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I'll try not to bore you too much with my story but here it is.
So in early November, lifting with my team, I was working out pretty hard most days of the week and I was getting up to about 275 lbs 5 times for 6-7 sets on my squat (not a ton, I know, I have long legs bear with me).
I developed an unrelated pilonidal cyst cavity on my tailbone that went about 5 inches up into my back. Thanksgiving day I had a surgery to remove the cyst along with the walling. The recovery time without any lifting at all was about three weeks and after that light lifting for a while minimal lower body work for 2 weeks.
As you can imagine my squat went right down the shitter. I came back doing about 185 lbs. for my first 5 or 6 sets of 5 and then maybe moving up to 205 lbs. for my last sets. Pathetic compared to previous.
I worked and worked squatting for a coupel of weeks with no re-gains in strength. Frustrating as hell.
Then, my throwing coach, who happens to be friends with Olympic discus champion Mac Wilkins, had us doing a new regiment of excercises to work on balance and stability, as suggested by Mac.
I used this light weight regiment (explained later) for about 2 weeks (thats all!) and finally decided to do squats again after.
My sets say it all: 205 lbs x10 reps
255lbs x10 reps
275 lbs x10 reps
305 lbs x10 reps
315 lbs x7 reps
Stronger than I ever was before the injury, and since that was the only variable, its my belief that it was this.
Heres the regiment: One legged squats and step ups.
One legged squats: Find a flat elevated surface and stand with your inside foot on the edge and your other foot hanging off of the side. Hold an outstretched medicine ball (I use 10 lbs) in both hands. Squat until a little above parallel, slowly, and back up. I say this because going parallel hurts my hi flexor, so I go just above. Repeat with the other leg, take 45 seconds rest in between each set and do 5 sets.
Step ups: You can use the same flat surface or a different one, but make sure that when you step your leg onto it, that your thigh is parallel to the ground. Use a bar for this one with whatever weight you feel comfortable with. Back straight, chest out, bar on your back. Step your right foot up to the surface and step up on to the platform until leg is straight. Do not step your other foot on to the platform, let it dangle next to your other, this is part of the stability so it is important. Step down with the dangeling foot first and then follow it down with the right leg. do this on the same side for as many reps as are comfotable (I usually do 6 or 7 with some relatively heavy weight). Then repeat with the other leg.
Simple, yet effective. I swear by this as I have seen the results in my own routine. Try it if you need to improve your squat and let me know how it goes.
Any questions, just ask.
So in early November, lifting with my team, I was working out pretty hard most days of the week and I was getting up to about 275 lbs 5 times for 6-7 sets on my squat (not a ton, I know, I have long legs bear with me).
I developed an unrelated pilonidal cyst cavity on my tailbone that went about 5 inches up into my back. Thanksgiving day I had a surgery to remove the cyst along with the walling. The recovery time without any lifting at all was about three weeks and after that light lifting for a while minimal lower body work for 2 weeks.
As you can imagine my squat went right down the shitter. I came back doing about 185 lbs. for my first 5 or 6 sets of 5 and then maybe moving up to 205 lbs. for my last sets. Pathetic compared to previous.
I worked and worked squatting for a coupel of weeks with no re-gains in strength. Frustrating as hell.
Then, my throwing coach, who happens to be friends with Olympic discus champion Mac Wilkins, had us doing a new regiment of excercises to work on balance and stability, as suggested by Mac.
I used this light weight regiment (explained later) for about 2 weeks (thats all!) and finally decided to do squats again after.
My sets say it all: 205 lbs x10 reps
255lbs x10 reps
275 lbs x10 reps
305 lbs x10 reps
315 lbs x7 reps
Stronger than I ever was before the injury, and since that was the only variable, its my belief that it was this.
Heres the regiment: One legged squats and step ups.
One legged squats: Find a flat elevated surface and stand with your inside foot on the edge and your other foot hanging off of the side. Hold an outstretched medicine ball (I use 10 lbs) in both hands. Squat until a little above parallel, slowly, and back up. I say this because going parallel hurts my hi flexor, so I go just above. Repeat with the other leg, take 45 seconds rest in between each set and do 5 sets.
Step ups: You can use the same flat surface or a different one, but make sure that when you step your leg onto it, that your thigh is parallel to the ground. Use a bar for this one with whatever weight you feel comfortable with. Back straight, chest out, bar on your back. Step your right foot up to the surface and step up on to the platform until leg is straight. Do not step your other foot on to the platform, let it dangle next to your other, this is part of the stability so it is important. Step down with the dangeling foot first and then follow it down with the right leg. do this on the same side for as many reps as are comfotable (I usually do 6 or 7 with some relatively heavy weight). Then repeat with the other leg.
Simple, yet effective. I swear by this as I have seen the results in my own routine. Try it if you need to improve your squat and let me know how it goes.
Any questions, just ask.
