I was thinking…this injury stuff has been getting really old. I KNOW I can do acrobatics, amazing things, and be capable of so much more. Other trainers (inadvertently) tempt me, when they recount their fun tumbling practice, or do kettlebell snatches, or when I see my peers on stage…and I KNOW I can do these things. Yet I have a million and one excuses. Legitimate excuses e.g. injuries. But. Excuses none the less. I have been telling Caleb I will go to gymnastics when I am ready to go back. I have not gone yet. I have told the girls in my crew that I’ll be back. That was almost a year and a half ago. I told the trainers at my work that I can break it down. They have yet to see me bust. I have a ton of coordination and natural strength and power, so I would rock the shit out of some kettlebells. If I could pick them up without irritating a current injury. I am a jumper, skipper, sprinter, power athlete. Yet I have yet to do plyos. Why? Why? WHY? Because I don’t allow myself  to recover before I push myself. I get excited, overzealous…bored by rehab…and when I start to feel better, I go 0 to 100 and end up skidding into the sides and the mechanisms start to smoke and catch fire.

The key is developing patience, and following the type of program I design for my clients yet don’t follow enough for myself. But screw this. It’s time to suck it up and slow it down and truly heal, or else I will NEVER get better…its always a few weeks more…a few weeks longer…repeat, repeat…It’s over. Time is done. Time to get well. Time to return to all my activities I love. Time to shine. Time to get back on stage to break. Time to win a figure competition. Time to demonstrate my level of bad-ass-dom. Seriously. You won’t be able to mess with me. Try me.

To do this, I have designed a rehab program that specifically addresses my shoulder (undiagnosed), foot (plantar fasciitis), and knee (post-ACL reconstruction, meniscectomy, synovitis), and includes:

• REST
• corrective flexibility
• accelerated recovery methods
• structured progression from
  1. stability
  2. strength
  3. power to
  4. full return to sports
• specific exercise prescription
• supplements and nutrition
• psychological factors
• doing things I don’t normally do, such as take group exercise class, or yoga

For this to be a success, not only did I have to do significant research to strategize the best program, but I need to FOLLOW this. By posting this online, as well, I will be held accountable.

Week 1: REST: Start Date:  Saturday, 1/16/10

To decrease inflammation and accelerate recovery

Traumeel gel x2/day

Arnica tablets x2/day

Ibuprofin  x3/day

Daily Ice Bath x1/day

Flameout – x1/serving a day

Wellness Visualization x1/day

Stationary bike only (to take impact/weight off of my foot)

Week 2: Stabilization

Focus: correct muscular imbalances; prevent tissue overload by preparing muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints or the upcoming imposed demands of training

Recovery:

Ice Bath 3x/week

Massage x1 this (stabilization) cycle

Flameout – x1/serving a day

Wellness Visualization x1/day

Shoulder: M & Th

Lower intensity, 15-25 reps, 2 sets, very slowly

Isometric external and internal rotation against a wall

SL Bodyweight Lateral raise, front raise, rear delt raise

SL Bodyweight 90 degree external rotation

SB Band lat pull/swimmers

Cable row standing on upside down BOSU

Prone cobra on BOSU

DB retractions on SB

DB protractions on SB

Band pull aparts on SL

Prone T’s on SB

SMR (foam roll): roll w/tennis ball around posterior deltoid

Stretch: Pendulum, posterior capsule stretch, external rotation, internal rotation, lats, pecs, biceps, supraspinatus, neck

Foot: T & F

15-25 reps, 2 sets

Towel scrunches

SMR (foam roll): Roll bottom of foot w/tennis ball

Stretch: bent and straight leg calf/achilles stretch, stretch the bottom of foot, belt stretch

Knee: T & F

Lower intensity, 15-20 reps, 2-3 sets

Upside down BOSU multi-planar prisoner squats

Upside down BOSU SL multi-planar reach

Upside down BOSU SL RDL

Airex balance

SB ham curl

SL bridge

Glute medius leg lifts

SMR (foam roll): quads, IT band, adductors, piriformis, calves

Stretch: quads, hip flexors, piriformis, adductors

Cardio: Try weight bearing cardio (no jogging) this week

Class: Dave’s spin class Mon 5:30 or 6:30 PM

Week 3: Stabilization

Repeat last week’s recovery methods

Shoulder:

Lower intensity, 15-25 reps, 2 sets, very slowly

SL DB Lateral raise, front raise, rear delt raise

SL DB 90 degree external rotation

Cable external and internal rotation

Cable lat pull/swimmers on BOSU

Cable row on BOSU

Plate halos on BOSU (10 lb)

Prone cobra on BOSU

DB retractions on SB

DB protractions on SB

Band pull aparts on SL

Prone Y’s on SB

SMR/stretch

Foot: same as last week

SMR/stretch

Knee: increase reps

Upside down BOSU multi-planar prisoner squats

Upside down BOSU SL multi-planar reach

Upside down BOSU SL RDL

Airex balance

SB ham curl

SL bridge

Tube walking

SMR/stretch

Cardio: Try jogging 15 min a day, 3 x wk

Week 4: Stabilization

Repeat last week’s recovery methods

Shoulder:

Increased loads, 15-25 reps, 2-3 sets, very slowly

DB Lateral raise, front raise, rear delt raise on BOSU

DB 90 degree external rotation on BOSU

JC Band external and internal rotation

JC Band lat pull/swimmers

JC Band row

Prone cobra on SB

KB halos standing on BOSU

SB plank

SMR/stretch

Foot: same as last week

Knee: increase load

Cardio: Try jogging 20 min a day, 3 x wk

Class: 1 Pilates mini-ball class 10:30 AM Tues or Thurs

Week 5: Stabilization

Repeat last week’s recovery methods

Shoulder:

SL DB Cuban Press

SL DB Lateral raise, front raise, rear delt raise

JC Band external and internal rotation

SL JC Band lat pull down

SB DB retractions + row

SB push ups

SMR/stretch

Foot: same as last week

Knee: increase reps

Cardio: Try jogging 25 min a day, 3 x wk

Class: 1 Yoga for the Inflexible class 6:30 PM Mon or Wed

I had written out the rest of my program for Weeks 6-13, but Omar encouraged me to wait on this because things may change. So, know that I have it all written out..but will post it later when it’s “real.” As a general overview, Weeks 6-9 will be Strength phase, focusing on increasing the load-bearing capabilities of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints, and Weeks 10-13 will be Power phase, focusing on increasing the rate of force production.

I prepare this program with the end in mind:

WEEK 14

MINDFUL EXPERIMENTATION WITH BREAKING, GYMNASTICS, BOXING, ROCK-CLIMBING, KETTLEBELLS, FLIPPING TIRES, FIGURE PREP, OR ANY DAMN THING ELSE I LOVE AND MISS…I can’t wait! Actually, I can. I must. Slow is fast and fast is slow, right? If I exercise my patience, I should be here- stable, strong, and powerful- at 14 weeks.  If I don’t, I can only imagine how much longer the road of injury stretches before me. The time is now. Your support/feedback/comments are greatly appreciated.