Recovering from Total Hip Replacement

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.

Kelly Starrett reached out to me shortly after my surgery, and he's been a big help with my recovery. Him reaching out really showed me how special our industry really is. He didn't have to do that, but he saw me as a colleague trying to further the cause of strength, health and fitness in a time where the world desperately needs it. He also sent me a Marc Pro that was instrumental in the speeding up of my recovery. That machine is a miracle for controlling swelling, and killing pain. During the first several days, I could only rest comfortably while hooked up to my Marc Pro. Now I use it everyday for recovery, and I will never be without one ever again. 

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:

https://www.mashelite.com/youth/