Week 3 wraps up the active rest phase. The lower back is feeling pretty good throughout the movements and with the rehab exercises. I made significant improvements in my limitations over the 3 week phase. Here are the changes:
- Hip internal rotation: R 42 (37 prior), L 42 (32 prior)
- Hip external rotation: R 30 (23 prior), L 36 (28 prior)
- Quad length: 75 degrees R (61 prior), 73 degrees L (39 prior)
- Hip flexor length: -14 degrees R (-15 prior), -14 degrees L (-16 prior)
- GH flexion: 172 degrees R (165 prior), 160 degrees L (149 prior)
- Hamstring length: 41 degrees R (52 prior); 46 degrees L (48 prior)
- ----> Note: hamstring length was measured in 90-90 position with how many degrees I was lacking from straight (so less is better)
- Pronation: 100 degrees R (unchanged since it was normal); 78 degrees L (68 prior)
Back pain is the most common orthopedic problem in the USA. It has also been illustrated that radiographic findings (MRI/x-ray/CT scan) do not correlate to an individual's symptoms. This means that someone with a significant disc herniation identified by MRI may have no symptoms or very mild symptoms versus someone with a mild disc bulge might have burning pain down their leg, nerve weakness, and reflex changes. Why is that? Why do some people have symptoms extremely worse than others when on imaging it is the other way around? The answer has to do with 4 principles and their interplay: Load, Position, Nerve Tension, and Static Posture.
Prior to starting my active recovery phase, I had a co-worker take some measurements for me (muscle length, joint stiffness, etc). Here is what we came up with:
In the last part of this series, I will discuss how the core applies to athletics and weightlifting. Until now, all the discussions have solely been about the core, controlling its position, and making it work dynamically as it should for specific core exercises; what about the transfer to higher level activities? How come some people say dedicated core training isn’t necessary because they squat and lift heavy? How come some people never do dedicated core training, but are good at sports and lift relatively heavy weights?
I’ve stated a number of times in previous blogs that my goals for this powerlifting meet were 550-600/400-415/675-700. After my post on alcohol and powerlifting, I pointed out my mistakes and overstepping my MRV (maximum recoverable volume).
So far in this blog series I’ve discussed lumbopelvic anatomy, defined the core, and deciphered common daily activities. Those cover the basis for low back health and optimizing movement patterns. Now that you have the foundation, I can get into the “meat and potatoes.” In this installment, I will discuss therapeutic and functional core stability. I will discuss how to make it individualized and review common errors with popular core exercises.
Today I will talk about how this transfers to everyday activities and movements. If you have back pain or have injured your back, these topics are some of the most practical, easiest ways to help decrease your back pain or reduce your risk for another episode back pain. If you don’t have back pain, these topics will help you understand how to reduce overall stress on your back which will improve recovery. It will also teach you to groove proper stability patterns for a large variety of situations, and it will enhance your positional awareness which will help you tweak your athletic endeavors to improve efficiency.
Here in the third installment, I will discuss stabilizing the functional range. We will review core anatomy, and I will address the ever-present debate of abdominal drawing in/hollowing vs abdominal bracing.
In the first installment of this 5 part blog series I will be discussing lumbopelvic movement. Everyone at some point has heard the phrase “core strength.” Everyone at some point has thought about what to do to have a stronger core. The internet search begins and just leads you in endless circles; you waste 3 hours and are minimally, if any, closer to figuring out how to “strengthen your core.”
The best way to determine the MRV is to keep climbing in volume until the next training phase (whether session, microcycle, or mesocycle) is reduced in performance due to high fatigue.
Last weekend was my bachelor party. Needless to say, my best man chose the king of all locations for the event, Las Vegas. Currently, I am following the Juggernaut 2.0 program by Chad Wesley Smith of Juggernaut Training Systems. I just started the last mesocycle of the program, "accumulation" in the 3s wave. On the flight to Vegas I was thinking about the effect of the copious amounts of alcohol on my training. Was I about the throw away the last 4 months (9 day workout week) of training? With my competition in early April, was I jeopardizing my chance at reaching my goals? Let's take a look at the effects of alcohol on training, recovery, and life.
