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View Full Version : Strongman/Powerlifting post hernia surgery



SupplementJunkie
06-10-2011, 08:21 PM
Hi everyone. I am not one hundred percent sure this is the right forum, but its how I train, strongman and powerlifting exercises. Its what I have done the past 20 years so it is a huge or should I say almost the biggest part of my life next to family..

I am 42 years old, and had a laproscopic bowel resection this past March to correct diverticultis, which I have been fighting for the past ten years. I had a nasty attack last August so I made the decision to finally have it done. I thought once the surgery was done I could finally move on with my life. Well the surgery went well, but what I did not know till after was that I was suseptible to incisional hernias. My surgeon told me I could start training 6 weeks post surgery and that my chance of getting teh hernia was minimal cuase I did not have any risk factors such as diabetes, not a smoker, not overweight, etc..So at 6 weeks I began training, the same was I always have..

Well, a few weeks later, here I am with a hernia..I felt something pull in my stomach last week, had some nasty pain, and a few days later I went and saw the surgeon. He said I had a small incisional hernia that would require immediate surgery..When I asked him why I got the hernia, he said well people who put huge stress on their abdomens post surgery have this chance..Well I fully explained to him in the beginning how I train, and train heavy, and he still gave me the green light but now he was kinda back peddleing..Anyway, I asked him again how long I had to wait to train after the hernia surgery and he once again said 6 weeks. I respect him cause he does good work, but I just dont think he really understands how powerlifters and strongman train..

I did a little research and saw that most say I should not begin training until 3 to 6 months after the hernia surgery. My primary physican told me that I should not start training till next year with the exception of cardio and light toning exercises..So basically I cant do anything that I have done for the past 20 years..Keep in mind I was out of training for almost two months after the last surgery and that felt like a huge time..

I am wondering if anyone on here has had a similar hernia and how long you had to or you waited before training again after the hernia surgery and how it went..What kind of training did you do and did the hernia come back etc..Any and all info would be greatly appreciated..

At this point I am very depressed and someone told me my powerlifting/strongman career is over. I have competed in the past in powerlifting 181/198 and was planning on entering my first strongman comp next August..Thank you..

SupplementJunkie
06-15-2011, 01:12 PM
Bump

Bryan Hildebrand
06-15-2011, 02:45 PM
no, your career is not over.

where is your hernia as there are several different types.


I had an umbilical hernia repaired last february. I took 1 week off from the gym. trained very light and did tons of non stressful cardio for another 3-4 weeks and then slowly increased my intensity by 10-15% every week until about 12 weeks. i didnt start squatting again until 18 weeks as that is where I felt the more discomfort. deadlifting at 12 weeks was not an issue, just not balls to the wall doubles and triples.

today my deads are back in the high 600's, squats are in the high 5's and having no issues.

SupplementJunkie
06-16-2011, 01:57 PM
no, your career is not over.

where is your hernia as there are several different types.


I had an umbilical hernia repaired last february. I took 1 week off from the gym. trained very light and did tons of non stressful cardio for another 3-4 weeks and then slowly increased my intensity by 10-15% every week until about 12 weeks. i didnt start squatting again until 18 weeks as that is where I felt the more discomfort. deadlifting at 12 weeks was not an issue, just not balls to the wall doubles and triples.

today my deads are back in the high 600's, squats are in the high 5's and having no issues.


Thank you for your response man, means alot. It was an incisional hernia right behind my belly button. I suffered from Diverticulitis for over 10 years and decided to have a bowel resection to get ride of it. I had that done last March Laproscipically..It wasn't till after teh surgery that I founf out I was suseptible to incisional hernias, The doc told me to wait 6 weeks before I started training again, which I did, and then four weeks later, BAM, hernia. I had it repaired with the Mesh so I hope once it heals I can get back to training down the road..Its hard for people to understand me whne I tell them training is my life, they just dont get it that I am this depressed about it. I am glad I have come here..SJ