Post: #1

I just tore my ligaments in my left foot during bball practice and although I know that I have to rest for several weeks before even considering squatting and Dls, I want to know if you guys can recommend some exercises for the meantime. I dont want to lose my strength and all the progress I made in the gym just because of that damn accident.

Post: #2

Hit up some pull ups and dips.

Post: #3

I forget where I read this, but basically, when you've got an injury, work on everything else that isn't injured.

Unfortunately, you might have to neglect lower body altogether.

I'd do whatever combination of weighted chins, dips, bench press, seated shoulder press, perhaps a machine guided rowing machine.

Having a bum ankle sucks ass. You could try doing pistols on your good leg, I dunno. I don't recommend guided machine exercises for your good leg, except for maybe the leg press.

Oh, almost forgot.

You can do seated arm curls, too.

Post: #4

I have a list of shit you can work on with a bad ankle.

Upper Body

• Chinups
• Leg Raises (or L-sit)
• Dips
• Bench
• Seated Military Press
• Grip work
  

Now personally I would do nothing but dips and chinups until you heal, and throw in some seated military press work because nobody seems to be able to press anything overhead in the gym these days. This is just because I am not a huge fan of the bench press.

So basically what Lecter and GQ said.

Post: #5

Thx for the input. I have a pullup bar at home, so I figure that Ill just stick to that till I can walk again. Then Ill gimp my ass to the gym and do the seated, benched stuff. Fuck, I hate being injured!

Post: #6

Swimming perhaps?

Post: #7

(02-08-2013 12:13 PM)_GQ_ Wrote:  Swimming perhaps?

Yeah, I thought about it, but I have to be able to walk first. As of now, I cant put any pressure on my foot/ankle and walk around on crutches.

Post: #8

Bumping this.

My right ankle got sprained or something months ago. Not sure exactly what.

I often have just been doing things(squats, putting weight on it) like normal but Ive noticed it feels weak especially when putting weight on it. Should I carry on doing what I do as normal or should I take it real slow knowing it would take months more to recover fully? I do pistols mainly on my left leg now, and when I do a little bit on my right I find I might be putting weird forces on my knee.

Post: #9

Use the time you are injured to learn something about your body. For example, if I hurt my ankle, ruling out squats and deads, I'd do a shit ton of leg curls and the like. Spend a few weeks really going after some hypertrophy on your legs, fixing any imbalances, and doing that good bodybuilding shit to pump a whole ton of blood through your legs and spark new growth. It's a golden opportunity to do something you'd never normally do, and you'll probably find your body responds really well to it. You may well find you make more progress than you otherwise would have because you are forced to work differently and find ways to adapt.

If you usually do 5x5 squats, for example, I'd take this time to do hamstring curls and leg curls, and do 10-20 rep sets, burnout sets, strip sets, focus on the mind muscle connection, etc. Since it isn't as taxing as squats, perhaps try doing some crazy volume - shoot for 1000 reps in a workout, and work on bringing up your core strength, particularly your lower back. You may find that within a week or two of your ankle healing you are significantly stronger for it.

Post: #10

I know you might not want to hear this but: consider resting yourself.

Rest doesn't get its fair shake in my opinion. If you were really pushing yourself for a while and now you are injured, let your body heal itself.

Spend some time and make sure you are eating really nutritious food, take some supplements, pamper yourself with hot baths and make sure to take good care of your ankle with ice, heating pads, elevation or whatever else the doctor proscribes.

There is a whole lifetime for getting jacked. Now is the time to make sure your ankle gets back to being 100%. Rest is part of that.

For easy exercise. What about some dumbbells at home. Shoulder press, curls, forearms, etc.

Post: #11

Post was over two years ago.

Hopefully he's made a full recovery.

OP since I've seen that you've logged in today maybe you want to post up an update?

Post: #12

(07-14-2015 10:15 AM)Hades Wrote:  Post was over two years ago.

Hopefully he's made a full recovery.

OP since I've seen that you've logged in today maybe you want to post up an update?

Haha, good eye Hades!

Post: #13

Yeah, I did. Here is how:

- rested for 1.5 - 2 weeks
- got a balance pad to do some stability exercises
- back to the gym to do upper body work
- upped the intensity of the stability exercise
- back to some light squatting and DLing after 4-5 weeks

After 1.5 months I was balling again.

Take-away lesson: rest some time, but get back to work ASAP. Start light and don't rush it, though.