Jerry R's log

[Jerry R]

Close grip bench
10@45
10@95
5@145
3@185
3@200
2@210

[Jerry R]

Wahoo!!! I can finally train my legs with heavy weight and not hurt my back. I found a gym with a belt squat.

Belt squat
5@135
5@225
5@315
8@405

Now I will build my own belt squat because the gym that has them has body building in the front with AC and a great powerlifting section, but no AC! How frigging crazy. Plus they play nothing but Rap crap so loud you can't hear people talking. They quit making music around 1979. Rock & Roll that is. Anyway, hopefully now my back will heal and I can go to the Texas State Championship January 20 and the Masters World Cup in May. Never give up or quit!

[Jerry R]

Well damn, I went to another back doctor and he immediately found that my Sacral Promontory, Ilium, Iliac Crest, and the Ala have fractures in them! Hell, I had never heard of them. No wonder after almost 5 months my back is still hurting. When I fell on the ice it not only caused bulging discs but the fractures. He also said it looked like I have had fractures there before. Yeah, 17 years ago when I fell around 35 feet with 200 foot of welding cable on my shoulder. They just told me I had a fractured hip back then and 2 fractures in my spine.

He said to cut down on the walking and no lifting for 6 months to a year. I asked if I could belt squat and he said "Hell no". The belt fits right over the fractures. Plus my Sacroiliac joint has too much movement from damage and arthritis. Damn, and I just ordered 4 more 45 pound plates! I'll be back and I will be the state and national champ.

How in the hell did the first two doctors miss this?

[skid]

So what are you supposed to do? Be a couch potato? That can't be good either. maybe let it heal a bit and do some swimming or something.

[Jerry R]

No couch potato. I still garden, take care of about 20 fruit trees I started form propagation and about 20 more I just started, walk 4 miles a day but in 1/2 mile to a mile at a time, bench press, and I stay busy. If your back was as screwed up as mine, what would you do? At 71 and as many times as my back and body has been seriously injured, it will take time. I found out the hard way I can't do anything that compresses the back or puts it in flexion. No one wants to squat and deadlift more than me. But picking the scab every time it starts felling better has kept me from serious training for over 4 months.

If all goes to plan I will be the USAPL Raw M4a 110k squat, deadlift, and total record holder in May! It is the USAPL 2nd ever Masters World Cup. If the back doesn't heal by then, it will be next September at the Raw Nationals.

[skid]

I knew you of all people would be doing something. Just that doctors telling people to rest is sometimes the worst advice, as people take that to mean don't do anything.

[Jerry R]

I try and stay busy. Doing belt squats most everyone said puts no pressure on your lower back. I disagree, it puts pressure right on the SI joint. I will keep walking and other exercises but nothing loading my back or legs, as in any kind of a squat. Hopefully by letting my back heal for a few months I can make another come back. I sure as hell can't live through this kind of pain. It feels like about 30 toothaches in my lower back.

[Jerry R]

8-15-2023
mid grip bench
10@95
5@145
3@205

Today
Mid grip bench
5@95
3@145
2@210

I should have taken more time to warmup but it was already in the mid 90's. Back and shoulder both were hurting.

[Jerry R]

Mid grip bench
5@95
5@145
1@205 Decided to try a regular grip bench and the 6 surgeons were right, I'll never be able to again. I barely got back in the rack because of the pain!

Narrow grip
10@100
10@110
10@120
10@145
10@155

I will stick to narrow grip because it is pain free. Even medium grip really hurts. I can do 220 or so narrow grip so I will just continue with it. I have never done so many sets with 10 reps and the triceps are burning.

[Jerry R]

Close grip bench
10@100
10@120
10@145
10@165
4@185

Shoulder pain!

Forgot to log Sundays bench
Close grip
10@145
8@165
1@185
1@210