Targeted Training during Phase I?

[Tony Stirra]

Hey gang,

Just wondering if any of you had pre-existing problems that required a bit of targeted strengthening during or even before the corrective Phase of S2B?

I have a weak left knee thanks to an injury that left me with damaged ligaments about 5 years ago. I had been to PT for it and it had been better for years but during an extended bout with illness in the past year I lost a lot of strength in the muscles around the knee which I have yet to fully regain.

Now, the question here is, do I just modify my planned corrective phase workouts to include more targetted training of those muscles around the knee or would it be more effective to focus almost entirely on building up those muscles and rehabbing the knee completely before even starting the corrective phase? At the point I'm at with it now I can't even do the Unilateral Deadlifts as illustrated for Phase 1 on the left leg. I would have to keep the toe of my right foot on the ground the whole time for support to avoid hurting the knee.

Thanks much for any input!

TS

[hard_rox]

Tony,

it sounds like your knee is pretty rough shape. if you've had good results with the PT exercises you did previously, and you think your knee is that weak, i'd redo your PT exercises again for several weeks. after that I'd integrate some of those exercises into the corrective phase.

I had shoulder surgery in february, and although it's been in decent shape recently, i added two additional PT exercises per workout during Phase 1 to strengthen my external rotators and upper back. even during Phase 2 i'm doing additional rotator work.

The S2B program has you moving some decent weight so i'd spend additional time up front to get your knee back in order rather than have to sacrifice weight and/or time later in the program.

good luck.

[UpNorth]

I agree with HR. I'll only add a warning. Right off in Phase II you're squating (@ 5RM) and doing split squats in the same routine, so you will want to make sure you're knee is capable of handling that. That's a pretty stressful combo for a weak knee.

Good luck!

[Tony Stirra]

Thanks for the input guys! I'm gonna do as you suggested and spend some time right now working hard on getting my knee back in pretty decent shape before launching into the S2B program and then continue the extra work on that leg through the corrective phase (and likely further).

Hope you're all doing well with the program and I'll be checking in once I'm nearing where I feel I'm ready to begin (hopefully in a few weeks). Maybe by then some of the questions in the Inquisition thread will be answered! hehe

Thanks again and be well...

TS

[hard_rox]

sounds like a good idea Tony. remember, you'll be doing yourself a disservice hitting the heavy weights too soon. think long term health and not short term gains.