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Exercise Thread: May


KathyBC
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The entirety of my exercise this month has been painting, packing, cleaning, remodeling, more cleaning, more packing, and more remodeling. The house goes on the market in five days. Maybe I'll have time to run or bike again after that happens!

That totally counts.  I still shudder when I think of all that was involved in our last very fast move.   My DH and I were so sore, and that was just from the painting and general fixing up of stuff.

 

I did my Cathe Friedrich Imax 2 today and was amazed at how much more of it I could actually do without modifying than I could one month ago.  Yay me.

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That totally counts. I still shudder when I think of all that was involved in our last very fast move. My DH and I were so sore, and that was just from the painting and general fixing up of stuff.

 

I did my Cathe Friedrich Imax 2 today and was amazed at how much more of it I could actually do without modifying than I could one month ago. Yay me.

That's awesome!

Yes, this move is very fast too. in less than two weeks, we've remodeled two bathrooms (one completely, including installing plumbing for a shower) in addition to the regular painting and fixing. I'm glad DH and I are handy so we don't have to hire it out, but I can't wait for it to be over.

 

I have Insanity Max 30 on order at Slache's recommendation. I'm looking forward to it.

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Dh and I worked out yesterday morning instead of our usual Sunday lifting session. We'll probably continue with Saturdays and return to the warm-weather Sunday routine of hiking to the farmers' market, eating something yummy, and hiking home :)

 

I have a bicep-tricep imbalance holding me back from progressing with benchpresses and pushups. I'm also afraid of reinjuring a shoulder. I can't do tricep dips because my left side isn't as strong as my right, but I've been working on holding the "up" position of the tricep dip. And the evil cable-machine tricep pulldowns...

 

My next goal is bench pressing 100 lb by my 50th birthday on June 21. I'm at 85 lb (3 reps) now. My trainer thinks I can do it :)

 

I would love love love love love to be able to pullup! Or a chinup! Or even a bent-arm hang! I've done some assisted-with-bands pullups to see if the shoulder could handle the pullup motion (it did).

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 in less than two weeks, we've remodeled two bathrooms (one completely, including installing plumbing for a shower) in addition to the regular painting and fixing.

Couldn't find a 'we're not worthy' smiley, but wow! Impressed!

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My next goal is bench pressing 100 lb by my 50th birthday on June 21. I'm at 85 lb (3 reps) now. My trainer thinks I can do it :)

 

I would love love love love love to be able to pullup! Or a chinup! Or even a bent-arm hang! I've done some assisted-with-bands pullups to see if the shoulder could handle the pullup motion (it did).

I'm impressed by your goal (and the progress you've made)!

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Hour hike past mountain laurel in bloom with ds19.   :)

A couple planks.

Beautiful!

 

 

I had a private lesson in Silks yesterday. Mostly working on a couple of moves I'm having difficulty with, my brain is slower than my body. It requires so much strength but I can get the strength much easier than I can the movement patterns. The crossback straddle is my current nemesis, she did figure out part of why I'm having trouble flipping and I made some progress but I still didn't make it over(and I really want to as then there are other moves to do after that). I'm trying to swing and get momentum as you have to swing your legs up and over your head(going upside down) BUT you can't do that in this move as the Silks keep your back flat, so there is no cheating, you have to swing with just the lower abs. She had some good conditioning exercises to practice the movement down low, holy toledo it was hard. She had me in front of the knot and pull my lower body up while going from hanging w/ straight arms to bent arms. Like a pull-up combined w/ a bent leg raise at the same time.

 

 

(btw we have a FB page for WTM fitness geeks if anyone wants to join message me. It is set to private so no one can see any of it and it is good place to post pics and videos and such so that the whole world doesn't see)

Edited by soror
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Workout B (second workout) Stage 1 New Rules of Lifting Supercharged. Dying.  4 1 legged planks 30 sec ea. 2 sets each leg of a miserable exercise where you're in a plank and pull on a cable or band 10 x with one arm. Romanian deadlifts 2 sets of 15, 2 sets of 15 push-ups (incline), 2 sets each leg reverse lunge with weights, 2 sets rows. Zonked. Zumba in 45 minutes. Recovery time between now and then!  I know I will feel the euphoria soon, but not yet! Whew!

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Today's training session included a boatload of bench presses, TRX rows at a deeper angle than usual, and two different exercises focusing on my triceps using a 20lb bar.

 

I have homework-----I need to come up with 2 more goals to meet before my 50th birthday. Trainer Dude is going to ask me tomorrow :eek:

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Today's training session included a boatload of bench presses, TRX rows at a deeper angle than usual, and two different exercises focusing on my triceps using a 20lb bar.

 

I have homework-----I need to come up with 2 more goals to meet before my 50th birthday. Trainer Dude is going to ask me tomorrow :eek:

 

What goals are you thinking of shooting for? 

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Ooo. Feeling those lunges with dumbbells from yesterday. And today, I have no plan. Note to self: Get a plan or you won''t do anything! Hmm. There is a well-traveled walking trail near work, so if the rain holds off, that will be the plan. Or Latin dance at the gym at 5:15. 

Edited by Laurie4b
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I haven't been posting, but I have been exercising.  I've gone for a few short runs, and decided I need to get back to the stair-stepper / elliptical hybrid machine at my gym instead.  Running hurts.  I've done weights with my hubby and went to that circuit training class again.  Somehow managed to cause one of those muscles where the neck and shoulder meet to cramp up terribly, and that hurt for a few days.  Trying to get into shape when you're not a spring chicken anymore is challenging!

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I haven't been posting, but I have been exercising.  I've gone for a few short runs, and decided I need to get back to the stair-stepper / elliptical hybrid machine at my gym instead.  Running hurts.  I've done weights with my hubby and went to that circuit training class again.  Somehow managed to cause one of those muscles where the neck and shoulder meet to cramp up terribly, and that hurt for a few days.  Trying to get into shape when you're not a spring chicken anymore is challenging!

 

If you mean your upper trapezoid, here's a great stretch: http://www.eliteperformancesf.com/category/exercise-list/page/2/   It's called the neck stretch on that page. I do that but without using my hand for added pressure, just gravity. It was suggested both by my PT and by a massage therapist for that area. 

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Despite my good intentions, yesterday ended up being a rest day. Today dh, dogger, and I walked on a nearby farm for about 45 minutes. Still have DOMS from the strength-training on Wed, so that seemed appropriate. Tomorrow, I should do the strength training again. Hopefully if the weather is nice, I can hike as well. 

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If you mean your upper trapezoid, here's a great stretch: http://www.eliteperformancesf.com/category/exercise-list/page/2/   It's called the neck stretch on that page. I do that but without using my hand for added pressure, just gravity. It was suggested both by my PT and by a massage therapist for that area. 

 

 

Thanks, Laurie!  I've been looking at diagrams of the muscles in that area, and it very well could be the trapezoid.  Hard for me to tell if it's that or one of the deeper muscles.  But I'm guessing trapezoid is the most likely culprit.  Unfortunately, my body does not respond well to stretching at all, but I'm going to do some pressure massage on it and try to loosen it up.  I know that I have poor posture in my upper back and neck, so that's probably the ultimate source of the problem.  It is VERY hard to change habits of posture!  But I really need to work on it.  Thanks for your help!

 

ETA:  Laurie, you're absolutely right, it's the trapezius.  I've been watching some really interesting videos about the problems caused by "forward head posture" and how to work to correct it.  Thank you for pointing me in this direction!

Edited by Greta
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Did my Saturday morning workout at the gym with my husband.  We did legs and back today.  Also went for a two mile walk together afterwards, and we'll probably walk again this evening once it has cooled down again.

 

Didn't do anything yesterday because of a migraine.  I just walked one mile around my neighborhood, because that's all I could manage.  Glad to be feeling better today!

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Thanks, Laurie!  I've been looking at diagrams of the muscles in that area, and it very well could be the trapezoid.  Hard for me to tell if it's that or one of the deeper muscles.  But I'm guessing trapezoid is the most likely culprit.  Unfortunately, my body does not respond well to stretching at all, but I'm going to do some pressure massage on it and try to loosen it up.  I know that I have poor posture in my upper back and neck, so that's probably the ultimate source of the problem.  It is VERY hard to change habits of posture!  But I really need to work on it.  Thanks for your help!

 

ETA:  Laurie, you're absolutely right, it's the trapezius.  I've been watching some really interesting videos about the problems caused by "forward head posture" and how to work to correct it.  Thank you for pointing me in this direction!

 

Actually, your weight lifting will help with the posture. One doctor I watched on Youtube said that most shoulder issues could be prevented if people would only "keep their shoulder blades in their back pocket." It's the position that they should be in for most lifting. As you get stronger, and keep awareness of this position for your lifts, you'll start to use it in other situations. For instance, I feel myself slump in the car, and immediately "put my shoulders in my back pocket."  You can kind of see it here. (Wish he would have taken his shirt off so it would be clearer.) 

 Not just deadlifting, but rows, too, it's really important to set your shoulders that way. You are squeezing those back muscles together. Don't know how to describe it any better. 
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1 1/4 hr. hike with dh. Gorgeous day. Now got to get myself to lift. (I don't love lifting till I'm done. I love hiking while I am doing it!) 

I have realized that I absolutely need to lift on Mondays. I always take Sundays as a rest day, so if I miss Monday, then I only can do Tues, Thur, Sat to get 3 days in, whereas if I get Monday in, I can do Mon/Wed/Fri, Mon/Thu/Sat, Mon/Wed/Sat. So much more likely that I get 3 lifting days in. 

 

Somebody ask me about that next week, okay?

 

ETA: Did the upper/lower body strength training. Still have the core part to do. 

Edited by Laurie4b
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Actually, your weight lifting will help with the posture. One doctor I watched on Youtube said that most shoulder issues could be prevented if people would only "keep their shoulder blades in their back pocket." It's the position that they should be in for most lifting. As you get stronger, and keep awareness of this position for your lifts, you'll start to use it in other situations. For instance, I feel myself slump in the car, and immediately "put my shoulders in my back pocket."  You can kind of see it here. (Wish he would have taken his shirt off so it would be clearer.)

 

Not just deadlifting, but rows, too, it's really important to set your shoulders that way. You are squeezing those back muscles together. Don't know how to describe it any better. 

 

 

Yeah, that is a good description!  Thank you!

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Okay, here is my tentative plan for the next few weeks (months?).  Please critique and give me any feedback that you can think of!

 

 

 

 

Every Day:  walk at least 2 miles, posture and physical therapy exercises, a few planks or other light ab work

 

Monday:  HIIT (could be cycling class at my gym, could be run/walk/run/walk around my neighborhood)

 

Tuesday:  Heavy weights (legs, arms, shoulders)

 

Wednesday:  Circuit Training class at the gym (only 30 minutes, and the weights aren't that heavy) plus a short MIC session (medium intensity cardio)

 

Thursday:  Bodyweight exercises and plyometrics

 

Friday:  long MIC session 

 

Saturday:  Heavy Weights (legs, chest, back)

 

Sunday:  long MIC session

 

 

Tuesdays and Saturdays are "pinned" because those are the days my husband can workout with me.  And I'm not doing heavy stuff without him to spot for me - I'm too chicken!  The rest is more flexible, though the class schedule at the gym did influence how I arranged it.  What do you think?  I'm going back home for a visit in June.  Is it possible to look less flabby by then?  And if so, do you think this plan will get me there?

 

 

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Okay, here is my tentative plan for the next few weeks (months?).  Please critique and give me any feedback that you can think of!

 

 

 

 

Every Day:  walk at least 2 miles, posture and physical therapy exercises, a few planks or other light ab work

 

Monday:  HIIT (could be cycling class at my gym, could be run/walk/run/walk around my neighborhood)

 

Tuesday:  Heavy weights (legs, arms, shoulders)

 

Wednesday:  Circuit Training class at the gym (only 30 minutes, and the weights aren't that heavy) plus a short MIC session (medium intensity cardio)

 

Thursday:  Bodyweight exercises and plyometrics

 

Friday:  long MIC session 

 

Saturday:  Heavy Weights (legs, chest, back)

 

Sunday:  long MIC session

 

 

Tuesdays and Saturdays are "pinned" because those are the days my husband can workout with me.  And I'm not doing heavy stuff without him to spot for me - I'm too chicken!  The rest is more flexible, though the class schedule at the gym did influence how I arranged it.  What do you think?  I'm going back home for a visit in June.  Is it possible to look less flabby by then?  And if so, do you think this plan will get me there?

 

Choose a day for a rest day. Your body needs to recuperate. Alternately, you could just assume that you will not workout one day a week for one reason or another and that can be your rest day. Guilt free. 

 

Not sure the reason for splitting up into legs/arms/shoulders and legs/chest/back. Will your bodyweight exercise day hit all the groups? Which exercises are you planning for those days? 

Edited by Laurie4b
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Choose a day for a rest day. Your body needs to recuperate. Alternately, you could just assume that you will not workout one day a week for one reason or another and that can be your rest day. Guilt free. 

 

Not sure the reason for splitting up into legs/arms/shoulders and legs/chest/back. Will your bodyweight exercise day hit all the groups? Which exercises are you planning for those days? 

 

 

Sunday will probably often end up being a rest day.  But I went ahead and scheduled something for it in case I have a migraine day that derails my plans earlier in the week.  I'm not sure if a migraine day counts as a rest day, but if so, I will have a rest day or two each week whether I like it or not.  :(  So this is my "wishful thinking" plan, subject to readjustments due to reality!

 

When my husband works out with me, we only have one hour to spend at the gym.  That sounds like a lot, but we're finding that it's not long enough to get in a full body workout.  (Maybe we're slow?)  Squats and deadlifts are our priority, so we want to do those every time.  We've been just kind of randomly adding whatever upper body stuff we feel like doing, without any sort of plan.  So I thought it might be better to focus on back and chest one day, then arms and shoulders the next time, to make sure we're hitting every muscle at least once a week.

 

I am planning on the bodyweight routine being a full body workout, though I haven't planned it out in any detail yet. And the circuit training class is full body too, though like I said the resistance on those machines isn't very high (and it can't be adjusted).  In that class I just try to do as many reps as I can in the allotted time, so it ends up being a mixture of resistance training and cardio.

 

Does that make sense?

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Another question for Laurie or anyone who knows.

 

My husband swears that lateral arm raises are the best exercise for shoulders, and that if I do those more often I'll have less pain in my upper trapezius.  But I don't like that exercise.  I usually do a simple overhead press as my primary exercise for shoulders, because I just don't like the way the lateral arm raise feels.  I can't explain that, though, so I don't know if I don't like it because it isn't a good exercise for me, or if I don't like it because it's hard, but hard in a good way that my body needs.

 

Any thoughts on the safety and effectiveness of the lateral arm raise?

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Another question for Laurie or anyone who knows.

 

My husband swears that lateral arm raises are the best exercise for shoulders, and that if I do those more often I'll have less pain in my upper trapezius.  But I don't like that exercise.  I usually do a simple overhead press as my primary exercise for shoulders, because I just don't like the way the lateral arm raise feels.  I can't explain that, though, so I don't know if I don't like it because it isn't a good exercise for me, or if I don't like it because it's hard, but hard in a good way that my body needs.

 

Any thoughts on the safety and effectiveness of the lateral arm raise?

 

I can just pass on what my PT said to me: "No overhead lifting." 

 

I would not do an exercise that didn't feel right to me. 

 

The ones my PT specifically recommended were:

scaption raises

 & external arm abduction
(for rotator cuff muscles--these are endurance muscles and she said she never wanted me to use too much weight--no more than 5 lbs. She was fine with 2-3 lbs forever),

triceps extensions (I see on you tube that there are a lot of interpretations of that.

  This one is close. I did it on a bench, so could extend my arms to vertical when I was done the lift (ie they would just hang there holding the weights) 

Rows (prone and inclined is somewhat easier on shoulders, but she was okay with any way): 

   This is the way I do them. 

 

I really wanted to do push-ups and she was fine with those, both wide stance and narrow stance (Triceps push-ups).With push-ups, she was adamant that for shoulder problems, you don't want to go below your elbows being bent at 90 degrees.  

 

 That doesn't mean other exercises aren't okay, but I am just sharing which ones were specifically recommended and that I do.  As above, she was also against any overhead lifts. She said that unless you have a job where you have to put a heavy load over your head often that it is not a particularly functional movement (ie won't translate to daily life) and has higher potential for shoulder injury. I have a specific vulnerability in one shoulder, so YMMV,

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Greta, I typed up a whole thing this morning and lost it.  Let me try again.   Your schedule sounds like it is for someone who is very highly motivated and can keep on track aka, you have a lot of stuff on there.   I would recommend keeping a journal to help with motivation.

 

Since you said you are doing walking and rehab every day, these are the changes I would make to your schedule. 

 

Remove plyo on Thursday and add stretching.    Remove Sunday's workout and make it another stretch day.

 

Also, for your heavy lift days read this little article on deloading and think about how you might structure your long term lift schedule. 

 

In terms of arm exercises, it's hard to recommend something when it's not really clear which exercises are in your plan.

 

 

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When my husband works out with me, we only have one hour to spend at the gym.  That sounds like a lot, but we're finding that it's not long enough to get in a full body workout.  (Maybe we're slow?)  Squats and deadlifts are our priority, so we want to do those every time.  We've been just kind of randomly adding whatever upper body stuff we feel like doing, without any sort of plan.  So I thought it might be better to focus on back and chest one day, then arms and shoulders the next time, to make sure we're hitting every muscle at least once a week.

 

 

 

I know an hour goes by fast. There's warm up, then stretching at the end, and you have to really keep at it to get the rest in.  :)  I am often caught off guard by how fast it goes by!

 

Both deadlifts and squats recruit nearly all your lower body muscles, with squats a bit more focused on quads in the front and hamstrings more on posterior chain including hamstrings. 

 

You might want to do a similar thing with your upper body. choose a push and a pull exercise so that you then have exercises that involve all your upper body muscles and core. That will cut down on time. I'd suggest push-ups (they work chest, back, arms and shoulders) and for pulls either rows or lateral pulldowns or inverted rows. 

   Edited by Laurie4b
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I don't agree with Laurie's PT, as I believe we should be building strength across the full ROM of every joint, but who am I to say?

 

If you are interested I think MoveSkill

has posted the videos of their exercise library.   I think it might be worth joining  ;)  to get a comprehensive plan.  

 

Yes, and I noted that my PTs recommendations were for my shoulder issues. Other people's needs may vary. She's very good. She is a DPT (doctor of physical therapy), not just a PT; she is also a sports specialist. (SCS)

Edited by Laurie4b
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I am planning on the bodyweight routine being a full body workout, though I haven't planned it out in any detail yet. And the circuit training class is full body too, though like I said the resistance on those machines isn't very high (and it can't be adjusted).  In that class I just try to do as many reps as I can in the allotted time, so it ends up being a mixture of resistance training and cardio.

 

 

 

If the circuit training is really lightweight, that might be okay but I wonder. Just know that you build muscles not on your lifting days but on the days between your lifting days. On your lifting days, you're tearing them down a bit. Then your body goes to work to clean up the mess then to repair and make them stronger.

 

So you can actually work at cross-purposes to your goal if you train them too much. The two days of heavy lifting plus the bodywork day seems perfect for muscle building. There is a day off between each tear down day. :) 

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Okay, here is my tentative plan for the next few weeks (months?). Please critique and give me any feedback that you can think of!

 

 

 

 

Every Day: walk at least 2 miles, posture and physical therapy exercises, a few planks or other light ab work

 

Monday: HIIT (could be cycling class at my gym, could be run/walk/run/walk around my neighborhood)

 

Tuesday: Heavy weights (legs, arms, shoulders)

 

Wednesday: Circuit Training class at the gym (only 30 minutes, and the weights aren't that heavy) plus a short MIC session (medium intensity cardio)

 

Thursday: Bodyweight exercises and plyometrics

 

Friday: long MIC session

 

Saturday: Heavy Weights (legs, chest, back)

 

Sunday: long MIC session

 

 

Tuesdays and Saturdays are "pinned" because those are the days my husband can workout with me. And I'm not doing heavy stuff without him to spot for me - I'm too chicken! The rest is more flexible, though the class schedule at the gym did influence how I arranged it. What do you think? I'm going back home for a visit in June. Is it possible to look less flabby by then? And if so, do you think this plan will get me there?

Agreeing with others that you need a rest day. I would also include a serious stretch day, like yoga. I would take the days that are not set and put them on a loop. Personally, if I'm supposed to do something on Tuesday and I don't I feel like a failure, but if I have something to do the next day and I miss that day I'll just do it the *next* day and I don't feel like a failure. Does that make sense?

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Thank you guys so much for all this great feedback!  I so appreciate it.

 

Laurie, thank you so much for all the links.  I look forward to checking those out.

 

Snickerdoodle, may I ask why you would not recommend the plyometrics?

 

Slache, yes, I love that idea of putting the non-fixed days on a loop.  Brilliant!

 

Everyone - okay, here's the weird thing.  My body does not respond well to stretching.  You know how most people feel relaxed like they've had a massage after a stretching session?  Well, instead, my muscles cramp up and scream in protest for days.  I hate it.  I have tried, I really have, I've tried super gentle stretching, dynamic stretching, traditional yoga, I just hate it all.  I've been using a foam roller to massage tight muscles, but just on an as needed basis, not on any sort of schedule or routine.  So I could change that.  And if you think I should add something more relaxing to my routine, there is a great tai chi class at my gym that I could go to.  But the thought of stretching makes me want to cry!

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Oh, and Laurie, your point about rest days between weight workouts is well taken!  I'll be honest, the thing I love most about that circuit training class is the people.  They are just such a warm friendly bunch, and they welcomed me into their group with open arms.  They are fun to be with in class.  So that's my main motivation for putting that one on my schedule!  But I'll think about whether it really best serves my needs.

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Thank you guys so much for all this great feedback! I so appreciate it.

 

Laurie, thank you so much for all the links. I look forward to checking those out.

 

Snickerdoodle, may I ask why you would not recommend the plyometrics?

 

Slache, yes, I love that idea of putting the non-fixed days on a loop. Brilliant!

 

Everyone - okay, here's the weird thing. My body does not respond well to stretching. You know how most people feel relaxed like they've had a massage after a stretching session? Well, instead, my muscles cramp up and scream in protest for days. I hate it. I have tried, I really have, I've tried super gentle stretching, dynamic stretching, traditional yoga, I just hate it all. I've been using a foam roller to massage tight muscles, but just on an as needed basis, not on any sort of schedule or routine. So I could change that. And if you think I should add something more relaxing to my routine, there is a great tai chi class at my gym that I could go to. But the thought of stretching makes me want to cry!

I hate yoga with the fiery passion of 1,000 suns. My response to this is too bad, so sad. Put your big girl panties on and do it anyway. Or get injured if you want, because that's what will happen. I would do the foam roller every day, twice a day until stretching becomes easier. If you PM me your address I'll send you some excellent stretch DVDs and a foam roller one.

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My body does not respond well to stretching.

 

 

Put your big girl panties on and do it anyway.

 

 

This.   At first, stretching is more like a workout but with time you will loosen up.   For the record, there is nothing relaxing about stretching.

 

Regarding the plyo, I think it's more of a walk before you run situation.   What kind of plyo are you thinking of doing?     Body weight exercises can be pretty taxing on the cns and you are already doing a lot of cardio type exercise. 

 

Again, YMMV.   I do not know the current state of your athleticism.   

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Slache, that's incredibly generous of you to offer to send me your DVD's!  But I don't want to take your DVD's from you.  Maybe you could point me to a few titles (especially the foam roller one!) and I could purchase them.  You're so sweet!   :wub:

 

I know the science is clear that stretching before working out will at best do nothing good for you, and at worst increase your chances of injury.  So, that's just not happening.  But it leaves the question:  is there any benefit to stretching after a workout or apart from a workout?  From what I've read, the current scientific consensus seems to be that it is the people who are the least flexible and the people who are the most flexible who are at the highest risk of injury, and those who are average in flexibility are the most protected from injury.  I'm average overall, with a few muscles and joints being MORE flexible than average, and one problem area that is tight.  So I see no reason to want to increase my flexibility, with the possible exception of that one problem area.  I'm not convinced that stretching already-flexible areas is going to help me, and my experience tells me that it's going to hurt me.  If you know of compelling evidence to the contrary, though, I really, truly would like to know it.  I'm all ears!  I've just never read anything that convinced me that there's real benefit to it.

 

Plyos - I was indeed thinking of starting small!  Just things like jumping jacks, jumping rope, a few squat jumps, that sort of thing.  I know there's great potential for injury there for someone who is not athletic (that would be me), but I understand there is also tremendous potential benefits in terms of building strong bones.

 

 

 

 

Edited due to autocorrect being unhelpful as usual.

Edited by Greta
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Thank you guys so much for all this great feedback!  I so appreciate it.

 

Laurie, thank you so much for all the links.  I look forward to checking those out.

 

Snickerdoodle, may I ask why you would not recommend the plyometrics?

 

Slache, yes, I love that idea of putting the non-fixed days on a loop.  Brilliant!

 

Everyone - okay, here's the weird thing.  My body does not respond well to stretching.  You know how most people feel relaxed like they've had a massage after a stretching session?  Well, instead, my muscles cramp up and scream in protest for days.  I hate it.  I have tried, I really have, I've tried super gentle stretching, dynamic stretching, traditional yoga, I just hate it all.  I've been using a foam roller to massage tight muscles, but just on an as needed basis, not on any sort of schedule or routine.  So I could change that.  And if you think I should add something more relaxing to my routine, there is a great tai chi class at my gym that I could go to.  But the thought of stretching makes me want to cry!

 

Foam rolling is a fine way to finish a workout.  

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I think that my last post sounded grumpier and more contrarian than I realized.   :blushing:  I apologize.  I appreciate the advice, and I do want to be given a push if there's something I need to do but am not doing.  I also just want to think through and weigh whether or not it's worth it for me.  I just have to do some more research and decide if stretching is the right thing to try.  In the meantime, I'll make better use of my foam roller.

 

Yesterday's workout was pretty low-key:  just half an hour on the AMT machine at a very modest pace (plus my daily walk).

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To my mind, if you don't have full range of motion of every joint, you need to be stretching. 

 

Why don't you look at Max Shank's 5 minute flow youtubes as a great way to work those joints.

 

Here's a link to one of them.

 

 

Thank you, Snickerdoodle, that was very interesting!  This video illustrates something that I think is really important, but I'm not sure I have the right words to express it.  What he does in that video is functional movements which, like you said, move his joints through a full range of motion.  But they do so NATURALLY, through the power of the muscles in those joints.  He is not using any forces external to the joint to move the joint.

 

I'm not sure that makes sense, so let me give a specific example.  Near the beginning of the routine, he is standing up, and he does some trunk twists.  He uses ONLY the muscles of his trunk in order to twist his trunk.  That's awesome.  But that's not what happens in every single yoga or stretching class that I've ever been to.  What happens in those classes is that you use the power of your arms to grab a hold of something (such as your hips) and PULL your trunk deeper into the twist than where your trunk can go naturally.  That is decidedly NOT awesome.  (IMO)  

 

I think it is potentially dangerous to use an "outside" force to move a joint further than it can move through the power of it's own "internal" forces.  And yet that's standard operating procedure in every single yoga and stretching class I have ever been to, 100% of them, zero exceptions.  I'm going to watch more of his videos, and see if I can put together a . . . what should we call it?  A "functional movements" routine?  I'd be all about that.  I would LOVE a class like that.  I would attend often.  But "stretching", in my experience, isn't about functional movements at all, it's about forcing joints past the point of functionality, and I question the wisdom of that.

 

 

(Edited to correct an errant comma.)

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Greta, sounds like you would be a fan of

 

or any number of people doing similar kind of work.

 

 

Wow, very interesting!  And even what he calls "beginner" movements look very challenging!  Thanks for posting this.  :)

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Technically of course Max Shank is showing mobility work not stretching.  ;)

 

 

Mobility work - that's a nice phrase!  Yes, I was trying to contrast it with stretching, but I seem to be having trouble using my words today.  :lol:  I look forward to checking out more of his videos.  Very cool stuff.

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