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Hikeon3
04-27-11, 10:49 pm
Injuries.

Brothers, that is a terrifying word for all of us. We put our time in every day; paying our dues in sweat, skin, and blood. But an injury can put a halt to all of our striving in an instant.

I herniated a lumbar disc back in March of 2009 when I was squatting 135 for warmups. I was showing my girlfriend how to safely use the smith rack to safely do a barbell squat. I'm glad she didn't do what I did. One small pop and my life was changed. I crawled to the car and barely made it home that day. It's been a long road since then.

After the injury, I focused on rehabilitation and gradual re-introduction to the iron. From a meaty 205 to a scrawny 155 in less than two years of crippling back pain; and that is my hurdle. The past year has been all about progressively adding weight. Slowly and surely, the lifts are coming back. I'm back up to 170 and lean, and almost as strong as I was at 205. But life after an injury isn't just about physical recovery. It's also mental.

Time to stack my corner. With all the motivation in the world, all of you to support me, and Animal RAGE providing the extra tug of wind in my sails, I'm looking to crush my log book numbers.

Welcome to my ride.


Thanks to Animal for allowing me to log this and choosing me for the promo. I am honored to do so.

Bruiser
04-28-11, 8:17 am
Your story sounds like mine bro. I've got three herniated disks (injury followed by a botched surgery) and went from being 245 lbs to 135 lbs in two years. After battling an addiction to the pain meds they put me on, I'm feeling better than ever. I was out of the game for over three years. I just got back to it last Christmas. I hope you're feeling as positive and driven as I am. It sound like you are. Good luck bro.

Hikeon3
04-28-11, 11:27 am
Your story sounds like mine bro. I've got three herniated disks (injury followed by a botched surgery) and went from being 245 lbs to 135 lbs in two years. After battling an addiction to the pain meds they put me on, I'm feeling better than ever. I was out of the game for over three years. I just got back to it last Christmas. I hope you're feeling as positive and driven as I am. It sound like you are. Good luck bro.

Thanks man, glad to have you around for support. You know what it's like. Taking every rep with 90% raw determination; yet 10% terror that the smallest of body mechanics just might send you crawling back to that car seat and back to the cabinet for another dose of numbness.

Hoping that the added focus and intensity that a solid pre-WO adds to the game will make the difference. Hoping to see that UPS truck soon.

Hikeon3
04-30-11, 1:13 pm
Just knocked back my first pack of RAGE with a few glasses of water. 20 minutes then I'm off to the gym for some Saturday Leg Annihilation. I work tonight 4 to midnight, then it's off to dreamland.

Hope to update after the workout.

Hikeon3
04-30-11, 2:49 pm
Well I weighed in today. 167lbs. Not too shabby. Feeling good pre-workout. Definitely feeling the stims. Sweating like a pig.

Hopped on the Stairmaster for my normal 6-8 minute cardio warmup. Straight into some dynamic stretching for my low back, hammies, hips, and quads. About 5 minutes. Then right into the workout.

Since my wife wasn't with me and the racks were occupied today, it was all hack squat.

Hacks (medium-wide stance, toes barely off the edge of platform):
warmup sled only x15
warmup 50x10
warmup 90x6
warmup 140x4
warmup 180x4
work set 230x10, last 4 reeeallly nice and slow
work set 250x6, last 4 slooooow and good contraction
work set 260x6, last 5 slow, because I had to work like hell for it
work set 265x5(PR), all 5 slow, grunted audibly, embarrassing but felt great.
work set 270x5(PR), all 5 very slow. Amazed that I pulled it off.

On that last set I definitely pushed my body a tad too far. Back is sore as hell now. Finished off on the Cybex Leg Press.

Cybex LP (narrow stance, toes on platform):
320x12, quick and short
340x10, quick
360x8, a bit slower, a tad deeper.

Could've worked heavier, but back was irritating me so cut that one right there.

Calves on Cybex LP:
360x15, 15, 15

Pooped it right there. Back could be a mess for a day or two. But this actually happens often. Nothing daily doses of fish oil, glucosamine, and a day or two of ibuprofen can't take care of.

First Impressions on RAGE:
a. Body heated up like CRAZY. I've never been so sweaty from leg day. Ever. Drenched.
b. Intensity was through the roof. Where my body is normally telling me to move on, I found myself searching for the 5's or 2.5's to go again.
c. Focus; until my back tweaked, nothing meant more to me than adding more weight and feeling my legs burn like wildfire.

Back day was supposed to be tomorrow. I may put shoulder/traps in it's place so I can wait until Wednesday for deadlifting. Time for a dose of food and ibuprofen.