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FitMEDIC

FitMEDIC

Level 1 Valued Member
Hello everyone!

My name is Tyler and I have been a member of the forum off and on for a few years. I have always loved the simplicity yet effectiveness of the S&S program. I was very close to achieving the Simple goals until I began to have plaguing shoulder issues that I still struggle with. I absolutely love the TGU and it is my favorite exercise. It has been difficult lately due to RTC issues so I am now starting over to retrain my shoulder and hopefully rehab it. I can't wait to achieve the strength and stability I once had.

I am a Paramedic so I am looking to enhance my general physical preparedness to perform my duties and protect myself from injury. I will do this with S&S. I also like to participate in obstacle course races and would like to become a Tactical Medic so I will also be doing LSS cardio to build a strong base of endurance. I plan on following Andrew Read's "Run Strong" program for this. I would also like to incorporate KB carry variations to improve work capacity and work under load.

Goals:
1. To improve overall mobility and stability to move well and live pain free. Primary focus on thoracic mobility, hip mobility, and ankle mobility. Improve left shoulder stability.

2. Achieve the Simple goals of 1-Handed Swings and TGUs with 32 kg KB.

3. Finish in under 1 hour and 15 minutes in my next Spartan Sprint (3-5 miles)

3. Become certified as an S&S KB instructor.

It has been about a month since I have done any form on training so I am starting light and will progress patiently.

11/22/16

Warmup: Thoracic Extensions, Thoracic Rotations from Quad, Hamstring stretch, Hip Flexor stretch, ASLR drills, prying squats, and halos.

Workout:
2-Handed KB swings with 24 kg for 5x10. (10 reps EMOM for 5 minutes)

TGUS 5x1 each side at 16 kg. Moving slowly and ensuring good form.

Notes:
The workout felt good overall. My conditioning needs work but my swings feel strong and crisp. I could feel a slight twinge during the first set of TGUs on my left side but it went away as my shoulder warmed up. I am hoping to improve my mobility as I "lock-in" the new range of motion with my workout. I am hoping to see an improvement in overall conditioning and mobility while working towards pain-free movement.
 
Just learned about the tactical frog sequence from the StrongFirst blog. I gave it a try and will begin to implement this in my mobility routine.
 
11/24/16
Session #2

Warmup:
Tactical Frog Sequence and Hip Flexor Stretch
Halos, Glute Bridges, Goblet Squat for 2 rounds

2H KB Swings 6x10 EMOM with 24 kg

Thoracic Extensions and Rotation from Quadruped
TGUs 5x1 each side with 16 kg KB

Notes:
Swings feel good. TGUs felt really good. No shoulder pain or twinging in the left side. I can feel the burn as stabilizers fight to control the weight. The TGUs also have a strong effect on my overall conditioning. The weight feels easy but I want to be patient to ensure I continue to develop and not injure myself as I have in the past. I plan on sticking with the 16 kg TGUs for at least a week before adding a set of 24 kg.

Plan:
Adding additional sets of KB swings until I progress to 10 sets of 10. Once I reach this, I will take an idea from the Strength Matters Training Guide and add a rep for each set, i.e. (10x11, 10x12, 10x13... etc. until I reach 10 sets of 18. I will then move up to the 32 kg KB and repeat the same process. Once I reach this goal, I feel that my strength and conditioning will be ready for 1-handed swings at 24 kg.
I plan on sticking with 5 sets of 16 kg for at least a week. I will continue working on thoracic mobility and closely monitor my left shoulder. If I remain pain free, I will begin to add sets of 24 kg one by one until I can hit 5x1. I will then "own" the weight before moving up.

I enjoy the tactical frog sequence for a hip opener. My hips feel great afterwards. I will strive to do this everyday. I will also focus on my hip flexors, hamstrings, and last but not least, my ankles. I would like to obtain the mobility required to sit comfortably in the bottom of a squat. My end goal is to be mobile enough to achieve a pistol squat.
 
11/26/16
Session #3

This was a quick workout. I had just worked a 14 hour shift so I got it done as quickly as possible so I could go to bed.

Warmup:
Thoracic Extension/ Rotation from Quadruped
Halos 2x10
Glute Bridges 2x10 (with 2 second hold)
Prying Goblet Squats 2x5

2H KB Swings with 24 kg KB 7x10 EMOM
TGUs with 16kg KB 5x1 ea.

Felt good. I can already feel an improvement in my conditioning even in just 3 sessions. My shoulder felt pretty good during the TGUs. The weight feels light but I still feel the burn in my stabilizers and forearms. I will continue to own the 16 kg and closely monitor my shoulder as I increase the frequency of my workout. I have noticed a great improvement in my left shoulder in my day to day life. The RTC symptoms are minimal. I do notice some stiffness in my neck which has been going on for awhile as well. I have began to stretch my upper traps, perform neck nods, and will continue with thoracic mobility.
 
For me it's torn Labrum, dislocated bicep tendon and I just remember a full width tear at my supraspinatus (all right shoulder). Labrum and bicep from ski accident, supraspinatus from overuse (10 years of crappy spike technique).

Happy to say that with the help of a good physical therapist and proper strength training (I consider mobility and stability an integral part from strength training) they are all a-symptomatic.

Regarding you stiff neck... The neck nods are great and I do them daily. However, to make sure it's not a technique issue in the TGU there is a nice thing I picked from FMS (and I think I saw on S&S as well). In the static (and only then) positions make sure you can move your head freely. This will ensure you don't compensate with your neck. For eg. in the sit position look from the loaded hand to the hand on the ground and back. Since I'm pretty sure you don't like to find out your not stabilizing correctly with weight overhead do it in a naked or shoe TGU, at least for a while. I do it from time to time when I'm bent pressing. mmm... maybe I should do it when snatching as well...
 
@Shahaf Levin

Thanks for the tip. I will give it a try tonight. My neck has been stiff for awhile. Not sure what caused it but I am wondering if it was another symptom of a tight thoracic spine.
 
@offwidth

I had never gotten an MRI. Chiro said supraspinatus impingement. In the past, I was doing TGUs with a 32kg easily but the pain made it too difficult. Now my shoulder is unstable so I couldn't think of doing a 32kg TGU right now with my left. I have done rehab on several occasions but the issue kept coming back. I have done a poor job in the past with focusing on mobility because it is boring and no fun. Now I am seeing how important of a role it plays in overall fitness.
 
Session #4

Thoracic Extension/ Rotation from Quadruped
Halos 2x10
Glute Bridges 2x10 (with 2 second hold)
Prying Goblet Squats 2x5

2H KB Swings with 24 kg KB 8x10 EMOM
TGUs with 16kg KB 5x1 ea.

Cooldown:
Tactical Frog Sequence
Bretzel 1.0
90/90 stretch

I am going to start timing my TGUs to get an idea of my finish times. The weight feels light but I want to make I truly own each rep before adding a set of 24 kg. I checked my neck throughout the TGUs and I was able to rotate through its ROM without any issues. I will continue stretching my traps and will look at other mobility drills for the neck (scalenes, levator scapulae?) My hips feel so much better already. Now I need to start working on my ankles as well. I have been slack on those. I will take a day off today and start again on Tuesday.
 
FitMEDIC said:
I will continue stretching my traps and will look at other mobility drills for the neck (scalenes, levator scapulae?)
Click to expand...

As you mentioned in earlier post sometimes stiff necks results from lack of thoracic mobility. For me segmental rolling (in addition do the neck nods) helped allot with thoracic mobility.

One more thing that helped with a stiff neck... how is you pillow (and/or sleeping posture)? Sleeping in an awkward posture is quite stressful on the neck... If you have a desk-job than screen / chair / desk height might also be a contributing factor if any of those has changed recently...
 
Session #5

Thoracic Extension/ Rotation, Neck Nods, Shoulder Rolls from Quadruped
Halos 2x10
Glute Bridges 2x10 (with 2 second hold)
Prying Goblet Squats 2x5

2H KB Swings with 24 kg KB 9x10 EMOM
KB Arm Bar with 12 kg x 3 ea. side
TGUs with 16kg KB 5x1 ea. (completed in 8 minutes)

Notes:
KB swings were challenging. I have no problem generating power and never feel sore but overall conditioning is limiting. I feel like I am adapting but it continues to be challenging with the added sets every workout. My shoulders felt solid during the TGUs. Conditioning is the limiting factor on my time but I still completed in under 10. I felt the burn as I was going through it but I maintained control and good form the entire time. I will finish this week out with 16kg TGUs and will look to add my first set of 24 kg TGU next week.

@Shahaf Levin
I have been wondering if my sleeping position has been playing a role in the overall tightness. I am not sure but my wife did mention that my neck does look like it gets into uncomfortable positions from time to time. I tend to sleep on my side with one arm under my pillow (one pillow only) propping my head up. I definitely move throughout the night, usually just switching sides. Do you have any recommendations or information on this?
 
FitMEDIC said:
@Shahaf Levin
I have been wondering if my sleeping position has been playing a role in the overall tightness. I am not sure but my wife did mention that my neck does look like it gets into uncomfortable positions from time to time. I tend to sleep on my side with one arm under my pillow (one pillow only) propping my head up. I definitely move throughout the night, usually just switching sides. Do you have any recommendations or information on this?
Click to expand...

No recommendation from me accept that it is something to consider. Putting your neck for 7+ hours in a bad position will take it's toll.

I started giving more attention to my sleeping posture after reading Dan John's Can You Go?. In the assessment section he states he ask clients how many pillows they are using to asses general mobility restrictions. One is good mobility, and as the number goes up general mobility is probably more restricted. I used one pillow, and since I have worked allot on thoracic mobility I decided go give a try to zero pillows. I started sleeping on my back like that and all the residual morning neck stiffness disappeared. It started as a test and I kept it cause I no longer feel I need a pillow.

However, this is not a way to improve mobility! Doing it without adequate T-spine mobility will probably result in more stiffness and discomfort.
 
Shahaf Levin said:
No recommendation from me accept that it is something to consider. Putting your neck for 7+ hours in a bad position will take it's toll.

I started giving more attention to my sleeping posture after reading Dan John's Can You Go?. In the assessment section he states he ask clients how many pillows they are using to asses general mobility restrictions. One is good mobility, and as the number goes up general mobility is probably more restricted. I used one pillow, and since I have worked allot on thoracic mobility I decided go give a try to zero pillows. I started sleeping on my back like that and all the residual morning neck stiffness disappeared. It started as a test and I kept it cause I no longer feel I need a pillow.

However, this is not a way to improve mobility! Doing it without adequate T-spine mobility will probably result in more stiffness and discomfort.
Click to expand...

I have read that as well which is why I specified one pillow in my comment. That is very interesting though! I will have to look closer into this and see what other recommendations are.

I have done segmental rolls in the past but not recently. I have enjoyed them. I will incorporate them into today's warmup and see how it goes.
 
Session #6

Thoracic Extension/ Rotation, Neck Nods, Shoulder Rolls from Quadruped
Halos 2x10
Glute Bridges 2x10 (with 2 second hold)
Prying Goblet Squats 2x5

2H KB Swings with 24 kg KB 10x10 EMOM
KB Arm Bar with 12 kg x 3 ea. side
TGUs with 16,16,24,16,16

Swings felt good but challenging. I am going to finish out the week with 10x10 before adding a rep to each set for every workout. TGUs felt good at 16kg so I decided to go ahead and add a set of 24 kg TGUs. It felt very good. It didn't feel too heavy but I definitely had to pay attention to each movement throughout the exercise. It felt good being back under a "heavier" bell. No pain in my left shoulder during any portion which is good. We will see how I feel on my recovery day tomorrow. If all goes well, I will finish the rest of the week with a 24kg getup and begin adding additional sets next week.
 
FitMEDIC said:
TGUs felt good at 16kg so I decided to go ahead and add a set of 24 kg TGUs. It felt very good. It didn't feel too heavy but I definitely had to pay attention to each movement throughout the exercise. It felt good being back under a "heavier" bell. No pain in my left shoulder during any portion which is good.
Click to expand...

IMO, I am not surprised your shoulder feels better under the 24kg as the heavier bell is "assisting" you with packing the shoulder. This is potentially a bad scenario down the road.

Neurologically you need to be able to pack your shoulder on your own and not with the help of heavy weight. This is a common problem with body builders who beat the hell out of their shoulders over the years because the heavier weight literally makes them "feel better" when training.

There is a chance you have weak neck extensors as well, this is very common.

Practice shoulder packing with the following bodyweight only movements:

*Scapular Pushups ...also called "Pushup Plus"
*Bear Crawls, especially backwards will automatically pack the shoulder
*Side Plank
*SFG Plank

All the best.
 
@natewhite39

Do you typically add these exercise to your warm ups or are these exercises you add as rehab/prehab on light or "off" days?
I love backwards bear crawls and used to do them often. I have not done much crawling recently other than demoing for my fitness classes. I have incorporated side planks as part of my warm up but removed them to focus on the SFG recommended warm up. I will have to check out the SFG plank. I have not heard of that variation.

Session #7

Thoracic Extension/ Rotation, Neck Nods, Shoulder Rolls from Quadruped
Glute Bridges 2x10 (with 2 second hold)
Prying Goblet Squats 2x5

2H KB Swings with 24 kg KB 10x10 EMOM
TGUs with 16,16,24,24,16

The swings continue to be challenging for conditioning. I will repeat 10x10 on Tuesday and begin adding a rep every workout from there. The TGUs felt good. I decided to add another set of 24 kg. It is noticeably heavier as compared to the 16 kg KB but I felt stable and in control throughout the movement. My left shoulder has been feeling a lot better. Movements that used to cause impingement-like pain have gotten a lot better and are hardly noticeable anymore. I still wake up with T-spine stiffness in the morning but it goes away with some stretching and movement, improving throughout the day. In the past when I had done TGUs my shoulder would ache and the impingement would feel worse. I have not felt this way at all since restarting S&S which is reassuring.

I have been dealing with an aching right knee. I think that this might be from an aggravated IT band due to a 14 mile Spartan Race I did in October. I am not feeling pain during movements but it does ache occasionally. If I "sit" on my knees I can feel the pressure as if it wants to pop. This was going on before I started S&S and has not been made better or worse from the program so I do not think it will limit me as far as that goes. I will work on foam rolling my calves, quads, and IT band to hopefully release the area and improve mobility. I will also work on strengthening my glute medius via mini-band walks. After seeing Nate's program, I will be adding 30 minute walks at least 3 days a week. I hope that this will reset some of my movement deficiencies and improve the "X" function that is vital to walking, running, sprinting and other athletic endeavors.

Thanks for the advice along the way everyone! I feel better already after 2 weeks. My conditioning has improved. My left shoulder feels awesome comparted to previously. I am feeling stronger and moving better already. I look forward to continuing to improve and achieving the Simple goals.
 
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