Wolfram's "Starting Strength" Log

[cbloom]

Yeah, don't be afraid to take time off or just go really light. Stick to the program! That means if you can't do your 5 reps with good form (eg. hips do NOT curl under when you squat low) - then stick with lighter weight until you can get your form up. Don't just keep raising the weight until "it's hard enough" if your form is no good!

If you're injured, now is a good chance to take some time off and stretch so that you have the flexibility to do the move safely.

[Wolfram]

This is what I think happened:

-On 10/14 I tweaked my back doing rushed deadlifts.
-On friday night I didn't sleep in my bed and the matress was bad so I was sore when I woke up
-The rows are probably too heavy because I didn't decrease the initial weight as much as the other exercises
-I used bad form to complete the rows and voila, injury.

It feels pretty bad now. Especially when I get up from the chair and walk around (I can't stand fully straight for a while until it warms up). I'm gonna take a week off lifting (barring some miracle recovery), eat a ton of meds and I've got an appointment with a physical therapist set up for tomorrow and thursday if needed.

[bwana devil]

[ QUOTE ]
bwana, I'm confused by in the beginning you say you did less in order to go deeper, and later you said you went particularly heavy.

In any case, form is obv important, and bad form a potential source of injury. If you want to change the way you are squatting, better to dial it way back and advance slowly then to try this new style at a heavy weight. It is conceivable that you developed a butt wink trying to get greater depth-- but that is kind of a shot in the dark.

I also think: Don't worry so much about missing workouts. There's no competition you are getting prepped for, right? It's health for life and you plan to be around a while, right? Get healthy first and, you won't be taking a huge step backwards. Consider it an inexpensive reminder of your mortality.

[/ QUOTE ]

ooops. not the best choice of words. im on the Starting Strength bandwagon and did more than just the three exercises that day because it had been three days since my last workout instead of two. the weight i used stayed the same.

and yes, good point that one major reason im working out is to feel good. injuring myself is certainly counterproductive to that goal. ill slow it down and be the tortise.

wolf, sorry for the hijack to your log.

[theblackkeys]

I believe Rippetoe recommends doing the last workout with the same weights if you have missed less than 4 workouts.

Also, Wolfram, I missed several months, am not back to 100% even, but am still going at it.

[Wolfram]

Alright, it's been over a week since I injured my lower back. I've seen a physical therapist twice and I'm starting to feel a little better, so I decided to work out yesterday.


<font color="#0000ff">10/30</font>

Squat: 1x5x88, 1x3x110, 1x5x88
I warmed up with some airs, then the bar and I kept adding weight. On the 110 attempt I started feeling some pain in my right knee which I've never had before, so I pulled it back down to 88 for the last set. No real pain in the lower back though, but I took extra care not to round it at the bottom of the movement. That cost me some depth though.

Bench: 3x5x110, 1x5x116
These were fun and pretty effortless. I'm gonna do 3 sets of 116 next time.

Pullups: 1x8 @ 10 plate assistance
I hate not being able to do these at bodyweight. I can maybe pull off one. Should I just keep trying and trying until I can add the second one and then keep going? If I was 20lbs lighter I could probably do 3-4.

I was really nervous doing deadlifts because of my back problem, so I just used really light barbells at first and was ver concious of my form. I kept a hammer lock on my natural spine arch and made sure my abs were tight throughout the motion.

I finished off with 1x5x110. I topped it off with some power cleans and full cleans just to test out that motion.

My back felt fine and I considered going up to full weight but thought better off it cause I figured the adrenaline and warmness of the muscles were masking the pain a bit. Today I'm really glad because my back is pretty sore, although nowhere near the way it was when I injured it.

Progress report:
I've lost no weight (still at 221). That's probably because I haven't been doing enough cardio in between weight days and I have been eating around 3k cals a day. Body-fat is down about 1%. I can see marked improvement in the shoulders, traps and lats and I am definitely getting stronger.

The bad thing is that my pants still don't fit well. I'm gonna be more stringent with the cardio and decrease the cals to 2500 and see how that works out. I want to get rid of that gut.

[Northern]

It's great that you start with, airs, then the bar before you add weight. It helps to warm up the body espceially since the squat is your first movement. If your not able to go low try opening your stance more jsut make sure your kness follow the same direction. A back injury can definelty result from improper from rounding of the lower back. Keep it tight, nack off in the weight if necessary.

With your pull-ups, your getting there. I would continue to do my sets assisted until I was able to do them unassisted. Try to complete a couple of reps before your set, everytime it will become a littel easier.

If your struggling from a back injury I would be careful on the DL's. As you said concentrate extra on from and keeping it tight.

I would worry less with the scale. Day to day it changes, I can lose/gain 5lbs in a day depending on what I did. You said your seeing noticeable changes, you body composition is changing, focus less on the scale and more on the mirror.

[Wolfram]

[ QUOTE ]

I would worry less with the scale. Day to day it changes, I can lose/gain 5lbs in a day depending on what I did. You said your seeing noticeable changes, you body composition is changing, focus less on the scale and more on the mirror.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm mostly focusing on the belt right now, and the mirror. I'm wearing 38" pants that were kinda loose on me 2 years ago. Right now I'm keeping the top button undone while I'm sitting. Most of the improvement is only visible in my upper body (shoulders and pecs), while I still have my spare tire.

A big part of the problem is that I used to be really overweight which has left me with very loose skin around my midsection. Even when I got down to 185lbs I still had a gut overhanging my belt, which was mostly skin I guess. I've often wondered if I should have a tummy tuck or not.

[bwana devil]

i would be very careful about your back. going from an injury, to physical therapy and back to the gym in one week seems really fast. even if it feels ok in day-to-day activites i'd give it another week to heal or you may just reinjure yourself.

[Northern]

[ QUOTE ]

I'm mostly focusing on the belt right now, and the mirror.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good. My point is not to be the average person and become focused on the number of the scale. Weight changes a lot and fast, it;s good that your looking at the mirror as a refernece.

It may be hard but give it time. I'm sure you know theres no such thing as spot reduction. Overtime your weight loss/composition will balance out.

No idea about the tummy tuck , sorry

[Wolfram]

bwana,
Physical therapist says that lifting is good for me as long as I only do it at 50-75% weight, and then increase that range as I get better.

Did my second post-injury workout yesterday. Didn't feel as sore afterwards or today, so I guess I'm gonna continue at this pace.

<font color="#0000ff">10/16</font>

Squat: 3x5x88
Mil.Press: 1x5x72, 1x5x88, 2x5x72
Pen.Rows: 1x5x72

Additional:
0.5 Pullup, 1x1x110 clean and press, some back exercises (prescribed by physical therapist)

God damn it, I keep going on my toes when I'm doing squats. It's like I can't fully keep my balance at the bottom of the movement if I stay on my heels (feels like I'll fall on my ass). Or maybe I'm stronger on my toes because of all the squash I played, I dunno. I probably need a trainer to help me fix that problem.

The second set of the press was intense, so in lieu of my back problems I scaled back.

I did the pendlay rows racked in the lowest position (bar heigh ~10" off the floor) to decrease the lower back strain. I was very concious off my form and had a hammer-lock on my natural spinal arch, plus I cut the weight in half.