Discussion
Right this has been bugging me for a couple of days now, so thought I'd ask before I get too far into it.
I injured my knee last year, to the extent it lost all movement for the best part of a month.
Since then I've been to see a Physio and carried out his daily training regime (mainly light resistance work, light weights and stuff using my own body weight).
The problem is now the existing muscles are strong he wants me to build muscle mass in the quads, which will hopefully prevent further problems and the need for surgery.
I'm all for this 100%, but its the regularity of the training that I'm questioning. He wants me to carry on training daily, but with heavier weight exercises such as squats which focus on building the muscle.
I've done a fair bit of work in the gym before, and one of the things I was always told was give your body time to recover, e.g. only train a muscle say twice a week. This new regime seems to go against that theory, and I'm worried it may lead to either no progress or worse still an injury from over-training.
So the question is when does Physio cross the line into Body Building, and am I safe to train this much. His answer was obviously yes, and while I don't really wish to question it my previous experience tells me otherwise.
I injured my knee last year, to the extent it lost all movement for the best part of a month.
Since then I've been to see a Physio and carried out his daily training regime (mainly light resistance work, light weights and stuff using my own body weight).
The problem is now the existing muscles are strong he wants me to build muscle mass in the quads, which will hopefully prevent further problems and the need for surgery.
I'm all for this 100%, but its the regularity of the training that I'm questioning. He wants me to carry on training daily, but with heavier weight exercises such as squats which focus on building the muscle.
I've done a fair bit of work in the gym before, and one of the things I was always told was give your body time to recover, e.g. only train a muscle say twice a week. This new regime seems to go against that theory, and I'm worried it may lead to either no progress or worse still an injury from over-training.
So the question is when does Physio cross the line into Body Building, and am I safe to train this much. His answer was obviously yes, and while I don't really wish to question it my previous experience tells me otherwise.
Animal said:
Has he given you a workout plan to follow? Post it up.
Not an official plan as such, but a variety of exercises aimed at gaining muscle in the quads. Some of which are bodyweight only, such as lunges, which don't worry me too much. The main ones that worried me were:Squats - Very slight bend in the knee, not allowing the kneecap forward past my feet. Focusing on the problem leg by standing on tip toe with the other to avoid using it during the exercise. Start on 30kg, 8 reps, 3 sets. Move up weight weekly. Not a massive amount of weight, but doing it on one leg certainly makes it more challenging.
Leg curls (for want of a better description) on a bench with leg attachment. Starting at about 5kg using just one leg. Increase weight weekly.
It's the training every day element that bothers me. Not having rest days and upping the weight weekly sounds to me like its eventually going to end badly.
The Ferret said:
Not an official plan as such, but a variety of exercises aimed at gaining muscle in the quads. Some of which are bodyweight only, such as lunges, which don't worry me too much. The main ones that worried me were:
Squats - Very slight bend in the knee, not allowing the kneecap forward past my feet. Focusing on the problem leg by standing on tip toe with the other to avoid using it during the exercise. Start on 30kg, 8 reps, 3 sets. Move up weight weekly. Not a massive amount of weight, but doing it on one leg certainly makes it more challenging.
Leg curls (for want of a better description) on a bench with leg attachment. Starting at about 5kg using just one leg. Increase weight weekly.
It's the training every day element that bothers me. Not having rest days and upping the weight weekly sounds to me like its eventually going to end badly.
Are you suggesting legs everyday? If so that would be very, very bad.Squats - Very slight bend in the knee, not allowing the kneecap forward past my feet. Focusing on the problem leg by standing on tip toe with the other to avoid using it during the exercise. Start on 30kg, 8 reps, 3 sets. Move up weight weekly. Not a massive amount of weight, but doing it on one leg certainly makes it more challenging.
Leg curls (for want of a better description) on a bench with leg attachment. Starting at about 5kg using just one leg. Increase weight weekly.
It's the training every day element that bothers me. Not having rest days and upping the weight weekly sounds to me like its eventually going to end badly.
I do my legs once a week and thats plenty for me (takes me nearly a week to stop being sore!).
Why didn't you ask the physio mate, I don't get the 3 x 8 reps to be honest, would have thought he would have worked on the control element and building up strength endurance, but its to easy for us lot on the internet to make a judegement.
Ask him why as its bothering you, if its any idea we do Indivdual Prgrammes with our injuried guys which includes leg strengthening, if someone has DOMS or lacks control we'll adjust and throw some glute or core work in, i'd ask.
Ask him why as its bothering you, if its any idea we do Indivdual Prgrammes with our injuried guys which includes leg strengthening, if someone has DOMS or lacks control we'll adjust and throw some glute or core work in, i'd ask.
I injured my knee two years ago and spent a long time on crutches. The following physio sessions went from hydro pools through to the gym where we did circuits twice weekly building up the weights as I progressed.
It was essentially bodybuilding around the injured area as the knee is not as strong as it was before the injury (mainly ligament damage) so I now have to increase muscle srength around that area to avoid similar injuries in the future. Therefore building that lean muscle is key to the recovery process
I'd imagine that the program you've been given matches the rehabilitation requirements for your injury
It was essentially bodybuilding around the injured area as the knee is not as strong as it was before the injury (mainly ligament damage) so I now have to increase muscle srength around that area to avoid similar injuries in the future. Therefore building that lean muscle is key to the recovery process
I'd imagine that the program you've been given matches the rehabilitation requirements for your injury
996 sps said:
Why didn't you ask the physio mate
I did ask, but his response was that "it would be fine". I'm not necessarily questioning his opinion on that, but more whether this frequency of training is likely to get the best results. i.e. no point in busting a gut 7 nights a week in the gym when 3 nights a week would actually grow the muscles better due to the rest day(s) in between training.I guess the other option, which he did mention, is to hand me over to a personal trainer in the gym to get the best results. Although he was worried about the possibility of a trainer not entirely understanding the injury, which at this stage could cause it to flare up again with the wrong training.
I think I'll give his advice a go for a few months and see how it progresses. I'm sure I'll never manage to train every night due to work commitments so hopefully that will force the odd days rest here and there.
The Ferret said:
996 sps said:
Why didn't you ask the physio mate
I did ask, but his response was that "it would be fine". I'm not necessarily questioning his opinion on that, but more whether this frequency of training is likely to get the best results. i.e. no point in busting a gut 7 nights a week in the gym when 3 nights a week would actually grow the muscles better due to the rest day(s) in between training.I guess the other option, which he did mention, is to hand me over to a personal trainer in the gym to get the best results. Although he was worried about the possibility of a trainer not entirely understanding the injury, which at this stage could cause it to flare up again with the wrong training.
I think I'll give his advice a go for a few months and see how it progresses. I'm sure I'll never manage to train every night due to work commitments so hopefully that will force the odd days rest here and there.
I saw huge gains in strenght and muscle when I started training 4 days a week instead of 6 or 7 (although only 5 of those were wieghts days).
Are you able to get a 2nd opinion? And if you do get a personal trainer are you able to get a specialist who helps folk recovering from injuries? My old gym had one, he cost twice as much but really knew his stuff!
Ordinary_Chap said:
I've got to say training everynight sounds like a recipe for disaster if we are talking purely about weights.
I saw huge gains in strenght and muscle when I started training 4 days a week instead of 6 or 7 (although only 5 of those were wieghts days).
Are you able to get a 2nd opinion? And if you do get a personal trainer are you able to get a specialist who helps folk recovering from injuries? My old gym had one, he cost twice as much but really knew his stuff!
I'm due in to see the Physio in a couple of weeks, so I'll ask to see a trainer while I'm there and get a second opinion. In the meantime I think I'll just follow the routine with the odd day off each week. I saw huge gains in strenght and muscle when I started training 4 days a week instead of 6 or 7 (although only 5 of those were wieghts days).
Are you able to get a 2nd opinion? And if you do get a personal trainer are you able to get a specialist who helps folk recovering from injuries? My old gym had one, he cost twice as much but really knew his stuff!
Cheers for all the advice.
I think you'd be fine if you start using light weights and build weekly as he says.
Its suprising what the body can cope with volume wise when its given time to addapt, what your doing isnt a lot, with it being simple linear progression with micro loading I really cant see it being an issue at all.
If you find it too much, start lighter, or take 2.5kg jumps weekly.
Its suprising what the body can cope with volume wise when its given time to addapt, what your doing isnt a lot, with it being simple linear progression with micro loading I really cant see it being an issue at all.
If you find it too much, start lighter, or take 2.5kg jumps weekly.
Initially when I read the initial post I'd have also said that weights every day etc. is too much and if you want to build muscle/strength then fewer workouts as per the norm would be best. After all, most physios probably aren't particularly 'expert' in weight training/body building etc.
But seeing the nature of the exercises and the limits you have (and the purpose) I think you might well be OK with the plan for now, until 'better'. Certainly shouldn't lead to systemic whole body overtraining, what's described. After all, look at how much volume the legs of various athletes get, even if it isn't weights every day they do get a very regular pounding!
But seeing the nature of the exercises and the limits you have (and the purpose) I think you might well be OK with the plan for now, until 'better'. Certainly shouldn't lead to systemic whole body overtraining, what's described. After all, look at how much volume the legs of various athletes get, even if it isn't weights every day they do get a very regular pounding!
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