Aligning 50 Year Old Female

Bigger Stronger Leaner Over 35 Lifter
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[quote]Yo Momma wrote:
I can see you are having trouble with foot balance on ALL the videos, eyes open and closed.
All your weight is placed the outside of both feet, while the ball of your foot and big toe are just wiggling around uselessly.

Think of your foot as a triangle, one point is the heel, one point is the ball of the little toe and one point is the ball of the big toe.

Read this for clarification, and how to correct yourself:

http://www.yogajoy.org/writings_II.htm

[/quote]

gosh thank you so much Yo mana- w I would have been practicing it is wrong, thanx. I am all screwed up righ now- in orthotics in January, not knowing how to even walk anymore!

I am going to work on htis- I have decided to forget the ones with the eys closed for now. I was just so impressed that it made my foot tingle after all this time- I don’t really know what that means.

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OK, I did some more Mobility/Activation this morning. Went to the chiropractor after work. He said he is not surpized about my eak glute medius. But he is more intent on stretching the psoa muscles- on bth sides. Pressing the muscles with his fingers I should say. They attach to the lumbar spine. WHen he pressed the one on the left, I really felt it- I even felt it in my back, it felt sort of sickening but also very good.

I felt nothing on the right but he said he felt it quiver. I guess shortened psoas muslce would explain the “short” right leg. I remember hiking about 5 years ago and all of a sudden one quad siezed up so bad I had to stop and knee down. I worked it out, got up and 5 minutes later the other quad siezed up. Really- like charlie horses except on my quads. Looking back, that could have been when my psoas shortened.

Morning Activation/Mobility:

pretty much same as yesterday

afernoon:

modicfied tendus (basically tapping) 20 front, side, back, side, front
ronde de jambes (turned in) 16 each diection

Evening:

glute mediasu stretches- (standing and supine)
supine HF & chest stretches (basically Iyengar yoga moves)
right quadratus lumborum stretch (for me this actually stretches my abs)
real quadratus lumborum stretch (for me this is like a 1/2 downward dog)
bridges
hundreds

Supine Upper body symmetry exercises:

arm angels, W, Y, I, L
arm overhead presses (arms overhead and press into floor)
arms circles (arms in t position)
Chest presses (I lay on a series of foam yoga blocks to elevate me)
Chest Fly’s
Serratus Anterior presses
Chest Pullovers
Chest dips/dorsiflexors

These supine exercises are done on a parkey floor (so I basically have a grid to keep my body aligned to) underneath an Ikea bar table, to the underside of which I attached a mirror. I put masking tape on the legs and marked on graduations. So this is the framework in which I do most of my weights- in order to keep absolutely aligned.

I am using dumbells, and you would be SO surprized at how unsymmetrically I move my arms. I use the legs as guides when I can- so an example is with the chest presses I maintain the same part of each arm touching each leg at the same height. etc.

quad stretches
calf stretches
piriforis stretches
ball bouce 1 minute

43

Wednesday Sept 28

Same morning warmup routine.

Evening:

-Prone Back extensions (2 types)
-I did the DB retractions, Y, T, W, L’s and L’s w external rot/scarecrows/skier from the sticky thread. I was trying to get the hang of it- a little confused over the difference between W’s and L’s with ext rot. Anyway, wow, afterwards I really felt it.
That was enough.

Stretching

-adductors
-quads
-calves
-lats
-glut medius (and side of torso)
-W’s on a foam block
-Overhead (Y’s) on a foam block
-Chest/back/HF’s on foam blocks.

I really don’t know what to call these stretches. I learnt them in Iyengar yoga. They really stretch out the front on the torso

I really regret not doing upper back extension exercises long before now. I have always been good with legs and abs, lower back, butt but haven’t done upper back/scapula exercises until recently- one reason I really like TNation because of someones article about ignoring the upper back really struck a chord with me.

Anyway, my back- in around L1-T6 almost spazzed out after doing those YTWL’s etc. OK, so I think I did them 3 times. The last time I experimnented holding onto a shower curtian pole because I want to ensure symmetry. Maybee the pole was too heavy. Geesh- so shocking I am so weak in my upper back. And yes, I actually overdid it without even using any weight. I really need to be careful.

OTOH, at my gym, I have done lat pulldowns and seated rows and I use a very high (for me) weight. I guess like 60 pouhds for the rows. So how can these “mobilizations” be so much harder. I think the seated row is easier because there is a support that you press your chest against, whereas with these mobilzations there is nothing helping. Plus rows really aren’t extension. So I guess it is thoracic extension that I am so weak at- not really scapula retraction. But my chest was supported for these mobilizations so I wasn’t really extending, although it felt like it. Whatever I am confused. Those mobilizations certianly mobilized something that hasn’t been touched in a long time.

44

I like this :

45

Welcome aboard and all the best with the reconstruction. “We can rebuild her, we have the technology. She’ll be bigger, stronger, faster & straighter than before”. Give’r Hell!

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[quote]streamline wrote:
Welcome aboard and all the best with the reconstruction. “We can rebuild her, we have the technology. She’ll be bigger, stronger, faster & straighter than before”. Give’r Hell! [/quote]

But sometimes faster isn’t better.

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[quote]streamline wrote:
Welcome aboard and all the best with the reconstruction. “We can rebuild her, we have the technology. She’ll be bigger, stronger, faster & straighter than before”. Give’r Hell! [/quote]

Thanx Streamline :slight_smile:

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[quote]cavalier wrote:

[quote]streamline wrote:
Welcome aboard and all the best with the reconstruction. “We can rebuild her, we have the technology. She’ll be bigger, stronger, faster & straighter than before”. Give’r Hell! [/quote]

But sometimes faster isn’t better.[/quote]

haha

49

ok, so I have had an eventful week since I last posted. I haven’t done too much exercising because I have been temporarily very confused over what to do.

One thing is I finally went for my followup appointment with the neurologist. She feels sure that it is NOT sciatica. I went to another doctor and both seem to think it is a myofascial thing. The neurologist again tested my nerve-muscle connections and they are fine. Reflecting on what all she did, I wonder why she didn’t test my nerves as they come out of the spine- maybe the muscle/nerve connections are ok but the nerves themselves have problems. She is ordering an MRI of my lumbar spine which I should get in about 4 months but she doesn’t seem to think it will show much.

I more fully described all my pins and needle and numbness etc to her, and also how it moves around and she said this most definitely is NOT how nerve compression works.

I have a couple of crazy ideas then on what it is, especially as 2 doctors have mentioned a myofascial possibility and also mentioned fibromyalgia (which I personally always thought was sort of bogus- what irony it would be if I actually have it)

I still think the problem stems from malalignment- consider a person with a rotated pelvis- well the legs and torso and arms and everything has to match up with the pelvis- the whole body can’t just rotate in space to align with the pelvis because they must walk around . So wouldn’t that cause pulling on the fascia?

Gosh, what a horrible idea. And I hate to say it but I have read that ligaments lose strength at menopause because of the decreased lack of estrogen and that maybe is why all of this is happening now and not 5-10 years ago. Though lots of younger women get fibromyalgia so I am not sure. In any event I went in for a prescription for HRT on Friday . Lots of women I know say HRT makes them feel stronger. I was sort of against HRT but now, well, I am willing to take the risk because I just have to do something. I am getting bloodwork done and will find out next week.

So I hope I correct this.

The other thing I was doing was going to a chiropractor. I went for about 10 visists in all, twice a week. What he did really, really shook up my system. I just can’t begin to explain all the bizarre and painful things I was feeling. I have decided I will never ever (ok- never say never) go back to a chiropractor. 2 days after my last appointment I felt that my back was going to split in 2 in was so siezed up.

Re rotational training- well… I think I am going to do ANTI-ROTATIONAL TRAINING. Like learning how to open heavy doors without twisting my core. That suitcase video from here that I posted above is the perfect example. Rotational stability. I have also read that twisting provokes fibromyalgia (geez I hate to think I have that it always struck me as something I would never have)

So as for training, well I am continuing but still confused over what to do and how to do it, except to make sure I am really aligned while doing it.

One thing I know for sure is that STRENGTH will be the thing that saves me. I really feel sure of this, so I know I am at the right forum. Not I am not powerlifting, but that is my goal. I guess. POWER-STABILITY is my goal and if that means bench pressing 500 pounds then so be it- though I doubt that it does :slight_smile:

Thanx!

50

So I am actually really getting into my shoulder exercises.
I thought I would use my log here as a notebook as well, on exercises I like.

I really like the YTWL’s from the Mobility thread. They also include L with external rotation, the scarecrow and posterior flies. And they all commence with the dumbell retractions- and oftentimes I don’t even use dumbells.

I love these dumbell scapula retractions. I do them sitting at my desk and throughout the day. It’s like I am waking up muscles that have been asleep for decades. I can feel my shoulders crunch when doing these-( my physiotherapist said to not worry about shoulder crunching- she said “shoulders are very crunchy”) It feels really nice- like a self massage- just really retract the scapula and let go. And I realize that this retraction is the missing link in all back and shoulder exercises that I have never done.

I also like the idea of these single arm dumbell retractions/protractions- these will be good to train my torso not to twist when opening doors or pushing on things.

I also read in the mobility thread a very good point someone made about piriformis stretches- how they are best done lying supine to take the spine out of the equation., I find my body has all sorts of cheating patterns that I am really just now becoming aware of.

I really love these scapular mobilization exercises. I really feel my upper back tightening up is a really nice way. The asymmetries are still very disconcerting for me though. Some days (even hours/minutes) my right scapula feels more pulled in- othertimes my left scapula feels more pulled in. They rarely feel the same and that is really worrying me but they are getting closer to feeling the same so I really hope I have not waited too long to deal with this.

Blackburns:

I also like this tea-cup one but I will wait first until the more straight-forward exercises are feeling symmetrical:

so

Prone On floor:
1)Blackburns-W (2D W’s with thumbs up/palms facing each other)
2)Blackburns-Superman (arms by sides, palms up)
3)Blackburns-Diver (2D Y’s- palms facing each other)
4)Thoracic extensions (with arms in W, palms facing floor)

Supine On floor (on yoga foam blocks under a bar table):
1)Thoracic situps (ie over 1/2 foam roller)
2)Lower traps tubing stretches
3)Rows (drape tubing over bar table and lay underneath)
4)Facepulls (ditto)
5)Lat Pulldowns (drape tubing around table legs)

Prone On bench:
1)Dumbell retractions (palms facing)
2)Y’s (swings from vertical hanging down to horizontal- palms facing each other)
3)T’s (swings from vertical hanging down to horizonatal- palms facing floor)
4)W’s (lift/swing from vertical hanging down palms facing rear to horizontal palms facing floor)
5)L’s (lift from vertical hanging down palms facing rear to just upper arm horizonal palms facing rear)
6)L’s with External Rotation (L’s then swing to have plams facing down)
7)Scarecrow (L’s with external roationthen straighten arms overhead to have palms facing floor)
8)Skier (from diving to superman positions- palms facing each other throughout)
9)Posterior Flies (palms facing)

and Scap RETRACTIONs precede each exercise!

that’s a lot. I won’t do it all in one day.

51

Welcome Reconstruction.

That DieselCrew rehab video is great. I followed it religously for a couple of months and it sorted my shoulders out.

I still do the face pulls, db scaptions and pull aparts from there regularly. I think you are spot on about concentrating on the scap retraction work. Since I did it I can now feel my scapula working when I do press ups and other exercises (I never could before).

Best of luck with getting yourself all sorted out.

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[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
Welcome Reconstruction.

That DieselCrew rehab video is great. I followed it religously for a couple of months and it sorted my shoulders out.

I still do the face pulls, db scaptions and pull aparts from there regularly. I think you are spot on about concentrating on the scap retraction work. Since I did it I can now feel my scapula working when I do press ups and other exercises (I never could before).

Best of luck with getting yourself all sorted out.[/quote]

thanx!

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Here is a picture i really like showing the fascia- see how it’s all connected. So if someone has say illiotibeal band “frictio” syndrome from their leg rotating too much internally, that is the fascia and it would be pulling on other parts of their body- it is all connnected. This piscture really says a lot to me… (I am sorry- I forget where I downleaed the picture from)

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wow- so I just did the prone bench DB retrations, YTWL, L with exrot, scarecrow, skier series. I put the bench in front of a wall mirror and faced the mirror. Then I put a small stand mirror under the bench so I could look down (under the bench) while doing the exercises and see my reflection in the wall mirror.

What I found was that my arms don’t line up etc. Like, if I was just doing these exercises the way that feels natural, my arms - say in the T position, would be slanted, like an airplane banking. Etc.

That is one reason I really don’t want to go hog wild on weights until I make sure I am aligned- otherwsie I would just be ingraining bad form.

Anyway, just in case someone is reading and is concerned about their own form, I think this was a really illustratative example. I think I will always do my exercasies like this- the prone bench ones anyway. Next time I will place a chair on either side and use them as guides.

I am really upset about all of this. The last time I did weights on an ongoing basis was around 2007 and I did not feel any difference between the sides of my back. But maybe I just wasn’t aware.

I think I am doing the right thing- at least aim for symmetry. I’m going to have another look at the YTWL video, try to see how symmetric he is. There is a part of me that wants to do a bunch of unilateral exercises on my left side- like a bunch of dumbell retractions and rows- I am very tempted but also hesiatant. I have an appouintment with a PT tomorrow so I’ll ask.

I went to hot yoga last night. Wow, I have really gone downhill but I wasn’t quite as bad as I thought I would be.

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Hello, well I have been busy but I have actually continued with my workouts every day. I am still experimenting a lot. I am trying Egoscue exercises, also some pelvic alignment exercises. Core. Shoulder mobilizations.

I was so excited around Wednesday this week because for about 2 days in a row my shoulders and back felt symmetrical. Yep. I was really scared that would never happen again. They are different right now but that’s ok, I see things evolving.

I just came back from the gym. I have to admit I really prefer going to the gym. I want to work on the discipline of working out at home alone but I prefer the gym. I always feel very happy coming home from the gym. Ofcourse I did cardio- that’s probably why. But I also did some machines. I am up to 60 pounds on the upright rows. I did some tricep dips, some posterior flys and my fav, the glute/ham raise and the abductor machine.

I am still a bit all over the place but at least I am doing stuff.

I also ditched my orthotics today. Looking back, I think my back problems became bad when I started wearing these things. I wore my Nike Frees for 30 mins on the elliptical and 20 mins on the treadmill plus walking there and back and doing some weights and my feet are very very happy. Yes one foot pronates more than the other- it is more flexible I think. But that has been going on for at least 3 years and I bet my body adjusted to that. And now with the orthotics, it’s been almost a year and I am still not adjusting.

I think I am going to post a question about my back work. Like the lower traps work. It seems that I am becoming lordotic in my mid back? Like, weird but I can’t really figure out where the trasnition from lordosis to kyphosis is suppoed to occur. Anyway, all my back exercises are most certianly flattening my thoracic spine and in fact seems to be doing too much lower down.

what else- I saw great youtube video of a 73 year old body builder. Very inspiring. I had no idea a post menopausal woman could build muscle like that! I still feel sure that becoming much stronger is the best thing I can do for myself, and this video shows me that it is possible. I have no desire to lift huge amounts of weight but I do want to become very strong- this year has been a real wakeup call.

here is the video:

here is another one:

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Congrats on your progress. Sounds great that things seem to be lining up.

Puzzled by your lordosis thing, the spine is one tough sucker and takes a lot to bend it out of shape. If you’re not sure what’s going on back there, I’d suggest having your doc take a look.

Those 70+ ladies are amazing. Did you know Old Navy, who posts here, is 67?

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[quote]cavalier wrote:

Congrats on your progress. Sounds great that things seem to be lining up.

Puzzled by your lordosis thing, the spine is one tough sucker and takes a lot to bend it out of shape. If you’re not sure what’s going on back there, I’d suggest having your doc take a look.

Those 70+ ladies are amazing. Did you know Old Navy, who posts here, is 67?

[/quote]

Thanx Cavalier! I guess my spine matches up. Thanx for saying the spine is a tough sucker- sometimes, I dunno, I feel like I may change it with weights.

I showed my back to my physio- my skin is sort of puckered up to about t6- I thought it was a sign of rotation but she said it can also be a sign of extension and she seems to think it is. I have shown my back now to about 5 professionals and all of them say it looks fine- maybe a very small lumbar curve. But then again, I don’t think they are really trained to look at backs- I mean they just sort of glance a it- get me to bend over etc.

I just feel a tightness in the lower thoracic since doing these mobilization exercises. The physio had me do a prone chest lift while I was bent over a table to try to separate my usage of the lumbar and thoracic. So I am thinking I will do these scapula mobilzations kneeling over a bench.

No I didn’t know Old Navy was 67! I will have to have a lookout for her posts! I am in absilute shock that the human body is capable of developing those muscles at 74. Then again, gee she drinks 3 large glasses of egg white a day. I have read that as we get older we don’t process protien as well so we actually need to eat more.

ttyl :slight_smile:

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ok, I have been busy today- I also did chest series.

I feel like I could spend all my time working my body- I mean, it seems endless and that’s why I am a bit overwhelmed.

Anyway, I think I will do chest 1 day a week.
Flys
Pullovers
Chest presses
Serratus anterior

also I will do some unilateral- there is a new artcle here on one arm dumbell presses- not that I will use that much weight but I tried it tonite and it is also good at anti-roation

I also tried one arm flys- it seemed to work just fine.

so total list

CHEST

Unilateral presses
Unilateral flys
Unilateral serratus anterior
Pullovers
Bilateral Chest presses
Bilateral Flys
Bilateral Serratus anterior
Pullovers

done on the floor on 2 layers of foam yoga blocks.

The author of that article make a good point about the shoulders flalling into interla rotation below horizontal. So maybe I won’t use the yoga blocks.

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[quote]Reconstruction wrote:

[quote]cavalier wrote:

Congrats on your progress. Sounds great that things seem to be lining up.

Puzzled by your lordosis thing, the spine is one tough sucker and takes a lot to bend it out of shape. If you’re not sure what’s going on back there, I’d suggest having your doc take a look.

Those 70+ ladies are amazing. Did you know Old Navy, who posts here, is 67?

[/quote]

Thanx Cavalier! I guess my spine matches up. Thanx for saying the spine is a tough sucker- sometimes, I dunno, I feel like I may change it with weights. [/quote]

That’s what I used to think, back when I had the back pain and they diagnosed scoliosis. Just looking at my xray almost made me lose my lunch. But I did the rehab exercises, deadlifting, light, then working my way up. Years later, I pulled 310 couple of weeks ago and spine felt great. Be careful with your spine and you can strengthen it.

Him. He posts under “Old Navy’s Quest to be Bigger”. He lists his exact training and supplement. Yes, that’s him in the avatar. I met him at a bodybuilding contest last April, he’s really enthusiastic about fitness. He’s focusing mainly on staying lean instead of building up.

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[quote]cavalier wrote:
That’s what I used to think, back when I had the back pain and they diagnosed scoliosis. Just looking at my xray almost made me lose my lunch. But I did the rehab exercises, deadlifting, light, then working my way up. Years later, I pulled 310 couple of weeks ago and spine felt great. Be careful with your spine and you can strengthen it.

Him. He posts under “Old Navy’s Quest to be Bigger”. He lists his exact training and supplement. Yes, that’s him in the avatar. I met him at a bodybuilding contest last April, he’s really enthusiastic about fitness. He’s focusing mainly on staying lean instead of building up.[/quote]

Oh, he’s a him! Thanx :slight_smile:
Thank you also about telling me about your back. Right on, that does give me hope :slight_smile: Thank you.