Well, that was close.Got the 2 am ' wake up and realize your back is locking up' call this am and a good time was not had by all. Knee or shoulder pain I can deal with, and the pain of DOMS is nothing at all unless it pulls some of my bones out of position, but back pain FREAKS ME THE HELL OUT. Like nothing else. Sheer terror.
Cause once you've experience what having your back really go out feels like you know what you're in for and believe me it ain't even close to fun.You are basically paralyzed. EVERY move you try to makes KILLS and tells you ' naw, you can't do that, try something else.' And very soon you realize there is very little more to try.Cause if your back don't work, you don't work.Nothing does.
What really got me was that I didnt know why.I had done some new stuff on wednesday but it didnt hurt then, nor thursday or friday,which is normally the cut off day.That worried me more than the pain.If I don't know what caused it it could just be something that decided it had had enough and broke. That's a long term deal that I'm not in the mood for anymore.
My abs and obliques were SCREAMING tight and I couldnt extend my back at all. You could pass a mack truck under my hips in downward dog but I knew I had to loosen them up. I just didnt know what tightened them up as I NEVER do things that load my abs anymore as this is what happens.
My length/tension relationship between my erectors and abs is a very tenuous arrangement and I know that. If my abs get too tight they are still so much stronger than my erectors they pull me right into flexion and BAM Instant back pain. Herniations, the gift that keeps on giving.
Then I realized that I had done the bear crawls with an ipsilateral arm/leg movement and that had done it. My hips were in flexion, and the abs( which get worked TONS in bear crawls) although they didnt feel it, had gotten worked too hard.When I mimiced the movement I knew right away it was the cause.I dont know which was worse, the ipsilateral movement or the ab work. Didnt matter, I had a hi pull workout to do.
And I knew if could just mobilize my hips, and get my back to get into extension instead of the too taut flexion it was strained in, that it might normalize.
Cause once you've experience what having your back really go out feels like you know what you're in for and believe me it ain't even close to fun.You are basically paralyzed. EVERY move you try to makes KILLS and tells you ' naw, you can't do that, try something else.' And very soon you realize there is very little more to try.Cause if your back don't work, you don't work.Nothing does.
What really got me was that I didnt know why.I had done some new stuff on wednesday but it didnt hurt then, nor thursday or friday,which is normally the cut off day.That worried me more than the pain.If I don't know what caused it it could just be something that decided it had had enough and broke. That's a long term deal that I'm not in the mood for anymore.
My abs and obliques were SCREAMING tight and I couldnt extend my back at all. You could pass a mack truck under my hips in downward dog but I knew I had to loosen them up. I just didnt know what tightened them up as I NEVER do things that load my abs anymore as this is what happens.
My length/tension relationship between my erectors and abs is a very tenuous arrangement and I know that. If my abs get too tight they are still so much stronger than my erectors they pull me right into flexion and BAM Instant back pain. Herniations, the gift that keeps on giving.
Then I realized that I had done the bear crawls with an ipsilateral arm/leg movement and that had done it. My hips were in flexion, and the abs( which get worked TONS in bear crawls) although they didnt feel it, had gotten worked too hard.When I mimiced the movement I knew right away it was the cause.I dont know which was worse, the ipsilateral movement or the ab work. Didnt matter, I had a hi pull workout to do.
And I knew if could just mobilize my hips, and get my back to get into extension instead of the too taut flexion it was strained in, that it might normalize.
SO, lots of dowward dogs, back bends over the stability ball, overhead decompression hangs,foam roller work on the lumbars to regain some extension in my spine and hip opening squat drills. AN hour so later I was ready to swing a bit.
Transfers, hi pull, transfers.
16 kg x 20 darcs,5/5 pulls, 10 darcs
8 sets of these=320 reps/11,700 not a bad little workload for being tweaked.
High pulls
20kgx5/5/5/5x 5 sets
100 reps/4400 lbs.
420 reps
16,100 lbs
wow, the workload was very decent.
As usual it took me forever to warmup. My back was tight on the first few reps and kept getting looser as the set went on so I knew I was on the right track.
Face pulls/ Stick presses: 5 x15 /8
pushups/halos; sets of 12-15 pushups going from kneeling to 3 rep prone. halos 8kgx10/10
Since I am preparing to teach about length tension relationships at the June level 2 cert this was an apt lesson for me in how important they really are for joint health and how you can never really forget what is unique about YOUR body and what you need to do to keep it in balance.
Get too far out of balance and the universe smacks you hard. Luckily I am not having to be spanked twice lately. I listen and adjust as soon as possible.So, no more bear crawls for me. at least in the near future. I am learning not to count any exercise out; it's out for now, but as I m seeing everyday of late, things change.
Transfers, hi pull, transfers.
16 kg x 20 darcs,5/5 pulls, 10 darcs
8 sets of these=320 reps/11,700 not a bad little workload for being tweaked.
High pulls
20kgx5/5/5/5x 5 sets
100 reps/4400 lbs.
420 reps
16,100 lbs
wow, the workload was very decent.
As usual it took me forever to warmup. My back was tight on the first few reps and kept getting looser as the set went on so I knew I was on the right track.
Face pulls/ Stick presses: 5 x15 /8
pushups/halos; sets of 12-15 pushups going from kneeling to 3 rep prone. halos 8kgx10/10
Since I am preparing to teach about length tension relationships at the June level 2 cert this was an apt lesson for me in how important they really are for joint health and how you can never really forget what is unique about YOUR body and what you need to do to keep it in balance.
Get too far out of balance and the universe smacks you hard. Luckily I am not having to be spanked twice lately. I listen and adjust as soon as possible.So, no more bear crawls for me. at least in the near future. I am learning not to count any exercise out; it's out for now, but as I m seeing everyday of late, things change.
The back feels almost normal right now and I am thankful I could put myself back into balance pretty quickly. The only thing harder than figuring out how to balance yourself is remembing to do it. All the time.
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9 comments:
Ow. Reading this makes me sore. I've had episodes of back pain over the years and I know how bad it can be - getting carried out of the office and put into a taxi home when I couldn't walk. Embarrassing....but painful.
For me a lot of it is tied up with mental stress too. The more tense I get the more worried, the more my back ceases up. Do a search on John Sarno.
My back was getting worrying this week after a 5 hour drive followed by an attempt at some stiff legged deadlifts. I ended up getting a massage which has helped and had been doing lots of stretching.
Alright, now I'm getting pissed off at you. That was TOO close. Get out of Stones and get your stubborn old *ss to see Dr. Cobb.
Here's a gem for you that I learned from him today during my priavte session. But here's the set-up first. Chronic right knee tightness/pain with hip extension AND knee flexion. Gastroc was tender to the touch--tight right? Maybe some foam roller or stretching or tissue work, right? No. Visual and vestibular work. Touch the gastroc again--no tenderness. The only things I moved were my eyes and my head.
Take home point: fascial winding is neurally mediated--the fascial system is slave to the visual and vestibular systems. If you don't correct problems with these areas, your just chasing/pushing around tightness...
Now stop screwing around and make an appointment--it'll only cost you $10 if you downloaded the ETK bonuses cause you got a $75 gift cert for a Z session with Dr. Cobb.
And if you worried about the money, I'll pay for the friggin' session myself. He'll be here in April: April 11-15 Body/Mind/Spirit Conference, Santa Clara, CA
I'd prefer for you to get your butt to Phoenix March 21-22. Heck, I'd even pay for the plane ticket if you said you'd go.
Call me, we'll talk...
geoff,
OUCH!! Loud and clear, lol! Dude offense but it's not like if I do something dumb( like bear crawls or decline situps, lol) I won't 'go out' even with Z. Z might put me in faster( which I don't doubt, yet...) but the thing I took away from this morning is that what I am doing to 'fix things' works well as well.
I just have to remember not to do stupid things. I'm trying to be good.:))
But since he'll be down the street from me in april I will make an appointment.Week before the cert, should be perfect timing.
and thanks but I can swing the money,lol. We'll talk soon.
chris, yeah man, ow.and thanks and I am familiar with sarno, he makes a lot of sense.
I think Sarno has some good stuff, but when it is really bad for me a skilled massge hitting the trigger points realy sorts it out. Wherever the tension is coming from - muscle imbalances or psychological tension - sometimes it just needs some skilled hands ot work it out.
chris I agree although I dont usually need anyone to work on me. with the rollers, thumpers back knobber, various sticks and the floor I can usually unwind it.
DUDE that sucks, bear crawls are murder on the abs too man.
I can't even relate to the back pain, I'm sorry that had to happen man.
Guess it's better to work out now what works and doesn't before the certs.
And is there anyway to strengthen your hip flexors without squatting?
Low rep double kb swings maybe?
Maybe if your hip flexors were stromger your abs couldn't domintate them.
I have no idea just throwing it out there.
royce,
good idea but the hip flexors( psoas) attach DIRECTLY into the discs of the lumbar spine. the only thing worse for me than lighting up my abs is my hip flexors,lol!
thanks for the thoughts though, I'll be fine. lots of nsaids and stretching.walk tomrrow too.
AHH....I can see how that would be bad.
I am still learning how everything fits together.
Take it easy man I want to pick your brain for years to come!!
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