Bryan's journal

[Mosin Warrior]

A training cycle can last 4-8 weeks for me. Minimum 2 per block, up to 4 when I am pushing strength. Sometimes I stack volume blocks. And it goes longer. I do best with good 6-8 week training cycles. I am off the map right now dealing with an ac joint issue but please follow along as I get this resolved things will move again.

Ah that's super helpful. I'm currently running block, but using RPE's to judge top sets and overall volume. I think I can get the same results I'm seeing in 12 week cycles in a 6-8 week cycle by essentially cutting the transmutation block out and jumping from volume to intensity. I don't think I'm advanced enough to need a transmutation cycle between volume and intensity blocks.

[Bryan Dobson]

Ah that's super helpful. I'm currently running block, but using RPE's to judge top sets and overall volume. I think I can get the same results I'm seeing in 12 week cycles in a 6-8 week cycle by essentially cutting the transmutation block out and jumping from volume to intensity. I don't think I'm advanced enough to need a transmutation cycle between volume and intensity blocks.

I agree. I tend to plan my blocks and weekly plans fairly well. Example of when I am healthy I may plan this.
Volume
W1 low
W2 med
W3high if I am recovering well I may add a week here.
Intensity
W1 low
W2 high
W3 med.
I then adjust based on TRAC and real time recovery data

[DV]

GL with the doc. And thanks for posting your programming thoughts. Makes a lot of sense to me, too, as 8 week "programmes" seem to work the best for me as well, also due to Life interfering and all that.

[Lakshmi Meadows]

Thanks. It's either going to be give me a shot, cut me, or let me train hard again.

Good Luck

[Bryan Dobson]

Good Luck

What procedure or repairs did you undergo?
I want this fixed.

FYI my AC joint is now just a visible and palpable knot. I think osteolosis is a bullshit catch all diagnosis.

[Lakshmi Meadows]

What procedure or repairs did you undergo?
I want this fixed.

FYI my AC joint is now just a visible and palpable knot. I think osteolosis is a bullshit catch all diagnosis.

Ha, they really don't know until they get in there. For me, osteolysis was real and caused bone resorption which made my AC Joint very angry. Little bits of bone minerals are not supposed to be floating around. The bone spurs also caused nerve impingement which effected so many other areas like my right hand. I had some pretty nice cysts that also caused inflammation and deterioration of the AC (cysts don't just go away)
Sounds like you have some nasty fluid and cysts in there from what you're describing. To answer your question about what they did - they shaved off the end of my collarbone where the bone had deteriorated and had bone spurs and then they cleaned and lubed the AC.

8 weeks post surgery and I'm back and feeling better than I can say I've felt in over a year. I just matched my heaviest top set squat and I pulled 420 for a triple where prior to surgery I couldn't even pull 375 becuase my body was so screwed up.

If they tell you that they can give you cortisone shots to see how that goes then just by-pass that unless you think you can take a total break from lifting to let the cortisone work.

[Bryan Dobson]

Thanks. I dont want to waste anymore time. It could be from many things ( mountain bike wrecks, so many fall in life..etc..)and the pressing agitates it.. it doesnt really matter to me how it happened, but it is not cool if you want to bench heavy.

[Walter Palmer]

Thanks. I dont want to waste anymore time. It could be from many things ( mountain bike wrecks, so many fall in life..etc..)and the pressing agitates it.. it doesnt really matter to me how it happened, but it is not cool if you want to bench heavy.

FWIW, my BP is SO much better today as a result of getting my shoulder fixed. It is no longer my limiting factor. Surgery is never fun. You just have to decide whether it is something that will get better without surgery, if you are willing to live with diminished function, or you are willing to take the knife. I know you already know this but I think a lot of folks get bound up around the decision on surgery. Also, you are NOT going to recover from surgery better in five years than you would today.

[Bryan Dobson]

DId you mean I will recover better today than 5 years down the road?

[Walter Palmer]

DId you mean I will recover better today than 5 years down the road?

Yes, exactly. As you suspected, I just mis-typed. I have a friend in his mid-30's who tore up his shoulder. Has had MRI's and has clear tear but has hesitated for three years to get it repaired. It will not "heal" on its on but he has functional use. He is in good shape otherwise and had good muscle at the time of the tear. The longer the wait, the harder the recovery.