January 23, 2011 - Update & DE UB

I haven't posted in my training log in a few days as I've been getting my crap together. I was shell-shocked to hear the words "ruptured hamstring" when I was at the doctors. I felt a fear in me. Doesn't help matters seeing others preparing for contests, hitting personal bests and surpassing me while I restart.

Regardless, I've been mostly confined to my house, laying down on my couch, icing my leg, taking Tylenol and watching tv. Bored out of my mind. However, I am making progress and it keeps me motivated. Just today I was able to put on shoes by myself and walk a few steps up and downstairs. Perhaps I'll be back at it sooner than the doctor thought I would (4-5 months).

One of the biggest breakthroughs for me was on the second day, I was able to sit down and bend my leg and not be in pain. This meant I could go work out a few days earlier than I had planned as well as implement certain exercises back into my routine sooner. Right now my routine in ME UB and DE UB with the focus for the DE workout being close grip bench press and the ME days being bench, seated press and rack suspended seated press. I'm hoping to switch back to standing press after I go to my first PT session. Obviously push pressing is a ways off still.

Dynamic Warm-ups

Close Grip Bench Presses w/ IW#2’s dbl
No Bands
45x10
95x2
135x2
185x2
Add Bands (+170lbs)
45x2 (awful)
45x2
95x2
135x2
135x2
135x2
135x2
135x2
135x2
135x2
135x2

Seated 12" Log Presses
125x5
145x5
165x5
185x5
205x5

Parallel Bar Dips
bw+90x8 PR+15lbs
bw+90x8
bw+90x8
bw+90x8

Bent Over Rear Delt Dumbbell Raises
77.5'sx12
77.5'sx12
77.5'sx12

13 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: I'm very thankful for my family as I wouldn't have been able to do this workout without help. My father drove me over and helped gather the equipment and set up bands and what not. For the close grip benching, it seemed to be easier and less stressful just to lay on the bench the whole time and just count to 30 for the rest breaks. I was not prepared for the band tension on the first set and the bar flew down to my stomach. Man did that suck haha. My father gave me a lift off for the other sets and the reps were perfect. Moved on to seated overhead presses with the log. Doing these in place of z presses with the swiss bar since it takes too much effort to get on the floor and back up off the floor. Weight felt easy, only set that felt tough was the 185lbs set so I added another 20lbs and got five with that as well. Last rep was a bit of a toughie. Happy with this since it's 5lbs over my max strict press with the log and my max seated press with a barbell and I did it for five reps. Moved on to dips which were a little tougher to set up. I would load the plates on to the belt from a bench, set up and then have my dad remove the bench and start dipping. A bit tougher than last time. Had some timing issues with removing the bench but nothing major. Very pleased to be moving up in weight on these. The one exercise I was most worried about today was the rear delts since I usually have my legs braced. We used bumper plates for my left leg and that worked perfectly. Got all the reps fairly easy so I'll be upping the weight for next time. Couldn't do much stretching other than upperbody stuff and some stretches from legs (calves for both, quad for right). My left leg was a bit exhausted from all the walking around. Felt good to be back.