Isochain Promethean Reboot: Session 1

 As mentioned previously, Promethean is the training program recommended for people who are new to using the Isochain and isometric training in general.  The three core exercises are the Deadlift, Curl and Shoulder Press, which are all functional exercises, as stated and explained in The Ultimate Isometrics Manual.

Because of my current issues with the low back and the inner elbow, which seems to match the description of "golfer's elbow", I replaced Deadlift with Hack Lift and Curl with Reverse Curl.   Thus I replaced 2 of the 3 exercises in Promethean in Week 5 out of this 6-8 week program.  In effect I have ended my first cycle of Promethean, however early.

I would say only 4.5 weeks of Promethean training is not enough to evaluate training results in a meaningful way.  I was progressing fine in the Deadlift until I decided to try a low position, which aggravated my lower back.  I was progressing fine in the Curl, until I realized I might be developing golfer's elbow.  The golfer's elbow symptoms were already there before I got the Isochain, but every time I practiced the Curl, it would flare up a little.  It made sense to just stop practicing exercises that make any pain feel worse.

Thus, today was the first session of the modified Promethean program.  I felt the lower back working a bit during the Hack Lift, even with the bar set to a relatively high position, but not as much as when I did the Deadlift with the bar in that same higher position.  What was really different was the level of effort.  With the bar behind the legs instead of in front, it took less effort to achieve the target load, which today was 140lbs, As for the Reverse Curl, the grip felt a little awkward.  I felt like the thumbs were taking more of the bar weight than they should.  So I don't think it's worth extending the wrists for this exercise just to try to activate the targeted forearm muscles more and thus discourage the golfer's elbow muscles from activating - better to keep them straight for a more secure grip on the bar.  Narrower grip still works best for comfort in the Shoulder Press - I just have to keep practicing inhaling to pull the elbows down, then protracting the scapula to activate the lats for shoulder support/protection.

One thing I have to watch out for is when I squat down to adjust the Isochain.  I felt a little pop again in my low back when I was in a deep squat, adjusting the load value in the bar.  I will try to prevent the low back from getting too tight in the deep squat by getting on the balls of my feet.  Hopefully the low back will feel less and less like it's made of glass as I progress with my Isochain training.

For the rest of the day,  I used the Ironmind Expand Your Hand bands to continue strengthening the wrist extensors in hope of helping relieve the golfer's elbow, and lots of joint mobility work - preferably higher-rep sets -  especially for the lower body and hips, for the tendon/ligament vascularization mentioned by Thomas Kurz.