Bulletproof Knees

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by RedPanda

Well, I don't think you can compare an article, as helpful as it is, with a 230 page manual that provides a complete program for rehabbing, stretching and strengthening.

Originally Posted by Alta-tude

The article gives an overview of his ideas. Then, one might decide to get the book.

Agree with both of you

It's a great article and one I ran across some time before. After reading it one can decide "I think I can figure out how to work those things into my program" or "I don't have time to figure out how to do that - I'll buy the manual and let him lay it all out for me".

RedPanda has a good point, I think. There's this feeling of balking at paying that kind of money for a book, but it sounds like this is more like paying for a targeted self-diagnosis and rehab program; you're paying for the expertise and guidance of someone who knows what he's doing. I didn't go this route, obviously, but it seems like a pretty reasonable one, to me.

[Castella]

I took a quick look at the article (enough for me to determine that the article alone isn't enough for me).

Is this a program that requires use of gym equipment? Nowadays I do bodyweight, kettlebells and dumbbells. My doctor told me my knees are doomed due to my bone structure and they do make some pretty horrible noises sometimes. I'm not aiming for bulletproof, but I'd be happy to avoid knee replacement surgery!

[RedPanda]

Originally Posted by Castella

Is this a program that requires use of gym equipment? Nowadays I do bodyweight, kettlebells and dumbbells. My doctor told me my knees are doomed due to my bone structure and they do make some pretty horrible noises sometimes. I'm not aiming for bulletproof, but I'd be happy to avoid knee replacement surgery!

Although the program is primarily designed for "heavy lifters" - for example, there's a lot of information on warming up and correct form for heavy deadlifts and squats - you don't necessarily need access to gym equipment. When I discovered that my weak hamstrings were contributing to my knee pain, I spent a lot of time on the lying ham curl machine at the gym. The at-home alternative is hamstring curls with a stability ball, but because my hamstrings were so weak back then, I found that exercise very challenging, so it was a chicken-and-egg situation.

That's the only gym equipment I can recall specifically using for the program. There was a lot of stretching at home using walls, doorways and a step.

[Castella]

Thank you, RedPanda! It was the picture of the women perched on the gym equipment that had me concerned.

My hamstrings have gained strength through kettlebells and The Foundation workout. I used to have really strong hamstrings from cycling but those days are over. I might be lacking a good balance between quad and hamstring strength, and I keep plugging away at trying to improve flexibility.

This sounds like a worthwhile purchase. Watching my pennies this year but it is on my list. Bad knees can bring a lot of misery to one's life.

[Vintage VFer]

Mike has a new program, Bulletproof Athlete:

http://bulletproofathlete.com/

.

[Vintage VFer]

Originally Posted by RedPanda

I also don't understand how people can cheerfully pay $100 for the latest program by Jillian Michaels, Shaun T or whomever, but baulk at paying around the same amount for a comprehensive program that will help them to really understand why they have pain, relieve them of pain and make all their other workouts more effective.

I was thinking about this. I personally don't do well with book/paper plans and/or workouts, no matter how great they are. I guess it's an attention-deficit thing (plus, I'm a diehard vidiot).

If he came out with a follow-along Bulletproof Knees workout DVD (not just a lecture), I'd be all over that.

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by Castella

My hamstrings have gained strength through kettlebells and The Foundation workout.

No proof here, just personal anecdote - but I really thought I had the hamstring and glute things covered with kettlebells and other types of lifting. What I learned was that in *my case*, I still had weak/inactive glutes - without getting too technical, the stronger glute muscles were "taking over" the job of smaller/weaker glute/hip muscles. Another is that supine hamstring/glute work - like the stability ball hamstring curls RedPanda mentioned - works the posterior chain in a completely different way than kettlebells. I could swing and deadlift till the cows came home - but starting those ball curls was a completely humbling experience. But they've done my knees good.

So again, no proof, but personal experience that tracks along with Robertson's principles (according to those listed by RedPanda).

thanks for the link to the new program, Alta! I'll check that out next. eta: Alta! I see from your sig you've been reading Dan John! what is that one from?

[Vintage VFer]

Originally Posted by Sophie

eta: Alta! I see from your sig you've been reading Dan John! what is that one from?

Sigh, I've been hesitant to purchase any of Dan's books or programs, either. I got the quote from Pavel's website:

http://www.strongfirst.com/what-make...rst-different/

.

[Castella]

I hear what you're saying about not being able to work with books. I can't either. I just can. not. Even worse than a book for me is an electronic version of a book. Can't read it.

But as long as there are pictures, I think I can still walk away with new ideas for stretches and strength moves. (this is really my "but it's GOOD for me and my knees NEED help" rationalization)

As for hamstring strength, I did some one-legged bridge lifts (one foot on a ball, one foot in the hair) which I haven't done for a while and noticed that I definitely need to do those on a regular basis again. I've never gotten much out of deadlifts, but bridges are good. My glutes are just impossible. They are like cats in a sun coma, completely uninclined to take an interest in whatever exercise I'm doing. It's aggravating. The Foundation workout hits the glutes pretty hard but in pretty specific areas, not the entire glute muscle system. Kettlebells again, if I really focus hard on trying to find a glute muscle that isn't dead to the world, I can get some benefit from but again it's not the whole ball of wax. Once I shifted more towards the hard-style kettlebell method I got more glute activation, but I sure don't have those buns of steel.

[Vintage VFer]

I have a slight headache from changing my mind so quickly! Despite an aversion to book workouts, etc., I decided to buy Bulletproof Knees. I just spent some time with a relative who has really bad knee issues and is due for surgery soon. She is in so much pain, I hurt for her.

Originally Posted by Castella

My glutes are just impossible. They are like cats in a sun coma, completely uninclined to take an interest in whatever exercise I'm doing.

Castella, you have a way with words.