Just about two years ago, I was in the gym deadlifting with 300 lbs on the bar. I got a little sloppy with my form, and I felt something like two rubber bands snapping in my right arm. I had ruptured my distal biceps tendon.
We attempted surgery to fix it, but it couldn't be fixed. Bonus: The surgeon strayed too close to a nerve and when I came out of anaesthesia my right hand was paralyzed. I'm a technical writer, so imagine my joy.
Well, I've recovered the use of my hand since then - vitamin therapy, believe it or not - but my biceps is a permanent loss barring some new medical miracle. I've regained a fair bit of the strength in that arm (ask me about clubbells sometime), but it'll probably never be 100%.
I've been getting back into the gym and today my workout called for deadlifts for the first time in two years. I had the hardest time getting to the gym; things kept demanding my attention, it seemed. I finally got there and found myself sitting in the parking lot, dithering. I was dreading that barbell.
But eventually I pushed myself out of the car, into the gym, and over to the power rack. My workout called for seven 1-rep sets. I pulled 205, 225, 245, 245, 255, 255, and 265. Not up to my personal record, but not bad for a two year layoff.
Even better: That damned barbell is a lot less scary now.
We attempted surgery to fix it, but it couldn't be fixed. Bonus: The surgeon strayed too close to a nerve and when I came out of anaesthesia my right hand was paralyzed. I'm a technical writer, so imagine my joy.
Well, I've recovered the use of my hand since then - vitamin therapy, believe it or not - but my biceps is a permanent loss barring some new medical miracle. I've regained a fair bit of the strength in that arm (ask me about clubbells sometime), but it'll probably never be 100%.
I've been getting back into the gym and today my workout called for deadlifts for the first time in two years. I had the hardest time getting to the gym; things kept demanding my attention, it seemed. I finally got there and found myself sitting in the parking lot, dithering. I was dreading that barbell.
But eventually I pushed myself out of the car, into the gym, and over to the power rack. My workout called for seven 1-rep sets. I pulled 205, 225, 245, 245, 255, 255, and 265. Not up to my personal record, but not bad for a two year layoff.
Even better: That damned barbell is a lot less scary now.
