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TLDR:
The crux of this post is this: I have spent a lot of my lifting "career" compressing the shit out of my back with squats and deadlifts and giving no thought to exercises that work it in traction. Reverse hypers are saving my life. Moving forward I hope to be back to lifting in earnest in the next few months, but plan on having over half of my posterior chain volume made up with reverse hypers, hypers, hip extensions, glute ham raises, nordic extensions, etc.
First lets do a quick recap for the uninitiated:
- I was born with a heat condition (bicuspid aortic valve), and a little over 5 years ago I was told to stop lifting heavy, which I took to mean don't valsalva, don't do anything that requires abdominal bracing, and minimize spikes in blood pressure.
- three years ago that they told me stop everything I'm doing or I'll explode, surgery was my only option and at 35 I had giant fuck your sternum with a surgical axe heart operation called the Ross Procedure (I assumed named after the worst friend on friends)
- Post surgery I resumed my non-abdominal bracing practices and began to train with volume based goals using key lifts to get as much volume as I can in 60 seconds and/or a 30 minute session of 60 second sets. This worked well for a while and I was just getting past a calculated deadlift max of 410 when about a year ago, my hip started to hurt.
- This pain worsened over time, and while some people called it sciatica, or piriformis syndrome, it turned out to be a bulged disc and a herniated disc (L4/L5, L5/S1 respectively.) I've been in Physical therapy for 4+ months now, and its getting better, but a year ago I could almost put my palms on the floor and right now I can get my fingertips mid shin. I've lost significant mobility and while things are on a long slow upswing.
Now that we're all caught up, let me tell you what I've learned:
#notsponsored.
I'm not totally clear on the witchcraft involved in reverse hypers but the Kool-aid tastes good and I'm pretty sure it comes down to working the posterior chain in traction instead of compression. My days of stacking on compressive stress until I'm an inch shorter are over I think. I'm think, especially for my particular needs, and for those who are prone to injury and need assistance with recovery, placing extra focus on exercises that place the back in traction is where volume should really be stacked.
These are some exercises that I think really deserve some extra attention. The equipment he lists here is kinda specialized but much of it can be fabricated, bought or improvised (you don't NEED a bamboo bar). Additionally exercises like Nordic hamstring curls, and reverse nordics are high intensity exercises that can be worked with minimal spinal compression.
Moving forward, training my posterior chain is going to involve greater emphasis on single leg and split stance exercises, accommodating resistance to lessen stress in compromised positions on bilateral movements, and regular inclusion of traction based movements as the bulk of my volume.
The crux of this post is this: I have spent a lot of my lifting "career" compressing the shit out of my back with squats and deadlifts and giving no thought to exercises that work it in traction. Reverse hypers are saving my life. Moving forward I hope to be back to lifting in earnest in the next few months, but plan on having over half of my posterior chain volume made up with reverse hypers, hypers, hip extensions, glute ham raises, nordic extensions, etc.
First lets do a quick recap for the uninitiated:
- I was born with a heat condition (bicuspid aortic valve), and a little over 5 years ago I was told to stop lifting heavy, which I took to mean don't valsalva, don't do anything that requires abdominal bracing, and minimize spikes in blood pressure.
- three years ago that they told me stop everything I'm doing or I'll explode, surgery was my only option and at 35 I had giant fuck your sternum with a surgical axe heart operation called the Ross Procedure (I assumed named after the worst friend on friends)
- Post surgery I resumed my non-abdominal bracing practices and began to train with volume based goals using key lifts to get as much volume as I can in 60 seconds and/or a 30 minute session of 60 second sets. This worked well for a while and I was just getting past a calculated deadlift max of 410 when about a year ago, my hip started to hurt.
- This pain worsened over time, and while some people called it sciatica, or piriformis syndrome, it turned out to be a bulged disc and a herniated disc (L4/L5, L5/S1 respectively.) I've been in Physical therapy for 4+ months now, and its getting better, but a year ago I could almost put my palms on the floor and right now I can get my fingertips mid shin. I've lost significant mobility and while things are on a long slow upswing.
Now that we're all caught up, let me tell you what I've learned:
- You will get to a point where old injuries will come back to haunt you. I probably damaged L5/S1 about 12 years ago. Presently, the combination of not bracing properly, adding high volume wear every session, and having a physically demanding job, and getting older has caused this injury to return and linger.
- Go to the doctor, demand imaging as soon as you can get it. I had X-rays early on, and I needed an MRI to diagnose anything besides compression.
- I'm not a fan of chiropractors, however, I am going to one fairly regularly because everyone and their mother will pressure you into going. The best case use of chiropractors I have found is taking advantage of the temporary relief in pain and increase in mobility to work on your rehab/mobility exercises. Go get distracted/popped/whatever then go home and do your PT. If you're not compounding exercise on top of chiropractic care, it's absolutely worthless.
- The reverse hyper is saving my life.
#notsponsored.
I'm not totally clear on the witchcraft involved in reverse hypers but the Kool-aid tastes good and I'm pretty sure it comes down to working the posterior chain in traction instead of compression. My days of stacking on compressive stress until I'm an inch shorter are over I think. I'm think, especially for my particular needs, and for those who are prone to injury and need assistance with recovery, placing extra focus on exercises that place the back in traction is where volume should really be stacked.
These are some exercises that I think really deserve some extra attention. The equipment he lists here is kinda specialized but much of it can be fabricated, bought or improvised (you don't NEED a bamboo bar). Additionally exercises like Nordic hamstring curls, and reverse nordics are high intensity exercises that can be worked with minimal spinal compression.
Moving forward, training my posterior chain is going to involve greater emphasis on single leg and split stance exercises, accommodating resistance to lessen stress in compromised positions on bilateral movements, and regular inclusion of traction based movements as the bulk of my volume.