Saturday, November 18, 2023

rehab work: don't be dainty

I'm in a bad position and I hate it. My knee has been a problem for years and I'm finally in physical therapy dealing with it. Because that wasn't enough, my neck is flaring up in a major way that promises to hand me another couple of years of pain and discomfort. As with all setbacks, this is a blessing in disguise. 

Over the past few years I haven't been able to give what I would consider high effort to any sets. My body and strength 100% reflect this. The main mission is clear: fix my shit. Strength and conditioning can take a back seat for a few months so long term progress can actually happen.

The plan
- actually purchase and follow someone else mobility plan. The slot machine approach I'm taking is too random to be useful.
- spend 3 months building mobility and joint integrity.
- reintroduce strength training. The mobility train doesn't stop, it just takes a supporting role.

Where dainty matters
My knee physical therapy can be done in my sleep. If the goal is to build up the muscle and tissues that are atrophied, dainty isn't the way to go.

Why not train these movements with intensity? Why not train as if they were main movements? They're all I can do right now! I'm bored because I'm treating them like a chore instead of a goal. I can tell ya, 2x10 of single leg calf raises slaps very different then hitting single leg calf raises to failure, then assisted failure, then double leg calf raises with extended range of motion to failure and assisted failure. 

One of these methods sets off hypertrophic processes. The other isn't garbage, but I'm way less incentivised to follow it.