Need Help

[thick]

Please bare with me and read the whole history here. Okay, 90% for my training has been on my own at home. I dont know much about machines at all. Here is my situation. This weekend I am going up to see my cousin and hang out/party some. He wants me to set him up on a workout. He has been doing some lifting on machines and cardio for the last month or two.
Stats are 6'3, probably around 20% bf. Kinda built like a taller Tim allen. He has a mild beer belly(just a phrase dolfe). He has lost 10 pounds or so from cardio.
History: He was a framer for a construction co. when he fell off a roof(a dumbass left plywood on the roof. It snowed that night and my cousin slipped on the wood the next morning and fell two or 3 stories).
He shattered both wrists, broke both femurs and his jaw. Was lucky to live. This was about 3 years ago. He has had multiple operations on his wrists and left femur. He has chronic osteomyolitis(inflammation around his fracture) of his left femur and his wrists will never function at 100%.
Due to these circumstances he thinks that machines are his only route. He cant do barbell for sure. I am not sure about db's. WIth this said. What type of machine workouts could I put him on? Goals are to trim up. Not anything major. Not looking to bodybuild. He would like to just be as fit as possible. He has accepted his injuries and how they limit his potential. Any and all suggestions are much apxreciated. I know jack shit about machines so please be specific and descriptive

 

[Freddy]

Please bare with me and read the whole history here. Okay, 90% for my training has been on my own at home. I dont know much about machines at all. Here is my situation. This weekend I am going up to see my cousin and hang out/party some. He wants me to set him up on a workout. He has been doing some lifting on machines and cardio for the last month or two.
Stats are 6'3, probably around 20% bf. Kinda built like a taller Tim allen. He has a mild beer belly(just a phrase dolfe). He has lost 10 pounds or so from cardio.
History: He was a framer for a construction co. when he fell off a roof(a dumbass left plywood on the roof. It snowed that night and my cousin slipped on the wood the next morning and fell two or 3 stories).
He shattered both wrists, broke both femurs and his jaw. Was lucky to live. This was about 3 years ago. He has had multiple operations on his wrists and left femur. He has chronic osteomyolitis(inflammation around his fracture) of his left femur and his wrists will never function at 100%.
Due to these circumstances he thinks that machines are his only route. He cant do barbell for sure. I am not sure about db's. WIth this said. What type of machine workouts could I put him on? Goals are to trim up. Not anything major. Not looking to bodybuild. He would like to just be as fit as possible. He has accepted his injuries and how they limit his potential. Any and all suggestions are much appreciated. I know jack shit about machines so please be specific and descriptive

Put him on a full body 3x a week program, similar to HST or the Super Squats program. However, use only machines. Also, the program you put him on does not have to be as difficult as HST or Super Squats, which can be pretty rigorous. Just get him doing a basic full body routine 3x a week. In fact, it might even be a very good idea to periodize it just like HST...with the 2 week rep wave stuff.

His routine could look something like this:

Leg Presses
Ham curls
Machine Bench
Cable rows
Machine Overhead pressing
Machine curls

That should meet his humble goals.

That being said, while I'm not a doctor, I don't think there is much out there that can keep a determined person from getting serious with a barbell. JS had to relearn how to walk. Louie Simmons broke vertibrea in his back, twice! I could go on, but my point is that if he WANTS to get more serious, I don't think there is any reason why he can't.

However, I don't think he really wants to take it to that extreme, and if he'll stick to what I described above, then he should get in decent enough shape pretty quickly.

 

[thick]

I think he will stick to a routine like you mentioned. That is what I had in mind. I might do a 15,12,10,8 rep wave pattern to avoid heavy, stressful weight for now anyways. What do you think? or 12,10,8. What are your thoughts on that? His goals are humble and very attainable. I am thinking db's could possibly work but we will see this weekend. Thanks for the reply. Also, you are right about determination. I broke my wrist in highschool and kept lifting/benching with a cast on lol. Had to drop about 50 pounds but I didnt want to lose any strength. Not one of my brighter moves but it hasnt came back to haunt me yet. thanks again

Put him on a full body 3x a week program, similar to HST or the Super Squats program. However, use only machines. Also, the program you put him on does not have to be as difficult as HST or Super Squats, which can be pretty rigorous. Just get him doing a basic full body routine 3x a week. In fact, it might even be a very good idea to periodize it just like HST...with the 2 week rep wave stuff.

His routine could look something like this:

Leg Presses
Ham curls
Machine Bench
Cable rows
Machine Overhead pressing
Machine curls

That should meet his humble goals.

That being said, while I'm not a doctor, I don't think there is much out there that can keep a determined person from getting serious with a barbell. JS had to relearn how to walk. Louie Simmons broke vertibrea in his back, twice! I could go on, but my point is that if he WANTS to get more serious, I don't think there is any reason why he can't.

However, I don't think he really wants to take it to that extreme, and if he'll stick to what I described above, then he should get in decent enough shape pretty quickly.

 

[Freddy]

I think he will stick to a routine like you mentioned. That is what I had in mind. I might do a 15,12,10,8 rep wave pattern to avoid heavy, stressful weight for now anyways. What do you think? or 12,10,8. What are your thoughts on that? His goals are humble and very attainable. I am thinking db's could possibly work but we will see this weekend. Thanks for the reply. Also, you are right about determination. I broke my wrist in highschool and kept lifting/benching with a cast on lol. Had to drop about 50 pounds but I didnt want to lose any strength. Not one of my brighter moves but it hasnt came back to haunt me yet. thanks again

I think the rep ranges you're planning on are just fine for him. Lay it out very similar to HST, with weight increments going up every workout, and a smaller rep scheme every 2 weeks. Make his whole training cycle somewhere between 6-10 weeks long, with 10 probably being preferable. Yes, he's goals are attainable and he'll do great if he sticks with it.

As far as pushing through injuries....well, hey...I've trained around a broken finger, and a few pulled muscles. Nothing major by any means, but if you know what you're doing, its not a bad thing sometimes. Sounds like you did just fine.

 

[Bob Smith]

I would say to use 15, 12, 8 for rep ranges. Minor differences, but would do the trick. I like Freddy's idea of just using the very basic movements in a wave-like fashion.

 

[Freddy]

You know, I've been thinking...and in addition to what we've already talked about, he should learn how to rehab those wrists.

Again, I'm no doctor. Maybe his wrists will never be 100%. Maybe they could be 300%. Who knows. I would look into easing him into some wrist/forearm/grip work very gradually. Especially "Outer Limit Loops" from Ironmind.com.

Maybe wait until AFTER he does a complete training cycle like we talked about above before you start doing this. But I think eventually he will NEED to do something like this. If his body starts getting stronger, it could aggrovate his wrist problems in the long run. HOWEVER, I think initially, by getting the rest of his body stronger, it will help his wrists recover some even without any wrist/forearm/grip work for one or two complete training cycles.

 

[thick]

good point. I shouldve clarified that. I am planning on doing a full orthopedic exam on him and get a better idea of what he has going on. I believe he may still have steel braces in his wrists. I really dont know. I saw him over thanksgiving but we just drank some beer. didnt talk about lifting. Now that he started at this state university he wants to workout. He says there facilities are very nice so that is a plus. I cant wait to check his problems out and get him started up. Thanks guys.
Not sure whether to do a 10 or 8 week schedule for him. I will check with his class schedule and try positioning a week off in line with his finals. so I will either do 15,12,8 or 15,12,10,8 depending on when his finals are

You know, I've been thinking...and in addition to what we've already talked about, he should learn how to rehab those wrists.

Again, I'm no doctor. Maybe his wrists will never be 100%. Maybe they could be 300%. Who knows. I would look into easing him into some wrist/forearm/grip work very gradually. Especially "Outer Limit Loops" from Ironmind.com.

Maybe wait until AFTER he does a complete training cycle like we talked about above before you start doing this. But I think eventually he will NEED to do something like this. If his body starts getting stronger, it could aggrovate his wrist problems in the long run. HOWEVER, I think initially, by getting the rest of his body stronger, it will help his wrists recover some even without any wrist/forearm/grip work for one or two complete training cycles.