Hernia repair and two years later lifting...

[Cyrano54]

Two years ago I established I had an inguinal hernia on a 465 deadlift. It wasn't a bad hernia but I got a mesh repair anyway. I went through the normal obstinance to lifting as prescribed by the doctor. I worked my way back to normal over a course of a year and approached the bar for 455 pull during one session. After a single I put the bar down and felt the same pain I had when I had the hernia before, a tug on my hip bone. Since then everytime I have approached the 450 mark I feel my old hernia. Am I capped for the rest of my life unable to go above 465? I though a mesh repair was more robust than the abdominal wall it repaired. I am in my 40s and I was hoping to have pulled 500 lb by now. I am 6'1", 270 lbs.

[Nick D'Agostino]

You can become stronger than you are, but you may need to try a different strategy to break through this barrier. Have you ever tried a rack pull progression? Also, take a look at this video about how pain works and let me know if you see any possible similarities between the speaker's story and your situation.

[Yngvi]

I didn't watch the TED video, so maybe I am simply repeating some of what was covered, but I would also like to raise the possibility that the hernia was never causing you pain in the first place. It is possible that, even though you had a hernia, the pain was always from a different injury or cause altogether.

[Cyrano54]

I didn't watch the TED video, so maybe I am simply repeating some of what was covered, but I would also like to raise the possibility that the hernia was never causing you pain in the first place. It is possible that, even though you had a hernia, the pain was always from a different injury or cause altogether.

I have considered its mental, its hard to get past that hard wired response though. Maybe a rack pull progression and coming up to 465 with more volume behind it can get me over the hump?

[Nick D'Agostino]

I wouldn't say it's mental because it makes it sound like the response is fake. You there is no doubt that you are feeling pain when you get into the area where you were previously injured. The critical distinction is that the pain is emerging to protect you from becoming injured. It is not signifying that you have just reinjured yourself. Having this idea will help you manage your actions even though it won't take away your pain. If you reinjure your self, there won't be any doubt that you have fucked up. I think a progression where you are alternating rack pulls and deadlifts is a good idea. Also, make sure you skip 465 when you start to approach it and go right to 470.