It May Be Time to Rethink Things...
Just got back from tonight's training session. During the Back Squat, there were barely any reps that were the same. I used 150kg for triples. It wasn't heavy, but I felt uncoordinated. Some of my reps felt like my old pattern--lack of right knee flexion and lateral pelvic shifting to the right due to lack of space/mobility in the left hip. But nobody was there to confirm or deny my suspicions. It was only once I was done with the session and cooling down with some Pressing Snatch Balance with the bar, that I noticed that I my squat stance was wider. In fact, it has gotten progressively wider as the weight/volume has gotten heavier over the last couple of weeks, now that I think about it. Not only that, I'm still squatting with my feet pointing straight ahead--no external rotation of the legs and feet to create more space. This could be a big problem.
I'm not sure if it's the load, the accumulated training volume on the hips (RDLs and Squats 3 x a week), or the position, but things just feel "off." Again, the weight wasn't heavy tonite, but the right knee wouldn't cool off--it was on-again-off-again and in different places each time. I had to keep coming up with creative Z to try to turn it off. Then I thought the bar was sitting on my back off-center--slid to the left. I tried to over-compensate on some subsequent sets. I'm not sure what's really going on. My wife is suspicious that the swelling that never quite disappears in the right knee is a chondral (sp?) defect--but she hasn't seen an x-ray or MRI. If it is, that could spell trouble. I think it's just a tight IT Band. My goal for Wednesday's session is to have my partner or one of the trainers around and check everything out from behind. I will also bring my feet in (it sucks when your adductors start to blow up) and/or externally rotate them. I really wanted to set the nervous system up so I could just slide the feet apart and keep them parallel when I caught the lifts, but I'm not sure that's going to happen.
My right TFL feels chronically tight--when I try to lunge on my left leg, with the right leg in the "aft" position, I get shooting pain down in the right knee at the IT Band insertion. I can cool it off with some shoulder work on the opposite side, but I can't keep it that way.
Perhaps, with this newfound extension in the left elbow, I need to back things down and let my body accomodate to it. There may just be too much adaptation trying to occur right now. I'll have to seek some counsel on that one.
Tonite's training session:
A. Back Squat: 80%/3 x 8 sets; 2 minutes rest
70/3 x2; 100/3; 120/3; 130/3;
150/3 x 9 sets--wasn't happy with the 8th set, so I decided to hit a 9th. Probably shouldn't have.
B. Press: 75%/4 x 6 sets; 90 seconds rest
75kg/4 x 6 sets; Essentially a repeat of Saturday, but with a tighter rest. No problems.
C. RDLs: 70%/5 x 4 sets; 60 secs. rest
130kg/5 x 4 sets. Easy. A little tightness in left hip and groin from these. Not sure what that's about--perhaps that posterior-superior labral tear.
Tomorrow, I will really focus on some rehab/GPP and becoming completely discomfort free in the right knee.
Just got back from tonight's training session. During the Back Squat, there were barely any reps that were the same. I used 150kg for triples. It wasn't heavy, but I felt uncoordinated. Some of my reps felt like my old pattern--lack of right knee flexion and lateral pelvic shifting to the right due to lack of space/mobility in the left hip. But nobody was there to confirm or deny my suspicions. It was only once I was done with the session and cooling down with some Pressing Snatch Balance with the bar, that I noticed that I my squat stance was wider. In fact, it has gotten progressively wider as the weight/volume has gotten heavier over the last couple of weeks, now that I think about it. Not only that, I'm still squatting with my feet pointing straight ahead--no external rotation of the legs and feet to create more space. This could be a big problem.
I'm not sure if it's the load, the accumulated training volume on the hips (RDLs and Squats 3 x a week), or the position, but things just feel "off." Again, the weight wasn't heavy tonite, but the right knee wouldn't cool off--it was on-again-off-again and in different places each time. I had to keep coming up with creative Z to try to turn it off. Then I thought the bar was sitting on my back off-center--slid to the left. I tried to over-compensate on some subsequent sets. I'm not sure what's really going on. My wife is suspicious that the swelling that never quite disappears in the right knee is a chondral (sp?) defect--but she hasn't seen an x-ray or MRI. If it is, that could spell trouble. I think it's just a tight IT Band. My goal for Wednesday's session is to have my partner or one of the trainers around and check everything out from behind. I will also bring my feet in (it sucks when your adductors start to blow up) and/or externally rotate them. I really wanted to set the nervous system up so I could just slide the feet apart and keep them parallel when I caught the lifts, but I'm not sure that's going to happen.
My right TFL feels chronically tight--when I try to lunge on my left leg, with the right leg in the "aft" position, I get shooting pain down in the right knee at the IT Band insertion. I can cool it off with some shoulder work on the opposite side, but I can't keep it that way.
Perhaps, with this newfound extension in the left elbow, I need to back things down and let my body accomodate to it. There may just be too much adaptation trying to occur right now. I'll have to seek some counsel on that one.
Tonite's training session:
A. Back Squat: 80%/3 x 8 sets; 2 minutes rest
70/3 x2; 100/3; 120/3; 130/3;
150/3 x 9 sets--wasn't happy with the 8th set, so I decided to hit a 9th. Probably shouldn't have.
B. Press: 75%/4 x 6 sets; 90 seconds rest
75kg/4 x 6 sets; Essentially a repeat of Saturday, but with a tighter rest. No problems.
C. RDLs: 70%/5 x 4 sets; 60 secs. rest
130kg/5 x 4 sets. Easy. A little tightness in left hip and groin from these. Not sure what that's about--perhaps that posterior-superior labral tear.
Tomorrow, I will really focus on some rehab/GPP and becoming completely discomfort free in the right knee.
posted by Geoff Neupert at
9:38 PM
5 Comments:
got to be careful here bro. I know just what you are going through and its important not to push it through "not square". thats how my back blew.rotations and compressive loads do not go well together.
and all those signs that you are getting that things arent right are correct. heed them!
when you can't find the center of a compressive load you are at great risk.
Exactly, my friend. Thanks for the encouragement. Tonite's work will be focused on counteracting that rotation. Plus, I'll have Kevin evaluate my squats tomorrow.
nice insights Geoff. Could it be that your body has done those movements over the years that the pattern itself is stressing the same tissues and areas in exactly the same way, over and over again?
What about completely changing the movements for a while to see if that allows you to train similar movements but in a fresh new way?
Just an idea.
franz thats a great idea but if you are a competitive athlete it's hard to do,espcially when you are on a schedule. thats why its so easy to get hurt training for comps eh? lol.
sometimes( as with me) you just have burned out a pathway and there is nothing else to do but change grooves. not fun.
All good insights, gentlemen. After my GPP/rehab workout, I felt A LOT better. This I believe, is the key. I have failed to do this routinely. Here's the workout:
A1. Chins--really emphasizing supination by actively turning pinkies in while pulling x6
A2. The Pump x10
A3. Reverse lunges: R->L x10+10
I felt very loose and very "alive" after this one. Right knee felt fine--almost perfect.
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