Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Butt Busting

I was happy to make contact with top collegiate sprinter Johnny B. He has had surgeries for athletic pubalgia and has rehabbed himself. He's been a great source of info and advice.

One thing JB recommended emphatically was busting the glute. Bulgarian squats he recommends highly, saying it was the one exercise most helpful in getting him to run again. He recommended 85lbs ... doing 4 x 8, or something. I've been doing 40 lbs. 3 x 25. It is a butt buster and almost immediately makes my abs feel better... normal, and I don't know why, but it does. Combined this with the Swiss Ball Core-X exercises, and after a workout I can run slowly with good sprint form on my toes with no pain. Its only when I do a sloppy loose jog without warming up, I feel a little pain.

UPDATE:
JB advises against high rep Bulgarian squats. The fatigue could result in loss of form and knee stress. I will take his advice. 8 reps more weight, good form.

Still hope to be back on the track by Halloween. I may be running stairs even sooner. Stairs don't bother me.


Just starting to bring my weight back down from a post season high of 154.
146.6 this morning.




Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Slowly getting better

I've been doing the Core-X Rehab system for a week now. It's specifically designed for rehab for Athletic Pubalgia. It is quite different from any exercise regime I've done because it involves a lot of thinking and a unique resistance band aparatus connected from the lower thigh to opposing wrist . Paramount is maintaining a 'neutral spine' and tightening the inner core (everything ... the abs, kegel, sphincter) while doing the exercises. Some of the foundation exercises are as simple as turning the torso and progress to marching and running in place. Other exercises use the Swiss Ball which I have ordered. It's deceivingly difficult and fatiguing. See video.

I do feel a difference. I can run in place with no pain but jogging while landing on the heel still hurts a little. Running on the toes is less pain, particularly when tightening the ab. I'm still at least 4 weeks away from any meaningful running or sprinting. It still hurts to simply hold a bent knee hanging ab lift, but I can do full lunges without pain.

In addition, I'm doing stair stepper aerobic machine - every other or 3rd day. I feel very out of shape and weigh about 150 lbs... but I intend to change that soon. I'm hoping to do a big hike on Sun will be having an MRI Monday to rule out any other possible injuries. My next Drs. appointment will be a week from Mon.




Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Return to the pursuit of fitness


Sunday, I started on Mike Boyle's regime of rehabbing the abdominals. In 4 weeks there has been zero improvement in my injury. If I wasn't an athlete, this injury would not be an issue. It doesn't hurt when doing anything in normal daily life, although I do feel it when standing on one leg to put my pants on, or making a sudden reaction movement. I know it hasn't improved because of the way it feels when I try to run a few steps. The pain is never severe, just nagging. It's definitely coming from the inguinal ligament /canal area.

The rehab workout involves lots of glute, psoas, abductor, and some adductor work. Mostly repeated isometric holds and single and double leg squats. Today, I did 20 min on the aerobic machine at the gym (a Stairmaster-type machine). After two days of rehab, the affected area goes from feeling good during the workout to just slightly sore afterward. I always start each workout with by warming my body in the hot tub and doing static hip and groin stretches.

I've been learning many anatomical terms and doing quite a bit of research. It's a very complex injury and it's hard to know how much is too much. Since a month of rest has done nothing to improve my condition, a proactive approach seems necessary. One source says,
"Take the time to rehab proactively. The tendency is to just rest and maybe cross train a bit until the pain goes away. The athlete and support team erroneously assumes that the issue is healed because the pain is gone, and beings to train hard again, leading to a recurrence. Instead of just resting and haphazardly cross training, an athlete needs to address tissue quality, length, and function of the tissues above and below the injury site at first."
That is what Boyle's regime seems to do.

It looks like my Core-x rehab order was received and I should be getting it within a week.

It feels good to finally get some cardio in. I plan to do cardio at least every other day. I have developed band of fat around my middle - per normal for most humans - and have settled in at around 150 lbs. Was 149.2 after workout today. Hope to get my weight back below 145. I just feel so much better at that weight. I never had shoulder pain doing pushups and upper body when I was lighter - but now it's starting to return. Fat just ages a person. Makes me feel old. This past month has proven to me how being sedentary and 'food sport' eating habits are addictive ... the more you eat, the more you want to; the more "ass time" ... the harder it is to get off your ass. It's making that initial change that is the hardest. That change, I made today. Now I need to maintain it.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

USA 4x100 FAIL ... again. Jamaica - WR



Why does this seem to happen a lot to the USA?

4x100m relay World Finals.

Jamaica sets another world record... even without Asafa Powell.

37.04

Doc Patton collided with Britain’s anchor, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, as he came in to make the final change to Walter Dix. Patton flipped on the track and left Dix wondering WTF???!!!

Dix would have never caught Bolt, who ran a blistering leg, but the US was deprived of a Silver.

.

Hail to the USA women 4x100 - they did it right:
GOLD!!














The highlight of the meet was the mens 200m Final
Usain Bolt -19.40 - fourth fastest 200m in history
Walter Dix - 19.70 - his season's best (.01 off his PR)
Christophe Lemaitre - 19.80 - France national record (2nd fastest ever by a caucasian)