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.”
Week 2 (the first official week of stabilization/rehab training) is done. I did all my specified shoulder, foot, and knee exercises, stretches, etc. I got my massage for this cycle (omg soo soo good…can be on that massage table for.ever.).
Where I did not follow the program exactly was: I again was not as diligent with daily icing. And I did not take a spin class. Because my shoulder was hurting, I didn’t want to brace myself against the bike the whole time, especially if standing, so I didn’t take a spin class. I will probably make it up later on during the program. There, I said it.
Yesterday I felt twinges of feeling sorry for myself, despair, resentment, etc for not being able to participate in the activities I love and being around some fabulously fit people. Today I am manifesting a much more positive day by empowering myself instead of victimizing myself. I am listening to Tony Robbins non-stop and reminding myself to use the power of my emotions as action signals and ask myself “How would I rather feel?” and change my perceptions and my procedures to make it happen.
By committing to staying positive and motivated rather than succumbing to despair even if things don’t go my way is the key to my rehab and the key to success. This is what I must do if I wanna rock the stage. Which I do. B-girl fun-ness here I come. Figure stage here I come…you inch closer as the weeks get scratched off. 2 down, 11 more to go…
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
stability
strength
power to
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
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.
Unknown pain in the bottom right lateral side of my foot. Begone. Thou (literally) art my spur. Plantar fasciitis, are thou? Hopefully not a stress fracture? Perhaps more benign.
Timeline:
Wed 1/6/10: 40 min jog in the morning, 40 min stepmill in the afternoon.
Thurs: worked alll day, on my feet for over 12 hours. Feet were extremely tight and sore.
Friday: tried to jog/do cardio. hurt. hurt to walk.
Saturday: tried to do cardio. hurt to walk. iced.
Sunday: did not attempt to go to the gym, though my mind screamed. tried to stay off my feet. iced.
Monday: did not attempt to go to the gym, though my mind screamed. tried to stay off my feet. iced.
Tuesday: will not attempt to go to the gym Will be on my feet all day tomorrow working.
Injury checklist: Right foot, left shoulder, right knee.
I want to feel bitter, angry, frustrated, disappointed, defeated, and give up, stop caring, stop working out, stop trying. I feel my mind scanning, searching for answers, the meaning behind these challenges. I just want to MOVE, to be a kinetic frenetic bubbling, flame-ripping, torrent through the gym, through wood-chipped trails, across grassy fields, hopping and skipping and striding from landscape to landscape. But my foot hurts. Not to mention the other things.
No. I get stronger from each challenge. My mind grows more resolute every time I test it with resistance. I learn to control myself more, be at peace with myself even when scenes crumble around me. I control the meanings I attach to things. Will I let this tear me down? Will I just collapse and fall in an ocean of tears? Or will I reinforce the quality that I am a positive person, and still be postitive? I will. I will learn what the universe is offering me. This is an opportunity to grow. I will demonstrate my expertise and challenge my CREATIVITY by working around my injuries!
These are some of my all-time favorite quotes that I would love to share, that are helping me:
It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up. ~Vince Lombardi
My life tomorrow will be the result of my attitudes and the choices I make today. ~Anonymous
We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems. ~Anonymous
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. ~Mahatma Gandhi
Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success ~Napoleon Hill
Opportunity often comes in disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat. ~Napoleon Hill
A positive mental attitude is an irresistible force that knows no such thing as an immovable body ~Napoleon Hill
I am, indeed, a king, because I know how to rule myself. ~Pietro Aretino
He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still. ~Lao-tzu
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.
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Will be on my feet all day tomorrow working.
