Rack Deads/Pulls

[B5150]

It is rare that I ask for exercise advice as I am pretty competent in research but I have a need for advice and or suggestions.

I have stayed far away from things like squats and deads for years - bad knee (two meniscus surgeries), neck and an epigastric/umbilical hernia (repairs that can be aggrevated).

As of late I have experimented with some great success and have discovered that the old cliche about deads for mass is true. In recent months I have added deads to my back routine - rack dead/pulls. For clarification - bar inside squat rack with pins at knee height.

I have made a very conscious and intention point of having the pins at just above knee height, for as I have mentioned my knee is not to sound. I play baseball (hardball) and am a catcher and csnnot afford to injure myself.

It has been reasonably successful at keeping (knee) injury free until the weight has exceeded the 300+ and beyond range. The issue is not the range of motion or instability as I keep the pin quite high and I have a good solid stance with feet appropriately spaced. The issue is the sheer weight that I carry on my knee when you take my 200lbs and and 350 or more lbs to it. The exercise itself is not injuring me or causing and discomfort during the actual training. My back and legs are not unreasonably sore the day or two after. My meniscus symptoms act up viciously. Bad enough to the point of swelling and stiffness that lasts for several to many day later.

It disappoints me because it has very rapidly put weight on my upper body yet it can me great pain at times and certainly an best puts me on the DL as far as catching goes.

So my question is, how can I achieve that same benefits of mass development that comes from these deads without doing them? Seated rows, pull downs, bent rows and the likes at heavy weight will aggrevate my hernias. If I could only somehow perfrom the dead motion not standing on my feet then my knees would not suffer from the stress of excessive loads.

Sorry for the long winded post. I am open to intelligent advice and suggestion. Thanks in advance.

 

[napalm]

It is rare that I ask for exercise advice as I am pretty competent in research but I have a need for advice and or suggestions.

I have stayed far away from things like squats and deads for years - bad knee (two meniscus surgeries), neck and an epigastric/umbilical hernia (repairs that can be aggrevated).

As of late I have experimented with some great success and have discovered that the old cliche about deads for mass is true. In recent months I have added deads to my back routine - rack dead/pulls. For clarification - bar inside squat rack with pins at knee height.

I have made a very conscious and intention point of having the pins at just above knee height, for as I have mentioned my knee is not to sound. I play baseball (hardball) and am a catcher and csnnot afford to injure myself.

It has been reasonably successful at keeping (knee) injury free until the weight has exceeded the 300+ and beyond range. The issue is not the range of motion or instability as I keep the pin quite high and I have a good solid stance with feet appropriately spaced. The issue is the sheer weight that I carry on my knee when you take my 200lbs and and 350 or more lbs to it. The exercise itself is not injuring me or causing and discomfort during the actual training. My back and legs are not unreasonably sore the day or two after. My meniscus symptoms act up viciously. Bad enough to the point of swelling and stiffness that lasts for several to many day later.

It disappoints me because it has very rapidly put weight on my upper body yet it can me great pain at times and certainly an best puts me on the DL as far as catching goes.

So my question is, how can I achieve that same benefits of mass development that comes from these deads without doing them? Seated rows, pull downs, bent rows and the likes at heavy weight will aggrevate my hernias. If I could only somehow perfrom the dead motion not standing on my feet then my knees would not suffer from the stress of excessive loads.

Sorry for the long winded post. I am open to intelligent advice and suggestion. Thanks in advance.

Maybe some more lower back assistance work to take the pressure off your knees?

Good mornings are your friend here, if you can do them w your neck issues. That might take some load off your knees. If you can't do them, reverse hypers will target lower back as well. GHR's also.

I'm also one of the few that does pendlay's I hate bent over rows and have had some success w pendlay's. I wouldn't think that would aggregate your hernia.

FWIW, I've had 4 knee surgeries and squatting has done wonders.

Good luck...

 

[AZMIDLYF]

Don't know if you will like them, but I do Zercher squats and it will hit legs and back completely. I had to start pretty light and build up to some pretty good weight now.