Recovering from Total Hip Replacement
Exactly six weeks ago I had my right hip totally replaced
with an anterior approach (FYI I highly recommend an anterior approach). My
surgeon was Dr. Howe of OrthoCarolina, and I can say with 100% confidence that
Dr. Howe is an absolute magician. I interviewed three different doctors that
all came highly recommended. I decided on Dr. Howe because he seemed the most
up to date on the research. He really pours himself into his craft continually
reading and going to conferences, not to simply mark off his continued
education, but to get better at his job.
Six weeks later and I am Clean & Jerking, squatting,
deadlifting, and lunging. Some of you might think that I am going too soon, and
I respect your thoughts and concerns. However, I feel confident in my approach,
and I trust the people that I am working with on designing my recovery program.
There are a few parameters that I am staying within:
·
Full range of motion and proper movement is my
main concern
·
I’m staying at a 7 or less RPE
·
I’m trying to strengthen my hip in multiple
ways: flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction
·
Squatting is high frequency, since this is the
movement that I want to continue with for the long haul.
https://marcpro.com/ |
I have no way of knowing if my approach will work for you.
Maybe it would hurt some of you, but without a doubt my hip seems to be
improving at a rate faster than other people. There is absolutely no pain now.
The movement in my surgical hip is better than my good hip. The main thing that
I am keeping in mind is that I want all the ligaments and tendons to strengthen
around the new hip, so that my new hip is stable.
So far my X-Rays show my hip way ahead of schedule, so I am
confident that my approach is the way to go for me. The goal is to spend the
first 4 months strengthening my hip joint to a point that I can start pushing
things a bit more. One thing that most of you have to remember is that
everything is relative. Yeah I might be front squatting 300 pounds, but that’s
less than 50% of my best front squat. Heck most people that get total hip
replacements can barely squat their own body weight, so they are going 100%
days after the surgery. I have over thirty years of weight training, so my
hip/body is used to a bit more than the average person.
Here’s the good news that I can tell all of you. I am
playing with my children more now than I have in the last four years. I am
getting down in the floor with them. I am running in the back yard with them.
It’s like a second chance at life all over again. I have to tell you that
things were pretty bleak those last few months. Imagine doing something for
34-years, loving that thing, and then all of a sudden not being able to do it.
That’s exactly what happened to me. I didn’t want to train anymore because it
hurt so badly.
Not working out for some of you might now be a big deal. For
me it’s a really big deal. It’s a part of me. My career and my hobby have been
centered on weight training my entire adult like. I was lost as a person unsure
of who I was. It was sad to say the least. I am ‘me’ again thanks to Dr. Howe.
So now what?
Someone like me has to have a goal to chase. I don’t know
any other way, so I’ve decided to compete at the end of this year. The goal is
a Super Total. Now I am not expecting massive numbers, but I don’t want to get
embarrassed either. The goal for August is:
·
115kg/253lb Snatch
·
145kg/319 Clean & Jerk
·
250kg Back Squat
·
170kg/374lb Bench Press
·
275kg/606lb Deadlift
I feel that I can hit these fairly easy without losing any
fitness because I want to start focusing on my cardiovascular as well. I am
going to figure out a Row or Bike goal in the near future. I also want to drop
down for all of this to the 198lb Class in powerlifting. This puts a fire in me
to focus on my nutrition, which is another goal I have. Mainly I want to be
strong, fit, lean, and mobile for my wife and children. That’s the real goal
y’all.
Here’s a look at my initial workout that I started this
week:
Day 1 Monday
|
Wks 1-3
|
Warm Up
|
Leg Ext+Leg Curl+Air Squat
|
1a. Front Squat
|
3RM (1st Rep Paused)
|
1b. Bench Press
|
5RM
|
2a. Lunges
|
3 x 8ea leg
|
2b. Chest Press Machine
|
3 x 10-15
|
2c. Rows
|
3 x 10-15
|
3a. Abductions
|
3 x 10
|
3b. Pushdowns
|
3x10
|
3c. DB Triceps Extension
|
3x10
|
Day 2
|
|
Warm Up
|
Sled Drag, Belt Squat, and Reverse Hypers
|
OH Squats
|
5RM
|
Clean & Jerks
|
5 x 2
|
Cardio
|
15-30 minutes
|
Day 3
|
|
Warm Up
|
Leg Ext+Leg Curl+Air Squat+Lateral Lunge
|
1a. Deadlift
|
5RM
|
1b. Breathing Paused Front Squat
|
1RM Paused 3 Depp Breaths
|
2a. Standing Strict Press
|
3 x 5
|
2b. Hyperextensions
|
3 x 8
|
3a. BHN Snatch Grip Presses
|
3 x 5
|
3b. Plate Raises
|
3x10
|
3c. Biceps Curl
|
3x10
|
Day 4
|
|
Off
|
|
Day 5
|
|
Warm Up
|
Leg Ext+Leg Curl+Air Squat
|
1a. Back Squat Wide Box Squat
|
5RM
|
1b. Closegrip Bench Press
|
3RM, then Drop set AMRAP
|
2a. Lunges
|
3 x 8ea leg
|
2b. Incline Hammer Strength
|
3 x 10-15
|
2c. Rows
|
3 x 10-15
|
3a. Adduction
|
3x10
|
3b. Nosebreakers
|
3x10
|
3c. Pullovers
|
3x10
|
Day 6
|
|
Warm Up
|
Sled Drag, Belt Squat, Rev Hypers
|
OH Squats
|
3RM
|
Hang Clean & Jerk
|
5 x 2
|
1a. Pullups
|
3-5 x submaximal
|
1b. Belt Squats
|
3-5 x 10
|
1c. Bike or Row
Sprint
|
3-5 30-60 sec
|
As you can see, it’s pretty basic, but that’s what I need
right now. I will add volume, when my hip allows. Right now, it’s all about
consistency and frequency. I will update each stage along the way as the plan
advances. For right now this is what I need.
Am I crazy? Maybe! However this is who I am. I have been
this person my entire life, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Nothing
makes me angrier than when someone compares me to other people. For example
someone was comparing me to Dave Tate, and his recover process. No offense, but
I am not Dave Tate. I have never been concerned about what other people were
doing because I knew that I was going to do more than them. Is this the right
approach? I don’t know, but it’s who I am y’all.
I’m not sure that God gave me the best genetics. He gave me
some good ones minus height that is lol. However, he gave me one quality that
has allowed me to beat most of my competitors, and that is determination and
drive. I don’t like limits. Why do you think that I won three world
championships and broke multiple world records? Why do you think that my
Olympic weightlifting team is dominant in America?
I started training at my original gym “Jack King’s Gym”. Not
to be cheesy, but there is something to going back to one’s roots. The very
smell of the place reminds me of the desire that I had as a young man. I will
be training at 5am on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at Jack’s Gym. I will train
at the Mash Compound Tuesday and Saturday. I will take Thursday and Sunday off
to hang with the family.
How far will I take it? Man I don’t know, but I can promise
one thing: “I will die doing what I love, and I am ok with that.”
P.S. We have a new section on our website about our At Risk Youth Program, so go check it out please:
Do you know what type of hip you got....ie metal on metal, ceramic, etc. Thanks for posting btw.
ReplyDeleteMan...I'm only 2 weeks behind you. Some of what you wrote sounded like something I could have written about myself. I coach HS football and those last 2-3 weeks of practice started to get pretty tough...I think I felt "real" depression for the first time in my life. I am encouraged to hear stories like yours. I am only 43 and I still live to train. The idea of never feeling a loaded bar on my back is a sad thought. Thanks for sharing your experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks man. I’m glad I could encourage you. It’s been a perfect recovery so far. How is your recovery going?
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