Lycra Clad Legacies

[BennyC]

Snap in 3, 2, 1...

Checking in with possible ligament tear & pec minor strain #snapcity - 20 with the bar prior too.

Pyramiding up today and despite experiencing no actual pain it felt like my left pec tendor 'rippled' (up like a bunch of knots/grapes) during the lift. Like tearing bubble-wrap.

A few minutes later, strong dizziness (basically blind) and had to sit down, hot & clammy and dat der vomit feeling. Same as when I tore ligaments in my finger on my left hand years ago.

The shoulder/chest insertion feels quite fatigued, understandably, pushing my hands together out in-front of my body (at the top of a fly movement) triggered the area which is quite high up on the chest. So I think where my ligament/tendon isn't quite up to par the sheer alpha of my pec took up the slack.

Me - "Pls hold steady tendon"
Tendon - "Y tho?... erggh, le give up"
Pec - "I got dis"

Took a few tips from this article , bar the icing, and it seems to be healing well. A little soreness at the tendon & ligament end. An 'assisted dip' standing up out of a chair gives a minor twinge currently.

Not planning on doing so much as a 'proper' test-press until the tail end of the week and then it'll either be isometric work of very light bodyweight (on knees press-ups) for that side. OHP and back movements are fine. Curls do activate a little pec but I'll see if it's enough not to aggravate.

Plenty of hip-rep/lactate inducing stuff for the net few weeks to recondition my Beta tendons. Pump incoming. think I'll run with some 15-12's and not billy-big-balls like a plank for a bit.

 

[BennyC]

Update:

Riding the trainer on Sunday, 2 hours, was actually activating my pec & using ligaments, just holding the hoods, unsurprisingly. Sat upright more often and actually tucked my arm in to the straps of my bibs on occasion. Which in itself causes you to twist a bit, sit differently on the saddle and place more weight on the other hand which can cause all sorts of discomfort. Anyway...

Not so much as a 'test' press until Tuesday given the advice above:

Mainly, you just need to resist the urge to test the injured area during the initial few days following the injury, a mistake I made too many times.

The early stages of muscle injury are associated with the formation of a collagen matrix which serves as a scaffold for muscle repair (4). Stress these fragile collagen structures too soon when they are improperly formed and you’ll damage them, ultimately increasing collagen proliferation from the injury site (larger scar tissue) (5) , and decreasing the likelihood of efficient muscle repair (6,7).

Tuesday I was getting pec minor activation attempting chins, picking up plates and most things in general (any loaded arm adduction). So at the end of the session (best placed) I used our ISO chest press to just go through some ROM and added very little load 2.5-5KG (given 20-30KG on the unaffected side is sufficient enough to be productive). Put out a few sets of 6-8 reps, lots of control and some short static holds too. Not aiming to fatigue the area but rather get some more blood in there.

Wednesday things were feeling much better albeit the tendon/ligaments still slightly sore under a wall-press and partial kneeling press up, so if there was no improvement Thursday it would have been the same again. No complaints on the bike at all during a 90 min SweetSpot workout.

Thursday - feeling much better, no 'ache' during any pressing on the tendon except for a minor amount for the last 10-15% of the ROM. So ISO chest press again with more load, 10KG to get a bit of a pump on. Felt secure/stable enough not to concern me at all but nevertheless was still cautious. A few kneeling diamond press-ups too. Chins felt fine earlier that session although a slight dull ache at points but nothing concerning.

Definitely feels like there's a good chunk of scar tissue on my pec minor which I'll start to break down in a few weeks. Will stay off the bench until next Saturday at least and only/if I've no reservations. Plenty of high-reps & pump to re-condition. Same for most lifts in general until Feb. #cardio.

Used our ISO shoulder press facing backwards on Tuesday and it felt heavenly. The only OHP movement I've actually gelled with, except for Savickas. Gross pump. My chest stretch marks have returned and lit up like christmas trees, with a few new appearances further round on my delts.

Anyway, few (poorly) paused deads from this evening and a bit of highbar to wake my quads up a bit. Just Z2/Z3 rides remaining this week, so can sacrifice my legs a bit. Laying hamstring curl I am weak AF. Interesting to see if I notice much contribution to deads in the long run...

 

[Delvis]

Glad to hear it's feeling a bit better.

Surprised your deadlifts get in your Oly shoes?

 

[BennyC]

Surprised your deadlifts get in your Oly shoes?

U wot m8?

I haven't in the past, though did find when doing deficit work at the academy my leg drive was much better for some reason but my hinge felt less robust and core taxed more - no bad thing mind.

I'm so quick through each exercise at the moment it's easier to just leave them on.

Plenty of Oly lifters will snatch/clean in heels... mostly because they'll catch in a front squat but nevertheless.

 

[Delvis]

U wot m8?

I haven't in the past, though did find when doing deficit work at the academy my leg drive was much better for some reason but my hinge felt less robust and core taxed more - no bad thing mind.

I'm so quick through each exercise at the moment it's easier to just leave them on.

Plenty of Oly lifters will snatch/clean in heels... mostly because they'll catch in a front squat but nevertheless.

Sorry, phone auto correct so it didn't even English

Oh yeah of course, you snatch in Oly shoes, clean in Oly shoes, so why not deadlift? Just I remember you doing them flat footed most of the time

Whatever works at the end of the day!

 

[mrthingyx]

Sorry, phone auto correct so it didn't even English

Oh yeah of course, you snatch in Oly shoes, clean in Oly shoes, so why not deadlift? Just I remember you doing them flat footed most of the time

Whatever works at the end of the day!

Pfft. I have deadlifts in heels since I got them... but then my deadlift form isn't what I would normally class as "form."

 

[Delvis]

Pfft. I have deadlifts in heels since I got them... but then my deadlift form isn't what I would normally class as "form."

 

[BennyC]

Nothing terribly exciting today but have been finding high-bar quite comfy. 80KG was enough considering walking lunges pulling a 20 to my chest always rape my glutes.

Last set I decided 8/4 low/high bar. Fire me.

Pec/ligaments feeling 90/95%. Was able to load it up to the same weight as my un-snapped side. Feels gross in the sense of rolling uncooked spaghetti around on marbles but in terms of 'holding' itself together and not feeling like it was about to 'give', no concern.

Added a short set of diamond-pressups @ bodyweight and also 2 sets of BW dips 6-8 reps. Though my delts & tries were already ruined so I was conscious my chest would have been taking more load than completely fresh.

Another week and I'll be back under a barbell I think. That said, arching on our ISO chest press does feel very similar to bench, near identical except for hands tapering in towards the top of each rep & the corresponding squeeze. Tempted to get strong AF on that and see how that translates to bench at the end of Feb... inb4 snap again at the end of Feb.

 

[BennyC]

Actually intending on having an intense/V02 max session on the bike tomorrow. Which will most likely be 6 x 5 min efforts at 105/110%. I may well just do these at threshold/300w because I'd rather not put myself in a hole for the rest of the week. I've always found V02 max work incredibly productive but also devastatingly difficult to recover from with my old volume of riding, I'm hopeful that with two much easier rides over the remainder of the week and my lifting volume that might change and be a little easier.

Anyway tonight:

Deadlift: 4 triples with one or two paused.
Yates Row: 60KG x 10~ x 3
HB Squat: 60KG x 15 x 3 #cardio
Chins: BW 8, 6, 4 (RIP biceps Yates Row)
Savickas: 40KG x 10,8,5
Pressups: BW x some, x some, x some.

I think the 'nag' I'm feeling is a slightly shortened ligament, once warm it diminishes and my movement isn't impaired at all but still a bit gash. May be something I have to live with. Still pumped up well and that's all that matters right.

For your viewing pleasure, some shredded legs and the essence of calves.

 

[mrthingyx]

It could also be your brain not adapting to the healing process and trying to subconsciously restrict the movement...?

 

[spluff]

any reason why u keep dropping the weight on the floor?

 

[LiE]

any reason why u keep dropping the weight on the floor?

It's because he is a weakling..

Actually the negative part of the deadlift isn't as crucial so it's better to get the weight down with no fuss and save your efforts for the next pull.

 

[BennyC]

It could also be your brain not adapting to the healing process and trying to subconsciously restrict the movement...?

Definitely just feels like tight/shortened ligaments now, may just be something I live with. Will pepper a bit over the weekend. Able to use the ISO pres today, same load as my right side. Doesn't feel like it's the pec but almost the very upper intercostal sort of area, behind it almost. Pec minor still perhaps.

It doesn't restrict range at all fortunately but does feel like I am almost at the very end of it with it' current tension.

any reason why u keep dropping the weight on the floor?

This:

Actually the negative part of the deadlift isn't as crucial so it's better to get the weight down with no fuss and save your efforts for the next pull.

Full retard mode is to literally drop from the top which is unnecessary and potentially dangerous if you've bumpers or a bouncy platform. Guiding the bar down but no benefit to a slow eccentric on a deadlift unless you're aiming to fatigue hamstrings, trunk, traps, core & grip.

Yesterday's spin.

Had intended to do 6 x 5min repeats at around 105-110% but for the purpose of avoiding burying myself too soon I opted for some low tempo/threshold efforts instead. Few technical difficulties syncing the new workout I'd made, so I was just adapting an existing workout to reduce the VO2 down to threshold manually each interval. Also warmed up on the wrong workout too hence starting this one 5 mins in



Todays Lifting

Nothing special, low-bar with some load. Given a double at 100KG a fortnight ago felt a bit 'oh gawd, this might be embarrassing' I can't complain. Glute med should reclaim its former glory in a few weeks and negate any wobble or collapse.

Some fronties @ 60KG after this 2 x 8.

I am enjoying the Yates row currently @60KG. I get a decent activation, rear delts get a tickle, lats feel good, bi's and forearms all get a feathering too. 3 x 10.

My lying leg-curl is LOLweak, 10kg, pow. 3 x 10. Genuinely feels like I've never even used those outer hamstrings and that I only recruit the semi-t's.

Nothing else significant to report. (OHP, Chest Press, seated curllllllz, shrugs & raises superset.)

Work shirts getting tight, noimsayin?

 

[BennyC]

Armed with a new racerback:

Deads

Tidy enough, hamstring strength/power needs a little focus so will hit some RDL's next week. Grip and core felt alright, as did upper back.

Chins/Pull-ups

Using my feet a little to work through my sticking point.

Bench - on the snap-rack

*must stop tapping my feet.

Actually fatigued myself a bit prior to this with OHP and then wore myself out with the set of 40/60KG luls. I felt it would be unlikely to snap again based on this weeks lifting but as a contingency wanted to get most of my workout down prior... couldn't have gone much heavier today as I was fried

First set with the bar I'm showing the area which feels a little taught. Didn't have any concern during the lifts but took things a little slower to be cautious. Probably explains fizzling out quicker than usual.

Not featured, HB deep squats -no lockout, OHP, Yates Row, RDL/SLDL, Walking Lunge, Dips,

Bi's/Tri's superset, Shrugs/Raises superset. For the pump.

 

[BennyC]

Waded in a little too deeply to yesterday's VO2. Still shooting for 15w below my last comfortable completion of this workout at 326w x 5mins x 6. Given I held this power for 22 minutes in Spain in April

Usually find a small discrepancy between my Kickr & P1's, around 8w yesterday. Nevertheless nudged intensity down and disregarded power in favour of staying in my VO2 max HR zone rather than blowing up after the first two intervals.

Especially whilst I still establish what I can/can't recover from whilst lifting. Hammies a little bit in bits from Tuesday, adductors kicking in come the end...



Todays lifting:

HighBar - 60 x 12, 70 x 10, 80 x 8, 90 x 5, 100 x 3
Chins - 3 sets & BW
Lying Hamstring Curl - 10 x 12, 12, 12
ISO Chest Press - 40, 50, 60 x some, x some, x some (8-12) - still feels gross on my left side until I'm properly warmed up
High to Low ISO Row - 40 x 12, x 12, x 10
ISO Shoulder Press - 30KG x 15, x 12, x 10

Some Flyes
Some Diamond Press-ups
Some DB Shrugs & Lateral Raise Superset
Some Curls

Some pump.

 

[mrthingyx]

Heh... looks like my bike ride from yesterday (after heavy deadlifts and Nordic curls): started strong and slooooooowly flaked out.

My adductors were like guitar strings yesterday afternoon.

 

[BennyC]

The more you ride the more in tune you become with what's sustainable and what isn't, much like a set in the gym. But the suffering is worse and longer.

There's also the ongoing battle of wimping out unnecessarily vs being stubborn and burying yourself in to a hole.

Takes quite a lot of mental self-lies to complete workouts sometimes. 'Okay this is the last interval' - for every single one

 

[BennyC]

EIA from the turbo on Saturday, dat cold air R.I.P airway.

Combined with a late night with not much sleep, no booze and a loud environment = wrecked throat & sinus. Trained Sunday too on it, as below, full blown head-cold Sunday evening, Monday and today. Trained again as it was fairly localised but lighter volume because sick.

Sunday

Nothing of significance, two single deads at 140KG feeling comfortable and faster than the 1 single I did a week before. Hamstring strength/speed work paying off + general alpha returning.

Bench 60-70KG, slightly narrower grip relieved my pec/delt slightly. Need to get in there and do some flossing and reevaluate how I train around this until it feels normal again.

Tuesday

Wanted to use the leg press downstairs (lever plate rather than the sled upstairs I don't get on with that well) but two stupid sl00ts and then two n00dle armed teenagers were hogging it so made do with the sled upstairs.

Some speedy/paused RDL's, chins, savaicks, pulldown, shrugs etc and general ****-arounditis so I didn't feel completely SAP today.

Was mirin the angus on a snatch snatching this evening. Noimsayin?

Wednesday

Would be my usual VO2 spin but given the state of play, and my airway, I'll stick to 3 x 10-12 mins 80-90% sweetspot and see how that goes instead.

 

[Delvis]

Of you work on internal and external rotation on the floor for your shoulder, it'll help the peculiar stretching a bit no doubt

 

[BennyC]

Of you work on internal and external rotation on the floor for your shoulder, it'll help the peculiar stretching a bit no doubt

Thanks but it's not internal/external rotation related. ROM is fine, it's load related within that ROM.