WHEN WEIGHT LIFTING LIMITS YOUR ATHLETIC ABILITY AND INCREASES YOUR CHANCE OF INJURY.

[JETHRO TULL]

DO ANY OF YOU SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE DOING THE SAME EXERCISES OVER AND OVER...WORKING ON GETTING STRONGER...DEVELOPING MORE MUSCLE MASS...ETC....MAKES YOU 'FEEL' MORE AND MORE INJURY PRONE? I TRY TO WARM UP WELL...DO SOME STRETCHING....ROTATOR CUFF EXERCISES AND ALL THAT ALONG WITH TRAINING. BUT, I OFTEN FEEL THAT IN SPITE OF MY STRENGTH ON CERTAIN MOVEMENTS.....I AM MORE PRONE TO INJURY DOING EVERYDAY THINGS.

EXAMPLES: FALLING ON THE ICE UNEXPECTEDLY MIGHT CAUSE ALL SORTS OF UNTOLD CALAMITIES....COULD PULL A GROIN...TEAR A HAMSTRING....TEAR A PEC... SOMETIME ALL THE TRAINING MAKES ME FEEL BRITTLE...LESS STURDY IF YOU GET WHAT I AM SAYING.


RUNNING A FEW STEPS...MAYBE A GOOD LEAP TO CATCH A FRISBEE OR JUMPING UP TO TOUCH THE RIM OF A BASKETBALL HOOP AND LANDING COULD TEAR AND ACHILLES OR BLOW OUT A PATELLAR TENDON?

SCREWING AROUND WRESTLING WITH A FRIEND OR HITTING THE HEAVY BAG YOU COULD TEAR A PEC OR WHATEVER?

I'VE BEEN FEELING LIKE THAT A LOT. SO LATELY, HERE IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING SOME....RUNNING 3/4 SPEED RUNS UP HILLS ON LIGHT LEG DAYS...[PRETTY MUCH CARDIO, ABS, CALF DAYS]....AND I AM GOING TO START SWIMMING AND MAYBE TAKE SOME AEROBIC DANCE CLASSES WITH ALL THOSE WOMEN....JUST TO GET MY MOBILITY BACK. I HAVE ALWAYS HATED THE IDEA OF BEING A BIG 'UNATHLETIC' CLOD...AND LATELY IT'S HOW I HAVE BEEN FEELING.

TRAINING IS GOING TO FOCUS MORE ON SOME CROSS TRAINING FOR A WHILE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON FLEXIBILITY.

I PLAN ON DOING THIS A COUPLE TIMES PER WEEK.

 

[Conan21]

hey Jethro

Look up what Westside Barbell does for GPP (General Physical Preparedness)

 

[BigBoyJ]

That's exactly what happens, Jethro. Your body gets adapted to a very fixed plain of motion. You can become extremely strong in that particular plane, but anything that makes you move suddenly in a new plane, especially with explosiveness or impact, is likely to tear your ass up. Your agility goes to shit, sports become damn near impossible. Really, all your left with is looking big and being able to lift heavy weight. I had that syndrome going on BAD for a long time. Running at all became impossible, I was slow, immobile, no agility. It sucked. Since I started mma training again, I've been doing a lot of plyometrics, speed and agility training. The difference from a few months ago and now is AMAZING. I forgot how good it felt to be athletic instead of just big. It's done wonders for my joints and tendons to to get out of that fixed plane of motion that you get from doing nothing but basics with the weights.

 

[JETHRO TULL]

Exactly how I've been feeling...and I don't like it.

That's exactly what happens, Jethro. Your body gets adapted to a very fixed plain of motion. You can become extremely strong in that particular plane, but anything that makes you move suddenly in a new plane, especially with explosiveness or impact, is likely to tear your ass up. Your agility goes to shit, sports become damn near impossible. Really, all your left with is looking big and being able to lift heavy weight. I had that syndrome going on BAD for a long time. Running at all became impossible, I was slow, immobile, no agility. It sucked. Since I started mma training again, I've been doing a lot of plyometrics, speed and agility training. The difference from a few months ago and now is AMAZING. I forgot how good it felt to be athletic instead of just big. It's done wonders for my joints and tendons to to get out of that fixed plane of motion that you get from doing nothing but basics with the weights.

Time to mix it up for a while.

 

[JETHRO TULL]

Conan....I'll check that out.

Look up what Westside Barbell does for GPP (General Physical Preparedness)

Thanks!

 

[TooPowerful4u]

You know... i havent lost my athletic ability... but i have realized im slower and get tired a hell of a lot faster. I watched a video of me wrestling (which i posted here like a yr ago) and i coulda sworn i was in slow motion. I tried to play baseball with my friends.... first two innings crushing the ball so figured i was fine.... i DIED the 3rd inning and sucked ass the rest of the game! I can still sprint for some odd reason, but long distance NO WAY. I can touch a basketball rim too (never used to be able to at 150lbs haha). I also notice the next day im always sore from whatever activity, and since my lil bro got bigger and physical when i wastle with him something always gets hurt. I miss being able to fall out of a tree and get up worry free.... now if i fall down like jethro says...i hope i dont tear something haha. KNOCK ON WOOD!

 

[JETHRO TULL]

2powerful4u....Yes...You have it.

You know... i havent lost my athletic ability... but i have realized im slower and get tired a hell of a lot faster. I can touch a basketball rim too (never used to be able to at 150lbs haha). I also notice the next day im always sore from whatever activity, and since my lil bro got bigger and physical when i wastle with him something always gets hurt. I miss being able to fall out of a tree and get up worry free.... now if i fall down like jethro says...i hope i dont tear something haha. KNOCK ON WOOD!

I hear you! Sorta like....okay...I am powerful enough to flat out waste some poor bastard ....if, I don't mess myself all up in the process! lol....I am going to get to work on it. Glad I am not the only one who is going/gone through it!

 

[BigBoyJ]

You know... i havent lost my athletic ability... but i have realized im slower and get tired a hell of a lot faster. I watched a video of me wrestling (which i posted here like a yr ago) and i coulda sworn i was in slow motion. I tried to play baseball with my friends.... first two innings crushing the ball so figured i was fine.... i DIED the 3rd inning and sucked ass the rest of the game! I can still sprint for some odd reason, but long distance NO WAY. I can touch a basketball rim too (never used to be able to at 150lbs haha). I also notice the next day im always sore from whatever activity, and since my lil bro got bigger and physical when i wastle with him something always gets hurt. I miss being able to fall out of a tree and get up worry free.... now if i fall down like jethro says...i hope i dont tear something haha. KNOCK ON WOOD!

If I remember right, you're only in your early to mid twenties too. Give yourself a few years. If you don't start incorporating other training styles, by the time your 30, you'll be feeling like total crap. I'm 32 and I was to the point where I was stiffened up and brittle feeling like an old ass grandpa. I feel freakin' awesome now though, so at least is wasn't a permanent problem. I'm more athletic now than I've ever been. I still do the weights, but not JUST the weights. I've learned it's important to keep your body funtional, not just strong.

 

[HELLA SWOLE]

Ya know Jethro, it's pretty wierd to me that you just posted this because I am a college student and every fall I play on a intramural flag football team...kinda to re-live my glory days. Well, the season always sneaks up on my and I never really "train" to get ready for it, and since the time of year, it is in the beginning/middle of my bulking phases. Well, I had my first game tonight (after training legs..ugghh) and I was suprisingly fast and explosive, but had no agilty almost. I think my speed has actually picked up since my playing days b/c of my strength increases in my legs, but I had NO agility. I actually tested my vertical over the summer and it was a 33inch vert...not bad..for a white boy LOL.

Tonight, I felt like my groins were going to pop whenever I moved laterally and my hammies got REALLY tight. Even my hips were tight and had cricks in them along with lower back. I walked off the field limping and have a very sharp pain in my lower adbominal/groin region which KILLS every time I take a step now. I can feel it right now sitting here. I seriously think I MAY be injured, i had this same problem during my prep and had to rest it. I get better as the season goes on, but you have me thinking maybe I need to play a pick-up game of B-ball once a week or every other weak to keep this from happening b/c it gets worse every year as I get older and bigger and makes me feel like an old man. It really sucks...shit I jsut turned 22yrs old, i am supposed to still be a young buck I don't like this feeling and I think I am going to do somethign about it now.

 

[JETHRO TULL]

Hella Swole....I pull my damn groin all the time if I don't take special care!

Ya know Jethro, it's pretty wierd to me that you just posted this because I am a college student and every fall I play on a intramural flag football team...kinda to re-live my glory days. Well, the season always sneaks up on my and I never really "train" to get ready for it, and since the time of year, it is in the beginning/middle of my bulking phases. Well, I had my first game tonight (after training legs..ugghh) and I was suprisingly fast and explosive, but had no agilty almost. I think my speed has actually picked up since my playing days b/c of my strength increases in my legs, but I had NO agility. I actually tested my vertical over the summer and it was a 33inch vert...not bad..for a white boy LOL.

Tonight, I felt like my groins were going to pop whenever I moved laterally and my hammies got REALLY tight. Even my hips were tight and had cricks in them along with lower back. I walked off the field limping and have a very sharp pain in my lower adbominal/groin region which KILLS every time I take a step now. I can feel it right now sitting here. I seriously think I MAY be injured, i had this same problem during my prep and had to rest it. I get better as the season goes on, but you have me thinking maybe I need to play a pick-up game of B-ball once a week or every other weak to keep this from happening b/c it gets worse every year as I get older and bigger and makes me feel like an old man. It really sucks...shit I jsut turned 22yrs old, i am supposed to still be a young buck I don't like this feeling and I think I am going to do somethign about it now.

I totally get why we had two day practices and all those crappy grass drills 2 weeks before football season! Don't you? I guess I tend to forget about that as well. I always think okay....I am going to run over there as fast as I can and jump in the back of the truck etc....This summer I jumped out of the back end of my pick up and actually pulled a glute. Landed on one foot..hell, I was limping around for a few days. Like you are saying...What's the point of being big if you can't do anything with it? It sounds like you did a number on yourself!

 

[HELLA SWOLE]

I totally get why we had two day practices and all those crappy grass drills 2 weeks before football season! Don't you? I guess I tend to forget about that as well. I always think okay....I am going to run over there as fast as I can and jump in the back of the truck etc....This summer I jumped out of the back end of my pick up and actually pulled a glute. Landed on one foot..hell, I was limping around for a few days. Like you are saying...What's the point of being big if you can't do anything with it? It sounds like you did a number on yourself!

Yea, I never realized till now LOL Hell, I am in good shape...I am lean and everything with abs, but if you dont train a certain way, you wont be capable of the same things. I agree, I think its pointless and almost dangerous to just be big and not be able to do anything with it. Hell, people ask me if I am a football player all the time, so I guess I look like one, but I want to be able to move like one too!! LOL It's like a model car or airplaine sitting on your book case...its cool to look at, but it really sucks and is boring bc it can't drive or fly...it just sits on the shelf!! LOL

P.S. YES, I did do a number on myself I am hoping I wake up in the mornign and the pain isnt as bad, but I will eb sore as all hell either way..I ALWYAS am after the first game...and I am sure training legs and doing sets of 20 with squats before hand didnt help!! HA!

 

[mike1107]

GPP is the way to go keep your flexibility/elasticity

look at guys like Phil Baroni, Kevin Randleman ... this guys are muscular and flexible, and they do tons of GPP exercises

 

[nemo]

I'd suggest giving yoga a shot. It has done a tremendous amount for my mobility, more so than stretching alone. Some question the "manliness" of it but it is quite effective and many pro athletes do it, so who cares. If you feel uncomfortable attending a class you could always buy an instructional DVD and do it at home on your own time.

 

[Kahn]

Come on guys, you know this shit. NOBODY is special. We carry more beef so we can do more damage to ourselves. All it takes is a little use of the marble and stretch, warm up, and do exercises not bodybuilding exclusive. I got big enough I couldn't play baseball anymore without wrenching the shit out of my elbow. Add a little brainpower and I can play again. Plan ahead and you'll have it dicked. Then, with the added muscle, you'll be better than ever.

 

[bulldog21]

I am with all of you on here about lifting limiting your athletic ability. I played college and minor league baseball and weighed 190.....Now I weigh 275 and if I am not moving in a straight line something is going to pop be it my knee, ankle, hip or both.... Granted I am more powerful and problably could run faster now than then but there is no way I could lay out for a fly ball, slide, or dive to make a great play right now....I feel I would break........LOL. I think I would be able to be athletic for a day...lol.. I just feel so frail that I couldn't do it day in and day out like I used to......Not unless I lost some weight...

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Jethro, thanks for bring this up. I feel this way at times too. BIG TIME! All the things I do require some unexpected twists and hits. I remember this past winter two of my training partners (huge guys) wouldn't go skiing with me. Said they'd injure a knee or worse for sure.

I love to be big but I don't want it to restrict my life! I should get into an aerobics or yoga class for some extra flexability. What I do know that keeps me feeling at least somewhat agile are sprints and ladders on the track in the summer and ladders on the basketketball court in the winter. And also "bouldering" in the summers. That's just where you rock climb but never go very high (like ten feet) so that in the event you should slip off, basically you just sprain an ankle or something LOL.

Seriously though. Some good recommendations in this area would be great. We have a heavy bag at the gym but my right wrist has been killing me lately. Especially on deads and curls.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Shoot. Forgot to ask. Many train to enhance their performance in an area and others traing to be big and seems not much else.

Is it even POSSIBLE to have the best of both worlds? Huge size and athleticism simultaneously?

Can Ronnie surf? Can Jay water ski? Can Gunter climb a mountain with a backpack and not get dehydrated?

 

[speedbacker]

Shoot. Forgot to ask. Many train to enhance their performance in an area and others traing to be big and seems not much else.

Is it even POSSIBLE to have the best of both worlds? Huge size and athleticism simultaneously?


I definitely think it is. I have seen it personally in myself. I play d1 college football in my two years of being at school I have gained right around 45 pounds and I am much faster, stronger, leaner and more powerful and explosive than I was at the lighter weight 45 pounds less. I think it all depends on how you train. That is my personal view at least. I kind of looked at it like this: If you want your car to go faster what do you do? You throw a bigger engine in it. If you want your body to run faster and be more powerful, you throw a bigger engine in it, which in this case the bigger engine is more muscle. Kind of stupid, but it worked for me.

 

[mrcat]

This was a bit of a wake up call to me. I've been feeling less athletic lately. I've also move from a home to commercial gym for the last few months. For me there is a definate connection. My home gym was set up for athletic training, the commercial gyms seem to be set up for something else. For instance my normal warm up at home might include, ladder drill, box and dot drills, knee explodes, box jumps, light sandbag lifts. Cool down often included some medicine ball throws, farmers walk, tumbling. Now, I do what everyone else does, jump on a exercise bike or eliptical. No of the places really make any of the other possible. Sure, no of them are really bulking exercises, but they are very athletic.

Another thing that really can make a difference is a HARD 3 minutes of work a few times a week, be it kettlebell snatches or sandbag work. It give a strenth endurance base that strenth/bodybuilding work really doesn't. It also is short enough, that unlike pure endurance, there is less of a bulk loosing component.

anyway, i hope to start grappling soon, which should help. But i really need to get back into the other stuff.

I do think the largest bodybuilders could, with training do most sports very well, though I don't see any makeing it to the top of everest or finishing the Ironman triathlon....

 

[BigBoyJ]

Well, in my opinion, the body attempts to adapt to whatever exercise you perform. If you do nothing but lift heavy weights, your body adapts by getting bigger. If you do nothing but run, your body adapts by getting smaller. I think that it's all about determining what means the most to you. For me, at this point, I want to be fast and agile, with as much muscle as possible, so that's how I train....with the type of exercises that will force my body to adapt to this goal accordingly.