Beyond-Brawn-2nd-Edition

A REAL-LIFE TRAINING CYCLE FOR YOU TO LEARN FROM
the heels while squatting other than by a regular heel of a shoe. (Raising
the heels increases leg flexion and pushes the knees too far forward, greatly
increasing the stress on those joints.) Never mind that some of the big physiques
can apparently safely squat with their heels raised on a board, though
they may pay the price in years to come. What matters is how your knees
react. I paid a heavy price for my misjudgment.
17.38 With my knees injured from the raised-heels hip-belt squat, they now
could not tolerate regular no-elevation barbell squatting. Even squats with
light weights produced days of discomfort afterward. e soreness became
unbearable and in June I dropped the squat.
17.39 While the knee problem ruined the squat, it did not mar the deadlift cycle.
I was not using my knees a great deal in the exercise anyway. By taking my
knees just a little more out of the movement the deadlift could continue to
progress. e effect of this was that the stress upon my back was increased
as my legs contributed less to the movement.
17.40 On 24 April I did 385 for 15 reps. I was down to 5 continuous reps and 10
rest-pause reps to get all 15 out. en I got injured, but not while deadlifting.
17.41 While performing standing barbell presses I felt something “twang” in my
upper back. e pain was immediate. I visited a chiropractor the next
day and had two vertebrae in my upper spine adjusted. ere was instant
improvement and within a week my back was feeling 100%. From then on I
did my overhead presses while seated and with my back supported against a
high-incline bench.
17.42 Being cautious I did not deadlift again until 7 May, and then only with 330
pounds. A week later I did 363 for the usual 15 reps, and a further week later
I did 374, and a week after that (28 May) I did the 385 I had done before the
upper-back injury.
17.43 I then hurt myself again. While stretching at home, doing a familiar back
movement, I got carried away and went for extra stretch. I felt another
twang and regretted the enthusiasm for stretching. Great care needs to be
given to stretching exercises because if you get carried away you will injure
yourself.
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