Saturday 28 June 2008

Uh-oh!!

DL

120 x 3, 130 x3, 140 x 3, 140 x 2.....this was when I felt the lower right hand side of my back crunch/pop. Knew straight away it wasn't going to be good.

I've spend the last few hours face down with ice on my back. It is more like discomfort than serious accute pain so I think its muscular. Could be me out for a few weeks. My left knee has been acting up for the last few days also - so as I try to pick things up compenstating for the back pain I give myself knee pain instead lol.

I think I should use this enforced down time to rethink things. I ordered Atheletic Body In Balance earlier and I'm going to get Purposefully Primative as well. I want to start again with my weaknesses from the ground up. I've got too many little niggling issues I need to sort out.

I need to forget about getting strong until I can move right first.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mouse here,
Bad luck Colin.
For your knee a good resource I have is 'Bulletproof Knees' by mike robertson. I've used it myself and people who have borrowed it have gone on to buy there own copies! Which believe me is bloody unusual!
Anyway I hope the back is not too serious, and you recover quickly. Just bear in mind about self diagnosis -- its a slippy slope!
I've just stared again after over amonth out with my neck and feel like I've lost a lot conditioning but kept the strength.

Colin said...

Thanks - it was prob something that was waiting to happen. I get a little backache after swings at times and again from the Brett dvd I strongly suspected that my glutes weren't firing.

I'll check out that book. And I hear you on the self diagnosis too. I'll let it stew for a bit to see if it clears up, if not I'll go see someone. When I come back it'll be very cautiously.

Thanks again for the pointers, work hard and you'll regain that conditioning in no time.

Franklin said...

Injuries come with the territory and more importantly the way in which one deals with them determines progress forward or lack of.

You are already a very strong man, so please don't beat yourself up over that. I would recommend after your initial RICE phase you might investigate Z-Health R-Phase. Its been over a year since my back gave me any problem and it used to act up all the time. I swear by the combination of swings and Z for making my back the least of my problems.

As for knee issues, my right knee, which also made the sickening pop/crunch sound when I injured it, is making steady progress; I do the Z drills for it religiously. On top of that, I will check out Mouse's recommendation regarding 'Bulletproof Knees'.

You will get better and stronger just like prior to your other injuries. And hey, I too ordered Purposefully Primitive not to deconstruct and re-tool, but to integrate another point of view into my practice.

Hang tough, my brother, don't get too down on yourself and get well.

Colin said...

Why do injuries come with the territory though? I'm not referring to ones like yours which was an accident really. But the recurring back problems, the shoulder issues, knee issues etc etc we ALL seem to have. Like Martin's observation about taking up ballet dancing instead.

Part of the reasons I train is to bulletproof not just my knees but my whole body. To have more energy to enjoy life and to look good for the ladies. At the minute though I ain't scoring on any of those three!! Haha

I've been reminded of articles I've read by prominent trainers over the last few days. Stating really that you shouldn't need to weight train if you can't even handle your own body weight to begin with. I can't pistol, one arm push up, hell I'm not sure I'd reach double figure 2 arm push ups!! Worse still, I can't touch my toes and my squat depth is ridiculous. I might have a decent DL and Overhead Pressing (when not injured!!) but it's built on a pretty shaky foundation.

I'm not getting down on myself by any means (my back actually feels a whole lot better today) I'm just waking up to myself. I don't mind set backs - they are when you grow and learn more. Right now this along with the other issues I've been experiencing are telling me that something more basic needs fixed or I may just be setting myself up for a lifetime of issues.

I'm not taking about abandoning methods and methodologies. But rather backing up a bit focusing on fundamentals for a while.

I do appreciate the advice and your time though.

Franklin said...

Glad to hear your back is feeling much better. I did exactly the same as you .. immediate icing of my knee as soon as I heard the pop/crunch. I'm sure this saved us both extended down time.

Its interesting that you mention pistols and one-arm pushups. These both take very serious training to achieve as pointed in Pavel's NW .. I don't think however that twenty normal pushups is in the same league.

As far as not being able to touch your toes or squat low, that does deserve some real attention. I have always been very flexible and took it for granted. Wherever you currently are with flexibility and ROM, I'm sure the Amosov JM you did almost daily helped.

Is there anything in the new Brett Jones DVD set your purchased on "Corrective Strategies" that you can immediately apply?

Anonymous said...

Mouse here,
Good to hear things are a little better, and its always good to have a plan, that way you feel you are responding positively. During my lay off I focused on just the things you are doing now with good results.
Cooks 'Body in balance' is excellent for what you are trying to do. The only problem I had was I couldn't even get into the positions to do the corrective exercises!! Just remember that every exercise has an easier version, thats what I like about Zed health it just really simple movements. There are other approaches I like Maxwells Joint Mobility Encyclopedia, some exercises are very similar to Zed, the major difference is the speed with which they are done. For corrective exercise in general have a look at Leon Chaitows 'Maintaining Body Balance', it gives you the means to do muscle testing and the corrective exercise, but the exercises are for the truly remedial -- like me :)
Good luck on yet another journey!

Colin said...

Franklin

I realise both those exercises take a lot of work and effort - and in all probability so will the corective exercises needed just to get me squatting etc properly. I'm not sure that I am going to make them my goal at the minute. Must admit though that I've always found them to be pretty damn cool.

There are indeed exercises I could focus on from that dvd I have already had a go at which have produced a bit of improvement. They aren't quick fixes though and need a bit of re-inforcement.

Mouse

Haha - I know another journey, another plan, another rant. In my mind the destination is still the same though. I've known for a long time that I need to do these types of things, but they just aren't as sexy as heavy deadlifts or working with heavier and heavier KBs.

I've got the z-health r phase but wasn't sold on it. Maybe I should give a try for a week while I work out what I need to do.

Man, you must have some library of books and dvds!!! Have you had to rebuild yourself like steve austin?? :)

Franklin said...

The truth of the matter is that Z-Health R-Phase works wonders but the DVD and booklet are a bit lacking. It wasn't until I had a few consults with a Level 4 Z-trainer did I really start to make progress.

If you don't have access to a good local Z-trainer, then here are some of the things my trainer helped me with on the R-Phase drills:

1. Do them extremely slowly. Ignore the work along on the DVD .. its too fast. Follow the maxim: "Slow is smooth and smooth is fast".

2. You must be completely relaxed and breath naturally. Your face should not show any tension.

3. Unlike a lot of SJ complex movements, R-Phase drills require complete joint isolation. An example is the hour-glass. Only the upper body should move .. the hips are legs should be completely stationary.

4. Every rep must be perfect .. you must be mindful of every rep .. if your mind drifts, take a break and try again later.

5. Use a wall or chair to stabilize yourself for any of the movements requiring one leg on the ground. Its not a contest to see how well you can balance. In particular, my trainer, a top notch MMA fighter and boxer, STILL uses a wall to help with total isolation during these drills.

6. These drills take months and sometimes years to master but the payoff is big time.

Anonymous said...

Mouse here,
What can I say, I enjoy reading! Anyway your collection sounds equally as impressive. Like you wasn't too impressed with the R phase thats why I got Maxwell's DVD, none of that hyper slow malarkey, just get the joint moving. You are so right that it's not as sexy as the 'good' stuff BUT you've got to be healthy in the first place to do the good stuff!