18 May Rebuilding from the Core: Post-Hernia Training Update
A Long Road Back from Injury
In July of last year, I suffered an umbilical hernia that disrupted much more than just a training cycle—it set off a chain reaction in my body. The damage to my abdominal fascia and wall integrity was severe enough that I had to rebuild from the ground up, quite literally. I’m not proud to admit it, but I had to return to the basics: standing bird dogs and wall planks. These weren’t just rehab drills—they became essential steps in resetting my core function and restoring my ability to stabilize under load.
Back Under the Bar
After months of core rebuilding, I’m finally back under the bar—and it feels right. Axial loading through squats brings a familiar sense of purpose and structure to my training. I’m now in the process of gradually building back my squat volume and intensity using the Safety Squat Bar, which allows me to train hard without compromising spinal or abdominal stability.
Weekly Training Structure
Here’s what my current training split looks like:
- Saturday – Squats (SSB), lunges, glute work, and the Lock Hip Big Three (RIP). I’m also incorporating stir-the-pot variations and single-leg work, especially for hamstrings.
- Monday – Upper body machine circuits focused on chest pressing patterns.
- Tuesday – Back training: pull-downs, rowing variations, and carries.
- Wednesday – Shoulder day with biceps/triceps supersets in circuit format.
- Thursday – Rest and recovery.
- Friday – “Fluff and Buff” day for light, targeted work and blood flow.
- Sunday – OFF
Key Movements and Goals
Besides the Safety Squat Bar and glute-focused work, I’ve also started reintroducing elevated hex bar deadlifts. These offer a less aggressive way to reintroduce hinge mechanics while still loading the system.
My goal is to train intelligently while shedding some weight—I’m finally dipping under 250 pounds. I’ll be keeping myself accountable not just with the scale, but with weekly logs and videos that I’ll update every Saturday or Sunday.
Stay Connected
I appreciate the continued support and encouragement. I’ll be logging new insights and sharing training footage regularly. Let me know what movements, breakdowns, or updates you’d like to see.
— Brian Carroll
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