Can anyone explain this?

[DanielBishop]

If you will, allow me to post a timeline so you know the history of my legs....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About 1999- Stopped training legs altogether out of stupidity and thinking they were already big enough (I felt I could use that workout for other bodyparts which were more important to me)

1999-2002- Trained legs only a few times, usually one workout with several months in between. Basically neglected them altogether.

Eary 2002- Started training legs again with squats, leg press, leg extensions and leg curls.

Mid 2002- Injured my right knee, stopped training legs altogether again

Last week- Started training legs again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So that's what happened. Anyway, last week I started training my legs again.... did a very thorough warm-up and went over to do some squats. And with only 10kg on the bar (22lbs) I only managed 6 reps. I actually went to failure, with only 22lbs on the Olympic bar. It seemed very strange to me, because I've been able to squat at least 88lbs without much difficulty (I know that's nothing special, but don't laugh at me).

So it came as quite as a shock when, on my 7th rep, I got down to the bottom of the movement and, try as I might, I couldn't get up again.

At first glance, this would look like a problem caused by the knee injury.... but it wasn't knee pain. It felt like genuine muscle failure in my quads. So I did 2 more sets, and only got 5 reps each before failure. At 22lbs!!

I just ignored it and figured I'd build my way up again.... and didn't let it bother me. But then today was leg day again.... I tried the same weight, and got a few more reps but not many.

Can anyone explain why I can only squat such a pitiful weight?

Then I jumped on the 45° leg press and got sets of 12 at 265lbs (I know that's not impressive either, but.... leave me alone)....

.... so why am I weak as piss on the squat, when I know I'm stronger in other movements?

Also when squatting, I found it difficult to maintain proper form.... my legs were wobbling a bit, and my knees drifting together.

Even when I've taken long periods between legs training in the past, I've always been able to come back and squat at least 88lbs (one plate each side of the Olympic bar).... so I'm very confused why this is happening.

Especially since it doesn't feel like knee pain.

Anyone?

 

[Lord_Suston]

you don't squat just the bar. your own bodyweight is being moved as well. Also it may take time after your knee injury to build up coordination to previous levels. Don't worry about it just go nice and easy, progression is the key

 

[Fatty4You]

Even though your knee isn't hurting, it could be affecting you mentally. I know, after i hurt my knee, i was so afraid to hurt it on the squats that I became hypercautious and failed at weights lower than i was capable of.... After a while, i realized that as long as i was careful and warmed up properly, i wasn't gonna hurt it. With this mental block gone, my weight started to go back up to what it was.

Also, if you got more reps on the squats this time, than you did last time, you are improving. I mean you can't expect to have some huge-ass jump in weight after one day just cause you used to be able to do it before.

You are improving... it takes time... You WILL get there!

-Fatty

 

[DanielBishop]

Thanks for the encouragement.

Could it be that my knee could be WEAKENING my lift, even without causing actual knee pain? Normally when an injury holds you back, we'd expect to feel pain from it.... but could it be weakening my joint and subsequently cause me faster failure, even without knee pain?

My dad suggested the same thing as you, fatty.... while I wasn't AWARE that I was being overcautious (probably because it wasn't really hurting) he said maybe subconsciously I wasn't able to lift the last rep because of fear of reinjuring myself.

I'll definitely take it slow and steady.

I can lift some heavier weight with the leg press, so hopefully I'll be able to gain at least SOME leg mass with those, until my squat becomes strong again.

Thanks for your replies.

 

[tsarleon]

mental block possible, or perhaps because you have not been doing legs for a long time. How you hurt your knee. Dont worry about weright. Go up 5 lbs a week and keep trying. Youwill increase or get back in the groove...

 

[DanielBishop]

I don't actually know how I hurt my knee. I was just doing some pretty heavy leg presses on night, and the next day it was all screwed up.... it stayed pretty bad for a few months, but gradually got better. Saw a doctor twice, she didn't know shit.... ultra-sound and x-rays didn't show anything. I didn't have physio for it....

.... I know it's still not 100%, but it definitely feels much better most of the time. Only when it's under a load, it feels a bit uneasy. Certainly better than after I'd first injured it.... sometimes I would forget and squat down to tie my shoes. And then I'd collapse in a heap and howl in pain. Getting into the car was also a problem.... seemed to have something to do with rotation of the leg. Also I couldn't bend it all the way.

I dunno.... anyway, I'll slowly progress and be patient.

 

[Fatty4You]

I know you said that when you are under weight it feels unstable, but does your knee ever hurt when you do stuff like go up stairs or get up from a chair?

-Fatty

 

[DanielBishop]

Not really HURT anymore.... it did hurt a lot when I first injured it, and for the few months after. But now, it doesn't hurt as such.... but when I do certain things, it does feel weird. Even uncomfortable.

Like if I squat all the way down... so that my hams are hard up against my calves.... when I first injured it, I couldn't do that at all while putting the weight on my right side (which was the injured side).... in fact, any kind of squatting movement at all caused some grief, even if I didn't go all the way down. Now I can do these things without pain.... at worst, it's mild discomfort. But best described as just "weird" feeling in the knee....

But when it was first injured, all kinds of weird things would cause huge pain. Like I said, getting into my car was really bad.... also, there's a step in my house (just one step) and when I walked DOWN that step, my knee joint must've aligned on a strange angle because almost every time I walked down that single step, I'd get lots of pain.... a few times I almost collapsed. I also got a bit of pain walking up stairs etc.

But nowadays, not really pain.... I'm sure it's ligament or cartilage damage.... but the ultrasound and x-ray picked up nothing, and the GP had no idea. So I wasn't prepared to spend any more money on it....