Hi 
Been a while. Just a few key updates.
Back issues
I never stopped training/seeking answers - still committed to training 4 times a week. I've been seeing the highest rated sports director/physio in Sheffield for over a year and he has no further answers. We've agreed to stop meeting.
Seen a sport med specialist that has been pushing for a nerve root injection to get a diagnosis for the back issue. I declined it and decided to press on. We did a repeat MRI to see if anything changed and things still looked the same.
Over the last 8 weeks, I'm almost convinced I don't have back issues. I ramped up serious volume over 4 months. I spent a further 6 months testing my hypothesis by gaining strength in a linear fashion. I am not as broken as I was led to believe by the MRI scans. More recently I came across a description what seems to fit seamlessly with my story so far: greater trochanteric pain syndrome. Basically hip pain. No one had caught this with all the specialists I had met.
Elbow Issues
Left arm seems to be in much better condition, this bothered me for approx 28 months. The most severe case of tendonosis I've encountered from my research. I do get some deep tissue pain but it's manageable.
I started getting golfers elbow pain on my right arm now, which started acutely when I was travelling recently in indonesia (April). This has been a real nightmare to manage.
Training
The biggest change is, I've started using a belt. I've had real difficulties adjusting to this over the last 3 months. Particularly in the deadlift, it feels unnatural and as I result I feel weaker. However, I'm still pushing through to get used to it. Hip shifting has been prevalent (massively exaggerated due to dominant leg) and it really shows in the video below despite spending the last year in correcting it.
Progress so far:
Squats:
140KG X 10 (4.6 tonne session)
160KG X 6
Deadlift (no belt as I was really bloated):
185KG X 7
I was hitting these numbers beltless 8 years ago, feel a bit frustrated that I've never been able to hit my potential. On a positive note, this is still progress, the mental fortitude of putting in the hours into over 340 mind-numbing sessions (since injury) with the arrival of my baby was hard and I was led to believe I should stop lifting.
I'm not sure how I want to move forward. Frankly, I just don't have the confidence I used. Psychologically this entire episode has been draining and painful nursing multiple long-term injuries with 0 support. I've been roaring to lift but I've held back so much from the fear of re-injury. I just don't find the numbers/workouts challenging. I'm afraid to find out how far I can get with my current history. As a father, the prospect of getting injured is no longer worth it.
Looking at the videos, I need a lot of work moving the bar like I used to. For now I'm going to cap my training maxes and build up quality movements. I'm trying to calculate as best as I can moving forward. I really hope that I can find somebody to help me.
Been a while. Just a few key updates.
Back issues
I never stopped training/seeking answers - still committed to training 4 times a week. I've been seeing the highest rated sports director/physio in Sheffield for over a year and he has no further answers. We've agreed to stop meeting.
Seen a sport med specialist that has been pushing for a nerve root injection to get a diagnosis for the back issue. I declined it and decided to press on. We did a repeat MRI to see if anything changed and things still looked the same.
Over the last 8 weeks, I'm almost convinced I don't have back issues. I ramped up serious volume over 4 months. I spent a further 6 months testing my hypothesis by gaining strength in a linear fashion. I am not as broken as I was led to believe by the MRI scans. More recently I came across a description what seems to fit seamlessly with my story so far: greater trochanteric pain syndrome. Basically hip pain. No one had caught this with all the specialists I had met.
Elbow Issues
Left arm seems to be in much better condition, this bothered me for approx 28 months. The most severe case of tendonosis I've encountered from my research. I do get some deep tissue pain but it's manageable.
I started getting golfers elbow pain on my right arm now, which started acutely when I was travelling recently in indonesia (April). This has been a real nightmare to manage.
Training
The biggest change is, I've started using a belt. I've had real difficulties adjusting to this over the last 3 months. Particularly in the deadlift, it feels unnatural and as I result I feel weaker. However, I'm still pushing through to get used to it. Hip shifting has been prevalent (massively exaggerated due to dominant leg) and it really shows in the video below despite spending the last year in correcting it.
Progress so far:
Squats:
140KG X 10 (4.6 tonne session)
160KG X 6
Deadlift (no belt as I was really bloated):
185KG X 7
I was hitting these numbers beltless 8 years ago, feel a bit frustrated that I've never been able to hit my potential. On a positive note, this is still progress, the mental fortitude of putting in the hours into over 340 mind-numbing sessions (since injury) with the arrival of my baby was hard and I was led to believe I should stop lifting.
I'm not sure how I want to move forward. Frankly, I just don't have the confidence I used. Psychologically this entire episode has been draining and painful nursing multiple long-term injuries with 0 support. I've been roaring to lift but I've held back so much from the fear of re-injury. I just don't find the numbers/workouts challenging. I'm afraid to find out how far I can get with my current history. As a father, the prospect of getting injured is no longer worth it.
Looking at the videos, I need a lot of work moving the bar like I used to. For now I'm going to cap my training maxes and build up quality movements. I'm trying to calculate as best as I can moving forward. I really hope that I can find somebody to help me.
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