5/3/1 Post Biceps reattachment surgery: The road to recovery begins.

[DRice311]

What kind of pain did you have leading up to it (if you don't mind me asking)? Was it in the bicep, the elbow, forearm?? Did it feel like tendinitis?

It's pretty incredible you are already back and lifting. 8-11 weeks really doesn't sound like that long.

[tcul1972]

What kind of pain did you have leading up to it (if you don't mind me asking)? Was it in the bicep, the elbow, forearm?? Did it feel like tendinitis?

It's pretty incredible you are already back and lifting. 8-11 weeks really doesn't sound like that long.

It was elbow pain and my doctor always told me it was tendonitis and just rest it with ice and ibuprofen. The last two weeks my elbow hurt any time I used it. That day I literally could not swing a hammer with my left arm. The elbow only hurt when I moved my arm so I went ahead with my deadlift workout that day and skipped my assistance work. The elbow did not hurt at all doing deadlifts so I decided to do some heavy singles as assistance. I did a set each of 380 and 390 with no pain using the alternate grip. 400 pounds was too much for the tendon it appears. The surgeon was surprised with my progress too. He was going to use the endobutton technique for repair. That is when they drill a hole in the forearm and pull the tendon through it and suture a button to the end of the tendon. My tendon was so degenerated that he had to trim nearly half an inch off of it to reach good tendon so that procedure would not work. He ended up doing the double anchor method where he screwed two anchors into the forearm and sutured each side of the tendon to one of the anchors. I had nearly full ROM at week 2. I was just a bit short when twisting the forearm. He told me at week 11 I was good to go just take it slow. I still have limitations. At work yesterday I tried to hold my tool bag in my right hand and one arm it left handed down a straight up and down roof access ladder. halfway down I had to drop my tool bag so I could grab the ladder with my right hand as my left bicep started hurting.

[DRice311]

I appreciate the info man. Like I said, this one particular injury scares me more than anything, because everyone I've seen who has suffered it has said it pretty much came out of no where.

Its awesome you have jumped right back in it. I am running 5/3/1 as well - so will follow along here. Do you plan to do any bicep assistance to try to strengthen that elbow?

[tcul1972]

I appreciate the info man. Like I said, this one particular injury scares me more than anything, because everyone I've seen who has suffered it has said it pretty much came out of no where.

Its awesome you have jumped right back in it. I am running 5/3/1 as well - so will follow along here. Do you plan to do any bicep assistance to try to strengthen that elbow?

Aside from following the 2 day per week template with the assistance work I have listed I don't plan to do any additional work at this time. I figure the 2 day template gives my arm plenty of recovery time so I will stick with it for 2 or 3 cycles. I have discussed my injury and plan for restarting 5/3/1 with Wendler through his facebook page and he likes my plan and pretty much said don't let my ego get the best of me and stop short on a workout if I am not feeling it. I had to do just that my first deadlift/press week.

[tcul1972]

5/3/1 Comeback: Cycle 1 5/3/1+ week(15 weeks post biceps reattachment surgery)


Warmup

Foam roller: lower/upper back,IT bands,Quads,piriformis,adducto rs,
hamstrings

Mobility: Lying knee to knee mobilization,split stance adductor mobilization,Half kneeling adductor dips,prone hips flexed rocking,no-money drill.


Band Stretching: hamstrings,low back,groin,hip flexors/quads

Olympic bar stretch: chest/shoulders


Main Movements

Squat(training max@180)

Warmup- 75 x 5
Warmup- 90 x 5
Warmup- 110 x 3

Set 1- 135 x 5
Set 2- 155 x 3
Set 3- 175 x 10

Bench Press(training max@120)

Warmup- 50 x 5
Warmup- 60 x 5
Warmup- 75 x 3

Set 1- 90 x 5
Set 2- 105 x 3
Set 3- 115 x 15

Accessory Work(all exercises done as a circuit. no rest between exercises. 5 minutes rest between circuits)

None today



Thoughts: 10 rep across all weeks for squat and 15 reps across all weeks for bench. I am very happy with that for the first cycle back. I was pressed for time so I ditched the assistance. 1 more workout and cycle 1 post-op will be in the books. Wendler advises not to do a deload week on the 2 week template unless needed. I am thinking that since I am fresh back from surgery I will most likely take the deload week at least for this cycle.

[tcul1972]

The elbow has been telling me the last few days to cut the high rep shit out. Not really in any pain but the elbow just seems to get fatigued really easy at work. I think I will hold off on my 5/3/1 week dead and press workout until Sunday and then take a deload. After that I will keep progressing with 5/3/1 but I will do only required reps except for maybe 5/3/1 week.

[DRice311]

I would def listen to the elbow man. No reason to push it too hard too fast.

[tcul1972]

I would def listen to the elbow man. No reason to push it too hard too fast.

agreed. the last 2 days at work have been pretty bad. I haven't been able to do much without fatiguing the arm. I will definitely scale it back some next cycle. I still have my dead and press day to finish out this cycle but I will wait until Sunday for that and will most likely do required reps only.

[tcul1972]

5/3/1 Comeback: Cycle 1 5/3/1+ week(16 weeks post biceps reattachment surgery)


Main Movements

Deadlift(training max@225)

Warmup- 90 x 5
Warmup- 115 x 5
Warmup- 135 x 3

Set 1- 170 x 5
Set 2- 195 x 3
Set 3- 215 x 10

Overhead Press(training max@95)

Warmup- 45 x 5
Warmup- 50 x 5
Warmup- 60 x 3

Set 1- 75 x 5
Set 2- 85 x 3
Set 3- 95 x 10

Accessory Work(all exercises done as a circuit. no rest between exercises. 5 minutes rest between circuits)

None this workout


Thoughts: First post op cycle in the books. I learned some things about my limitations this cycle. Namely my arm does not like the volume so my second cycle will be a little different. on 5s and 3s week I will do required reps only and continue with the assistance template I have now. On 5/3/1 week I will do the last set all out(within reason) and no assistance work. Since I got so many reps on the last set of every workout I toyed with the idea of going up more than the 10 and 5 pound increments but I ultimately decided against it. I will deload this week and then up my training maxes and carry on with my new plan.

[tcul1972]

5/3/1 Comeback: Cycle 2 5/5/5+ week(17 weeks post biceps reattachment surgery)


Main Movements

Squat(training max@190)

Warmup- 80 x 5
Warmup- 95 x 5
Warmup- 115 x 3

Set 1- 125 x 5
Set 2- 145 x 5
Set 3- 165 x 5

Bench Press(training max@125)

Warmup- 50 x 5
Warmup- 65 x 5
Warmup- 75 x 3

Set 1- 85 x 5
Set 2- 95 x 5
Set 3- 110 x 5

Accessory Work(all exercises done as a circuit. no rest between exercises. 5 minutes rest between circuits)

None today



Thoughts: did a serious deload this week. as in I didn't do a damn thing. I have been wearing an elbow sleeve at work and today during my workout. It seems to help with the fatigue. I had every intention of doing my accessory sets today but I got a late start to the workout because me,the wife and son decided to go out for a late lunch and walk around the mall for an hour or so.