One Night At McCool's page 13

[Owly]

You'd fit right in since most powerlifters only grunt, growl, or scream.

Only if you're doing it right.

[NicMcCool]

Turns out the wife was right, proven via Justin over at 70′s Big no-less. I’ve probably strained my popliteus. I don’t need a new knee (yet), and I can stop throwing shit through the gym walls.

A bunch of years ago when I was young(er) and stupid(er) I decided to try driving my minivan into a telephone pole to see who’d win. Obvs the pole won. In the process I shattered my patella along with some other bones, my pride, and worst of all the van (may it rest in piece). A bunch of surgeries later and I was the student’s insurance version of the million dollar man.

Knee problems became a way of life at that point. Arthritis, clicking, random swelling, and occasionally I can pick up Soviet television through the wires. I learned to compensate. If I wanted to squat I had to change my form; toes pointed way out, feet super wide, and a bottom position that kind of resembled Sammo Hung Kam-Bo in a deep horse stance.

I’m not saying this was smart — remember the young(er) stupid(er) remark — but this is what I did.

After losing about 60 pounds recently I figured it was about time to tighten everything back up. My knees and legs felt great without that extra bulk and my entire lower half felt “springy”. In my defense I pulled in my feet and toes at slow increments for the first few weeks while working on my hip mobility, but I got cocky as the weights seemed to be flying off my back and adjusted my stance too much last week. I’m pretty sure my toes were pointed due north.

The worst part is that it was during a really light weight front squat. I usually supplement my low bar back squat with some lighter, higher rep front squats, and in this instance the 185 came and bit me in the popliteus.

[Crabbcakes]

Hello Nic!

This is absolutely nothing important - I just didn't want you to get lonely over here at McCool's. Hope you and the popliteus are doing well. I never said, but Hawk is adorable, and your wife gets kudos for finding that tshirt! I told First and Second (my two oldest daughters) what his full given name is, and Second said she is stealing it for any son of hers.

Wish I could talk lifting with you, but beyond kids, cats, groceries, the occasional bookshelf, and some tree trimmings, that is all the lifting I do. But Fourth is now 62 pounds - that should count for something, especially when she is dead-weight sleeping.

[Crabbcakes]

Hello Nic!

Still nothing important. I just thought of this place, McCool's, the other day. I had a chance meeting of a woman from Northern Ireland at the Y and I finally found someone who could out-talk me... it was heavenly. Anyway, the fact that she had this really cute Irish accent made me think of you, and how I thought you meant Dublin, Ireland when you showed up here.

Hope all of you are doing well - the wife and Hawk, the dudes at the gym, and you. I know you won't be impressed until I tell you I won a head-on collision with a Sherman tank, but I have plans to start YAYOG. Excruciatingly slowly, but still. Greetings to all!

[Goldie]

*sitting around suffering withdrawal from McCoolisms*

[Jaradel]

*sitting around suffering withdrawal from McCoolisms*

IKR?? Missing my regular dose of wry, snarky humor

[Crabbcakes]

Dude, this is going to become my second home for my journal if you don't write back here soon. Hope you are just busy and all and that nothing serious is happenin'. Primal is working well for me still - hope it is that way with you and stuff.