Beyond-Brawn-2nd-Edition

BEYOND BRAWN
back into it over an extra couple of weeks. I got away with it only because I
was not maxed out at the time.
17.33 I moved to 160 kilos (352 pounds) over two weeks, using the pre-sickness
5-kilos-per-week increment schedule. I was now down to 8 continuous reps
and 7 rest-pause reps per 15-rep set. At 352 pounds I reduced the weekly
increment to 2.5 kilos (5.6 pounds) to help ensure that my form stayed tight
and the gaining momentum was not killed by excessive weekly increments.
On hindsight, the 2.5 kilos per week increments should have started earlier
than they did, and the cycle lengthened accordingly.
Injuries
17.34 I had a bad year in 1992 for injuries. roughout late 1991 and early 1992 I
had elbow problems caused by excessive zeal for specialized grip work, and
not working into it progressively enough. is prevented all grip work and
hampered me in all major exercises except the deadlift (because I was using
grip supports). Due to an injury sustained while playing soccer in 1991, I had
a problem with my right big toe until late 1993.
17.35 In late February 1992 I started using a hip belt for squats during the ursday
workout, for much regretted supplementary thigh work. is was an
example of trying to improve on what was already a very productive schedule.
When something is going well, leave well alone.
17.36 I started very light with the hip-belt squat—85 pounds—to get the hang
of the exercise. It was awkward to begin with. I had to use a 2-inch board
under my heels, though balance was still awkward. Being more mechanically
suited to the deadlift than the squat probably exaggerated the awkwardness
of the exercise for me. Plenty of people have prospered on the hip-belt squat
but I am not one of them, at least not if it is done with a 2-inch board under
my heels. My knees moaned from the first workout. e “moaning” was not
enough to stop me. I mistook it for the discomfort of acclimatizing to a new
exercise, and stupidly applied the “no pain, no gain” maxim. I persisted with
the hip-belt squat for 5 or 6 workouts before I finally got the message that
the exercise was damaging my knees, and abandoned it in early April.
17.37 To be fair, my knees were sensitive and quite easily irritated. Had I done the
hip-belt squat in a power rack or from within the safety bars of a squat rack,
holding onto the uprights to maintain balance without a board under my
heels, I may have prospered on the exercise. I now vigorously oppose raising
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