You vs. Average Man

[Sharpandpointies]

This is wear I wish I was a less lazy typist or fellow posters lived in Ottawa. Most chronic knee injuries can be moderated by developing adductor/abductor strength, hip stability, and glutal function (essentially correcting lower cross syndrom). The problem is most physio's only have a mandate to bring someone out of tramua, but don't have the time or sport specific training to restore function to performance level.

I have a meniscal tear in one of my knees (old), and both are somewhat...worn...from stupidity in my youth. Recent exercise and proper inserts in my shoes have helped stabilize the issue, I've found.

There are other problems as well - osteo-arthritis in my ankles, chronic lower back issues involving a pinched nerve, an injury between my shoulderblades that occasionally flares up (less often now)...

Hasn't stopped me from doing what I'm doing now, which actually seems to help. But.

I'd be curious about exercises that would specifically help my knees.

[Powerboy]

Is there any kind of physio that can help?

One of my instructors is a chiropractor and that really helps- until I start doing stuff that aggravates things again.

[Ghost]

I've had fairly little martial arts training but I own a decent sword that probably counts as standard equipment. So, I guess I probably win the no rules fight.

[Kuro]

I DESTROY my tiny opponent (I'm 6'2", 190lbs, run a mile in 5:30, age 40, bench somewhere over 225, deadlift and squat over 400, have over 2 years jiujitsu, 4 years striking oriental arts and 20 years boxing experience). Biggest stomp since Galactus versus Bugs Bunny.

Damn, that's impressive! I'm having a hard time really getting over the 225 hump on the bench press. And I typically don't have anyone to work out with. Got any tips/workout routines on getting past that threshold alone?

I'm pretty sure I have average man beat. I can squat about 250, deadlift that much and can typically bench 205 relatively comfortably and 225 with max effort. So, physically, I'm much, much stronger than him. Foot speed is questionable. I can probably hit 8.5 miles, but that might take a little over my usual pace. It'd be few notches below sprint, but a few above comfortable 10 minute miles that I typically do. Not that that really matters in a fight, letalone in a closed space like the octagon. Oh and for no rules, I just shoot him with my gun.

As for the dumb bell VS barbell argument, well, I think they both work pretty well, hand-in-hand. I took a break from the bench for a few weeks and concentrated on dumb bell bench press. (combination of super and dropsets) When I got back to the regular bench, couldn't believe how casually I was benching 185, which was actually my best before I changed over.

[Sharpandpointies]

One of my instructors is a chiropractor and that really helps- until I start doing stuff that aggravates things again.

Perhaps the answer is to find something that doesn't require low stances and so forth. There are things like that out there - the trick is first finding them, then finding a GOOD school.

[Sharpandpointies]

I've had fairly little martial arts training but I own a decent sword that probably counts as standard equipment. So, I guess I probably win the no rules fight.

If you don't actually carry it around with you, it doesn't really count.

Prep, on the other hand, would allow you to fetch it.

[obadiah horn]

complete stomp even as Im getting older and out of shape the numbers skew so drastically in my favor its a walk. I have six inches of height which I'd also equate to 6 inches of reach. I got about 75 - 85 pounds on him which Im sure I could leverage to my advantage with my 8 years of wrestling. Im 2 times stronger than him in the bench 4 times stronger in squat and well over 3 times stronger in dead lift so again when it gets in close I should have a major advantage.the mile numbers dont really tell me much but I take it as my endurance allows me to perform at a higher level for a longer period given that I wiegh 50% more and my time is slightly better. if you dont count wrestling and other sports training am probably has around the same amount of MA training though I found the little bit of stuff I trained for as a kid useless however I'd imagine my practical experience in actual street fights is dramatically higher than the AM ( Im basing this mostly off the strange looks and dead eyes I get from my co workers when I start to talk about fighting ).

Honestly the numbers for the average man are kind of shocking to me but I have to put into perspective that almost all of my friends are people I played high school or college football with.

[big_adventure]

Got any tips/workout routines on getting past that threshold alone?

Honestly? The best way I've found is to do a hard core pure-power day once a month or so.

You'll need to tune this to work for you, but here's how I would do this - I did this training for climbing, and it worked like a charm, but I never did it for chest, so I don't know the exact optimum exercices...

Take at least 2-3 rest days prior. Nothing more than light stretching and warmup exercises (yoga, slow jumprope, light biking or running, etc.). You don't want to do anything that's going to make you have less than healthy, non-lactic muscles ready to play.

Start with at least a half hour of very low-level warmup - slow running, slow biking, something to get yourself loose, but again, you don't want even come close to your anaerobic limit here - if you are breathing hard and can't have a normal conversation, it's too much, back off. If you're going to do chest and legs (or example), I would finish with some pushups on your knees (yes, you'll look silly...) or some REALLY light dumbbell bench, then maybe some really light machine leg presses, or some weightless half-squats.

Wait a FULL 5 minutes. Drink some water, relax, meditate if it's your thing, listen to punk music (I would do both).

Now, on to the power workout -

If we're doing chest, you can do it with bench. You can super-set if you want, the key is that you are going to hammer the one group, and hammer it at PURE POWER levels.

Do a set of 4-5 reps at about 60% of your max. This is for form, more or less, and your last real warm-up.

Do 10 sets. Rest a full minute between sets. Start at 85-90% of your max. Your goal is to do 4 perfect, fast reps per set and to stop when you know you could do one more good rep. Do not train to fail for this workout. Reduce weight as needed to keep yourself at that 4 rep level. If you find on one set that you would only be able to do 3 reps, or even two, that's OK, stop that set at 2, reduce weight, and keep going.

If you want to hit legs, or something else after, do that, you could even do it with the same power-plan.

When you are done, drink 40-50g of some easily digested sugars immediately, then do at least a 20 minute cool down on a bike, treadmill, whatever. Again, this is supposed to be SLOW - all you are trying to do is reduce lactic acid build-up.

Within about a half hour, enjoy another 30g of carbohydrates and 50g of easily-digested proteins.

Now the hard part - you want to take at least 4 days of rest after. Nothing any harder than slapping the TV when the signal goes out.

I would do this type of routine but for hand, arm and back strength a week or so before taking off on climbing trips. The combination of rest and focused power training would be great for crossing a threshold before heading out.

[big_adventure]

The double!

[AJ Valliant]

I have a meniscal tear in one of my knees (old), and both are somewhat...worn...from stupidity in my youth. Recent exercise and proper inserts in my shoes have helped stabilize the issue, I've found.

There are other problems as well - osteo-arthritis in my ankles, chronic lower back issues involving a pinched nerve, an injury between my shoulderblades that occasionally flares up (less often now)...

Hasn't stopped me from doing what I'm doing now, which actually seems to help. But.

I'd be curious about exercises that would specifically help my knees.

It's bit technical and involved to explain via typing, but feel free to stop by the Goodlife on Queen St some time and I'll show you a few Hip/knee/low back corrective movements and some things to reengage the locomotive firing chain. My name is actually A.J. Valliant so you can ask at the desk for me, or just shoot me message and I'll let you know when I'm generally free. I get enough enjoyment out this place I'd enjoy the karmic payback.

[Sharpandpointies]

Goodlife on Queen it is. I'll phone up sometime in the next two weeks, see about finding out when you're in. :)

Thanks, man.

[AJ Valliant]

Glad too. I know all too well the bevy of cumulative injuries that pile of from years of martial arts.

[Sharpandpointies]

Glad too. I know all too well the bevy of cumulative injuries that pile of from years of martial arts.

Yeah. Kind of stinks, but that's part and parcel of it if one wants to do more than punch and kick at the air.

...which can still create problems, sadly. :)