Building a Titan!

[John McCarter]

Been a while since I have logged anything down in terms of a workout log but I think this may keep me focused on my goals.

A week ago I injured my back. I'm barely able to do anything. MGC had to be put on hold, I may have to give up my job, there is so much pain I am enduring the doctors have me on 3 different pain meds; using bengay to calm it down. Long story short, I'm back at square one.

 I'm going to use this log to hopefully rebuild up and go beyond where I had been before. I've been to the e.r. 3 times this week and will be looking at getting into a place for physical rehab before I start lifting weights and gripping again.

Here are my long-term goal: 1) 500 lb squat, 2) 700 lb deadlift, 3) 300 lb Overhead Press, 4) 300 lb Two Hand Pinch

Right now I'm doing a lot of foam rolling, yoga stretches. 

 

8/26/2017

Foam Rolling for an hour

Different yoga stretches for a half hour

30 minutes on a massager

[Ole' Puller]

Wow .. really sorry about the extent of your injury especially since it's bad enough to where you might have to take time off work. You're doing the right thing though .. Yoga stretches, massages and rub downs in addition to physical rehab over time will get you back on track. Take time man and come back at 100% .. without a doubt you'll meet or exceed those goals!

[John McCarter]

8/27/2017

Attempted a 10 minute walk but only managed 5 instead. The road to recovery is going to take a while.

Pain is worse today. Depression is starting to kick my butt, doing what I can to remain positive.

 

[Ole' Puller]

Whatever you do .. fight off depression as best you can. I recall the feeling all too well. Suffering injuries in arm wrestling and shot put in the past and with grip training not to long ago has set me back in ways where I felt like all I wanted to do was get mobile enough to where I could work relatively pain free .. come home .. check on my family then go into vegetation mode. I'll put down a few cold ones, stare at the equipment, feel guilty and depressed then go to sleep and repeat. 

Not being able to train like I know I could was eating me up. My pants and shirt sizes went up, I became somewhat distant and nearly came to the conclusion that my best days are gone. What got me going again .. what helped fuel me was the realization that many men of iron go through very similar experiences. I began to join internet strength groups .. I started checking out the accomplishments of others on YouTube (including you) and other forums .. I began to see the light .. I started doing very basic things .. nothing special .. but it was something. Now I've set my sights on trimming down some more, certifying on the COC #3, and thanks to your generous advice I've put together a program to help me get there. I'd like to get good at a variety of grip lifts .. one step at a time .. so that 5 minute walk may not have been what you planned for but it was something. A little plus a little equals a lot! You WILL get healthy and you WILL accomplish the strength goals you set for yourself .. Hang in there brother! 🤛💪🤜

[terminal]

John, I wish you the best and will be following you as you walk your path brother.

[Chez]

Sorry to hear about your injury John. Best of luck with your recovery and reaching your goals.

[John McCarter]

3 hours ago, Ole' Puller said:

Whatever you do .. fight off depression as best you can. I recall the feeling all too well. Suffering injuries in arm wrestling and shot put in the past and with grip training not to long ago has set me back in ways where I felt like all I wanted to do was get mobile enough to where I could work relatively pain free .. come home .. check on my family then go into vegetation mode. I'll put down a few cold ones, stare at the equipment, feel guilty and depressed then go to sleep and repeat. 

Not being able to train like I know I could was eating me up. My pants and shirt sizes went up, I became somewhat distant and nearly came to the conclusion that my best days are gone. What got me going again .. what helped fuel me was the realization that many men of iron go through very similar experiences. I began to join internet strength groups .. I started checking out the accomplishments of others on YouTube (including you) and other forums .. I began to see the light .. I started doing very basic things .. nothing special .. but it was something. Now I've set my sights on trimming down some more, certifying on the COC #3, and thanks to your generous advice I've put together a program to help me get there. I'd like to get good at a variety of grip lifts .. one step at a time .. so that 5 minute walk may not have been what you planned for but it was something. A little plus a little equals a lot! You WILL get healthy and you WILL accomplish the strength goals you set for yourself .. Hang in there brother! 🤛💪🤜

 

2 hours ago, terminal said:

John, I wish you the best and will be following you as you walk your path brother.

Thanks guys. This is a really hard time for me. Time is what I have to work with and accept, but I won't accept is this mental state of depression. I will become better with each passing day. 

When I can lift anything heavier than 50lbs I will be so freaking happy.

This is a journey I never expected to take but I have to appreciate every second as it could be my last in the world of iron and grip.

[John McCarter]

17 minutes ago, Chez said:

Sorry to hear about your injury John. Best of luck with your recovery and reaching your goals.

Thanks Chez. It sucks being in this position but I'm dealing with the hand I was dealt and just have to take it one day at a time.

[Shatterer]

Good luck to you on the road to recovery. Not sure what your injury is but I recommend "The Back Mechanic" by Dr. Start McGill. He is a spinal biomechanics professor that has worked with many powerlifter and strongman and has coached them back to optimal back health. His book is excellent and practical. I work in medicine and unfortunately we are not trained on prevention and mechanics like we should be, it's all about treatment with meds and surgery (viable when called for of course). Hope this helps, good luck man.

[John McCarter]

1 minute ago, Shatterer said:

Good luck to you on the road to recovery. Not sure what your injury is but I recommend "The Back Mechanic" by Dr. Start McGill. He is a spinal biomechanics professor that has worked with many powerlifter and strongman and has coached them back to optimal back health. His book is excellent and practical. I work in medicine and unfortunately we are not trained on prevention and mechanics like we should be, it's all about treatment with meds and surgery (viable when called for of course). Hope this helps, good luck man.

Thank you I would not have found that book on my own. I'll have to check that out when I can.

[John McCarter]

Attempted to go do my job today. Everything went downhill and the pain had intensified more than when it started. Had to leave work only after an hour and half after starting. Had to go back to the E.R. as the pain went beyond a 10. Was fearful as I drove and when the pain spiked I had to will my body to the best of my abilities at that moment, it's hard to do. I don't know how I made it but I was lucky.

Did some hot/cold therapy when I made it home. Was able to move around a little at the house but that it.

Had to have my wife call up some therapist (pain just prevented me from actually talking and any words you couldn't understand); starting rehab tomorrow and finding out what needs to happen next so I can start fixing the back.

[Jörg Keilbach]

On 28.8.2017 at 5:10 PM, John McCarter said:

Thank you I would not have found that book on my own. I'll have to check that out when I can.

Check it out John! I also have this book. It will help you make the right dessisions. 

Hope you feel better soon!

[Geralt]

So what is this back pain, John? I mean what did the doctors do except giving painrelief? I couldn't find anything you wrote about a possible diagnose, With this kind of pain I don't see how you can rehab, right? 

I hope it goes uphill soon for you man. 

Edited September 2, 2017 by Geralt

[GripAustria]

You need an accurate diagnosis too know for sure whats wrong with your back, that should be priority NR 1 

Maybe you need even a surgery. 

I guess you did have one or more herniated discs. 

In any case, surgery or not, you will have to undergo a reha program. 

I've helped many people with problems like yours, dont be desperate, even though at this moment it looks grim and hopeless.

I am honest, it will not be easy, it will takes time and you will face setbacks on your way back to 100% 

The recommendation of Dr Mc Gills book is a good one, he is THE expert in this kind of injuries.

The first step is STABILITY.

Best of course would be obviously 1 too 1 instruction but this should guide you in the right direction.

Start with PLANKS,

after 2 weeks ad SIDE PLANKS on a back raise 

THE 2 STEP is GLUTE STRENGTHENING in a safe way

Ad glute bridges too your program 

The next step is adding a back friendly Squat variation too your program, i developed a special harness for that but goblet Squats should do the Job as well.

The next step is strengthening the adductors and abductors that is best achieved with Bands. 

I know Mc Gill is not really a friend of it but i had good success with the Reverse Hyper, add Reverse Hypers too your program.

That should help you for the first time.

Maybe we can change e mails and i instruct through the internet.

All the best 

 

 

 

 

 

[John McCarter]

Just a quick thank you to everyone who has commented. Things had gotten bad the last few days with having to switch to different meds to help manage the pain but holy crap did that go south fast (mentally screwed me up; caused a few mood swings, one med was an anti depressant that I had no clue about until I had to use google to do simple research on, that wasn't pretty and I'll leave it at that). Had a C.T. scan and everything is good on that end. I'm seeing a physical therapist, nothing has been started as far as a program of some type, he wanted to get an m.r.i. done first before he would proceed with anything else to get a better understanding of what's going on with my back (had an m.r.i. done a few days ago and should get the results this week).

Been attempting to walk a little more each day. Attempted to hold my daughter for longer times but that just winds me (not joking, I'm literally out of breath from just from holding a 20+ lb toddler). Hot and cold method.

[John McCarter]

Last two days I've attempted to walk a mile. Thursday was really hard since I was having a hard time breathing and just attempting to not pass out.

For today I went to the doctors and got both good and disappointing news. The m.r.i. showed that my upper back is good, well for the most part; a few strained muscles here and there. Unfortunately they only did my upper back and didn't focus on the whole back, so I have to have another m.r.i. done for next week for the lower end. 

 

[Geralt]

7 hours ago, John McCarter said:

Last two days I've attempted to walk a mile. Thursday was really hard since I was having a hard time breathing and just attempting to not pass out.

For today I went to the doctors and got both good and disappointing news. The m.r.i. showed that my upper back is good, well for the most part; a few strained muscles here and there. Unfortunately they only did my upper back and didn't focus on the whole back, so I have to have another m.r.i. done for next week for the lower end. 

 

Dude what you write is here is not normal. If MRI is not showing anything that's strange. Lower back could be something but what you describe doesn't seem to come from the lower body. 

Can't they take you in for a complet investigation by now? Lungs, whatever, there has got to be something, the symptoms you describe here don't relate to me as something you can easily rehab out of. Sorry not trying to scare you or something but you being here on the board describing you hardly can breath that's just nuts. We need the old John back, pushing carts and crushing grippers. 

[John McCarter]

7 hours ago, Geralt said:

Dude what you write is here is not normal. If MRI is not showing anything that's strange. Lower back could be something but what you describe doesn't seem to come from the lower body. 

Can't they take you in for a complet investigation by now? Lungs, whatever, there has got to be something, the symptoms you describe here don't relate to me as something you can easily rehab out of. Sorry not trying to scare you or something but you being here on the board describing you hardly can breath that's just nuts. We need the old John back, pushing carts and crushing grippers. 

I hear you on that. I was actually really upset with the doctor who had the ordered the mri. I want to be back to where I was at but my body is just giving me the middle finger so much right now.

[Shatterer]

If they first ordered an upper back MRI and not lower with your symptoms you need to find a new provider, they are hooking you for money/insurance claims.  With your symptoms you should've had a lumbar MRI first, not CT, not thoracic. I would guess you have some disc herniation at the least, maybe some stenosis too.  I am in medicine, let me know if you have questions, happy to off some advice if you need it.  

[Geralt]

I understand, I also understand the medical system over there is a bit different compared to over here, insurencewise etc. Hope you get a clear diagnose soon. 

[John McCarter]

16 minutes ago, Geralt said:

I understand, I also understand the medical system over there is a bit different compared to over here, insurencewise etc. Hope you get a clear diagnose soon. 

It is a pain and I hope they can find that nothing is wrong for the lower back but at this point I have to keep an open mind that there's some real things to consider if they tell me they find something.

[John McCarter]

Got back the results of the MRI. My back is strange; everything is clear but it was on the verge of being herniated.

So, the good news is that I don't have to get cut open; still having trouble doing a lot because of the freaking pain. Start physical therapy wednesday and start recovering from what's going on.

Bad thing is I was let go from my job this week; everything was on good terms and once I'm healed up and back to 100% I may be able to return with the company.

[Adam Juncker]

John that is pretty serious to be let go during an injury.  If you were hurt at work then you have a workman' s compensation claim.  If not hurt at work, you should be able to make a short-term disability claim.  In the first circumstance their actions of terminating you may be illegal.  In the second circumstance it is definetly unethical.  I'm very sorry to hear this, and if you feel that you were wronged by the employer you should seek remedy. 

[John McCarter]

6 minutes ago, Adam Juncker said:

John that is pretty serious to be let go during an injury.  If you were hurt at work then you have a workman' s compensation claim.  If not hurt at work, you should be able to make a short-term disability claim.  In the first circumstance their actions of terminating you may be illegal.  In the second circumstance it is definetly unethical.  I'm very sorry to hear this, and if you feel that you were wronged by the employer you should seek remedy. 

It's good on all sides. They did the official talk but we all knew that they needed someone to help them out as I'm nowhere ready to push heavy carts and clothing as I once was; plus it's a small operation there and they need someone to help them out in my place.

 

[John McCarter]

35 minutes ago, John McCarter said:

It's good on all sides. They did the official talk but we all knew that they needed someone to help them out as I'm nowhere ready to push heavy carts and clothing as I once was; plus it's a small operation there and they need someone to help them out in my place.

 

I forgot to mention during my last post that the injury is something that happen outside of the workplace.