I wouldn't be lying if I said this meet prep has been nothing short of minimal. Sometimes less is best and given the circumstances I was given. I still feel like I will be "Main Stage" ready in just over 2 weeks.
I started my full power program 12 weeks out from the XPC finals. A few days into that prep I was invited to lift on the "Main Stage 21 Deadlift Salute Expo". How do you say no to that? An honour and privilege to even be considered a "good enough" deadlifter for this event. So I changed my focus to deadlifts two times a week and threw in some bench once a week.
Let's talk about really changing focus now. I am now putting on a single ply metal squat suit and am trying to learn how to lift in gear. You want to talk about a challenge, holy smokes I never imagined it could be that hard. Much respect to geared lifters after this meet prep.
One day after a heavy training session and some banded GHR's my knee started to act up. I was devastated I thought I would have to pull out of the meet. I could not walk, my knee was so painful I went straight to the Doctor. This is my x-ray, ultrasound & MRI results.
After a few weeks off training for some tests and rest I decided to get back to training but I took some precautions. I was given a really tight pair of knee sleeves to keep my knee in place, thank you Dr. Kinakin. My work was limited, no more GHR's, squats as such, I stuck to the basics, deadlifts, lats, tri's and reverse hypers.
I am getting weekly treatments from Dr Ken Kinakin and am getting the Hydraluraonic acid shots in my knee. They really seemed to help and I take them twice a week.
So let's talk for a minute about technique. It appears I wasn't using my gear properly. I was lifting raw in a suit, but I don't know, I'm new to this geared lifting and I already had a pretty strong deadlift. So with alot of changes, coaching tips from Clint Darden I started from scratch yet again. I seemed frustrated and hopeless that I was never gonna get it right. One day it clicked and I finally got a "That was way friggin better" from Clint. My hopelessness turned to hope and confidence again. Thank you Clint Darden for allowing me to see the geared light and for taking the time to reach out and offer help.
One day while pulling I felt a pop in my neck/upper back. Well that did not feel good at all but I kept training. Off I went to see Dr. Ken again and it turned out that pop shut down my entire left arm and upper back. I was getting sharp pain in my elbow and I could not even do band pull aparts.
The stress of doing so many deadlifts with an over/under grip was getting the best of me. I would get my back adjusted and it seemed the next day it was out again. I am so fortunate to have Dr. Ken know exactly what I need to get back under the bars.
So now I'm 4 weeks out and what do I go and do? I tear open my hand. Oh no problem, it was my last pull of the session so I was fine. It seems when I get over 400 lbs I start to tear my caluses. A few days off and it's time to pull again but my hand is still raw so I put some crazy glue on it and lift anyway.
Again, pulling, pulling and pulling no issues until I pull my all time PR of 446 lbs and I rip my hand open but good this time. Now I'm on a forced deload week in order to let my hand heal. I get a video message from Clint Darden telling me how to care for my hand and what to do during training and how to prevent this from happening again. Again, another selfless act of kindness from him, thank you Clint yet again.
Ken has been more than patient with me. He loads my bar and helps me get in my suit which is funny to watch in itself. He helps me with technique, video tapes for me an we analyze my lifts. He went out bought me some "O'Keeffe's Working Hands" hand cream which helped heal up my hand during the past week. I am awaiting a special salve that has been mailed to me and will be glad when it arrives so I can try it out. Thank you Ken for always being there and putting up with my set backs, over and over again. Without you I would have thrown in the towel long ago.
So, needless to say, this meet prep has been one thing after another with me. I will fight to the bitter end and never ever give up. I am entering this event with the only expectation being I will do my best on stage under the circumstances that are presented to me that day!
I am not going to put too much pressure on myself. I will go and have fun, I am lifting with quite a few Canadian crew members and friends as well as Team Elitefts members so I will be more than comfortable on that stage amongst some of the best dead lifters on the planet.
Stay tuned, this weekend I pull my opener and get my attempts in order. So here's to staying in one piece, healthy hands and big pulls.
Thanks for reading my journey, I will prevail.
#teamelitefts #driven #livelearnpasson