[Adam Bishop]

Squat session at Physique Warehouse:

Leg Extension – 3 sets
Squat – 210×3 223×3 235×6
Hack Squat – 250×10 then drop set
Standing calf Raise – 50 reps

Great session, felt super strong. Decided to leave the leg curls till tomorrow after my deadlifts as it’s a heavy session.

[Adam Bishop]

The above should only be used as a guide and progress should dictate loading. Take your time and don’t rush.

[Adam Bishop]

Weeks 1-2
In Sling with elbow kept at 90degrees. No rehab work on bicep. Trained around the injury in the gym. Safety Squat bar squats 3 times a week and 2 contralateral upperbody sessions (training non injured side) to maintain muscle mass.

Weeks 3-4
Out of sling. Get range of motion back in arm. No loading yet. Focus on getting arm straight and getting full supination of forearm back. This is very important to do before loading. Continuted SSB squat work and Contralateral work.

Weeks 5-6
Commenced non-direct loading of injured side. No direct bicep work but some light pressing and rows. Continued SSB squats.

Weeks 6-9
Direct loading of bicep commences. Start with light bicep curls and compare strength to the non-injured side. Stick with supinated curls as puch as possible. focus on the contraction of the medial head of the bicep. It is common for the Brachioradialis to become dominant after the time in the sling. A Compex (EMS) is a good tool for bicep activation prior to bicep work. This is the session I performed 3 times a week during this period (Monday/Wednesday/Friday):

Single Arm DB Preacher Curl 3×12
Incline DB Curl (supinated) 3×12
Standing Cable Curl (like a double biceps pose) 3×12

Progressed each arm independantly until the injured size was withing 95% of the non-injured side. Key is to keep with the supination range of motion work during this period.

Weeks 10-12
Back to “normal” gym training, probably no strongman events that risk the bicep yet but deadlifting (straps) and yoke etc is ok. Direct bicep work moved to heavier variations such as barbell curls and DB hammer curls etc. I would recommend some swiss ball squeezes during this period as well to mimic picking up an atlas stone.

Weeks 13-16
Return to full training including strongman events

[Adam Bishop]

Hi Matt when did the injury occur and is your operation on the NHS?

I’ve overseen my own and multiple others recovery from distal bicep surgery with great success so I will drop my rehab plan below. It will be a cut and paste job and it was originally intended for strongmen/rugby players but it should give you an idea of the stages…

[Adam Bishop]

I have a page in my training diary each week dedicated to writing down a check list for each day. I record steps, sleep, resting HR, blood pressure, “supplements” and at one point I was recording water intake – nothing special just a tick or a cross if I drank my target water volume.

Of course all of these things are recorded via my phone however I found writing them down each day promoted good habits and increased mindfulness.

To add to this with some general advice – you want these things to become habits and the best way to do that is to be organised and run to a consistent daily schedule.

[Adam Bishop]

Rest day today. Did very little today apart from catch up on some admin and walk the dogs.

Back in the gym tomorrow for some squats

[Adam Bishop]

146.5kg

Am Session: farmers walk 6x20m sandbag runs 3x(3x15m)

PM Session:

Log press 113x6x1
Military Press 105×3 112.5×3 120×6
BTN Press 110×3
Dips 40×7 5×16
JM Push Ups x13,15
Lateral Raise 50 reps
Tempo push ups 30 reps

Sandbag conditioning took a step up today with some close to comp conditions with a lighter bag. Working on speed and quality of movement. Pressing felt really on this evening in the barn. Log and military felt awesome. Probably a bit over confident on my weight selection on the BTN press but it gives me something to work on in coming weeks.

Also saw the physio today and my ankle is feeling much better after some treatment.

[Adam Bishop]

AM session: 20mins bike, stone complex 5×3, BB holds 5×20”

PM session:

Deadlift 277.5×3 295×3 312.5×6 340×1
SA DB Row 65×12 50×15
Pulldowns 59×50 (rest pause)
Hypers 50 reps (rest pause)
EZ Cable curl 15×50 (rest pause)

Added some joker sets post my top rep set on deadlift today I’ll use these to bridge the gap between the lighter rep work and the heavier singles I’ll need in a couple of weeks time. These will only be done when the top set feels easy and the single will gradually get heavier. The ladder we have at BSM is 300-400 so there is a need to condition my body to heavier work.

[Adam Bishop]

I weigh in daily and take a weekly average

[Adam Bishop]

Late night last night at the party. Got back home and got things sorted.

Ankle was a bit swollen today for some reason,
Probably too much time on my feet. Currently icing it up to get the inflammation down ready for tomorrow.

Rest day for me today, back in the gym tomorrow morning.

[Adam Bishop]

A proper powerlifting belt will offer something to push out against and allow you to brace your core a lot more efficiently. Its is not a “back support”.

Sleeves vary in thickness and material. Some are simple neoprene that offer just warmth to the joint while others are multi material and can offer support to the joint as well as helping the joint rebound out of deep angles.

My advice for most people buying their first pair of knee sleeves is to go for a 7mm neoprene pair that offer support, joint compression and warmth.

[Adam Bishop]

Seated Leg Curl 127.25×10 99×15
Squat 195×5 210×5 222.5×8
Paused Leg Press 250×50 (rest pause)
Heel Elevated SSB Squat 2 sets
SL calf raise 50 reps (rest pause)

Solid session this morning before I headed up the M1 for a friends birthday party. Back home tomorrow morning.

[Adam Bishop]

145.1kg

Took a second rest day today. Body was telling me to rest and so I listened. I’ll get back in the gym tomorrow morning for some legs then pull again on Monday.

[Adam Bishop]

144.5kg this morning. Rest day today. Headed over to see my friend who has just had an ACL reconstruction. Took him a leg extension/curl machine to help him during the early stage of rehab.

Another double training day tomorrow. Looking forward to it

[Adam Bishop]

AM session: stone complex 5×3, barbell holds 5×20”

PM session at physique warehouse
Log Press 100x8x1
Military Press 100×5 105×5 113×8
BTN Press 100×8
Atlantis Incline Press 260×8 then drop set
Skullcrushers – 50 reps (rest pause)
Pressdowns 3 sets

Great session today, pressing felt very strong. Solid 8 reps on the military press and then 10kg up for the same reps on both the BTN press and the incline. Good day’s work.