SeeMac's Log

[DCR]

Been doing this cool reverse nordic isometric which feels amazing on my knee.

Tell me more, please. How are you doing it?

Basically I get into a saddle/reverse nordic position with my back resting on my ~18 inch bench. Something like this but the surface I am resting on is much higher.

From here, I flex my glutes, and then drive my feet into the ground basically as hard as I can for 30 seconds. I do 3 sets of this. Crazy quad pump, and this basically eliminates my knee pain for 6-8 hours. I'd recommend using a pretty high box, as I can't quite flex the quads as hard with near full knee flexion.

Isometric spanish squats are gold for patella tendinopathy, but they didn't do much for my quad tendon. This is the only way I've found that can get into the quad tendon.

There is some interesting research regarding isometrics for tendons. Dr. Keith Baar (full disclosure that not everyone in the tendon research field agrees with his ideas) claims that isometrics are the only way to actually heal the degenerated/scarred part of a tendon. The idea is that force is not normally transmitted through the scarred area and rather the rest of the tendon takes up the load (stress shielding). This is actually well established. Baar claims that doing isometrics induces stress relaxation over the duration of 30 or so seconds, so that the healthy part of the tendon relaxes and the scarred area receives some stress. Whereas doing eccentric/concentric will only stress the healthy part of the tendon. Without stress through the scarred area, there is no signal to adapt and thus it will remain scarred indefinitely.

I have no opinion one way or another, and this is probably placebo, but I feel like I can actually "feel" the stress relaxation. When I do the first set of this, it doesn't hurt until about 10 seconds in. Then, I get a massive flush of a warm, pretty painful sensation. Compression wouldn't explain this, because the joint isn't moving and was compressed from the moment I started. Placebo would, because I am a slight hypochondriac. But for now I am telling myself that this is the scarred area taking up the load.

Without stress through the scarred area, there is no signal to adapt and thus it will remain scarred indefinitely.

Thanks for writing this up. I may gently try this. I’m not sure that my knees will love the initial position. Generally, anything that I do where my feet are outside my knees is bad news. It’s enough that when I get out of a car, I turn my whole body such that both feet are on the ground together and I then stand. I won’t put my left foot down and let my right leg drag back such that the knee turns in with my foot outside of it.

[SeeMac]

Been doing this cool reverse nordic isometric which feels amazing on my knee.

Tell me more, please. How are you doing it?

Basically I get into a saddle/reverse nordic position with my back resting on my ~18 inch bench. Something like this but the surface I am resting on is much higher.

From here, I flex my glutes, and then drive my feet into the ground basically as hard as I can for 30 seconds. I do 3 sets of this. Crazy quad pump, and this basically eliminates my knee pain for 6-8 hours. I'd recommend using a pretty high box, as I can't quite flex the quads as hard with near full knee flexion.

Isometric spanish squats are gold for patella tendinopathy, but they didn't do much for my quad tendon. This is the only way I've found that can get into the quad tendon.

There is some interesting research regarding isometrics for tendons. Dr. Keith Baar (full disclosure that not everyone in the tendon research field agrees with his ideas) claims that isometrics are the only way to actually heal the degenerated/scarred part of a tendon. The idea is that force is not normally transmitted through the scarred area and rather the rest of the tendon takes up the load (stress shielding). This is actually well established. Baar claims that doing isometrics induces stress relaxation over the duration of 30 or so seconds, so that the healthy part of the tendon relaxes and the scarred area receives some stress. Whereas doing eccentric/concentric will only stress the healthy part of the tendon. Without stress through the scarred area, there is no signal to adapt and thus it will remain scarred indefinitely.

I have no opinion one way or another, and this is probably placebo, but I feel like I can actually "feel" the stress relaxation. When I do the first set of this, it doesn't hurt until about 10 seconds in. Then, I get a massive flush of a warm, pretty painful sensation. Compression wouldn't explain this, because the joint isn't moving and was compressed from the moment I started. Placebo would, because I am a slight hypochondriac. But for now I am telling myself that this is the scarred area taking up the load.

Without stress through the scarred area, there is no signal to adapt and thus it will remain scarred indefinitely.

Thanks for writing this up. I may gently try this. I’m not sure that my knees will love the initial position. Generally, anything that I do where my feet are outside my knees is bad news. It’s enough that when I get out of a car, I turn my whole body such that both feet are on the ground together and I then stand. I won’t put my left foot down and let my right leg drag back such that the knee turns in with my foot outside of it.

I kind of have the same issue. I've always had "loose" knees, and I've dislocated by patella in both knees a few times. A year or two ago I was messing around with band assisted reverse nordics (basically an active version of that position) and after a few months I found my knees were a lot more stable and I was able to get all the way down. At first, I getting anywhere near that would be very uncomfortable for my knees.

[SeeMac]

09/29/23
SB Bench - 205 x 7 x 6 -> minor bicep pain on last 2 sets
DB Wrist Curl - 40 x 8 x 2
Elbow Rotation Eccentric - 2 sets
Finger curl - 95 x 12 x 2
Low Incline DB Fly - 40s x 10, 30s x 15
Incline DB Extension - 30s x 25 -> Think these are what are bothering my forearm/bicep
Incline DB Curl - 25s x 13, 8
Rear Delt Fly MRM - 25s x 14 x 2

09/30/23
3-1-0 Front Squat w/o belt - 145 x 5, 155 x 5 x 2 -> zero pain
SG RDL w/o belt - 245 x 8 x 2 @ RPE 0

SG RDLs are one of my favourite movements, and they don't seem to be bothering my back like pulls from the floor do. I think my best is 315 x 10 on these. Might try to beat that soon.

[SeeMac]

10/02/23
Bench - 230 x 2, 245 x 2, 275 x 1 @ 9.5ish, 230 x 2 x 6
Wrist Curl - 40 x 9 x 2
Elbow Rotation - 2 sets
Finger curl - 115 x 12 x 2
Klokov Press - 125 x 8, 7, 115 x 8
Spider Curl MRM - 25s x 25 x 2
Deficit Pushup MRM - purple x 17 x 2
Band Pullapart - 2 sets to failure

I think the finger curls are the thing I need to be doing for my golfer's elbow. A climber friend of mine (world class climber btw) sent me this link about my elbow: http://drjuliansaunders.com/ask-dr-j-is ... revisited/

Apparently, most of the golfers elbow people need wrist curls or pronation/supination, but a small subset need finger curls. The finger curls are the only one of those three that hurt, which apparently means those are what I need to be doing. Will keep the wrist curls and rotations in for a little while longer just to be safe.

[SeeMac]

10/03/23
3-1-0 Squat - 165 x 6 x 3 -> more or less no pain
Hamstring Roller - 15, 10
Side Bend - 50 x 20, 70 x 15

Knee keeps moving in the right direction.

[SeeMac]

10/04/23
Bench - 210 x 6 x 6
Finger Curl - 125 x 12 x 3
Seated DB OHP - 40s x 23
Overhead Skullcrusher MRM - 75 x 14 x 2
Hammer Curl - 30s x 17, 15, 12

Minor work emergency cut this a bit short

10/05/23
Beltless Axle Deadlift (Mixed Grip) - 227 x 5 x 8 EMOM -> holy hell this was hard
Pistol Squat to 1 Pin (Standing on 25 pound bumper) - bw x 12 x 2
Ab Wheel - 3, 2
Ring Chin - bw x 13, 9

[SeeMac]

10/06/23
Bench - 245 x 2 x 6
Finger Curl - 135 x 8 x 3
Deficit Pushup MRM - purple x 23 x 2
Rear Delt Fly MRM - 25s x 16 x 2
Incline DB Curl MRM - 30s x 11 x 2
Lu Raise - 20 -> 10 x 9,5, 8,4

[SeeMac]

10/07/23
3-1-0 Beltless FS - 165 x 5 x 3 -> 0 pain
SG RDL - 275 x 6 x 2 -> 0 pain

Gonna stick with RDLs for a while. 275 RDLs seem to hurt less than 225 pulls from the floor.

[SeeMac]

10/09/23
Bench - 205 x 5 x 5 easy
Finger Curl - 135 x 10 x 3
Hammer Curl MRM - 30s x 20 x 2
Lu Raise - 20 -> 10 x 10-5, 9-5

10/10/23
3-1-0 Beltless Squat - 175 x 5 x 3 -> 0 knee pain
Back still quite sore. Now that the knee is functional going to drop back the weights and do some volume. I ordered some 3/4 inch mats to cut up for block pulls. Going to give trap bar deads a try tomorrow, and if those are tolerable I'll be happy.

10/11/23
Bench - up to 290 x 1 X 10 (PR), 240 x 2 x 3
Finger Curl - 155 x 6 x 3
Deficit Pushup MRM - purple x 25 x 2
BB Curl MRM - 80 x 11 x 2
Low Incline Skullcrusher MRM - 85 x 10 x 2
Lu Raise - 20 -> 10 x 11-5, 10-5

[DCR]

Bench - up to 290 x 1 X 10 (PR)

Sweet. Seeing that 3, I’ll bet.

[Renascent]

There is some interesting research regarding isometrics for tendons. Dr. Keith Baar (full disclosure that not everyone in the tendon research field agrees with his ideas) claims that isometrics are the only way to actually heal the degenerated/scarred part of a tendon.

I'm gonna check out the podcast tomorrow at work, if I can be left alone for long enough. I'm wondering if, by "heal," he means that tendon scarring can be "reversed" or if he means it in purely in the sense of adaptation...

A year or two ago I was messing around with band assisted reverse nordics (basically an active version of that position) and after a few months I found my knees were a lot more stable and I was able to get all the way down. At first, I getting anywhere near that would be very uncomfortable for my knees.

+1.

Love these. I just find it hard to get around to them when my ass is sore. Otherwise I "cheat" the movement.

[SeeMac]

Bench - up to 290 x 1 X 10 (PR)

Sweet. Seeing that 3, I’ll bet.

Thanks! On the fence about if I want to keep pushing it now to hit 300 or focus on getting a 200 OHP. My right forearm/bicep has been achey, so I guess that will decide.

[SeeMac]

There is some interesting research regarding isometrics for tendons. Dr. Keith Baar (full disclosure that not everyone in the tendon research field agrees with his ideas) claims that isometrics are the only way to actually heal the degenerated/scarred part of a tendon.

I'm gonna check out the podcast tomorrow at work, if I can be left alone for long enough. I'm wondering if, by "heal," he means that tendon scarring can be "reversed" or if he means it in purely in the sense of adaptation...

A year or two ago I was messing around with band assisted reverse nordics (basically an active version of that position) and after a few months I found my knees were a lot more stable and I was able to get all the way down. At first, I getting anywhere near that would be very uncomfortable for my knees.

+1.

Love these. I just find it hard to get around to them when my ass is sore. Otherwise I "cheat" the movement.

He means it can be "healed", as in complete turnover of scarred tissue into healthy tissue. He has done some rat studies on this, and there are a few case studies he's published. However, some other prominent researchers (Dr. Jill Cook is the big one) disagree with this claim.

[SeeMac]

10/12/23
HH TBDL - 405 x 1 @ ez, 315 x 3 x 8 EMOM

Had to cut this short, but no back pain at all with these as long as I brace at the top and focus on really pushing out with my obliques.

[SeeMac]

10/13/23
DB Bench - 75s x 15, 14
Finger Curl - 155 x 8 x 3
NG Chin - bw x 16, 11
Seated DB Press - 40s x 27
CS DB Row - 75s x 14

10/14/23
3-1-0 FS - 175 x 4 x 4

10/16/23
Bench - up to 245 x 5 @ 8, 225 x 5 x 3
Finger Curl - 155 x 10 x 3
HH TBDL - up to 405 x 5 @ <=6, 375 x 5 x 3 no pain
Low Incline Skullcrusher - 85 x 11, (MRM) 75 x 15 x 2
BB Curl - 85 x 10, (MRM) 75 x 12 x 2
Ham Roller - 14, 12

10/17/23
OHP - up to 180 x 1 @ 9, 145 x 5
3-1-0 FS - 185 x 5 x 3 no pain
Very Deep Pushup MRM - black x 15 x 2
Side Bend - 70 x 17, 13
Neutral Chin MRM - bw x 17 x 2

[SeeMac]

10/19/23
CG Incline - 155 x 10 x 3 -> hard, so weak at incline
~3" sumo block pull - 315, 365, 385 x 5 -> 0 back pain, felt good
DB Flat Bench - 75s x 17, 14
DB Pullover - 30 x 12 x 2
DB Incline Curl - 30s x 10, 8, 6
Overhead BB Extension - 85 x 13, 12, 10

[SeeMac]

10/20/23
3-1-0 Back Squat w/o belt - 185 x 7, 195 x 6, 205 x 5 -> zero pain in knee or back
Klokov Press - 125 x 9, 7, 6
Seated Hammer Curl - 30s x 22, 20, 19
DB CS Row - 75s x 21, 11 -> reps always drop hard on this
Lu Raise - 20 -> 10 x 12-5, 10-5, 9-5
Band Pullapart - 40, 30

[SeeMac]

10/21/23
Bench - 255 x 3 @ 8, 225 x 9, 215 x 10, 205 x 10
HH TBDL - 455 x 4 @ 7ish, 385 x 5 x 3 easy, no pain
Low Incline Skullcrusher to pins - 85 x 13, 11, 10
Seated DB Curl - 30s x 16, 14, 14
Ham Roller - 15,13

[SeeMac]

10/24/23
OHP - 175 x 1 @ 8, 145 x 3 x 5
3-1-0 FS w/o belt - 195 x 5 x 3 no pain
Close Neutral Chin - 45 x 8, 7
Deficit Pushup - purp x 13 x 2
CS DB Row - 75s x 14

10/27/23
Right knee feeling very weird and unstable today
2.25" Sumo - 315 x 10 easy, taking it easy due to knee
Incine CGBP - 165 x 10 x 3 hard
SL RDL - 50 x 10 x 2 (1 set each hand)
Flat DB Bench - 75s x 19, 15
Overhead BB Extension - 95 x 12, 10, 9
Incline DB Curl - 30s x 11, 9, 7

10/28/23
Right knee still iffy
3-1-0 BS w/ belt - 205 x 6 x 3 pretty easy, no pain
Leg extension - 100 ish w/ black band
Ring Chin - 50 x 7, 70 x 5 x 2 @ 8 ish
Klokov Press - 125 x 11, 8, 7
Lu Raise - 20 -> 10 x 14-4, 10-5. 9-6
Hammer Curl - 40s x 13, 10, 10, 9
Band Pullapart - red x F x 2

10/31/23
Smashed my left knee yesterday, and it hurts like hell. Right knee also feels like it might give out any second
Bench - 265 x 1 @ 8ish, 230 x 8 @ 9, 220 x 10 @ 9, 210 x 10 @ 7
HHTB - 475 x 3 @ 7.5ish, 395 x 5 x 3
Low Incline Skullcrusher - 85 x 15, 12, 12
Seated DB Curl - 30s x 20, 18, 16
Side Bend - 70 x 17, 12

11/01/23
OHP - 185 x 1 @ 9.5, 150 x 3 x 5
3-1-0 FS w/o belt - 205 x 5 x 3 fairly easy, no knee pain
Neutral Chin - bw x 14, 12, 11 (no weight since lat is funky)
Deep Pushup - purp x 15, 14, 13
CS DB Row - 75s x 10


Quad tendon feels 100% cured (knock on wood), and golfer's elbow feels 75% cured (double knock). Some other strange issues popped up though. A week or so ago the back of my right knee started to tighten up, and it comes up on and off. When it's on, it feels as if I might dislocate my patella, which I've done a bunch before. Hoping it doesn't happen. I also picked up this annoying lat/scapula situation in my left shoulder, which doesn't bother me at all during training except for during chins. I am going on vacation on the 11th of the month for a week, so hoping the week off helps heal some of these naggy aches.

Also, crazy how fast strength comes back. I am confident I could pull 550-580 or so on the trap bar right now, and squat 300 no problem. This is after many months of almost zero full squatting and very few heavy pulls.

Don't have a scale, but I am confident I am well into the 190s right now. My chest and arms in particular have grown. Always had decent shoulder and upper back development. Hoping to push up to the low 210s at least through the spring. Really want a 315 bench and 200 OHP.

[SeeMac]

11/03/23
2.25" Sumo - up to 405 x 1 @ easy, then 320 x 5 x 2 -> back sore, might need to use higher blocks or scratch these
CG Incline - 175 x 10 x 3
Ham Roller - 17, 15
DB Flat Bench - 75s x 20, 16
Overhead BB Extension - 95 x 13, 12, 10
Incline DB Curl - 30s x 13, 10, 8

11/04/23
3-1-0 Squat w/ belt - up to 255 x 1 @ 6ish, then 205 x 7 x 2 easy
Klokov Press - 135 x 6, 5, 115 x 11
DB Row - 75 x 20 x 2
Scapula Pushup - bw x 20, 15
Lateral Raise - 40s x 13, 12, 19
Seated Hammer Curl - 40s x 15, 11, 10

Couldn't do chins or lu raises today because of this lat/scapula issue. Going to try to get in a few massages this week. I've had something similar before and it seems to last a few weeks and disappear.