Ok. Long overdue update but some big/good news and it seems everytime I share good news...I get hurt 😂 but here goes.
General update: BW is hovering around 192lbs. Best guess at BF% is 8-9. Meniscus seems healed although very rarely on certain pivot it feels unstable. I do still have a loose piece of cartilage between my femur and patella that needs removed via a scope but as of now it's not causing much swelling or pain, especially after thorough warming up. So training; I've moved to a 5x5 upper body with about 4 weeks left. Current lifts at this rep range: bench 255, ohp 155, row 255. Did PR OHP 1RM at 195lbs yesterday VERY strict. Accessory work for upper days is 3x7 circuits one week and 3x12 the next. Lower body, I've swapped squat and deadlift days (Monday dead now, Thur squat) to allow an extra day of recovery post squats as they bother my knee occasionally. Have kept a paused 315 squat for top single and 225 x10-12. 315 is explosive. Plan to try 365 today and 275 for reps. Current plan is i rep until my knee feels ehh or I hit my 12. Deadlifts have been good. 365 top single for 2 weeks now feels effortless. 275 4x12 is fun grip wise but managed. No straps or belt yet on any lift. Really emphasizing core stability and grip. Have re introduced see plyos the last 3 weeks. Depth jumps, line hops, some SL box jumps and "half" pistols depending on knee feel. Have rededicated myself to stretching in hopes to stage off further injury.
Now, the good stuff....
I decided to play in the pro am this summer. (Provided everyone pays up 😑). So I have played a few times in the last 2 weeks. Day one (2 Wednesdays ago) felt awful...so foreign jumper and handle wise. Couple light jumps and weak one hand dunks. Timing was horrible so no lobs/oops but still a pleasant surprise. The next afternoon, handle and jumper 100x better and managed a few lob dunks. Cut both sessions short even tho I felt good (trying to be smart). Real test was Saturday. Played a 5v5 tourney. Missed game 1. Played all 40 in game 2 and 3 and played 37 mins in game 4. Thorough warmup and cooldown each game and no knee issues. Played ok. Not well by my standard but to be expected. Spot up shooting was good. Off the dribble I can tell I'm much stronger so I'll need some adjustments there, everything was long. Moves and handle were robotic feeling instead of instinctual and reactive but not sloppy. Overall. I'll take it. Did manage to block a dunk attempt and have some nice behind the back bounce passes on the break (sometimes I forget and I'm flashy for no damn reason lol).
Played again last night. Warmed up. Lazy game of 21. Light 3v3 game. Went to go stretch and one of the guys who was playing starts dunking (he's 6'8", just normal life stuff tho) so I said WTH. Bounce isn't back yet but I'd say it's hovering around 42" easily. Two hander off the dribble. Couple light lobs. Timing is off so I just missed a reverse off glass and a off dribble windmill. Definitely had the height but poor timing/execution for sure. Went for 1 ME jump and was shocked. FELT like 44-45" but the landing was EASY. The littlest one and the wife were with me watching as we'd just doesn't shoulders at the gym before hand so I asked her to video (stupid me should have been the entire time!). Well, the first jump on video wasn't AS nice as the one I managed previously and it got video bombed 😒🙄😂 but it was ok. Legs were gone after but I tried one more and it was definitely not as high. She's sending me the vids so I'll post them in a few!
So, takeaways: trying to work my way back carefully both playing and weight room. Completely shocked I maintained this much vert considering the lack of jumps/leg work and then 10lb mass gain. Also amazed my body is absorbing the landings so easily considering the two above factors as well. You can see on the video it looks effortless (landing wise) so that bodes well for improvements soon!
Very excited!
