The squat is a great metaphor for life. It’s about getting back up with something heavy takes you down.

This isn’t a sob story. I wanted to share with other Red Pill men what I do when setbacks or injury happens. Because they will happen.

I always notice a lot of guys report in OYS thier lifting, and there isn’t too much hassle about it. Unless you Crossfit or just don’t do it at all. For me I believe how a man lifts is how he approaches his life. If he changes programs every few months he is pretty wishy washy and can’t make up his mind. He doesn’t see things through. If his numbers are low and progress is extremely slow he either doesn’t know what’s required or he isn’t putting in that much of an effort. If he does every kind of workout except lifting iron or he is not lifting or limiting his program due to “injury” then he’s avoiding the hard stuff.

Let’s be clear about “injury”. There is a difference between discomfort and legit pain. Pain means you cannot go on with normal daily activity. Discomfort means things are not all that great but it does not prevent you from daily routine. Pain you stop and get better. Discomfort you work around while you rehab back to health.

I gained another injury. My intent here is to post a series as I rehab it AND continue to lift without stopping my program. I want to show you how I do it and the outcomes. I am prepared for injury, for setbacks. I want to share with you how it’s done. Not everything an unplugging man, even a RP man, will go through will be 100%. Predators never attack when you are ready. They know when you are weak. It’s how you handle it when you are weak that matters.

In lifting it is possible to keeping lifting even with real injury. There are always ways to work around the injury and keep moving. Can't deadlift? There are at least 6 ways to deadlift that avoid your injured area. There are several accessory exercises you can do to work muscle groups other than your injury. This way when you go back into the lift you won't be all that far off from your last PR.

In powerlifting you are always hurting, always injured. I strained my left Lateral Dorseai or just lat muscle, possibly my left scapula as well. My mobility coach suspects a strained rotator cuff but I don’t have any discomfort moving the arm, though late last week my arm was locked up and I could not move it externally nor internally. Took me all weekend to work that out.

Rehabbing a strained lat can be up to 2-3 weeks. This is week 1. How did I do it? Don’t know. I know just before I was deadlifting 500 with bands that provided resistance of 120 where I was experiencing a 620 pounds at lock out. That week I also had trouble moving 480 on bench using a duffalo bar (or Youcon bar). My form sucked but I made it happen. Then there was my accessory work where I was moving the needle higher. Any number of things could have caused it. Last week was a good week for progress.

The plan going forward is to not stop my program. I will keep lifting and progressing. Meanwhile I will add in the following to keep blood flowing to the muscle to prevent lock up and give the area rest and ability to heal up. This (+) denotes work BEFORE lifting. This (@) marks work that will be done every day even at home on rest days.

  1. (@) Adding in light band work externally and internally rotating my arm (both arms to keep it even). This consists of 4 movements for one arm to keep the muscle moving and preventing cramping and locking up. It will also keep blood flowing to the area. Start at 2x10 for each movement.
  2. (+) Light weight (80 pounds no more) wide arm lat pull downs to get blood rushing in.
  3. (@) Foam roll the lat area from hip to shoulder (I can feel the muscle bunched up. I literally shouted last night working it out). Even have a set of stretches and yoga like movements to do.
  4. (@) Use a Thera-cane, racket ball and go to town on the shoulder and scapula area. Even up to the neck.
  5. (@) Use NSAIDs to prevent inflammation NOT to dull pain/discomfort. I need that input to tell me where progress lies.
  6. (@) Ice as needed at night.
  7. I will also take longer rest breaks between sets. I usually only rest 2-3 minutes. Keeping my hear rate at 120 no lower. Now I will default to resting my lats and go back in when I feel it's ready.

Week 1, Day 2.

Instant relief after exercise. Even my program lifts. I didn't feel the effected area at all at night. First time since I sustained it. Foam roller is brutal. My fingers are tingly during the work (normal for a strained lat), afterwards instant relief. I think coach is worried for nothing about the rotator cuff but I will proceed as if it is. Safer that way. I don't want to mess around with rotator issues. That will set me back.

Rest period between sets is 3-4 minutes. Seems to be good. My left arm was weak and unstable during dumbbell work (Tate presses, tricep roll backs). I didn't lower the weight but supported the arm. I got a spotter to support my arm. He may have assisted the lift but it was better than not doing it at all.

I will report back at the start and the end of the week on the progress.

White lights and big lifts.