It's both a curse and a boon, but I rarely get the luxury of being unconcious of my body for very long. Of not paying attention to what my old and current injuries feels like and being aware of how and how hard I move.Of just forgetting about the body and just moving or not moving as the situation called for. But ingnorance is not bliss in my case and laying around all sunday aint either. All training is local but the lessons learned can very often be global.
I have been shown much from the pain and the lessons it gave in how to avoid it.It's almost easy to forget how totally messed up my back was when I can now move with almost disregard for its limitations but it doesnt take long for the universe to slap me upside the head with a teensy, weansy little electric -shock- in -the -core- of -your- being wakeup call as if to say "don't get too cocky boy, it can all still break really easily. pay attention".
One thing I have learned for sure: rest and recovery are crucial but total inactivity wrecks me. I have to move and and work to stay open EVERY DAY. Sitting and laying around for any length of times tightens me up like a big dog.It's better than it's been in decades but I have remember to do the things,and KEEP doing those things, that got me here.
One thing I have learned for sure: rest and recovery are crucial but total inactivity wrecks me. I have to move and and work to stay open EVERY DAY. Sitting and laying around for any length of times tightens me up like a big dog.It's better than it's been in decades but I have remember to do the things,and KEEP doing those things, that got me here.
And I can see this getting even more important the older I get. Mobility and flexibility top strength all day for me now.
This is different because it is just recent that I havent been forced to choose between the pain that too much joint loading( even just walking and standing!) would cause and the tightness that inactivity would. Now I don't have to choose.My increased work capacity now allows me much more activity per day and my less twisted skeleton and fascial network arent working against me so hard. But use it or lose it and so I was back in the gym this morning with my little roll out session and stick work.Getting my gymnasts body back. With ballistic swing work as my base I can still get strength without sacricing mobility.
I know the next thing to work on is getting back my squatting pattern and opening up the behind the head position has been crucial for leading up to that.Getting on the floor on a daily basis as I reclaim the ranges of motions that I had before I got injured( many many years ago) is crucial I believe, and my experiences are telling me yes as well.This goes hand in glove with my knee extension/ flexion work. As my knee and ankle open up, everything opens up. Being able to squat again, even with bodyweight, for reps is going to be a BLAST and will move my work capacity up another BIG notch when I can do it. When I get my knee replaced it will go up again.
And the better I get the more it seems that ANY restricted joint is going to cause major problems at some point in time.It truly is an interconnected web, this structure of ours. Keeping an ongoing,daily assesment of the major ROM's and immdiate repair of restricted roms before loading is a critical part of prehabilitation work. You gotta keep your eyes open.
I have always done this with my clients but never really applied it to myself. Well things are definitely different now.
This is different because it is just recent that I havent been forced to choose between the pain that too much joint loading( even just walking and standing!) would cause and the tightness that inactivity would. Now I don't have to choose.My increased work capacity now allows me much more activity per day and my less twisted skeleton and fascial network arent working against me so hard. But use it or lose it and so I was back in the gym this morning with my little roll out session and stick work.Getting my gymnasts body back. With ballistic swing work as my base I can still get strength without sacricing mobility.
I know the next thing to work on is getting back my squatting pattern and opening up the behind the head position has been crucial for leading up to that.Getting on the floor on a daily basis as I reclaim the ranges of motions that I had before I got injured( many many years ago) is crucial I believe, and my experiences are telling me yes as well.This goes hand in glove with my knee extension/ flexion work. As my knee and ankle open up, everything opens up. Being able to squat again, even with bodyweight, for reps is going to be a BLAST and will move my work capacity up another BIG notch when I can do it. When I get my knee replaced it will go up again.
And the better I get the more it seems that ANY restricted joint is going to cause major problems at some point in time.It truly is an interconnected web, this structure of ours. Keeping an ongoing,daily assesment of the major ROM's and immdiate repair of restricted roms before loading is a critical part of prehabilitation work. You gotta keep your eyes open.
I have always done this with my clients but never really applied it to myself. Well things are definitely different now.
Plus, I have to prepare for tomorrow. It's max Vo2 day again and that's no joke.
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11 comments:
Yeah man stay stretched out. You've built so much work capacity and mobility back that's something to be damned proud of.
Great post.
there has been a direct correlation between me getting back as much normal ROM as possible and the decrease in overall pain levels in my knee and shoulder. its' all connected, eh?
Mark - are there any books / dvds that you would recommendt to learn more about stretching etc? I've recently made a big improvement in my bad back after a physio I know spottted that my big problem was a tight psoas. Now when my back tightens up , if I stretch out the hip flexors, the back pain goes and everything loosens up. I've read some Paul Chek stuff on the internet which seems to make sense of this, but I'd be interested to read other similar stuff?
Chris
Thanks for that entry. You just described how I feel also - especially the part about always being aware of how to move and trying very hard to get ROM back after many injuries. It's very difficult when these injuries pile up and day to day activies become very painful. I feel a lot of pressure to get through daily activities without aggravating something. But sitting around all day is very painful so I just try to workout very carefully and stick to the skills I consider safe. It's nice to know that I'm not alone and other people are dealing with this same issue.
yes,lol, Pavels relax into stretch and fast and loose.both are classics.I used waiting out the tension techniques in gymanstics without even knowing it; as well as other techniques. so much of being able to relax into a stretch involves the mindset and breathing and basic yoga goes a long way with both those aspects.
double double.
its a slow process but if you are dilligent about opening restrictions and restoring asymmetries it can get better. much better. but it takes a lot of work and alot of conciousness and study.
double double
also, so many want to hand their bodies over to others to do all the maintenance and the 'fixing'. but one has to work on oneself as much as possible, I beleive, to really get things right.
Yeah, man. I am 22 and do not have the mileage you have, but I gotta get mobile on rest and recovery days or else I get pretty tight. Joint Mobility and walking (and sometimes a light run) work really well for me on off days. Also (since I see that you mentioned squatting), I was on vacation last week, and all I had to train w/ was a 24 kg kettlebell. I did some real minimalist training w/ 2-Hand Swings, KB Front Squats, and sprints. I did sets of 10 Front Squats and about 40 m sprints w/ sets of 20 2-Hand Swings in between (all circuit style). Let me tell you: the KB front squat is a pretty underrated exercise. It really helps me hit the "sweet spot" for deep squats.
robert,
all so true. minimialism is the best part of the kb , imo and the simplicty of the exercies belie their effectiveness.especially swings.
Thanks Mark. You make a good point. Ultimately, we are responsible for our own rehab and recovery (although guidance from a PT is very helpful). Your blog entry makes me wonder how many ex-gymnasts are in as much pain as we are? It might be more than I realized.
double,
I have NEVER met a high level gymnast that wasnt in pain and didnt have multiple serious injuries from the sport. its sad but true.
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