MAJOR hanging soreness/inflammation

Thought I’d post this one so the inflammation issue can be addressed.

I am about to conclude my first month of hanging, running basically a 6/1 schedule, averaging about 1.5-2.0 hrs a day (closer to 2 hr usually). I am using the AFB3 (no problems) and only using 7.5 lbs.

Here’s the issue: the base area around the lig is incredibly sore. I mean like unreal sore. The area is inflamed and puffy, but no redness to speak of. The inflammation is a concern as I’ve not heard anyone speak of that before. Touching my lig, pulling out the penis lightly when urinating or whatever is downright uncomfortable - to put it mildly.

I do 5 minutes worth of moist heat warmups followed by about 1/2 of the first set using a ricesock for continued heating; usually I take a shower before my warmups. I am thinking about moving to 10 minutes of warmup in the future as well as a 1/2 heated first set.

I currently just set up with the 7.5 lbs and hang with that weight only. But I am considering when I am really sore to start at maybe half-weight for about 2 minutes, go to 3/4 weight for a few more, then go full weight when I am eased in to the discomfort. At this point when I put the weight on I am in a sort of serious fear as it feels as if it’s going to rip something - no joke. It subsides after about 3 minutes or so, but it’s always really uncomfortable at this stage.

Also, I am just doing BTC at this point.

In addition to the added warmup time, I am wondering if the 6/1 is too aggressive a schedule for hanging?

Any comments by Bib, Lil1, or some other experienced hangers would be much appreciated. Today is an OFF day (whew!) so I can gather some feedback to use for next cycle.

I’m hardly an experienced hanger so I’m sure the other guys will have more detailed comments. However, I have noticed myself that hanging BTC significantly increases the soreness in the area you describe, as opposed to other hangs such as standing, straight out, etc.

Therefore considering you are doing:

A) Quite a lot each day
B) Always BTC
C) 6 days a week

This would suggest that you should either take a break of more than 1 day a week, or alternate your hanging position from time to time.

One of the most important things I’ve learned from this forum is the rule that “If it feels -BAD-, you are probably doing something you shouldn’t be doing”.

Buster,

Your over training.

I apologies for being so brief however if you haven’t figured it out that’s my opinion. It’s hard to say whether 6/1 or 5/2 or something else is to aggressive. Because it’s primarily based on how you feel.

You have clearly articulated that you feel sore and based on your description maybe TOO sore. In a month or two this routine maybe considered undertraining but for now sounds like your overdoing it.

Remember it’s not ALL about the weight but rather how you feel. Your going to hang for a long time maybe a year or more and the optimuim lenght gain is maybe a 1/16 to 1/8 of and inch a month maybe. If you over do it and hurt yourself then your sidelined for a while and basically starting over early on.

Your sore where you need to be however consider perhaps getting back to even ground; maybe an additional down day and go from there. When you resume hanging you should be able to go back to your max set hang weight the first day back and for several days there after on the first or second set.

When I hang I start with maybe 60% of my max intially then add weight in maybe 10 % increments so that after ther completion of my first set (20-30 mins) I’m at say 80% of my max. After a 5-10 minute break I start the second set at 80% max and add the remaining 20 percent within the first one half of the set for the remainer of the set; again 20-30 minute set. On my third set I’m at 100% of my maxium hang weight for the whole set. I may press a little and add a smaller increment for a portion of the set to get a feel then readjust as I feel; again 20-30 minute set. From here I may hang full max for another set or two or may back off depending on time and feel.

Consider this IMO there are two hanging senerios as follows;

IDEAL- hanging to your max ( by mid way through your second set) then continuing over the next several sets until so fatigued you can only manage 1/2 your max for the better portion of your last set.

REALITY - hanging for up to a couple of hours with as much weight as possible and hoping to get enough soreness to create growth.

Sounds like you are a little past IDEAL right now, in the second senerio this is probabley more common with guys that have been hanging for a while.

I hope this is clear if you have anymore questions let me know.

Buster,

It is very common to push the envelope with hanging. I did it also. What you seem to be describing is pain. Not good.

The other guys are correct. You have reached what I describe as total fatigue. More work will have the potential for injury. Now, rest for as long as needed to relieve all the soreness and then start over. When you reach total fatigue again, rest again. It is cyclical.

Good job,

Bigger

Clearly I am overtraining. I can see and understand that now. Glad to have the feedback so I don’t end up injured.

I suppose it has occured because I never got to the point where I felt I needed to take more weight off during my latter sets. I guess everyone’s different. And maybe it’s just the weight I am using. Not sure. It was only the last two sessions that were so ugly.

So I take it that I am at total fatigue and on the threshhold of injury as a result (were I to continue, which I obviously won’t). I want to assume that the inflammation is a direct sign of this state for me now, as well as the pain. Something I’ll know to avoid in the future.

BIB - are you saying that I should try to run my fatigue levels just short of this state (inflammation and pain)? If so, that really helps me understand ‘total fatigue’ as there is no other way to understand it physically.

Thanks Zep, for the straightforwardness. I absolutely agreed with it when I read it, so I appreciate you saying it right off. I believe I’ll keep trying the 6/1 but just closely monitor the pain factor. Once I hit pain, I will desist until it completely goes away. Understand that it took about 3-4 weekly cycles to hit this level (started June 4th) of fatigue. If fatigue quickly starts coming back and to the point of total fatigue too early, then I’ll back off to a 5/2 schedule, and I won’t be surprised a bit if that becomes the case.

Pengie - thanks. Even though you aren’t a vet, I appreciate your simple statement about it shouldn’t hurt like that. Something I need to remember.

Any of you have any feedback on my thoughts in this post?

Buster,

As strange as this may sound I’d kill for the discomfort your feeling right now. As Bigger said it’s from this fatigued state that the stretching and ultimate growth will be created.

Remember everything that is shared here is generally being spoken as practical. However there is all sorts of variations to the norm so to speak.

Growth is maximized while training on the fringes and into the fatigued state. This condition is identified by feelings of soreness and occasional imflamation at the based of the penis where it meets the body.

Currently I don’t really have enough time to reach the physical state your at without using alot of weight. This is the time spent versus results model that you here talked about once in a while.

Thanks for sharing what’s up, and please feel free to ask it your not sure about something . Hanging 7.5 pounds after one month is really a good amount of weight.

later,

Well, Bigger did say “good job” at the end of his post. Which kinda confused me, because I thought maybe I was screwing up w/ overtraining? Or was it that I finally got to total fatigue? I am not sure.

I’ll post a little later tonight and share what I am doing that I think is kinda a little different. I know the sheer time factor is the biggie, but I am going about things somewhat different than I’ve read before from others. Will post later tonight.

And Bigger, was it really a good job on my part or what? I am curious.

About inflamation from hanging, can I take some Pain reliever like Tylenol to help it, or would it actually hinder gains? Would it not allow the micr-tears or stress to grow the desired way?

TT,

You don’t want to mask the pain, that’s probabley a good way of getting hurt.

BH,

Bigger was sincere in what he said, the fatigued state is not easy to get into so to speak. Keep in mind my hanging experience started going into my second year of PE. I had already gained an inch in length and more than 1/2 in girth before I started hanging. Subsequently my gains should be slower than a person using hanging from the intial stages of PE.

Buster,

>are you saying that I should try to run my fatigue levels just short of this state (inflammation and pain)? If so, that really helps me understand ‘total fatigue’ as there is no other way to understand it physically.<

Yes.

>Well, Bigger did say “good job” at the end of his post. Which kinda confused me, because I thought maybe I was screwing up w/ overtraining? Or was it that I finally got to total fatigue? I am not sure. …………And Bigger, was it really a good job on my part or what? I am curious.

Yes, some guys never reach total fatigue. At least you know what it is.

Bigger

Well, looking at your routine, it certainly sounds like over training - easy to do, isn’t it! :leftie:

Early on in your hanging career you simply dont need as much in terms of weight, time and intensity to achieve the desired fatigue state. Recognizing the appropriate degree of fatigue however can sometimes be more difficult than actually achieving it! Achieving fatigue is easy - put enough weight on your hanger and hang for enough time and you’ll get it but it usually come at a cost - injury. The trick is to find the optimum - the absolute minimum which causes fatigue and work from there. This strategy greatly reduces the risk of injury and should still allow excellent prospects for growth.

Although BTC is considered the most efficacious hanging position, it is a challenge for hangers of all levels of experience. Initially you may find that hanging straight out will give you the desired degree of fatigue - when you have exhausted this option then gradually increase the intensity by hanging more time BTC. Similarly, hanging two sessions per day is a very good strategy, but if you’re not properly trained for it then the risk of injury becomes greater. It’s a bit like running a marathon when you’ve only ever trained for 200 metres - sure you can probably do it, but at what cost? You need to work up to it.

My advice is to back off a little and re-evaluate weight, time and intensity. Do you really need this much to achieve fatigue? Clearly not!

lil1 :lep:

>>Recognizing the appropriate degree of fatigue however can sometimes be more difficult than actually achieving it<<

Lil1, I think this is so true. Honestly, I was concerned about this before I even began, so I am quite happy to have run up to this point now and understand my body’s reaction to it all.

I also appreciate everyone’s thoughts about the weight at this point in my progress. I will be re-evaluating things over the next few days as to where it got to be too much, and will post back later.

I will now post how I’ve been going about my hanging and ask for any reflections on it’s absurdity or any novelty to it.

First, the weights. I started at the minimum 2.5 lbs and did that for a few days. I started seated and by the third day was doing it BTC. With some trepidation, I then jumped to 5 lbs. This is when I started my ‘method’. Which is essentially based on milking each weight interval for max effectiveness.

I always do two sessions a day. I start a new weight in the seated position, usually 2x15min, then 3x15, then 3x20. I will then move to a chair that I can easily use to do a 45 degree sitting position (basically 50% BTC). This is a new level of stress for Mr. Lig and he yowls just a bit. This takes longer to acclimate to, and I usually drop down the time per set and build it back up over a few days time.

After 3x20min becomes like nothing, I will then move to a weightbench and start doing full BTC with that weight. This has gotten harder for each weight increase. It’s not the attachment of the AFB3 - that’s not a big problem at these weights. It’s the lig stress.

I looked back at my log and this is my analysis:

From June 18th through June 29th I was doing the 50% BTC with the 7.5 lbs, slowly working thusly - 3x15min, 3x17.5min, 3x18, 3x20. At no time did it ever really feel too stressful. I wasn’t getting close to fatigue.

Then I went to full BTC.

That lasted all of five sessions (2.5 days) until I started this thread. That pushed me up to total fatigue El-Pronto. Really, only two sessions into it the pain factor started to appear, in hindsight, and the questions in my head. I am now so incredibly thankful for this board and the vets hanging around!!!

So that is the point when things went over the edge. I feel that 7.5 lbs was fine for me at 50% BTC and maybe should have stayed at that for awhile longer (btw, I am not sure but think my decent natural girth gives me a little lowend power in the early stages of hanging?). And I am thinking I need to get a baseball donut and drop my weight back to about 6 lbs or so to do the BTC. At 5 lbs BTC wasn’t an issue. Now, however, I clearly see the need to drop back for BTC. While I might be able to ramp up in the seated and 50% positions by a greater increment, those increments become much smaller proportionally for BTC.

OK, I know this was long, but hopefully you guys can see where things got difficult and also newbies can see a specific example of how things go in a hanging routine.

Open to analysis, if you care to. I’d like to use this to help document working to fatigue a bit better for all of us.

Hey Buster,

I read both good and bad things in your post. Bad in that you got excessive soreness and inflammation. Good in that you hit the maximum fatigue state. I know that you are using moist heat. Are you using it DURING hanging? I have a heating pad that I cover with a wet towel (not dripping). I put the towel over the heating pad on its highest setting and then put the pad on my lig area. I keep it on for half of my first set. This may help you avoid the inflammation in the future.

Good luck

Jelktoid