New here - Intro and questions on accommodating injuries
engian
Posts: 70 Member
Hello all,
This is my first post in ETP. I joined a little while back and have been reading threads… really excellent information and advice here. Oh can I use some help and advice.
For a little background: 51 year old male. May 2013 was a turning point for me – making a lifestyle change in (a) tracking what I eat and (b) actively pursuing exercise. I completed beachbody’s Power 90 regime, losing about 25 pounds and gaining some long lost strength, endurance, and flexibility. I joined MFP sometime in early June (I think). I found I really liked the ‘strength’ part of Power 90, but could only do so much with the resistance bands provided.
I have essentially no training or knowledge of power lifting. My 2014 goal is to gain strength, lean muscle mass (10-15 lbs), and thereby add some definition to my thin physique. Currently I am 165 lbs, 6’ 1”.
I want to start a strength training program but have a few injuries that I have to accommodate. They are:
1. Right knee medial meniscus cartilage. I’ve torn it twice and have had it cleaned via arthroscopy twice. I can feel some discomfort in when performing some movements. Shoe support is very important and I’ve just ordered some Reebok Nano 3’s.
2. Left foot/arch plantar fasciitis. What a pain. Better shoes and insoles help, as does regular stretching.
3. Abdominal hernia, right side. Another pain. During Power 90 I substituted squats (no weights) for lunges because the lunges caused it to pop (and hurt).
I am currently reading Starting Strength as a beginner guide to heavy lifting. Our family belongs to a gym which had a nice free weights (barbells, dumbbells) area and I’ve begun lifting there. I’ve had my two free coaching sessions and used those to get started with form and use of the barbells. I have not yet started overhead presses or power cleans. I’m not sure if deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts are the same…am I getting two different things confused here?
With Starting Strength as my starting point – is this a good starting plan? - do you have any advice on which lifts I should be cautious of, based on the three previously mentioned injuries? Maybe alternate lifts, or techniques?
I've been waffling a bit with really getting going on the strength training and would very much appreciate hearing knowledgable opinions.
A lot of thanks in advance,
Elia
This is my first post in ETP. I joined a little while back and have been reading threads… really excellent information and advice here. Oh can I use some help and advice.
For a little background: 51 year old male. May 2013 was a turning point for me – making a lifestyle change in (a) tracking what I eat and (b) actively pursuing exercise. I completed beachbody’s Power 90 regime, losing about 25 pounds and gaining some long lost strength, endurance, and flexibility. I joined MFP sometime in early June (I think). I found I really liked the ‘strength’ part of Power 90, but could only do so much with the resistance bands provided.
I have essentially no training or knowledge of power lifting. My 2014 goal is to gain strength, lean muscle mass (10-15 lbs), and thereby add some definition to my thin physique. Currently I am 165 lbs, 6’ 1”.
I want to start a strength training program but have a few injuries that I have to accommodate. They are:
1. Right knee medial meniscus cartilage. I’ve torn it twice and have had it cleaned via arthroscopy twice. I can feel some discomfort in when performing some movements. Shoe support is very important and I’ve just ordered some Reebok Nano 3’s.
2. Left foot/arch plantar fasciitis. What a pain. Better shoes and insoles help, as does regular stretching.
3. Abdominal hernia, right side. Another pain. During Power 90 I substituted squats (no weights) for lunges because the lunges caused it to pop (and hurt).
I am currently reading Starting Strength as a beginner guide to heavy lifting. Our family belongs to a gym which had a nice free weights (barbells, dumbbells) area and I’ve begun lifting there. I’ve had my two free coaching sessions and used those to get started with form and use of the barbells. I have not yet started overhead presses or power cleans. I’m not sure if deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts are the same…am I getting two different things confused here?
With Starting Strength as my starting point – is this a good starting plan? - do you have any advice on which lifts I should be cautious of, based on the three previously mentioned injuries? Maybe alternate lifts, or techniques?
I've been waffling a bit with really getting going on the strength training and would very much appreciate hearing knowledgable opinions.
A lot of thanks in advance,
Elia
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Replies
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Hey, Its a nice goal to have for 2014, your at a good weight that you can eat a good amount and see some nice progress once your fully up to speed with form and safety of moves.
As with your injuries listed, with the right knee really be careful the first few times doing weighted squats (especially increasing weight) and make sure that safety bar is set in a good spot... just doing unweighted squats or light weight you may not notice, but once you start increasing really watch for any sort of give on it.. (as your knee is basically holding you up)
Also during deadlifts, your hernia issue I could see being a problem but just be careful with that.
Just when starting out, remember its not about how much you lift, but how you lift it.. so don't think people are looking at you in the gym cause your not lifting very much.. just make sure form is good.. so ya know.. no rocking, no back movement.. that kinda thing.
I am sure others will also give some advice. Good luck.0 -
Tagging0
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Greenrun99,
Thanks for the reply. I'll keep a watch out for the knee during the squats. I don't lift that much; so far I've been doing either just the bar or the bar with some lighter plates on it. I haven't yet felt it, but will be cautious. On the deadlifts I haven't felt the hernia. I haven't tried a barbell press or an overhead press yet - will be cautious there too.
I had heard Starting Strength was a good basic form book - that is why I'm reading it now. Do you think it is worthwhile in terms of a guide on form? I ask because I've already encountered a trainer at the gym who told me to not do a certain thing which was emphasized in SS on the back bar squat.
Thanks again,
Elia0 -
Greenrun99,
Thanks for the reply. I'll keep a watch out for the knee during the squats. I don't lift that much; so far I've been doing either just the bar or the bar with some lighter plates on it. I haven't yet felt it, but will be cautious. On the deadlifts I haven't felt the hernia. I haven't tried a barbell press or an overhead press yet - will be cautious there too.
I had heard Starting Strength was a good basic form book - that is why I'm reading it now. Do you think it is worthwhile in terms of a guide on form? I ask because I've already encountered a trainer at the gym who told me to not do a certain thing which was emphasized in SS on the back bar squat.
Thanks again,
Elia
What did your trainer advise against regarding SS information?
Generally I think Rippetoe does a great job teaching fundamental techniques. I'd be curious what your trainer differs on.0 -
SideSteel,
The first they picked at was my eye focal point at the bottom of the squat. Rippetoe describes focusing at a point four or five feet in front of you, on the ground. The trainer wanted me to look straight ahead, or even slightly up. Secondly they wanted my back to be more vertical, even at the bottom of the squat....almost upright. That too differed quite a bit from what I thought I had read ,in SS. Starting Strength sure seems to go into quite a good bit of detail on the biomechanics of a lift, from the fulcrum/levering to which joints and muscles are being loaded up. Not a fast read, but good stuff for a novice (me!).
Elia0 -
SideSteel,
The first they picked at was my eye focal point at the bottom of the squat. Rippetoe describes focusing at a point four or five feet in front of you, on the ground. The trainer wanted me to look straight ahead, or even slightly up. Secondly they wanted my back to be more vertical, even at the bottom of the squat....almost upright. That too differed quite a bit from what I thought I had read ,in SS. Starting Strength sure seems to go into quite a good bit of detail on the biomechanics of a lift, from the fulcrum/levering to which joints and muscles are being loaded up. Not a fast read, but good stuff for a novice (me!).
Elia
Can you clarify:
Are you trying to squat in a low bar position or a high bar position?
I haven't actually read the SS original text but I know rip favors the low-bar back squat.
Mechanics of the low bar squat differ from the high bar squat in torso angle and some high bar squatters favor looking straight or slightly up vs looking slightly down.
It sounds to me like you are either squatting high bar, or you are squatting low bar but you are working with a trainer who is assuming that the mechanics of high bar are the same as low bar.0 -
In SS he describes a low bar (back) squat and I am following his form guidance. I am not familiar with what a high bar squat form is....but it could be that that is the form the trainer was trying to get me use....as you've described it just now.
Elia0 -
Tagging0
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This is a pretty good video showing the difference between high and low bar (and front) squats if it helps.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRMiUtscrHw
There is actually quite a bit of disagreement about where to look - I find looking up on high bar and mid level on back squats works best for me.
Re your shoes - do they have compression soles? For the compound lifts, you should have a non compression sole and it should be flat (or slightly raised at the heels for squats).0 -
Sara,
For some reason I can't get the hyperlink to work using my ipad Is there a forum setting that you know of which will allow me to use, or even just copy, the URL?
I think I could really use a trainer knowledgable in lifting to critique my form. I know that I don't know what a proper form should feel like to me when in performing the lift.
I had been using some New Balance cross trainers (1211). They have a fair amount of cushioning in the sole, and particularly in the heel. Oddly enough I am pretty sure they contributed to my plantar fasciitis due to the way they fit near the heel on the insole (with some cushioning material ridge or change of material crossing just forward of the heels). I ordered and just received yesterday a pair Reebok Nano 3 cross fit shoes to replace the New Balances. The Nanos feel much flatter in e sole and have much less lateral squishing and movement in the heel (just walking around the house). I got these based solely on on-line reviews, thinking they would help both in stability during lifting and if/when doing cross training workouts.
Elia0 -
Sara,
For some reason I can't get the hyperlink to work using my ipad Is there a forum setting that you know of which will allow me to use, or even just copy, the URL?
I think I could really use a trainer knowledgable in lifting to critique my form. I know that I don't know what a proper form should feel like to me when in performing the lift.
I had been using some New Balance cross trainers (1211). They have a fair amount of cushioning in the sole, and particularly in the heel. Oddly enough I am pretty sure they contributed to my plantar fasciitis due to the way they fit near the heel on the insole (with some cushioning material ridge or change of material crossing just forward of the heels). I ordered and just received yesterday a pair Reebok Nano 3 cross fit shoes to replace the New Balances. The Nanos feel much flatter in e sole and have much less lateral squishing and movement in the heel (just walking around the house). I got these based solely on on-line reviews, thinking they would help both in stability during lifting and if/when doing cross training workouts.
Elia
Check the stickied posts in our group. We have a form critique thread where users upload videos of their lifts and get feedback from some of our more knowledgeable members.
Take a few vids on your cell phone of your squat and submit them.0 -
Will do.0
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SS, Sara,
I've posted a link to a video I shot this morning showing my low bar squat form in the sticky thread on form. Critiques are appreciated.
Thanks,
Elia0
