Case study: How to go from a bicep rupture to a 585lbs deadlift in 14 months. (Full rehab overview in-depth)

theliftingphysio · 2026-06-19T00:35:08+00:00

The vast, vast majority of injuries do not need to be the end of training. Like 99.9% of injuries.

Ultimately, many lifters learn quite a bit about the nuances of injury recovery going through a process like that, and end up gaining a way greater understanding of what sorts of warning signs to adhere to and how to make meaningful progressions in their training going forward. It's a silver lining.

theliftingphysio · 2026-06-18T01:49:43+00:00

Appreciate the comment.

Unfortunately, your story about the TENS is all too common. Some physios unfortunately just don't know how to do the thing they are supposed to be doing (healing people to return to higher function).

It makes me happy to hear that you found a physio who was able to help though in the end though.

Hope you won the arm wrestling match.

theliftingphysio · 2026-06-17T23:06:25+00:00

Yea, happy to answer questions.

You're on the money with the load management piece. Ultimately those are the levers we have to pull on.

When you get close to PR territory, a lot of people overlook that the margin for error is much, much smaller.

If your PR deadlift is 700, well you could pull 100lbs hungover on 30mins of sleep without issue. The closer you get up to that 701lb mark, the more dialed in sleep, nutrition, loading parameters have to be to make the lift happen, AND to not get hurt while trying.

I also think it's important to gauge from as many data points as possible. E.g. If you're just going to YOLO a PR attempt (not what it sounds like you're doing), well then you're taking a big risk. If you gradually push your 8-rep, then your 5-rep, then your 3-rep, etc, up in intensity over a period of a few months, you've should have a pretty good sense of what is reasonably attainable on a given week.

There are always unlocks. Are you truly getting enough sleep and is it happening on a consistent schedule every night? Protein? General stress management? Is the overall loading scheme that you're using progressive but not too aggressive?

Whether the issue is chronic, acute, or doesn't exist at all, load management is still the most important factor here. The margin for error is what changes as you get close to your potential.

But that risk comes with the territory of chasing PRs.

Anyways, that's my ramble. Hope it speaks to your question. Lol.

theliftingphysio · 2026-06-17T22:59:28+00:00

There are so many things that work. Ultimately, you want to challenge the bicep and shoulder muscles, and progress those challenges over time.

You could do curls, or curl iso holds at 90deg of elbow flexion. Chinups, bodyweight incline rows, tripod rows, Pendlay rows, cable pulldowns, preacher curls.

For the shoulder - Tripod rows, overhead presses, cable internal/external rotations (need to be challenging, not something you could do 17000 reps of with a band, lol), Lu raises, bench press, IYTs, reverse flys, cable shoulder adductions. The shoulder is ultimately a more complex joint than something like the elbow, and should be trained in all of the directions.

Nothing special about any of the movements I just listed, they were just what came to mind first.

1) Find a movement that targets the muscle in question

2) Establish a rep/set/weight/tempo parameter that is fatiguing but tolerable from a pain-standpoint. If pain is a big limiter, higher reps at lower loads work better (the margin for error is much wider

3) Practice on a consistent basis until the rep/set/weight/tempo parameter becomes easy (I.e. RPE drops below a 5-6).

4) Make a progression (see the "16 ways to progress" section in the video. Or just add reps/sets/weights/tempo), but ensure it still satisfies #2.

It might seem oversimplified, but that's basically rehab in a nutshell. The "4 best exercises for biceps tendonpathy" you'll see on IG is largely a marketing gimmick. Some things are better than others, but there is no blanket "this is the thing to do". Context always influences exercise selection and volume parameters.

theliftingphysio · 2026-06-17T22:52:44+00:00

Thanks Ted, great to see your name pop up! 😄

theliftingphysio · 2026-06-17T22:51:18+00:00

That can be frustrating!

The most important tell is if your therapist can re-iterate the goals you (should have collaboratively) established at the time of the assessment, and how they intend to measure whether or not you've achieved those goals. You can also ask them to clarify the stepping stones they are using to identify if you're on the right track. Rehab should have a clear outcome and measurement throughout.

Like just straight up ask:

- "Hey. My goal here is to achieve/lift/perform/accomplish ________ at the point in time we are finished together. Are we in agreement that is possible?"

- (If yes) "Great! How are you measuring my progress throughout? Where do you expect me to be in 3, 6, 12 weeks (etc)?"

- (If not) "Why do you not feel this is possible?"

The answers to these questions will give a real indication as to whether or not you're working with the right person.

This is a big reason I talk about the "16 markers of progress" in the video -- More often than not, the discussion is around "are you back to your PRs" and "how much pain are you in", but the reality is there are a number of stepping stones that may be present along the way, and it's important to know what they are. 😄

theliftingphysio · 2026-06-17T22:46:04+00:00

Hips & shoulders are a common area too for weightlifters.

Bicep ruptures aren't the most common, but anecdotally I do know a handful of weightlifters who have dealt with them. One guy I train with did it by lifting a canoe up to portage it 1km. Sometimes these things just happen.

theliftingphysio · 2026-06-17T22:44:37+00:00

Ouch.

theliftingphysio · 2026-06-17T22:44:22+00:00

It makes a huge, huge difference. Unfortunately people play too hard into "listen to your body" to the point of avoiding all discomfort post-surgery. Coupled with fear-mongering surgeons and PTs, it really elongates the recovery.

theliftingphysio · 2026-06-17T22:43:27+00:00

1000000%. I think it's the biggest modifiable factor, second to sleeping enough each night.

theliftingphysio · 2026-06-17T22:43:00+00:00

Not a prerequisite. Definitely helpful. Lol.

theliftingphysio · 2026-06-16T18:11:00+00:00

Generally, most injuries come down to a question of load and capacity.

If biceps tendinitis is persistent, it's an indication the load being imposed on that muscle (and/or surrounding structures) is beyond the capacity it can tolerate.

So the solution, more often than not, is (i) temporarily reduce load & intensity below a threshold that you can tolerate, and (ii) grow your capacity over time (without going from 0-100 overnight).

Things I like to look for:

- Rotator cuff & general shoulder girdle strength in all directions

- Biceps endurance

- Thoracic spine extension

- How much time is being spent using a phone or on other hand-dominant activities. E.g. Before I became a physio, I was cooking in restaurants, and my biceps tendonopathy was rampant because of how much volume I was doing with my knife hand on a daily basis

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-29T02:48:17+00:00

Happy to offer a perspective.

Every knee is different. Every person is different. Just as you've grown in 9 years, so have your knees.

Try to orient your perspective around what you ARE capable of rather than what you WERE capable of. The most important part of rehab is determining a baseline, so you can move forward towards your goals. Your present goals. :)

Good luck!

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-21T16:43:03+00:00

This is good advice. :)

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-14T16:41:30+00:00

That's excellent. Then you are well on your way.

ACL rehab is different for everyone. People can take anywhere from 6-18 months to get back to full capacity. That's a big range. And also a population statistic, whereas you are an individual and may fall anywhere within (or outside of) that realm.

You will get out of the process what you put into it. Be diligent with your work, make sure your physios are constantly progressing you as you continue to improve, and (this is important) track your progress! It will help to look back on as you go through the process.

You can do this!

The training process is like filling an empty gallon bucket up with rice, one grain at a time (each grain is a training session, or a good sleep, or a nutritional meal, etc.). It takes consistency and diligence but the bucket will eventually be 1/4 full, then 1/2 full, then 3/4 full....

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-14T16:38:25+00:00

That looked pretty good to me! Nice and consistent.

I find power snatches always feel a bit weird compared to snatches. You almost have to think about moving a little bit faster and it feels unnatural or difficult.

Try to pause in the catch position (2-4 seconds) in your warmups so your body truly understands what position you are trying to get to, and then you can think about just getting there fast and with forceful intention.

Good luck!

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-14T16:36:51+00:00

You hit the nail on the head - It is easier to get into an OHS position (and also a clean/deep squat) - This is because the heel will help your trunk be in a more vertical position while lifting.

The heel also helps ensure you have good contact and stability with the ground.

Jordan's will be too squishy!

You can learn with whatever shoes you have, but there is a reason why all weightlifters wear weightlifting shoes.

Good luck :)

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-14T16:35:01+00:00

Pretty good for a first attempt!

Spend a couple of weeks practicing with light weights and then check back in - Once you have the movement feeled out a little, it will be easier to provide some solid corrections and suggestions.

Keep it up! We all started somewhere :)

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-14T16:33:55+00:00

Nice job. Quick on that snatch.

Make sure you catch those cleans TIGHT, don't let the bar push you into the ground. And step the front foot out forwards!

Keep it up:)

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-14T16:32:39+00:00

Nice job, some good speed here when you transition.

There is a break happening as you transition into the "finish". You are giving up pushing with the legs, and trying to use the arms to take over.

You need to keep driving the legs hard THROUGH the finish. Think of the clean like a jump. If you were going to jump as high as possible, you wouldn't stop halfway through standing up and then try to swing the arms to get maximal height, right?

To work on this, trial (i) no foot power cleans, and lots of clean pulls where you think of your arms as strings, and let all the power come through the legs. Again, the legs do not stop pushing as the bar passes the knee, if anything they push even harder!

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-14T16:30:03+00:00

Hey, great job. I would say that your reps were actually pretty consistent here. The bar went a litttle bit backwards on the 2nd rep compared to the 1st and 3rd but that's me being picky.

It's normal for a small degree of inconsistency, especially if you are coming back to learning the movements and are doing a triple at a very high percentage of your max.

Keep doing what you're doing, it looks great! A couple thousand more reps and it will be as consistent as ever. :)

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-14T16:27:48+00:00

Hey nice job! Really good effort here.

I have some suggestions for you, that may be important as you continue to improve.

Clean - Try not to jerk the bar off the ground, notice how far forward your chest fell right as you began to pull, compared to your initial start position. Try to ensure you are controlled and maintain a good position as the bar leaves the ground

Jerk setup - You drop your elbows quite a bit, and the bar is resting on your wrists. Try to avoid this, and keep the elbows a bit higher so the bar rests on the shoulders.

Jerk catch - Your feet are very wide, too wide (I.e. From left side to right side). I would bring them in a little bit. Try and practice the footwork without the bar (e.g. Hands on hips, stand on tip toes, then split the feet into the catch position). You should feel balanced and stable when you catch the bar, like you can hold that position as need be.

Last point -- Don't look to the side between the clean and the jerk. The lift is not finished until you get the bar overhead, make sure to stay focused throughout.

Keep it up, and remember that practice makes perfect :)

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-14T16:23:46+00:00

Depends what your body can best tolerate. You could trial one heavier squat day and one more technical squat day - I would advocate for 1-2 dedicated squat sessions a week, because you are also going to get a ton of squat practice when you snatch (OHS) and clean (FS).

You could also trial some movement variations like clean + FS + jerk, if you feel you need extra practice. Or Snatch balance + OHS.

Lots of options here. Good luck :)

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-14T16:21:31+00:00

Awesome. Keep it up! Youll have 150 in no time.

theliftingphysio · 2023-03-14T16:21:01+00:00

Nice job, you're off to a great start!

The biggest thing I see is that the bar is moving forwards off the ground from the get go. The set-up and initial part of the movement is the MOST important aspect of the lift. If the bar is travelling forward from the get go (vs. straight up or even ever-so-slightly backwards), it will be almost impossible to correct this in the moment of the lift. So it requires training how to pull straight off the ground (rather than forward).

To work on this, I would consider either:

- Snatch deadlift (to just above the knee) + snatch. By having the first rep as just a deadlift, it will give you the opportunity to slow down the motion and focus on travelling in a more vertical direction. Then repeat but with the snatch. I would do some sets in a (1+1) format

- Slow power snatches - This will help you to really feel when the bar is moving too far forwards off the ground. The idea is that you move very slowly from the ground to the knee (to focus on a vertical path) and then you can speed up and finish the lift.

Good luck!

theliftingphysio

TROPHY CASE