CybrSage's Log - from normal American to Fit and In Shape
Mountain_Man
Hiatus
Keep kicking ass brother
cybrsage
Full Access
OK, the neck brace is off, came off Thursday. I slept Thursday away - it was hard to sleep in the neck brace. It kept cutting into my head and choking me from the front...
My surgeon said to limit weight lifted to 10 pounds, but I asked him about isolation exercise machines. He is a body builder himself so he knows exactly what I am talking about. He told me I was cleared to do any weight I want provided they have NOTHING to do with the spine at all and that I listen closely to my body. I am also to slowly ramp up the weight. This makes me happy since I can do a LOT of things on isolation machines! They also did a cardio stress test. They told me they usually do not do it but since I have been recovering so quickly they wanted to see if they could just clear me for unlimited cardio and be done with it. In the hospital, I was up and walking around unassisted a scant 3 hours after my surgery. They put me on a treadmill and told me to slowly increase the speed but stop if I felt any pain. They told me to stop at 6mph even though I was not feeling any pain. My heart rate jumped up to 140bpm or so during the test. It returned to 115 in less than a minute of cool down slow walking. I had followed their directions when I was home and added 5 minutes to my mandatory daily walk (twice a day). I stopped adding time when the walk was an hour long - it was boring me! They cleared me for full cardio at any heart rate I desired, but again cautioned to listen to my body.
Next Sunday I will post stats (after I strip off some of the "sit around and do nothing" fat I gained) and exercise weight levels.
MRI Before Surgery
Metal Plate After Surgery
My surgeon said to limit weight lifted to 10 pounds, but I asked him about isolation exercise machines. He is a body builder himself so he knows exactly what I am talking about. He told me I was cleared to do any weight I want provided they have NOTHING to do with the spine at all and that I listen closely to my body. I am also to slowly ramp up the weight. This makes me happy since I can do a LOT of things on isolation machines! They also did a cardio stress test. They told me they usually do not do it but since I have been recovering so quickly they wanted to see if they could just clear me for unlimited cardio and be done with it. In the hospital, I was up and walking around unassisted a scant 3 hours after my surgery. They put me on a treadmill and told me to slowly increase the speed but stop if I felt any pain. They told me to stop at 6mph even though I was not feeling any pain. My heart rate jumped up to 140bpm or so during the test. It returned to 115 in less than a minute of cool down slow walking. I had followed their directions when I was home and added 5 minutes to my mandatory daily walk (twice a day). I stopped adding time when the walk was an hour long - it was boring me! They cleared me for full cardio at any heart rate I desired, but again cautioned to listen to my body.
Next Sunday I will post stats (after I strip off some of the "sit around and do nothing" fat I gained) and exercise weight levels.
Attachments
OK, the neck brace is off, came off Thursday. I slept Thursday away - it was hard to sleep in the neck brace. It kept cutting into my head and choking me from the front...
My surgeon said to limit weight lifted to 10 pounds, but I asked him about isolation exercise machines. He is a body builder himself so he knows exactly what I am talking about. He told me I was cleared to do any weight I want provided they have NOTHING to do with the spine at all and that I listen closely to my body. I am also to slowly ramp up the weight. This makes me happy since I can do a LOT of things on isolation machines! They also did a cardio stress test. They told me they usually do not do it but since I have been recovering so quickly they wanted to see if they could just clear me for unlimited cardio and be done with it. In the hospital, I was up and walking around unassisted a scant 3 hours after my surgery. They put me on a treadmill and told me to slowly increase the speed but stop if I felt any pain. They told me to stop at 6mph even though I was not feeling any pain. My heart rate jumped up to 140bpm or so during the test. It returned to 115 in less than a minute of cool down slow walking. I had followed their directions when I was home and added 5 minutes to my mandatory daily walk (twice a day). I stopped adding time when the walk was an hour long - it was boring me! They cleared me for full cardio at any heart rate I desired, but again cautioned to listen to my body.
Next Sunday I will post stats (after I strip off some of the "sit around and do nothing" fat I gained) and exercise weight levels.
MRI Before Surgery
Metal Plate After Surgery
Holly shucks bro you still hit the gym after that shows u r a true soldier
cybrsage
Full Access
Thanks guys! Yeah, my surgeon was way cool. When he saw me and showed me the issue, he told me surgery would be needed. I got a second opinion, but they said the same thing, as did my chiropractor. When he looked in his schedule to setup a date for surgery (which is always a 3 month wait), he saw he had a cancelation in 13 days and told me "I am supposed to move all my other patients up, but the body building community is too small for us not to help each other, so I am giving that date to you. I need to get you back in the gym.". I was thrilled!I am not overdoing it, but I am happy to be able to do SOMETHING again.
cybrsage
Full Access
5/17/16
As previously stated, I was released for unlimited cardio and unlimited isolation exercises (provided they do not impact the spine or neck at all), and unlimited leg exercises (again, no spine use - so no squats). For anything that impacts the spine, I am limited to 10 pounds max for now. I have been slowly upping my weights as I get back into the swing of things. I am doing an entire body workout Monday through Wednesday, Thursday is my normal leg day, and Friday is entire body workout again. I am doing 20 minutes of 140bpm average heart rate each day except Thursday. I take Saturday and Sunday off, or use them as make up days. Here are my weights moved (in pounds):
Chest
Flat Bench Press: 15, 4, 6, 8 20 - 100, 135, 110, 100, 50
Flat Bench Flys: 20, 20, 20 - 20, 20, 17.5
Back
Narrow Grip Rows: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 100, 145, 120, 75, 45
Shoulders
Military Press: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 10 for each
Side Lateral Raises: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 10 for each
Front Lateral Raises: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 10 for each
Shrugs: 20, 15, 20 - 10 for each
Legs
Incline Leg Press: 15, 4, 6, 8 - 200, 250, 210, 200
Leg Extensions: 15, 4, 6, 8 - 175, 235, 190, 175
Leg Curls: 15, 4, 6, 8 - 145, 190, 160, 145
Calf Raises (done on a stepper to increase drop distance): 20, 20, 20 - Body Weight +10
Arms
Machine Bicep Curls (one arm at a time): 10 reps at 75, drop 15 pounds (one plate) and do 10 more reps, continue until at lightest weight for 20 reps
Machine Tricep (one arm at a time): 10 reps at 50, drop 10 pounds (one plate) and do 10 more reps, continue until at lightest weight for 20 reps
One of the problems with a spinal issue at the C7 vertebrae in the neck is a significant loss of strength in the right tricep. I can easily move more weight with my left tricep, but I do not want to make it larger until the right catches up.
As previously stated, I was released for unlimited cardio and unlimited isolation exercises (provided they do not impact the spine or neck at all), and unlimited leg exercises (again, no spine use - so no squats). For anything that impacts the spine, I am limited to 10 pounds max for now. I have been slowly upping my weights as I get back into the swing of things. I am doing an entire body workout Monday through Wednesday, Thursday is my normal leg day, and Friday is entire body workout again. I am doing 20 minutes of 140bpm average heart rate each day except Thursday. I take Saturday and Sunday off, or use them as make up days. Here are my weights moved (in pounds):
Chest
Flat Bench Press: 15, 4, 6, 8 20 - 100, 135, 110, 100, 50
Flat Bench Flys: 20, 20, 20 - 20, 20, 17.5
Back
Narrow Grip Rows: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 100, 145, 120, 75, 45
Shoulders
Military Press: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 10 for each
Side Lateral Raises: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 10 for each
Front Lateral Raises: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 10 for each
Shrugs: 20, 15, 20 - 10 for each
Legs
Incline Leg Press: 15, 4, 6, 8 - 200, 250, 210, 200
Leg Extensions: 15, 4, 6, 8 - 175, 235, 190, 175
Leg Curls: 15, 4, 6, 8 - 145, 190, 160, 145
Calf Raises (done on a stepper to increase drop distance): 20, 20, 20 - Body Weight +10
Arms
Machine Bicep Curls (one arm at a time): 10 reps at 75, drop 15 pounds (one plate) and do 10 more reps, continue until at lightest weight for 20 reps
Machine Tricep (one arm at a time): 10 reps at 50, drop 10 pounds (one plate) and do 10 more reps, continue until at lightest weight for 20 reps
One of the problems with a spinal issue at the C7 vertebrae in the neck is a significant loss of strength in the right tricep. I can easily move more weight with my left tricep, but I do not want to make it larger until the right catches up.
Last edited:
cybrsage
Full Access
05/22/15
Been a while since I posted stats, so I will at the end. I had some trouble this week, bad trouble. I apparently pushed some bad air into my test bottle and contaminated it. First time ever for me for this and I have been doing it for 3 years now. My bottle was 3/4 empty, so I know it was my fault, though inadvertent. I injected Wednesday and Thursday is leg day. I beat the crap out of my legs on Thursday. On Friday, my right leg hurt in a localized area, so I figured it was a muscle knot of some sort. Did some massaging and used a roller and it broke apart some, hurt like hell doing it but that is expected, and felt some relief. It returned Saturday and I did the same thing. I injected again on Sunday, into the other leg, and by Tuesday it also hurt. Meanwhile my right leg was slowly feeling better. Of course, no leg day in the middle, so I knew it had to be the injection. Instead of using the roller, I let it be. It turned into a large knot that was hot and red. But just like the right leg, the left leg felt mostly better by Friday. Today, neither one hurts at all. I tossed that bottle. This affected my work outs last week, but I still did whatever I could.
So I ended up losing no weight, but I did not gain any either, so I classify it as a win...and I still have both legs, so no amputation needed. Given my luck currently, that could have happened!
I feel stronger and I think my muscles look more defined than they have in the last few weeks. Just need to get rid of this stubborn belly fat and I will be a happy camper. My bicep/triceps got larger (slightly), which is good. The right tricep will not activate at anything over 50 pounds yet (51 pounds might as well be 510 pounds with as far as I can move it). This is 10 pounds heavier than before the surgery, so I am optimistic it will increase as the swelling goes down. Surgeon says 3 to 4 months of swelling still, I am hoping the healing drugs I am taking cuts that in half.
Onto the stats:
Weight: 192
Neck: 16.5
Chest: 40
Stomach: 34.5
Waist Line: 35
Biceps: L: 12.75 R: 12.5
Thighs: L: 24 R: 24
Calves: L: 15 R: 15
Forearms: L: 12 R: 12
Been a while since I posted stats, so I will at the end. I had some trouble this week, bad trouble. I apparently pushed some bad air into my test bottle and contaminated it. First time ever for me for this and I have been doing it for 3 years now. My bottle was 3/4 empty, so I know it was my fault, though inadvertent. I injected Wednesday and Thursday is leg day. I beat the crap out of my legs on Thursday. On Friday, my right leg hurt in a localized area, so I figured it was a muscle knot of some sort. Did some massaging and used a roller and it broke apart some, hurt like hell doing it but that is expected, and felt some relief. It returned Saturday and I did the same thing. I injected again on Sunday, into the other leg, and by Tuesday it also hurt. Meanwhile my right leg was slowly feeling better. Of course, no leg day in the middle, so I knew it had to be the injection. Instead of using the roller, I let it be. It turned into a large knot that was hot and red. But just like the right leg, the left leg felt mostly better by Friday. Today, neither one hurts at all. I tossed that bottle. This affected my work outs last week, but I still did whatever I could.
So I ended up losing no weight, but I did not gain any either, so I classify it as a win...and I still have both legs, so no amputation needed. Given my luck currently, that could have happened!
I feel stronger and I think my muscles look more defined than they have in the last few weeks. Just need to get rid of this stubborn belly fat and I will be a happy camper. My bicep/triceps got larger (slightly), which is good. The right tricep will not activate at anything over 50 pounds yet (51 pounds might as well be 510 pounds with as far as I can move it). This is 10 pounds heavier than before the surgery, so I am optimistic it will increase as the swelling goes down. Surgeon says 3 to 4 months of swelling still, I am hoping the healing drugs I am taking cuts that in half.
Onto the stats:
Weight: 192
Neck: 16.5
Chest: 40
Stomach: 34.5
Waist Line: 35
Biceps: L: 12.75 R: 12.5
Thighs: L: 24 R: 24
Calves: L: 15 R: 15
Forearms: L: 12 R: 12
cybrsage
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I increased my incline leg press significantly. I slowly raised, doing sets of 5 reps until I got to one where I was not sure I could go higher, so I stopped rather than push it TOO much. I was VERY pleased with the results. I am able to push 500 pounds 5 times without losing it.
Most of my life I had chicken legs, well no more chicken legs for the Sage!
Most of my life I had chicken legs, well no more chicken legs for the Sage!
Attachments
cybrsage
Full Access
I blew my weigh in - a friend was having a crisis and by the time it was calmed down I had completely forgotten...this Sunday will be a weigh in day, though.
Well, I forgot to add in the weight of the sled to my incline leg press - the sled weighs 120 pounds, so I have to add 120 pounds to all the weights moved on the sled! I also forgot to add in the weight of the bar for the bench press, which is 20 pounds. I also upped my weights on many things, here are my new numbers. I do everything but legs every day and do legs on Thursdays.
Chest
Flat Bench Press: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 130, 160, 140, 130, 80
Flat Bench Flys: 20, 20, 20 - 20, 20, 17.5
Back
Narrow Grip Rows: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 120, 155, 135, 115, 65
Shoulders (numbers are per arm - limited by my doctor)
Military Press: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 10 for each
Side Lateral Raises: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 10 for each
Front Lateral Raises: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 10 for each
Shrugs: 20, 15, 20 - 10 for each
Legs
Incline Leg Press: 15, 4, 6, 8 - 480, 710, 660, 570
Leg Extensions: 15, 4, 6, 8 - 175, 240, 195, 180
Leg Curls: 15, 4, 6, 8 - 145, 190, 160, 145
Calf Raises (done on a stepper to increase drop distance): 20, 20, 20 - Body Weight +45
Arms
Machine Bicep Curls (one arm at a time): 10 reps at 80, drop 10 pounds (one plate) and do 10 more reps, continue until at lightest weight for 20 reps
Machine Tricep (one arm at a time): 10 reps at 55, drop 10 pounds (one plate) and do 10 more reps, continue until at lightest weight for 20 reps
I saw my surgeon today and he said I am healing very nicely, he said I am healed further than he would have expected and said I could double my weight lifted (per arm) to 40 pounds. That is more like it! I am going to keep doing isoluation exercise for now until the swelling is down more. Slow and steady so I do not have to get it redone. My surgeon said he would make it very painful for me if he had to redo all his fine work.
Well, I forgot to add in the weight of the sled to my incline leg press - the sled weighs 120 pounds, so I have to add 120 pounds to all the weights moved on the sled! I also forgot to add in the weight of the bar for the bench press, which is 20 pounds. I also upped my weights on many things, here are my new numbers. I do everything but legs every day and do legs on Thursdays.
Chest
Flat Bench Press: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 130, 160, 140, 130, 80
Flat Bench Flys: 20, 20, 20 - 20, 20, 17.5
Back
Narrow Grip Rows: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 120, 155, 135, 115, 65
Shoulders (numbers are per arm - limited by my doctor)
Military Press: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 10 for each
Side Lateral Raises: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 10 for each
Front Lateral Raises: 15, 4, 6, 8, 20 - 10 for each
Shrugs: 20, 15, 20 - 10 for each
Legs
Incline Leg Press: 15, 4, 6, 8 - 480, 710, 660, 570
Leg Extensions: 15, 4, 6, 8 - 175, 240, 195, 180
Leg Curls: 15, 4, 6, 8 - 145, 190, 160, 145
Calf Raises (done on a stepper to increase drop distance): 20, 20, 20 - Body Weight +45
Arms
Machine Bicep Curls (one arm at a time): 10 reps at 80, drop 10 pounds (one plate) and do 10 more reps, continue until at lightest weight for 20 reps
Machine Tricep (one arm at a time): 10 reps at 55, drop 10 pounds (one plate) and do 10 more reps, continue until at lightest weight for 20 reps
I saw my surgeon today and he said I am healing very nicely, he said I am healed further than he would have expected and said I could double my weight lifted (per arm) to 40 pounds. That is more like it! I am going to keep doing isoluation exercise for now until the swelling is down more. Slow and steady so I do not have to get it redone. My surgeon said he would make it very painful for me if he had to redo all his fine work.
Mountain_Man
Hiatus
Even threw all life has put in urnway ur a beast brother much respect my good freind
cybrsage
Full Access
I use you as an inspiration, you and Captain America. I think to myself, "Would Mountain Man or Captain America be just sitting around? No, they would hit the gym, so I should as well."
cybrsage
Full Access
07-10-16
It has been a while, mostly because nothing has been changing. My weight went up over the holiday, but is back down to almost where it was before the holiday. My recovery keeps moving forward, I see the surgeon again in another few weeks and it should be my last visit with him, I would think. I am pretty confident he is going to release me for unlimited weight, taking care to listen to my body of course.
My right triceps is improving greatly - and I can do push-ups again! I lost the ability to do even a single one in December, so that is a nice sign I am improving. My left triceps is shrinking slightly, but that is to be expected since I am limiting it to the weight my right triceps can push so they become symmetric again. I am actually starting to see some definition in my upper abs, which seems a little odd since my stomach measurement went up. I am been doing ab work (crunches and such) since I can do that lying on my back - no strain on the neck at all.
Here are my stats:
Weight: 193
Neck: 16.5
Chest: 40.5
Stomach: 35
Waist Line: 35
Biceps: L: 13 R: 12.75
Thighs: L: 24 R: 24
Calves: L: 15 R: 15
Forearms: L: 12 R: 12
Recovery first, growth second (or rather, cutting the fat second and growth third...then another fat cutting fourth....etc....).
It has been a while, mostly because nothing has been changing. My weight went up over the holiday, but is back down to almost where it was before the holiday. My recovery keeps moving forward, I see the surgeon again in another few weeks and it should be my last visit with him, I would think. I am pretty confident he is going to release me for unlimited weight, taking care to listen to my body of course.
My right triceps is improving greatly - and I can do push-ups again! I lost the ability to do even a single one in December, so that is a nice sign I am improving. My left triceps is shrinking slightly, but that is to be expected since I am limiting it to the weight my right triceps can push so they become symmetric again. I am actually starting to see some definition in my upper abs, which seems a little odd since my stomach measurement went up. I am been doing ab work (crunches and such) since I can do that lying on my back - no strain on the neck at all.
Here are my stats:
Weight: 193
Neck: 16.5
Chest: 40.5
Stomach: 35
Waist Line: 35
Biceps: L: 13 R: 12.75
Thighs: L: 24 R: 24
Calves: L: 15 R: 15
Forearms: L: 12 R: 12
Recovery first, growth second (or rather, cutting the fat second and growth third...then another fat cutting fourth....etc....).
cybrsage
Full Access
Been a long time since I have updated this log - mostly because I was in full on recovery mode and life sucked big time. My pain is mostly gone - I can do 25 mins of cardio without experiencing any pain. This is a big deal, I have not really had this for going on a full year. I get a little bit of pain when I type for a long time (several minutes straight - take note that I type 55 wpm after errors so that is a LOT of typing) but I would put it at a 3 on the pain chart - more of a "man, I wish this would not happen" vs the 8 I had been experiencing for almost a year (which is along the lines of "Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani!" - which translates to My God, My God, why have you forsaken me!).
I am easing into cardio again, each week adding another day until I can regularly do 4 days of 25 minutes without pain. I am also starting strength and muscle building again, doing one set of exercises each day assigned to that muscle group - except legs, I do a full on leg day. I do not do much in the way of squats (I do 40 pounds of front squats - still limited to 40 pounds by surgeon orders), but my incline leg press is now up to 840 pounds.
I am easing into cardio again, each week adding another day until I can regularly do 4 days of 25 minutes without pain. I am also starting strength and muscle building again, doing one set of exercises each day assigned to that muscle group - except legs, I do a full on leg day. I do not do much in the way of squats (I do 40 pounds of front squats - still limited to 40 pounds by surgeon orders), but my incline leg press is now up to 840 pounds.
Mountain_Man
Hiatus
Glad ur still at it hope ur healing well my freind
cybrsage
Full Access
Thanks my brother! How is everything with you? Drop me a line sometime and let me know how you life is going. I think about you a lot, you inspire me to keep on going.
cybrsage
Full Access
I have started doing low weight front squats, have not tried hack squats yet.
I have been working myself back into doing 25 mins of cardio every day. I had to stop for a while because my hands would burst into flames part way through. Now I can do the entire 25 mins with very little discomfort to the hands.
Yesterday I decided to see if I can do pull ups yet. I had to stop a few months before my surgery, my right tricep would not turn on so it was impossible to do many things. Well, my first try in months and I pounded out 10 pull ups. 9 of them were spot on, the 10th a little iffy.
I have been working myself back into doing 25 mins of cardio every day. I had to stop for a while because my hands would burst into flames part way through. Now I can do the entire 25 mins with very little discomfort to the hands.
Yesterday I decided to see if I can do pull ups yet. I had to stop a few months before my surgery, my right tricep would not turn on so it was impossible to do many things. Well, my first try in months and I pounded out 10 pull ups. 9 of them were spot on, the 10th a little iffy.
Mountain_Man
Hiatus
Keep at it brother
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