ExRx.net

I had a read through it last night, there's a LOT of info. The first few sections are about assessing yourself, then the section after tells you how to fix yourself depending on which tests you failed. I haven't tested myself but I think it's fair to assume I'll fail ever single one but you never know. I might surprise myself.

Bob, did you get the DVDs? I'm thinking about getting the e version (I have a Kindle), but hesitated, because I thought it would be important to have the videos.

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

na just got the book. The DVDs are probably a wise investment but the book goes into loads of detail and has pictures so I think it's adequate on its own

What did the physio say last Thur night ?

Oh yeah I meant to put an update here...

Well, he tested my mobility, which sucks, did some mobilisations then tested it again. The weird thing was my mobility was much, much worse. So he tried a different mobilisation (where I lay on my front, and he sort of waggled me by the hips, it was really weird) and not only could I touch my toes, I could actually touch the floor which is something I've never been able to do. It's difficult to explain but the first mobilisation treated my back in segments, working up the vertebrae. My back didn't like that one bit. The second mobilisation he tried treated my back as a whole, and my back loved it. The first port of call is to apparently get to the stage where the first mobilisation he tried doesn't hurt. That'll apparently be a big way towards fixing me.

So it pretty much confirmed what I already knew. My lack of flexibility is caused by the muscles around my spine locking up tighter than hell to protect my spine, which leads to a sore back. The really good news is the really bad pain I get after deadlifting is caused by a sore tendon that runs down your spine (apparently there's a tendon that runs down your spine). I know that doesn't sound like good news, but it means that there's no actual damage to the spine itself, just the tendons and musculature. I was worried that it was my actual backbone that was damaged, but that's not the case.

He also said that a lot of what I've been doing is really good, but there's a few things I've been neglecting that I'll need to add.

So, it can be fixed. I asked him just how much damage I've done to myself and he said it's not too bad, could have been a hell of a lot worse. He's going to email me a big long explanation of the condition, and the corrective routine I'll need. When I've received that I'll paste it in here so people can have a look. Maybe I'll have to add a disclaimer to say that before embarking on any exercise routine to consult a professional, in case someone with a bad back attempts my routine and cripples themselves.

good news. Looking forward to the routine he suggests.
glad to see nothing permanently paralized

heh, yeah, it's a bit of a bonus not being crippled.

shoulder's dicked again. Massage booked for Wednesday. I'm pretty sure I've isolated the cause: all summer I worked out like a beast without the slightest hint of shoulder pain, but over the last month my shoulder's been hurting. The only thing I changed was I went from an upper/lower split to a bodypart split. I think hitting my chest with a week's worth of volume in one go is too much for my shoulder to handle, so after next week I'm back on the upper/lower.

FINALLY got my corrective program to fix my back from my physio. If anyone's interested let me know

I'll bite

trained with Kenny, or KPj as he's known on here, yesterday. Did some movement assessments and a spot of benching.

Things worth mentioning:

-the number one movement thing I sucked hardest at was the side lying extension (it's number three in this article):
http://www.ericcressey.com/shoulder-mob ... l-rotation
so my number one priority is to get full, or at the very least, decent, ROM in this movement. I'm going to start doing it a little every day.

-my internal rotators are tighter than a drum, so I need to incorporate the "sleeper stretch" now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiFRTrywbW4
sorry, not a great video but you get the idea...

-my single leg squat is woeful. I can barely stay standing and my weight shifts forward, hurting my knees. This is another one to do a few sets of every day. Hardest thing is keeping my posture good.

-my bench press technique is da bomb, but my squat sucks. We didn't have time to look at my squat in much detail so that's another lesson for another time.

-my dumbell row technique sucks! What's that all about? Who'd have thought you could even do that movement wrong!? Going to have to drop the weight right down and start, basically, from scratch. Might get some good new growth in my lats though so it's not all bad, not to mention the positive effect it'll have on my shoulder health.

so those are the most important things I learned. For those that are interested, KPj is the real deal and I'll definitely go back and train with him again after xmas.

sure is ugly though...

Was good to meet you Bob. Even though you were a bad influence and forced me into doing a little benching myself (shoulder was fine with it though )

I'm going to get a summary of everything over to you plus a warm up for you to do, give me a couple of days and you'll have it.

Short summary as you know is movement. Your bench technique was good though, nothing ridiculous going on that was leaving plates on the floor. However when you sort out your upper back you will get increased stability, decreased ROM, and a much bigger bench

I should clarify from your post it was your split squat that was, well, not perfect lol but don't worry we'll have you doing single leg squats in no time.

You are a great example of someone that would test quite well on a treatment table (well, for activation, not so much ROM) but falter when on your feet. This is a good situation to be in because you basically just need to "connect the dots", pull it all together.

When you open up your hips and upper back, I see know reason why you won't be able to squat and DL. In fact I'm certain everything will move up when you do this.



I don't think the 15 year old girls on the train would agree. I was almost on that Carlisle train you know. Figured they might of been a tad too young though lol.

Anyway - most Saturday afternoons are good so any time after xmas and we can have a follow up.

KPj

Edit: Just thought I would remind you of your new worse nightmare - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DykSyvPxmZA

2nd edit: Remember you only need the sleeper stretch on the right side

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Thanks TimD

I am indeed a chronic bad influence, you're not the first to tell me. Aye it was a good day, I'm definitely up for another session after xmas after I've had a couple of weeks to do the mobility stuff (specifically the damn lying extension thing I sucked at). I'm doing a little every day so hopefully the results'll come fast.

Oh yeah, of course it's called a split squat, not a single leg squat. Single leg squats are a circus trick! I'd settle just to be able to tie my shoelaces without a struggle.



Those 15 year olds were only looking at you to get you to put in a good word for them with me! Obviously. But let's not fight over jailbait...

But yeah Saturday afternoons are pretty much always good for me too (assuming I can stay off the sauce on Friday). Thanks for the heads up on the sleeper stretch! I've been doing it on both sides. I'll stop doing it for the left.

and I really hate that god damn spiderman thing! I'll grudgingly start doing it though

Saw this today,

so I realized that there was something I missed. Read back and found this:

So, would you mind elaborating? I agree with the "who'd have thought you could even do that movement wrong" part. I do these. Other that really trying to squeeze my scaps back at the beginning of the movement, what should I be thinking about?

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

well, I thought that the dumbell row was one of my best lifts. I was handling the 40k dumbells fairly easily and thought I was strong on the movement. Then I made the mistake of training with KPj, and he exposed my technique for the rubbish that it is.

Basically, i was flexing my spine, so my spine was in an arc (as opposed to an arch). This meant my scapula was pointing down so when I was pulling it back and rowing I was not actually strengthening the scapular retractors. Quite the opposite. I was just reinforcing the crap scapula posture I was trying to correct.

Now I keep a solid arch in my back. The exercise feels totally different. I actually fatigue between my shoulder blades now, which I'd never actually experienced before. The weight comes up more towards my hip now too, whereas before it was coming to my rib cage.

I've found by looking ahead and a bit down it's much easier to keep the proper back position.

Not sure how well I described that. I guess the take home point is to make sure you have a good spine position, otherwise you'll be doing more harm than good.