Still on the Right Side of the Grass

[Bill Anders]

Great work, BD! Even if it wasn't quite the result that you were hoping for, that's a great showing considering everything that you've had and had going on that weekend.

Keep at it!

[Cole Gorton]

congrats on a successful meet

[Mr. Bingley]

BD given everything you've been through that's pretty damned awesome!

[Browndog]

Bill, Cole, Mr. B -

Thanks!!!

[Browndog]

9/30/23

So after a week of moving light weights for reps, we got back after it this week in earnest. We're looking at a local meet in late Winter / early Spring.

Name of the game is volume:

Squat - 7*3, with Bench and Successories.

Bench - 8*3, with more Bench variations and more upper body Successories than I thought possible.

Deadlift - 4*4, with Bench and Successories...it's a really long day.

SBD Saturday - Belt Squats, Paused Close Grip Bench, Paused Deadlift, and light Successories.


Truly the only thing that's going to drive this process forward is the base of volume, along with being able to handle that volume at higher levels of intensity than I have been. I think I've mentioned that the amount of work I was able to do prior the the "enshittening" starting in 2020, was far beyond what I've been capable of producing these past few years.

The stress of dealing with the cancer treatments and reconfiguring of my life post divorce is well in the past.

That leaves the Thyroid Issue front and center. I think I'm heading in the right direction, though I thought that a year ago. The current difference being that I'm much more in charge of where I want the treatments to go, and that if my PCP pushes back, I'm ready to go around him to follow what I believe to be the proper course of action with another specialist.

Since late 2020 I've had knee, hip, and muscular issues that I've never had previously. The doctors were pinning these issues on the cancer treatments, and life stress. The idea that an underactive Thyroid didn't enter the equation until early 2022, and it wasn't really addressed until summer of 2022.

Through all the titrating of the Thyroid medication, I've continued to have horrible knee pain, cranky hips, and a weak set of legs and lower back. The left knee has been so bad that I've been seriously considering a knee replacement. It hasn't been until this most recent upgrade in the dosage of Synthroid that I've started to feel strong under the bar, and being able to Squat/Deadlift consistently without pain. Additionally, I'm finally free of most of the gross swelling that my knee has been carrying these past few years.

The opening week of Squats was 7*3 at 90kg, and for the first time in a long time, I felt strong and pain free. Bench really hasn't been as effected by this Thyroid issue the way Squats and Deads have been...so yay. The Deads were 4*4 at 170kg, and though it took a while to knock them out, I wasn't crushed by them, and my set up was pain free.

I'm looking to get to the end of this cycle at 110 / 115 on the Squats, and 185 / 190 on the Deads. If I can manage that, and manage the fatigue, I think we'll be back on track. The last component of dealing with this thyroid issue is the fatigue / breathlessness...if we can get past this hurdle, sky's the limit.
God willing and the Creek don't rise...

[Browndog]

10/7/23

Still haven't picked out the next meet yet, won't be February...more likely March / April.

That said, let's get to it with Week Two's action:

Squats -
97.5kg 7*3, along with 3 Count Larsen at 62.5kg 6*3, and dreaded BSS 30kg 8*3
Squats feel reasonable...they should at these weights. You know, I was looking back at some 2019 Squats and I ran across a video of a really nice double at 165kg...***sigh***
We'll get back there!

Bench -
70kg 8*3, Larsen 78kg 3*3...and lots of chest, shoulders and tri's.
Just getting the reps in. It's a real challenge going from sets at 70kg and then going up to the sets at 78kg, even at a lower rep scheme.

Deadlifts -
177.5kg 4*4, 1 Board Bench 72.5kg 5*3...Revs Flys, Pull-Ups, Weighted Wall Sits, Single Leg Hip Thrusts.
That's a whole lot of pulling, something I haven't be able to handle since 2019. I made the comment to my coach that I forgot how hard we were able to work back in 2019...he smiled.

SBD Saturday -
Belt Squats at 190lbs 8*3, Close Grip Bench at 80kg 3*3, Paused Deads at 160kg 3*3...some chest, upper back, and shoulder work as well.
I felt a bit beat up Friday, but 24 hours later I feel OK. Not a fan of our Belt Squat equipment. Bench was OK. I thought Deads would be a bit of a shit show, but I was able to pull fairly aggressively...though videos show that I'm not getting my hips...gonna get my ass red lit (again) if I don't clean this up.

Weight remains pretty stable between 205 / 207lbs. Energy Levels are good enough to handle the current work. My only concern (if you want to call it that) is that my ability to handle the anaerobic / aerobic demands is uncomfortable. Either I'm not used to being in a state of oxygen debt, or I'm a puss...probably a bit of both.
I'm in the pool twice a week, in addition to doing a stint on the exercycle prior to jumping in the pool, so it's not like I'm completely de-conditioned. If my aerobic capacity doesn't start to show improvement, I'll have to consult with the Doc...***sigh***

[Browndog]

10/14/23

This week was pretty much a washout. I came down with some plague Sunday night: puking, shitting, and wicked chills. That lasted about 48 hours. wasn't really able to keep anything down until Wednesday. I felt "better" by Thursday, and was able to get into the gym. I did a light SBD day, and it went well enough. I lost a little over 7lbs due to what ever I had.

My gym held a USAPL event today, about 40 lifters: novices to grizzled veterans. Nothing really special to report, though there were a couple of young men who totaled over 700kg. There was one guy who, had he completed his 3rd Bench and Dead (missed them by the slimmest of margins), would have totaled over 750kg. As always, I had fun doing the livestream commentary.

I figure that I'll just go into next week like this week never happened, and do week three's program as written (even though it should be week four).

[BrooklynJerry]

I hope you feel better. I got sick a few weeks ago and it took over a week to clear up. Nice lifting.

[Browndog]

As I was warming up for Squats yesterday, I got a good look at my "bad" knee. For the first time in years I noticed that it not only feels normal, it looks normal.

Just for shits and giggles, here's a comparison: the photo on the left is from 2021, and the one on the right is from yesterday.

20210414_204157422_iOS.jpg 20231016_192325623_iOS 1.jpg

I realize that I bitch and moan quite a bit about the state of my knee, but the above should give you an idea of what I've been dealing with for the past few years.

Up through 2019 my knee, while ridden hard and put away wet, was quite serviceable. I played Squash, Golf, Platform Tennis, and of course engaged in Powerlifting. None of those activities left my knee looking like the left hand photo.

Then in 2020 I underwent hormone deprivation treatment for Prostate Cancer (prior to the course of radiation therapy), caught the Whu Flu, then underwent 45 consecutive days of radiation treatments. My body reacted reasonably well to all the above insults, but little things started to pop up: skin lesions, skin breakdowns in odd areas, breathlessness...but no knee issues (yet). Oh, and did I mention: I WAS TIRED ALL THE TIME?

In 2021 I noticed that even when walking my knee would blow up like a balloon, and then came the stiffening, and then the pain. Playing Squash was out of the question (though I did try), Golf was too painful (and I couldn't finish playing 18 holes out of a cart), Paddle was right out as a sport, and lifting was really painful (but what was I gonna do, not lift?). Hell, even standing for any length of time caused my knee to balloon up like I'd just torn my ACL. Oh, and did I mention I WAS TIRED ALL THE TIME?

Anyway, multiple doctors, and many images later, the "official" diagnosis was advanced arthritis. How can this be? How can things go from serviceable to impossible, with no causative factor? Their answers ranged from: "you're getting old", to: "you must have done something to your knee", "you're still recovering from the cancer treatments"...all sorts of silly bullshit.

And then in 2022, after me complaining about the above, and the fact that I had NO ENERGY to even walk up a flight of stairs, my most recent PCP thinks it appropriate to do a full blood panel. The upshot is, of course, that my Thyroid is on the fritz. At a low dose of medication, my knee started is still stiff / swollen and painful, and the energy levels were not much better. So we bumped the meds, and had our first improvement. Unfortunately I crashed again in late spring of 2023, which precipitated another bump in medication (in late July).

It takes about 6-8 weeks for the full effects of this treatment to show itself. Memphis was another poor showing, but I was feeling better. I was able to drive 14 hours in car and not have knee issues, and as I mentioned in my meet re-cap, my hips and knees felt great that day. All this time I'm still carrying around a good bit of fluid above the knee. I was resigned to this being the new normal.

And now a month past Memphis, I'm realizing that I'm Squatting comfortably, Pulling comfortably, playing Golf comfortably. Not only am I engaging in these activities pain free, but I'm not having any post activity swelling. That picture on the right is the best my knee has looked and felt since 2019.

If I hadn't gotten diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I might have ended up with a knee replacement. Additionally, if the experts had actually listened to me, instead of dismissing my complaints, we could have gotten in front of this in 2021...not 20 fuqing 23.

TL/DR Thyroid issues were at the root of my knee issues, photos don't lie.

[Bill Anders]

I'm glad that you're getting that sorted out, BD. You have been on quite a road.

Keep at it!