Rehab/Stabilization continues to be a challenge. I just love lifting super heavy weights, sweating bullets, sprinting, dancing, and all that…and to not be able to do that…sometimes makes me not so excited to “work out.”
I just started week 5 of my program- last week of stabilization. My knee and feet feel good, my shoulder feels not so hot. I have not given up, just acknowledging that I am on week 5 of my program, and I still have time to rehab it. Boo suggested to me that I need to stop supporting myself on my left side, and not sleep on my left shoulder (I cuddle up to him that way). So, sadly, I will stop cuddling up and start sleeping on my back. And not slouch over or crunch myself in a strange position while on the computer, which is my habit. He is encouraging me to change these habits, and since he suggested these changes (last week) I have implemented them. I hope they will contribute to my recovery.
I am following the specifications of my program, except for taking group fitness classes and icing. Exercises are slowly increasing in difficulty, reps, and/or weights. Last week I held plank for a minute at a time for a few times, which is definitely the first time I have tried that in ages. It was okay. This week my program called to start push ups. I gingerly tried a few. Felt okay. Just a stark contrast from whipping out 30 or 40 five months ago or so, and then now just being uncertain about a few push ups. And today I tried single arm dumbbell rows. I used to lift 45 or so pounds no problem!! Today I did a set of 15 with a 10 pounder and wow I felt it!! Now I understand how my clients feel!! ;P
Positive affirmation:
Onward I go.
Today I will end with a quote from James Allen As A Man Thinketh: “A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.”
Something I feel very passionate about is multi-planar training. Ever since I tore my ACL a year and a half ago, learned more about principles of rehabilitation and injury prevention, and got certified as a Corrective Exercise Specialist, I have a message about training: Thou must train in multiple planes of motion. Most people (especially endurance athletes) overtrain in the sagittal plane (front and back). This leads to overuse injuries as well as weakness and instability when a demand from the frontal (side) or transverse (rotational) plane challenges them. Which happens frequently, because we don’t move only front and back- we step to the side, we twist, we cross our legs over, et cetera. If we move in multiple planes, we need to train in multiple planes.
What is multi-planar training? Multi-planar training means training in all planes of motion.
What are the planes of motion?
The sagittal plane means to the front and to the back. Examples: walking, running, biking, seated row, bicep curl, push ups.
The frontal (or coronal) plane means to the sides (confusingly enough). Examples: side shuffles, jumping jacks, lat pull down, lateral raises.
The transverse plane means rotation. Examples: Russian twists, cable woodchops, lunge w/med ball twist, golf swing.
ACL injury prevention and multi-planar training
Mike Boyle, one of the top strength and conditioning experts around and owner of the #1 Strength and Conditioning Facility in the nation (2009) as voted by Men’s Health, wrote a very interesting article on ACL injury prevention. Read it here: http://www.strengthcoach.com/public/1641.cfm?sd=51
He agreed that increasing the eccentric control (a.k.a. deceleration) from multiple planes of motion is key to reducing the incidence of ACL injuries. He describes his program in total as:
- Active Warm-up
- Power and Stability / Eccentric Strength=landing skills
- Strength Development – (emphasis on 1 Leg)
- Change of Direction Concepts – learning how to stop
- Change of Direction Conditioning – developing conditioning
His unique assertion is that this program does not differ inherently from a good training program for any athlete. Any well-developed program should include the elements listed above. In essence, there is no such thing as an ACL injury prevention protocol. There is only good training (that would naturally include multi-planar training) and bad training.
How to modify exercises in different planes? Okay, so you would like to incorporate more multi-planar training into your workouts. How do you do that? All you have to do is understand the planes of motion, and tweak your exercises to follow the various planes. The number of exercises that can be created is ENDLESS. Use your creativity! Let’s run through some examples below.
Running: Traditionally this is done in the sagittal plane. How about doing some side shuffles, running backwards, diagonal bounding, or karaoke? Push ups: Traditionally, this is also done in the sagittal plane. How about side to side push ups? Or push ups with rotation (a.k.a. T-push ups)? (e.g. push up, then raise one arm up and twist your body laterally toward the ceiling? Then rotate back to center and repeat on the other sids) Lunges: Again, this is usually done in the sagittal plane. How about side lunges or rotational lunges, or a multi-planar lunge matrix? Upper Body Pull: Such as a row. Traditionally done in the sagittal plane (are you catching a pattern here?). How about a lat pull down (a pull in the frontal plane), or an alternating row with torso rotation to challenge the transverse plane? Step Up: Do I have to say it? Usually sagittal plane dominant. How about side step ups? Cross over step ups? Transverse step ups? (Always make sure the knee is aligned over the 2nd and 3rd toe)
Does this make sense? By challenging your body in different ways and training in the way that life and all sports HAPPEN (e.g. in ALL planes), you are doing yourself a favor by promoting major injury prevention. If you don’t already train like this, start now and let me know how it goes. If you already do, I hope I have reminded you of why what you’re doing is important and reinforce your commitment to functional/multi-planar program design.
I am a certified personal trainer, avid fitness enthusiast, and creator of Freestyle Fitness Addiction. Come visit frequently, as I add articles, video clips, and personal blog posts related to building strength, power, and stability in fun, outside-of-the-box ways; nutrition; inspiration; injury prevention and rehab; figure and fitness; mixed martial arts; random ruminations, and daily personal life. When not driven by my fitness addiction, some of my favorite things include being a badass with my hoodie up, sparkles, and kittens.
![[del.icio.us]](http://www.freestylefitnessaddiction.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://www.freestylefitnessaddiction.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://www.freestylefitnessaddiction.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[LinkedIn]](http://www.freestylefitnessaddiction.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/linkedin.png)
![[Reddit]](http://www.freestylefitnessaddiction.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/reddit.png)
![[Slashdot]](http://www.freestylefitnessaddiction.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/slashdot.png)
![[Squidoo]](http://www.freestylefitnessaddiction.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/squidoo.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://www.freestylefitnessaddiction.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Technorati]](http://www.freestylefitnessaddiction.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/technorati.png)
![[Twitter]](http://www.freestylefitnessaddiction.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/twitter.png)
