Razz's log, video p. 63

This may not be the case, but have you considered that the back problems could be from emphasizing back mobility over hip mobility? I have wondered about this in the case of gymnasts, as there is typically a good bit of both involved in the sport, but how are you with Coach's hip circles? You know, the 10 to the front, 10 to side, and 10 circular? Can you do them without your pelvis moving out of a neutral position? Can you hold your knee well above parallel with the ground with a flat back against the wall for 15+ seconds?

Just trying to troubleshoot a little, I don't know the first thing about your back injury's origin or even what it is. I've been reading a bit, and apparently a lot of back problems in athletes seem to be coming from using the back for mobility instead of the hips, especially when performing rotational movements.

What is the back injury, anyhow?

The old injury happened something like 6-7-8-9 years ago when I did a standing back flip into a landing pit and had a bad landing bending over backwards. Couldn't walk by myself when that happened for the next ~10 minutes. The injury can come back any time I push too hard or forget to do lots of lower back strength (which I have not been doing lately).

This morning I have been doing SMR with a cricket ball on my hips and back and it has certainly helped. I have learned from experience earlier that some of the pain does come from too tight hips. I'm very flexible and can do all splits, almost perfect bridge, (completely straight back, but shoulders are not as open as they should be) but only recently started doing stuff like idos squat routine and hip stuff from the seminar.

All in all: yes it seems like what you are saying can be the cause of the pain, my hip mobility may be worse than my lower back mobility. Oh just while writing now I remember that it most likely came back this time because I did the stretch where you sit in a straddle and bend sidewards and grab your toe with the opposite arm. I did it way more brutal than usual and I believe it is one of the reasons it was aggravated this time. Of course overall it is all the things together: weak lower back, hip mobility and me not being careful with my stretching.

Thanks Slizzardman

No prob, I was just curious! I hadn't thought about this before reading Mike Boyle's "Advances in Functional Training" but one thing that rings very true is what he says about back mobility being substituted for hip mobility. Flexibility without mobility is one of the big risk factors for injury according to what he is saying, which comes from a pretty good basis in functional biomechanics/anatomy and was originally introduced to him through the work of a very good physical therapist. It makes sense if you think about it: If you can move through a range of motion passively but not control the same range actively and/or under load then there is a big risk of injury. I wish I could see how you were stretching, because if the shift is not primarily occuring in the hips but instead in the lumbar spine then that may be a large part of why you felt pain.

On a slightly different note, since you had an acute injury it's possible that you still have fibrous soft tissue restrictions within the huge mass of fascia that covers the lower back. SMR is certainly one way to keep that in check, so it makes sense that SMR helps. It would also help explain why extreme efforts bring the pain back... I had the same thing happening in my elbows. Lots of self instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (Graston type stuff) and self ART has made a huge difference. On high intensity days I can actually push myself without getting the same old twinges I've had for years.

Coaching 5 hours today

did 2 rope climbs a bit of trampoline and some HS pirouettes. Evening (now) some planche training.

Just ordered 9 books and a pair of fat gripz. Thank god for my new job

New injury training schedule:

6 times/week alternating push/pull

-alternating exercises every 2 weeks.

-work all movement planes.

Max press

Max pull

Dynamic press

Dynamic pull

Max press

Max pull

rest

Next week 2x dyn and 1x max. Then new exercises. PR attempts on every MAX day for the prescribed tempos.

FSP in warmup every day

some additional basic work during the day and in the morning

MAX pressing today, should have had 1 horizontal pressing exercise. Tuck PL pushups it is.

Dips [31X0] goal is 3x5

3x5x21kg

move up in weight next time

XR bulgarian HSPU, self assisted. [1333]

3x3xbw

goal is to do this unassisted, freestanding.

rings simulator

cross

5x20sx30kg

maltese

5x20sx30kg

ring strength elements follow a 2 week SSC.

A1 dip shrugs

3x20

A2 inverted hang shrugs

3x20

B pushup shrugs

3x20

C cuban rotation

6x20kg PR

2x5x20kg

Todays workout

Pullup (overhand grip) [3121]

5x3x18kg

There was not for another rep here. Will add more weight on next max day and stick with that till I hit 5x3

Straddle crank

3x5

so-so on the FL form I think

Seated external rotation [4020]

10x5kg

8x5kg

7x5kg

Alternating heavy and light in the external rotation exercises.

One arm shrugs

3x5 each arm

dislocations of various kinds, and lots of them! Also weighted.

Bunch of prehab.

This is some very low volume strength work but the frequency (6x week) is quite high so I won't add more just yet. Feeling good like this and if I can improve without messing with my current injuries I'll be happy. Adding my bw to a pullup is a long term goal and this is some terribly weak pulling strength I'm showing off here. Btw edited the last post as I found out it was 21kg on the dips.

May I ask what the one arm shrugs are for? Is that weak link training? And do you mean with weight or in a handstand on the wall?

They're hanging one arm shrugs. Weak link training

Thank you. Your log always has something interesting. I will give these a try and see where I feel them.

No probs, always glad to help

Todays training was split in 2.

part 1:

warmup with FSP and all that fancy stuff.

cross simulator

3-4x30kgx20s

body lever bottom holds

3x[5-10s, 10s rest, ~5s, 10s rest, ~5s]

can't remember if there was more, but didn't have time for much more than the warmup, FSP and some pre-requisites before having to coach.

part 2:

light warmup

inverted situps

3x5

back extensions

10x20kg

4 rounds:

5 swinging dips to planche+5-7 swinging dips in front

3 planche leans [35X0]

5 kipping HeSPU

maltese simulator

3x30kgx20s

A1 Dip shrugs vs band

3x10

A2 inverted hang shrugs

3x20

B pushup shrugs vs band

3x10

C Cuban rotation

bar +5kg each side: 8,9,8 or something like that..

D reverse curls [3010]

3x6-8x20kg

stretching then ½ hour-45min walk home in the damn snow. Walked there too. Made up for that 5 egg, 75gram bacon, 300ml youghurt with fruits and 40g whey and glutamine breakfast I had...

Fruit is not a cheat! Well... not really. Sort of.

How is/was your planche before you messed up your elbow? Or back. Or anything else wrong with you.

Seiji said:

Fruit is not a cheat! Well... not really. Sort of.

How is/was your planche before you messed up your elbow? Or back. Or anything else wrong with you.

It was for me..but not at the moment

Hmm planche was like the last planche video I posted, although I've had holds that felt more 'perfect' than the one in the video it does give a good impression. I have to admit it's silly that I'm just hurting everywhere right now. Back is getting much better though, but I'm not risking anything so still no jumping. Elbows are still sore but they will be better soon, I can feel it

Dude the cold does that to my body. Some days everythng just hurts!

Yeah the cold definately has an influence. It's wayy easier to get rid of joint pain in summer. Anyways I should probably have realized that going on vacation and then coming back and starting out with 3x10s maltese holds wasn't so smart...

Example of an average diet of mine right now:

breakfast:

5 eggs

1 can of sardines (think it's 125g or so)

40g whey

10g glutamine

3g taurine

Midday:

2-400g meat

veggies

fish oil

Afternoon:

Youghurt or cream..sometimes both

fruits (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and oranges)

~200g meat

fish oil

PWO shake

40g whey

couple of scoops of coconut milk (I just take out the solid stuff from the can)

20g glutamine

3g taurine

Dinner:

2-400g meat

veggies

not including supplements except protein. Dairy is giving me some acne I believe.

Razz said:

Afternoon:

Youghurt or cream..sometimes both

fruits (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and oranges)

Razz, what's your reasoning behind this sugar hit in the afternoon? Thanks for sharing by the way, you have helped a great deal.

No reason, I just like it and it's easy to eat while my meat is cooking after school Also if I eat it after workout that would be before bed time sometimes and I don't want that

Todays workout

Didn't feel top notch, partly due to too much fruit and cream I think. I really need to stop eating all this dairy anyways, guess I'm addicted to it. Anyways went with half volume as I've had 3 full volume workouts in a row.

2 rounds

5m straddle rope climb

5 FL pulls (had to scale to straddle)

3 wide grip BTN pullups (actually only managed 2+1 eccentric.)

seated external rotation [4020]

9x5kg

7x5kg

shoulder routine then done.

Did not get any work done yesterday because work took longer than expected and after work I was substitute coach for a team... well at least I earned some money for more bookbs/seminars/etc.

Did do some pullups and dips while coaching though.

Gonna do both max pull and push workouts tonight to catch up so I can still rest tomorrow. Can't do 2x/day today although that'd be optimal, because I have to work.

Today coaching all day while hungover as hell..did 3 rope climbs and some other stuff while coaching.

then after 6 hours of coaching got some food and went training. Did both max pull and push today to catch up. Tomorrow I'll do GPP after 6 hours coaching.

Dips [31X0]

3x5x22kg, easier and heavier than last max dips!

XR bulgarian HSPU

3x3

PL Pushup tuck [11X1]

3x3

Pullup [31X1]

5x3x19kg easier and heavier than last time

straddle crank

3x5

damn, 31 pullups is really impressive. were they done with strict form?

Razz said:

Pullup [31X1]

I am guessing he's refering to the tempo here. Not 31 reps X 1 set.

Razz?

Yep tempo, unfortunately!!!! Wish I could do 31 strict pullups

Today: 6 hours coaching followed by a small training

3x10 hanging shrugs

3x9x5kg seated external rotation

2x body lever holds

2x10s straddle human flag

2x10x20kg back extension

few prehab exercises.

So that's week 1 of my new program done. Had a rest day during the week that wasn't supposed to happen, but compensated by putting together two max strength workouts and adding some GPP (above) on my rest day. Also had 1 half volume day on an explosive pull day. Next week If I feel I need a half volume day it'll be on a pressing day.

I dunno if you feel like trying or staying with your program, but I can straddle flag for probably 10 seconds or so but can do a full flag for like 5. I've always trained for high strength at small times, but maybe you could give it a shot to see what happens. I'd never been interesting in holding too many things longer than 10 seconds... especially not progressions that aren't the final version lol

Hmm maybe I'll try on wednesday just for fun. I'll have to watch my elbows though so we'll see how long it will be.

Todays training:

2 rope climbs and some OAC top holds during coaching.

Evening training:

4 rounds

5 swinging dips to planche+ 7 swinging dips in front

3x planche lean [35X0]

5x kipping HeSPU

Floor training. First one after my back hurt. It felt good so I'll start getting into things but remembering my lower back training!

5x dive roll

5x back tuck

5x one step front flip

practice front full twist. Went ok.

Ancle prehab and some shoulder dislocations with weight.

No training today except 2 rope climbs and some OAC work while coaching. And of course lots of trampoline

Will catch up tomorrow.

EDIT: dinner: honey, dark chocolate, oranges, strawberries and chicken. Good bit of calories in there I kinda changed my leaning out goals to just performance.