More with Dr. Cobb
Z-Health was back in town this weekend for another R-Phase. I sat in on part of Saturday but that was all I could handle. I had a private session Saturday morning. Here was the problem: I couldn't flex my right knee while my right was extension without sharp pain. Nothing I did would take care of it. Nothing. My timing in seeing him was perfect and it seems this always happens. Here's what we found: the same visual and vestibular disturbance we found at the start (apparently, these things return) plus more visual tracking problems.
Here was the coolest thing about the session: Dr. Cobb was palpating my right gastroc. It was tender to the touch. At this point, many other practitioners would've concluded that my right gastroc was the problem. Some SMR and/or stretching would've been prescribed; I'd done that stuff in the past. No dice. Back to Dr. Cobb: He had me do some more visual testing, found a faulty motor pattern, and had me do some visual and vestibular work. Here's the cool part: I didn't move anything other than my head and eyes. I was still standing in the same place and my right gastroc was no longer tender to the touch.
Take home point: The fascial system is slave to the visual and vestibular systems. Fascial winding apparently is determined primarily by the visual system. I did not know that. Very cool.
Then, Dr. Cobb found yet more visual problems. These made me want to vomit: sympathetic response. He concluded that if while looking down on the squat, I looked slightly left with my eyes only, that would break the old motor pattern and rewind the fascial systems associated with my right knee. I tried it yesterday. It worked like a charm. Perfect front squats. Perfect. Felt like a new knee.
Here was yesterday's training session (on the platform with weightlifting partner):
Sunday, 2.11.07
A. Snatch from high point.
Tried getting under the bar. Nothing doing. Right knee pain plus old winding pattern. Switched exercises.
B. Pressing/Heaving/Snatch Balance (depending on the weight)
60kg/3
(70/2, 80/2, 90/2) x4; approx 60-90s rest (you go, I go)
C. Clean from the high point
70kg/3
(100/2, 105/2, 110/2) x3; approx 60-90s rest (you go, I go)
My legs were feeling tired in the middle of these. Almost a week off will do that to you.
D. Front Squat. Just had to try these out, even though I was tired already.
100kg/3, 110/2, 120/1;
110/3, 120/2, 130/1
These were the BEST front squats I have ever done. Ever. It was like I was squatting on rails--straight up, straight down. Plenty of room left. Felt like I could've squeezed out 4-5 with that 130kg. Good stuff.
Tonite's session,
Monday, 2.12.07
Focus is on putting on some muscle as well as pushing the strength up. Using a program I developed a couple of years ago just before I hurt my hip. This combined with some heavy eating put approximately 10 relatively lean pounds on me at that time. Let's see if it still works, cause I need about 20 right now...
A. Press, jerk grip, 3RM, then 80% for 8 sets of 3 with 60s rest
3RM=90kg,
80%=72.5kg
Sets 4 and 5 were hard--then it got easier.
B. Rack Pull, clean grip, 2 inches below knee, 3RM, then 80% for 8 sets of 3 with 60s rest
3RM=205kg,
80%=165kg
This was really disappointing for me. I realized just how weak I've become, especially at this lighter bodyweight. Of course, just after typing this, I realize I've never had the mobility to pull from this position. But still, numbers seem a little low. If I want to C&J 200kg eventually, this number needs probably another 100kg added to it. Another year or so...
C. Front Squat, 1x5, 2x3
60kg/5, 100/3 x2 set; approx. 90s rest
Just wanted to grease the groove here. Try out the new eye position 2 days in a row. Again, no problems. Easy. Did feel a little tired after the RM work though.
D. 45 Degree Hypers
1x10, bodyweight.
I liked the RM work in the past with the back-down sets. My reasoning for doing this is that it put on specific muscle, that is, specific to Olympic lifting. The back-down sets work quite nicely for this. That 80% is a little heavier than it normally would be due to CNS potentiation from the RM work. So, I get to use more weight. Good stuff. We'll see how it works now with a more efficient CNS.
Overall, feel good--a little tired, but good.
Tomorrow is a KB/GPP/Rehab day.
Z-Health was back in town this weekend for another R-Phase. I sat in on part of Saturday but that was all I could handle. I had a private session Saturday morning. Here was the problem: I couldn't flex my right knee while my right was extension without sharp pain. Nothing I did would take care of it. Nothing. My timing in seeing him was perfect and it seems this always happens. Here's what we found: the same visual and vestibular disturbance we found at the start (apparently, these things return) plus more visual tracking problems.
Here was the coolest thing about the session: Dr. Cobb was palpating my right gastroc. It was tender to the touch. At this point, many other practitioners would've concluded that my right gastroc was the problem. Some SMR and/or stretching would've been prescribed; I'd done that stuff in the past. No dice. Back to Dr. Cobb: He had me do some more visual testing, found a faulty motor pattern, and had me do some visual and vestibular work. Here's the cool part: I didn't move anything other than my head and eyes. I was still standing in the same place and my right gastroc was no longer tender to the touch.
Take home point: The fascial system is slave to the visual and vestibular systems. Fascial winding apparently is determined primarily by the visual system. I did not know that. Very cool.
Then, Dr. Cobb found yet more visual problems. These made me want to vomit: sympathetic response. He concluded that if while looking down on the squat, I looked slightly left with my eyes only, that would break the old motor pattern and rewind the fascial systems associated with my right knee. I tried it yesterday. It worked like a charm. Perfect front squats. Perfect. Felt like a new knee.
Here was yesterday's training session (on the platform with weightlifting partner):
Sunday, 2.11.07
A. Snatch from high point.
Tried getting under the bar. Nothing doing. Right knee pain plus old winding pattern. Switched exercises.
B. Pressing/Heaving/Snatch Balance (depending on the weight)
60kg/3
(70/2, 80/2, 90/2) x4; approx 60-90s rest (you go, I go)
C. Clean from the high point
70kg/3
(100/2, 105/2, 110/2) x3; approx 60-90s rest (you go, I go)
My legs were feeling tired in the middle of these. Almost a week off will do that to you.
D. Front Squat. Just had to try these out, even though I was tired already.
100kg/3, 110/2, 120/1;
110/3, 120/2, 130/1
These were the BEST front squats I have ever done. Ever. It was like I was squatting on rails--straight up, straight down. Plenty of room left. Felt like I could've squeezed out 4-5 with that 130kg. Good stuff.
Tonite's session,
Monday, 2.12.07
Focus is on putting on some muscle as well as pushing the strength up. Using a program I developed a couple of years ago just before I hurt my hip. This combined with some heavy eating put approximately 10 relatively lean pounds on me at that time. Let's see if it still works, cause I need about 20 right now...
A. Press, jerk grip, 3RM, then 80% for 8 sets of 3 with 60s rest
3RM=90kg,
80%=72.5kg
Sets 4 and 5 were hard--then it got easier.
B. Rack Pull, clean grip, 2 inches below knee, 3RM, then 80% for 8 sets of 3 with 60s rest
3RM=205kg,
80%=165kg
This was really disappointing for me. I realized just how weak I've become, especially at this lighter bodyweight. Of course, just after typing this, I realize I've never had the mobility to pull from this position. But still, numbers seem a little low. If I want to C&J 200kg eventually, this number needs probably another 100kg added to it. Another year or so...
C. Front Squat, 1x5, 2x3
60kg/5, 100/3 x2 set; approx. 90s rest
Just wanted to grease the groove here. Try out the new eye position 2 days in a row. Again, no problems. Easy. Did feel a little tired after the RM work though.
D. 45 Degree Hypers
1x10, bodyweight.
I liked the RM work in the past with the back-down sets. My reasoning for doing this is that it put on specific muscle, that is, specific to Olympic lifting. The back-down sets work quite nicely for this. That 80% is a little heavier than it normally would be due to CNS potentiation from the RM work. So, I get to use more weight. Good stuff. We'll see how it works now with a more efficient CNS.
Overall, feel good--a little tired, but good.
Tomorrow is a KB/GPP/Rehab day.
posted by Geoff Neupert at
9:31 PM
5 Comments:
Geoff
After reading yoru blog and your mentions of Z Health I've ordered one of their DVDs.
Sounds interesting stuff - I'm ready to try anything on my back! Stretching, massage, trigger point therapy all help....so does relaxing.
geoff,
glad you got that fixed so quickly. only problem to me is that if YOU, with all your z experience, couldnt get it how can the average person,even with good z health training figure those connections out? Seems like Dr Cobb is a genius with these things but it does appear, from the writing anyway, pretty complicated assesment stuff.
I'll call soon.
ps back is unspasmed today!
Chris--you can't go wrong. Just be patient and enjoy learning how to move again. I'm currently moving like I was 10+ years ago.
Rif--you bring up a VERY valid point. However, I'm really not that experienced with Z--just practicing for a year now. And I've only been practicing R-Phase and am only certed. thru R-Phase. You're right--Dr. Cobb is a genius which is why he's distilled Z down into bite-size chunks, or phases, of which, there are four, in the following order: R-Phase, I-Phase, Sports-Specific, and Rehab. R-Phase works for 75-80% of the general population. Guys like you and me are anything but general. Some of the TPT trainers periodically checked me with I-Phase assessments and it was my former business partner, Tom, who determined the myofascial winding and what to do to correct it. That went a LONG way in and of itself.
Re: the assessment: Actually, the R-Phase assessment, which is actually the standard Z-Health assessment is so simple, you'll kick yourself when you find out at the R-Phase cert. It makes PERFECT sense, once you see it and go thru it and explains why every other assessment on the market today is actually a skill assessment that has little to do with imbalances. Even the I-Phase assessments are simple enough once you learn them.
Oh yeah, Rif--good job on the back.
cool dude.can't to see some of this stuff in action. back is better still today. almost eerie. I think I sarno'd it,lol.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home