place. Did this on the other side, and the pain is basically gone. I am kind of sore right now, but other than that I feel fine. He said when things like this happen, he recommends the person comes back 1-2 times a week for a couple weeks until the spine will stay in place, so I made another appointment for next friday. He also said that once something like this happens, that I'm gonna need to go in every so often for an adjustment, but whatever. The place actually took my insurance and it was only a $20 copay.

I'm really dumb though and forgot to mention anything other than my lower back. Hopefully I'll think of it next time when I go, mainly my shin splints.

I actually liked the doctor. He didn't tell me to stop lifting weights, and when he asked how I hurt myself, he first asked if I did it from squatting. Then I told him it was from deadlifting and he actually knew what it was. He also asked where I workout, and was impressed when I told him about how I set the gym up in my garage.

[oxcart]

Good news man - glad the guy was able to help.

I was lucky to have a physio with the same kinda attitude - I said, 'if I never did another squat I probably wouldn't feel sore again'. She replied 'yeah but you do what you do... wouldn't be much of a life otherwise'. Was happy for me to train and use it as a measure of pain etc.

[niagareven]

Saturday 4/5

My back doesn't hurt like it has been, but the spot that he adjusted is kinda sore. I was just gonna sit on the sidelines today but decided to just do a couple light things

warm up

overhead squats
up to 135 for 2 sets of 3

Medley 1 (everything was 100 feet with a turn at 50 feet and I had to run back after each implement)
270 yoke, 135 per hand farmers, backward sled with 3 plates, forward sled with 3 plates
-time was I think 1:40?

Medley 2 (everything was 50 feet)
270 yoke, 135 per hand farmers, backward sled with 3 plates, forward sled with 3 plates, then repeated it all again.
-time was like 1:44 or 1:43

Forward sled drag
3 plates x 275ish feet
4 plates x 275ish feet
-this was easy.... I'm probably gonna start mixing longer distances in on top of my sprints with the sled

rolling thunder
something like:
+90 x 1 per hand
+115 x 1 per hand
+135 x 0 right hand... hovered it with my left hand again... blah. tried that twice...same thing
+115 x 1 per hand again

-probably just gonna do really light stuff this week, no squats or overhead. probably just do sled, pull ups, grip work, sledge hammer, etc. Hopefully I'll be ready for heavy training next week. If I am I may go to iron island and max deadlift... we'll see though.

[niagareven]

Tuesday 4/8

I've had a cold and a sore throat the last two days, and when I woke up today I felt terrible. I couldn't fall asleep last night for some reason either so I only got about 3 hours of sleep. Got home from work today and passed out for like two hours, took some dayquil and felt a little better.

Changed my mind and decided to do some upper body today, no push presses or jerks though because I didn't want to aggravate my back.


warm up

lat pull downs
3 sets of 10

Strict press
95 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 3
175 x 2...missed third. PR
155 x 6...might be a PR
135 x 8
-pretty happy with this considering I feel pretty crappy

Dumbbell floor press (palms facing, pause each rep)
65s x 12
85s x 6
85s x 5

Lat pull downs / strict axle curls
3 plates x 10 / 70 x 10
3 plates x 10 / 70 x 10
3 plates x 10 / 70 x 10
-my arms were pretty tired coming into this, so the lat pull downs felt harder than they should which is why I stayed lighter. For the axle curls, I brought my hands in a couple inches and stayed light so I wouldn't hurt my forearms.

Backward sled drags
4 plates x 100 feet
5 plates x 100 feet
6 plates x 50 feet
7 plates x 50 feet
8 plates x 50 feet
6 plates x 100 feet (forward)
-these felt easier today than they usually do

I am fat

[bacon]

That's cool that your insurance covers ART. I wish mine did. Get well, man.

[niagareven]

Thanks bacon



Thursday 4/10

Still sick and my shoulders are pretty sore from tuesday. Dayquill is the only thing keeping me out of my bed these last few days. It really helps a lot. When I woke up this morning I felt TERRIBLE. If I didn't wake up 15 minutes late (need to call out of work at least 1 hour early or I get written up), I would have definitely called out of work sick so I could go back to bed this morning.

Dayquill made me feel pretty decent so I decided to have another easy day. Or so I thought.....

warm up

overhead squats with axle (probably shouldn't have done these considering my shoulders were sore)
70 x 5
90 x 5
110 x 5
130 x 5
150 x 5
170 x 5
140 x 20...WOW. Last few were very shakey. I think my shoulders are gonna be even more sore tomorrow

Sled rows
4 plates x 50 feet (25 reps)
5 plates x 50 feet (30 reps)
4 plates x 50 feet (27 reps)

Forward sled
4 plates x 300 feet
3 plates x 300 feet
-MUCHHHHH harder today than the last time I did these with the same weight. Wow. Maybe it had to do with adding in that extra 30ish feet, the fact that I have been sick for a few days, and the fact that it's like 30 degrees hotter today than it was over the weekend. Then again, maybe I'm just being a bitch.

First time I ever felt like I was going to throw up from a workout, I think. I haven't even drank my pwo shake yet because I was nauseous and thought I would throw it up.

[niagareven]

Friday 4/11

Just had another ART appointment. He said my lower back is still really tight, and put those electro shock pads on my back again, this time a little stronger for about 10 minutes. Then did the same ART on my back as last time, and twisted my back like last time as well. Then he adjusted my hips, stretched my back and decompressed my spine. After this, he moved up my back to my neck and then asked if my upper back and neck bother me because my neck also seems to have some rotation as well. So I told him that I tweak my neck a lot and how my upper back is always stiff. Then he adjusted my neck and upper back which felt really good. Lastly I asked him about my shin splints, so he had my lay down and asked me a bunch of questions, then performed ART on them. He said a lot of times, if there isn't a structural problem, that people get problems like shin splints because they either aren't drinking enough water, or have a potassium deficiency, which doesn't make much sense and sounds weird to me, but whatever.

I'm feeling pretty good right now, and the copay was only $15 this time, so even better. Another cool thing--I am wearing my Dropkick Murphy's shirt, and he told me that he drives up to Boston to see them a couple times a year and asked me if I've ever seen Flogging Molly. Wasn't expecting this guy to listen to this kind of music

[niagareven]

Saturday 4/12

ugh, head's not there again today. I was afraid of every weight

warm up

axle deadlifts
110 x 5
200 x 3
290 x 3
340 x 1
380 x 1
430 x miss...shit. psyched myself out. pulled it so bad and the bar drifted way in front so I dropped it, rested like a minute then
430 x 1....bleh very disappointing
400 x 2
340 x 5
-I rotate so much when using a reverse grip on the bar. It's probably how I injured my back. On the 340 set, after every rep I had to readjust my feet, and by the 5th rep I had turned the bar like 40 degrees.

*band traction for my back*

Farmer walks
135 per hand x 50 feet
225 per hand x 50 feet
275 per hand x 50 feet
305 per hand x ~10 feet...ugh
305 per hand x ~10 feet again
-those were [shitty] PRs with these handles...

Yoke (used a different yoke today than usual, much harder and more wobbly)
135 x 50 feet
315 x 50 feet
415 x 50 feet
495 x 50 feet
-they were all easy but I kept feeling a ton of pressure on my spine where I injured it so I called it there

*more band traction for my back*


Overall a very disappointing day again. I just want to be able to lift heavy again without being in pain.

I am getting weak and even more out of shape. My legs are actually sore from those overhead squats on thursday...wow

[takeahnase]

Have you ever thought about simply taking a couple of weeks off? Maybe your just an angry guy, but the write-ups of your workouts sound like you go though hell in every single one of them.