Bryan's journal

[Bryan Dobson]

Thanks Walter!

Tuesday 3/3/15
HRV go ahead and train intensely. TRAC You are showing some negative effects of stress. Reduce your training by 1 set or subtract 2% fatigue from each movement.
Ok thanks a lot. So low volume and intense...got it. Strength/low
Morning bwt 224.6

At work
Seated Machine neutral grip press
115x12+(3)6

Garage
Deadlifts in squat shoes and belt.
405x3@7
425x3@8
445x3@8.5

That's enough, leavesome in the tank for recovery.

Hot tub!

[Bryan Dobson]

Thursday 3/5/2015

HRV said take it easy today

Squat 225x5x2

That is it. I am digesting my need to take an actual layoff from pressing. My Dr and my disagreed on what "going lighter" meant. So I am going to try a 6 week layoff on presses and focus on squats deads and upper back stuff. MRI was ugly at the ac joint. rest of shoulder is great..
Still digesting information. Not happy at all.

[paterfamilias]

What's the outlook for the AC joint?

[Walter Palmer]

I'm guessing bone spurs and calcification. Any tearing or fraying of the soft tissues?

[Bryan Dobson]

Osteolysis, inflamed capsule, with some cyst. It is pissed and i have not been doing any good by continuing pressing work even lighter.
I am weighing resection but it is not a guarantee that I would return to previous levels if I do. My orthopedics specialist seems hesitant to do surgery and he loves surgery, it pays the bills and he has a lot of fun doing it. I made the mistake of bringing my wife who threw a fit when she saw the image.
Currently I am leaning to the long road. Of laying off the presses for six weeks straight and seeing if there is an improvement. I will train around, probably try to get my deadlift way up with the extra resources. If the direct work avoidance doesn't improve things ( something I haven't even tried.)I will get the end of the collar bone cut off. And get the rest of the debris removed.
Either way my competitive prospects for the year as far as full meets go are not good.

I am a little agitated, the Dr and my wife ganged up on me to give pressing movements a break. I am 44, I am not a national prospect, I am just decent " for my age" so maybe I should listen to saner thoughts, let the emotions dissipate and make a rational decision for my situation.

[Lakshmi Meadows]

That's too bad Bryan. I took a total break from all pressing for over 5 months in '13 and it came back eventually as I went back to pressing.
I decided that even if I stopped pressing for the rest of my life but still planned on doing thing like riding a bike, running, swimming I'd agitate it like I had in the past and I wasn't willing to give up on living life. I know becuase mine would become inflamed if I ran too often and that was a couple years before I ever picked up a barbell.

Did he give you a cortisone shot?

[Bryan Dobson]

I think the cortisone will do more harm than good. I really appreciate your experiences with this Lakshmi. I just need to get my head and priorities in the right place. You know as well as anyone how hard it is to turn the drive "off".

[Lakshmi Meadows]

I just need to get my head and priorities in the right place. You know as well as anyone how hard it is to turn the drive "off".

Yes, that is wise. Now that you mention it, the cortisone just removed the pain so I was able to do a little more damage. Sending you positive healing thoughts. That's what we do up here in hipster hippy Seattle.

[Bryan Dobson]

Yes, that is wise. Now that you mention it, the cortisone just removed the pain so I was able to do a little more damage. Sending you positive healing thoughts. That's what we do up here in hipster hippy Seattle.

Thanks.
If/when I get back to benching I am going to get a thorough form evaluation to eliminate that as a possible issue. I wish I knew the cause. A form issue? a muscular imbalance? are some of us just predisposed. Could the fact that my other collar bone has been fractured badly when I was 16 and there is assemetry in my devlopment(my left side for years has been my stronger more developed side. ) and therefore I put more pressure on my left side without knowing it?

I am getting in a better mood about it. I may make a hobby out of building my back. create some natural traction.

[DV]

I am a little agitated, the Dr and my wife ganged up on me to give pressing movements a break. I am 44, I am not a national prospect, I am just decent " for my age" so maybe I should listen to saner thoughts, let the emotions dissipate and make a rational decision for my situation.

You are a sensible guy. I know, as you've posted some very useful common sense things in my log, which have been useful. In my opinion 6 weeks or even 12 weeks is nothing for guys like us in the bigger picture. I'd do the lay-off and get a really strong pull meanwhile.