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[way2short]

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[tilli]

I had some consultation talks with surgeons and they told me that u can do that as soon as possible - ofc u need to make sure to not affect your legs negatively, for example during travelling to the gym or whatever, but i think that's self explanatory... but working on your chest or shoulders or whatever you can do very soon after surgery, if u can organize it. Maybe u can get some weights and some bench for home.

[way2short]

I had some consultation talks with surgeons and they told me that u can do that as soon as possible - ofc u need to make sure to not affect your legs negatively, for example during travelling to the gym or whatever, but i think that's self explanatory... but working on your chest or shoulders or whatever you can do very soon after surgery, if u can organize it. Maybe u can get some weights and some bench for home.

Can you use leg drive?

[jbfjbj4]

In theory you can do it while lengthening.

In practice I did not see a single person at my clinic who continued to workout upper body during the lengthening phase. You're very unlikely to be the exception to that irrespective of what you think you'll be doing now. You'll be too tired, and the actual mechanics of working out makes it borderline impossible unless you have a helper with you, as you won't be able to carry any plates or dumbbells (as you'll need to hold the crutches, and adding more weight to the load the nails have to bear simply isn't a good idea). When you sit down, you'll have to use your hands to take the weight, so forget about using the lat pulldown or any pulling machine for that matter.

All you could really do is machines like the chest press, and have a helper carry dumbbells over to you so you can do seated exercises. You won't be doing it, it's not remotely worth the bother.

[way2short]

In theory you can do it while lengthening.

In practice I did not see a single person at my clinic who continued to workout upper body during the lengthening phase. You're very unlikely to be the exception to that irrespective of what you think you'll be doing now. You'll be too tired, and the actual mechanics of working out makes it borderline impossible unless you have a helper with you, as you won't be able to carry any plates or dumbbells (as you'll need to hold the crutches, and adding more weight to the load the nails have to bear simply isn't a good idea). When you sit down, you'll have to use your hands to take the weight, so forget about using the lat pulldown or any pulling machine for that matter.

All you could really do is machines like the chest press, and have a helper carry dumbbells over to you so you can do seated exercises. You won't be doing it, it's not remotely worth the bother.

can you use leg drive after lengthening?

[jbfjbj4]

can you use leg drive after lengthening?

Once fully healed, sure why not.

No idea about during lengthening but as I say you will not be working out during lengthening anyway no matter what your plans are now.

[RandomDude]

I’m doing precice femur and started working out again on my upper body since 3 weeks post operation. Not an issue at all and actually a great way to keep yourself busy and carries all the health benefits with it as well like cardiovascular health, hormonal health and last but not least, mental health.

I think it’s a great combo while precice femur lengthening as long as you’re careful.

[way2short]

I’m doing precice femur and started working out again on my upper body since 3 weeks post operation. Not an issue at all and actually a great way to keep yourself busy and carries all the health benefits with it as well like cardiovascular health, hormonal health and last but not least, mental health.

I think it’s a great combo while precice femur lengthening as long as you’re careful.

Can you use leg drive?

[uriel]

I’m doing precice femur and started working out again on my upper body since 3 weeks post operation. Not an issue at all and actually a great way to keep yourself busy and carries all the health benefits with it as well like cardiovascular health, hormonal health and last but not least, mental health.

I think it’s a great combo while precice femur lengthening as long as you’re careful.

what exercises?

[KrP1]

A few weeks after the surgery.

[Manzo56]

I don't see why not. I certainly plan to, though as people have pointed out already, you will have to make adjustments. E.g., I usually work with (heavy) dumbells. Obviously, that won't be possible. You would have to use machines mostly, to avoid putting excessive loads onto your legs. Think shoulder press machine, pecs machine. Back should be easier. Lat pull requires your legs for balance, but if you have a weight bearing nail, that should be fine. Maybe the same for cable rows (depending on how heavy you want to go). Pull up bars will be fine and probably the best way to build your back.

What I can say is that you can workout during lengthening, as I am doing it. The best way to do that is using resistance bands. Not only am I allowed, but my doctor and physios even required me to work on my upper body with dumbells, though of course their idea of working out was using very light dumbells (few kgs). That is because you will need upper body strength during lengthening, as you will be relying mostly on it, especially in the beginning. Depending on your fitness level, light dumbells might be enough. But if you want to work out moderately heavily, the bands are the way to go. You can pick a heavy resistance band and work on your chest, shoulders, arms and back. If you search for Youtube videos of wheelchair exercises with resistance bands, you will find plenty.

Now, if you were lifting heavy weights at the gym before, be under no illusion that you won't be able to keep up the same level of intensity (you will lose some muscle mass) but it's still better than doing nothing. Personally, I can tell you the difference between my legs and upper body now, one month into lengthening, is night and day (think Johnny Bravo). My legs have turned into sticks, but thanks to my upper body workouts plus the fact that I have to use my upper body a lot more to compensate for the state of my legs, I am still maintaining a fair degree of upper body muscle mass.

Best of luck with your journey.

[way2short]

I don't see why not. I certainly plan to, though as people have pointed out already, you will have to make adjustments. E.g., I usually work with (heavy) dumbells. Obviously, that won't be possible. You would have to use machines mostly, to avoid putting excessive loads onto your legs. Think shoulder press machine, pecs machine. Back should be easier. Lat pull requires your legs for balance, but if you have a weight bearing nail, that should be fine. Maybe the same for cable rows (depending on how heavy you want to go). Pull up bars will be fine and probably the best way to build your back.

What I can say is that you can workout during lengthening, as I am doing it. The best way to do that is using resistance bands. Not only am I allowed, but my doctor and physios even required me to work on my upper body with dumbells, though of course their idea of working out was using very light dumbells (few kgs). That is because you will need upper body strength during lengthening, as you will be relying mostly on it, especially in the beginning. Depending on your fitness level, light dumbells might be enough. But if you want to work out moderately heavily, the bands are the way to go. You can pick a heavy resistance band and work on your chest, shoulders, arms and back. If you search for Youtube videos of wheelchair exercises with resistance bands, you will find plenty.

Now, if you were lifting heavy weights at the gym before, be under no illusion that you won't be able to keep up the same level of intensity (you will lose some muscle mass) but it's still better than doing nothing. Personally, I can tell you the difference between my legs and upper body now, one month into lengthening, is night and day (think Johnny Bravo). My legs have turned into sticks, but thanks to my upper body workouts plus the fact that I have to use my upper body a lot more to compensate for the state of my legs, I am still maintaining a fair degree of upper body muscle mass.

Best of luck with your journey.

thanks

[tilli]

In the end it's really though to say if it is doable for any given individual, since it depends on their situation... do you have a home gym, is your gym right around the corner, etc.
I agree with most statements in this thread, i even have to, since i did not go through LL myself so i have less experience than many others in this forum, but i dont agree with "it's not worth the hassle" (as someone here said)... you will lose a lot of muscle in your legs already, if you can, you should try and avoid a similar thing happening to your upper body. I have actually witnessed it in a person i know, who went through LL, the amount of lost muscle (and the thinness of the leg) was quite surprising to me.
I also very much agree that you wont be able to carry around plates and stuff like that - just rely on machines if you can.

[jbfjbj4]

In the end it's really though to say if it is doable for any given individual, since it depends on their situation... do you have a home gym, is your gym right around the corner, etc.
I agree with most statements in this thread, i even have to, since i did not go through LL myself so i have less experience than many others in this forum, but i dont agree with "it's not worth the hassle" (as someone here said)... you will lose a lot of muscle in your legs already, if you can, you should try and avoid a similar thing happening to your upper body. I have actually witnessed it in a person i know, who went through LL, the amount of lost muscle (and the thinness of the leg) was quite surprising to me.
I also very much agree that you wont be able to carry around plates and stuff like that - just rely on machines if you can.

Once you take out any free weights and any plates, and keep in mind you can't do any leg work, your options are extremely limited to begin with.

You'll be walking around on crutches if you have a weight bearing nail and you'll be in a wheelchair if not.

Rowing movements will be out as that puts pressure on legs. Lat pulldown is out as you'll need to use your hands to lower yourself into the seated position. Tricep rope - likely not as it's unassisted standing, you'd need someone to hold your crutches while you do it and give them back to you after at the least.  So what exactly is left here? The arm curl machine, the machine you sit-up with to work abs, and chest pressing. That's it. You can do the first one with a dumbbell next to your bed or desk at home and get exactly the same results, you can also do cruches/sit ups at home, so you're really going to the gym just for a chest exercise. Not worth it, and honestly 95% of people aren't even gonna wanna do basic home stuff in a seated position with dumbbells. Everyone SAYS they will but I didn't see a single person actually do it when I was there.

[way2short]

Once you take out any free weights and any plates, and keep in mind you can't do any leg work, your options are extremely limited to begin with.

You'll be walking around on crutches if you have a weight bearing nail and you'll be in a wheelchair if not.

Rowing movements will be out as that puts pressure on legs. Lat pulldown is out as you'll need to use your hands to lower yourself into the seated position. Tricep rope - likely not as it's unassisted standing, you'd need someone to hold your crutches while you do it and give them back to you after at the least.  So what exactly is left here? The arm curl machine, the machine you sit-up with to work abs, and chest pressing. That's it. You can do the first one with a dumbbell next to your bed or desk at home and get exactly the same results, you can also do cruches/sit ups at home, so you're really going to the gym just for a chest exercise. Not worth it, and honestly 95% of people aren't even gonna wanna do basic home stuff in a seated position with dumbbells. Everyone SAYS they will but I didn't see a single person actually do it when I was there.

so how long after surgery can i do a full push pull legs workout

[jbfjbj4]

so how long after surgery can i do a full push pull legs workout

I was cleared to do leg work at the gym 3 months after I finished lengthening, which was 8 months post-surgery. I lengthened slowly and quite a lot so u could perhaps shave a month off there if you're either quicker or your lengthening goals are lesser but for sure there will be 0 leg work until after the bone has consolidated and this takes time.

I don't see what the big deal is tbh. Is training legs such an integral and amazing part of your life you can't imagine not being able to do it? Because I assure you during surgery and lengthening whatever muscle you built in them now is going to melt away, and you'll be weaker than the first day you ever stepped foot in a gym when you do eventually return. It's very likely you'll never be lifting what you currently do now, longer quads after all are biomechnically awful for leg presses and squats. If you're super attached to training legs and have some sort of strange pride in the numbers you lift, then don't do the surgery, simple as that.

[tilli]

I agree with people here saying you can't do a classical bodybuilding workout etc. - that is not what i meant though.. of course you need to find a new way, you are heavily limited and you might need to start doing new exercises that you have never done before. But i hear some people in this thread saying, ah it is not worth any effort, which to me it translates to, "if i can't do 100% i just wont do anything at all" - this makes no sense to me and also highly contradicts what the doctor told me during the consultation. Find your way around ur limitations - sure, perfect hypertrophy might not be what you'll achieve, but just leaning back and losing a big amount of muscles due to that makes zero sense to me. Try to at least keep as many muscles as possible. And even if you can't cover all muscle groups (that will be the case!)... just cover some of them at least

[way2short]

I agree with people here saying you can't do a classical bodybuilding workout etc. - that is not what i meant though.. of course you need to find a new way, you are heavily limited and you might need to start doing new exercises that you have never done before. But i hear some people in this thread saying, ah it is not worth any effort, which to me it translates to, "if i can't do 100% i just wont do anything at all" - this makes no sense to me and also highly contradicts what the doctor told me during the consultation. Find your way around ur limitations - sure, perfect hypertrophy might not be what you'll achieve, but just leaning back and losing a big amount of muscles due to that makes zero sense to me. Try to at least keep as many muscles as possible. And even if you can't cover all muscle groups (that will be the case!)... just cover some of them at least

Could i do classic bodybuilding after healing?

[tilli]

I am not a doctor, i didn't even have LL, i only had a consultation, but i guess the answer depends on many factors... what method you are using, which segments you are lengthening, how much you are lengthening etc.
This should be answer by people who already went through it and have real life experience there.

[GrowGrow123]

I bought myself one of those Bowflex adjustable dumbbell weight sets that go up to 60 pounds. I was doing various upper body exercises with those (eg. curls, military press, etc) a couple of months after the initial surgery without any problem.

[reaching_goals]

I started doing it few weeks after i got out the hospital. The hotel i was staying at had a gym. I was very inconsistent though, but if you have the motivation and energy its possible to start right away. My pain levels were two high first 3 weeks after surgery  so i started around 3 weeks post op. Just used dumbells for biceps, chest, shoulders triceps, and forearms workouts 2 days a week. I was also on a wheelchair with precise 2.2 so i got decent results.