Another Single Factor 5x5 Journal

[anotherbutters]

I've never been to a chiro before. In fact, I haven't had to go to a doctor since I was a child. That's no bad thing - the surgery where I'm registered back home in Manchester is where Dr Harold Shipman worked

I usually just let things heal of their own accord. I thought I was doing ok, but I didn't do myself any favours unloading the plates I bought yesterday from the car two at a time.

I was hoping it'd be better for next week, but I'm not so sure now. A chiro visit might be just what I need, thanks. I just tried squatting in front squat stance without the bar and I can feel it, so I don't think I can get away with front squats. I'm not sure how to massage the area effectively. I've been prodding and poking all day long with my hands as it's been nagging at me. It's a dull pain most of the time, but it can be sharp if I twist/stretch/compress it right.

A visit to a chiro won't do any harm. I'll see what I can do, cheers.

 

[blut wump]

A tennis ball lets you get to the parts your hands can't reach. You can either lie on the floor with the ball beneath you and roll it around the troubled area or do the same against a wall. It makes a good substitute for a messeuse provided you don't expect a happy ending.

 

[anotherbutters]

 

[anotherbutters]

Week 18, Friday

Bodyweight: 80.2kg/176lb

1. Freeweight back squats (kg)
Skipped.

2. Bench (kg)
bar x 9 x 2 ..... warmup
30 x 9 ........... warmup
40 x 5
45 x 5
50 x 5
55 x 5
60 x 5
65 x 5 ........... (143lb)
60 x 8 ........... backoff, for the hell of it

3. Powercleans (kg)
Skipped.

4. Abs
Skipped.


Comments

Good news - my back's feeling great today! I had a dull ache for most of yesterday, but I have to really twist and turn to feel any pain today. I didn't go to a chiro in the end. I might have been able to squat today, but there's no point risking it for the sake of one workout. I'm hoping to be back, fighting fit on Monday. I think I'll take it easy next week, which will be the first week of a new push into SF land.

I think carrying in 200kg/440lb worth of plates from the car on Wednesday is probably what made my back regress. The new plates do look good though! I always hated my old weight set because there were too many small plates and not enough large ones. I now have plenty of 20kg/45lb plates, none of the pointless 15kg/35lb plates and exactly two of each of the smaller ones. I love the fact that there's now only one possible combination of plates for each weight I want, it just makes things easier.

It will also be nice to actually put 3 plates on the bar when I finally get to 3 plates on deadlifts, rather than putting on 1 plate and about 8 smaller ones.

 

[Cynical Simian]

A workout consisting of nine sets of bench press...did you get a personal trainer or something?

Good to hear the back is better and that things are looking good for Monday.

 

[anotherbutters]

Hehe, I know. I almost felt like a gym rat, except I didn't do any curls. It's funny, I never do curls, I just don't see the point.

Today was just damage limitation - leave my back alone and get what I can done. If I didn't work out at home, I might have tried some leg presses, just to give my legs some work. I'm looking forward to Monday.

BTW, my left hand is better, but still not right, 3 weeks after I worked it with the gripper. When I wake, it feels like the tendons running over the first knucle on the fingers are going to snap when I try to form a fist. It's better after a few minutes.

 

[anotherbutters]

Enough is enough - I've just booked an appointment with a chiro. Some days my back feels ok, some days it doesn't. It doesn't bother me in normal day to day activities, just when I get under the bar and start to put some weight on it.

I don't know whether it's worth trying to do some exercises that don't hit the lower back - all I can think of is bench press really. Right now, a nice bottle of cabernet sounds much more appealing

The appointment's on Wednesday night, so that'll be two more workouts I've missed. Sorry everyone, this has been a pretty crap journal for the past four weeks. I keep thinking of canning it, but I know I'll be back setting PRs eventually.

 

[blut wump]

Bench is a good one, obviously. You might be able to row with you laying one the bench and the bar beneath it. OHP might be possible but I'd be careful on that.

The cabernet and some light hammer curls sound good.

Good luck with the chiro. Try to get a quick feel for whether the guy runs a production line or a healing facility. Is your health or your money his first priority? A good sign would be that he makes an effort to relax your back before trying to adjust it, ideally with massage. See whether he gives you exercises to perform at home.

 

[anotherbutters]

Health is the priority (EDIT: just realised you were talking about his priorities!). I don't think this is a big injury and I thought it would have gone by now. I guess little tweaks to the back can have a big impact.

I picked someone who advertises in the gym I used to go to. How ironic that I end up going back to the gym for help with an injury due to freeweight squatting, after leaving the gym because I couldn't do freeweight squats there. I sneaked in to pick up a leaflet without anybody seeing me

Anyway, I figured he might have a sports angle to him. I'm treating the initial consultation as much as a way of me assessing him as me receiving treatment/advice.

I didn't explain at the time, but when I did tweak my back, it was because my form was wrong. I was wearing a pair of shorts that had become too tight to squat in, but rather than change them, I carried on. I couldn't squat down properly, so that, combined with doing a few heavy sets after a week off is what caused my form to drop enough to cause the injury. It's the silly things in life that get you!

 

[Cynical Simian]

I'd say just take it easy and stay away from weights, rowers, grippers, non-padded walls, etc. before your appointment. I mean, you could always bust out the "average guy at the gym" workout and do a bunch of bench presses, curls and damn-near-vertical rows, but it doesn't seem like that'd be worth the risk of exacerbating/prolonging an injury that's keeping you from doing squats, deads and rows.

BTW, what happened to your K? Is it tied to squat frequency or something?