Thanks Jimmy & Geech - maybe I’m turning into a skinny bastard like mday - LOL
Actually I hope to loose that residual gut and then add meat instead of fat over the fall and winter.
Rehab update: coming up on two weeks of doing rehab exercises morning and night and I must say I’m seeing improvement in the day to day irritation of the shoulder. BUT: (whine) my freakin’ back between the scaps and just below is constantly aching and nearly cramping during the day working. I’ve started foam rolling and using the dual tennis ball thing along my spine but am really interested in any other suggestions you guys may have to help out…(/whine)
The shake rock 'n roll of the fast downhill mountain biking also take a toll.
I’d say it’s not getting stretched enough. Might be your neck too since the muscles run down that way.
Are you doing any back/lat stretching, Soldog? I wonder if that might help.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
I’d say it’s not getting stretched enough. Might be your neck too since the muscles run down that way.[/quote]
Second looking at the neck musculation, too. Any of your rehab involve unusual neck extension?
Thanks guys! I have been stretching but probably not enough. I’m also looking into a massage therapist to try (for the first time in my life).
[quote]1Geech wrote:
skidmark wrote:
I’d say it’s not getting stretched enough. Might be your neck too since the muscles run down that way.
Second looking at the neck musculation, too. Any of your rehab involve unusual neck extension?[/quote]
Nope - right now all the work is on shoulder rotations both internal and external along with scap retraction, dynamic and isometric.
I ordered a Theracane for another dimension in self-massage, planning on picking it up in the States. Will report on its usefulness. But I would prefer the hands-on approach if push came to shove.
[quote]soldog wrote:
1Geech wrote:
skidmark wrote:
I’d say it’s not getting stretched enough. Might be your neck too since the muscles run down that way.
Second looking at the neck musculation, too. Any of your rehab involve unusual neck extension?
Nope - right now all the work is on shoulder rotations both internal and external along with scap retraction, dynamic and isometric.[/quote]
Between bike riding and computer work, your neck may be in extension a good part of the day.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
Between bike riding and computer work, your neck may be in extension a good part of the day.[/quote]
Damn - you are absolutely right! I was focusing on exercises as opposed to other daily stuff. I have been attempting to correct the posture during work but it is a long road to walk. Bike riding is more problematic because the only way to see forward is to lift your head. I’ll just have to work on moving my head around rather than constantly looking up at the same angle.
Any suggestions on stretching those hard to stretch mid-back areas?
Just put your chin on your chest for 30 secs.
Ouch! just tried it myself and it looks like I could use some of that.
[quote]skidmark wrote:
Just put your chin on your chest for 30 secs.
Ouch! just tried it myself and it looks like I could use some of that.[/quote]
That’s a good one. Not quite down to the mid-back area but it gets most of the areas needing it.
Come to think of it - Years ago when I had my L5-S1 disk repaired, the x-rays also showed a thoracic vertebra that was wedge shaped. This may be exacerbating the issue right now.
3 June 2008
Weight 182.8
Two pounds up from Thursday, all that beer and chips over the weekend.
Zercher Squat: 5x135, 5x165, 5x195 (PR), 3x5 185 lbs
195 is a PR for Zerchers but the form was breaking down so I went back to 185 for sets.
Dead lift: 5x185, 5x225, 3x5x255 (PR) lbs
PR for weight and reps. I’m close to my top end for reps right now.
Chin ups: 6/6/6/6/5/5
Three more than Thursday. These are coming along nicely
DB hammer curl: 43.5 lbs 4x5, 4
Up 2.5 lbs, did these alternating arms this time. PR for weight and reps. I�??m thinking of going to an EZ-bar curl just for grins.
Bench Dips: 80 lbs 10/10/10
Plate Pinch: 2-35lb plates two handed got it off the ground and held for 5 seconds (PR)
2-45 lb plates two handed (alternating grip) got it off the ground. (PR)
Soldog,
I am going to try to get some vid recorded from this cat http://www.isr-institute.com/ He is a big proponent of stretching in an industrial climate.
Strangely enough they took this into the office environment too. It has worked wonders for my ladies in the office.
I have this on my calendar. It may take a while to get the vid together. We are slated to have the training next quarter, but unfortunately we had a loss of limb accident recently and that has us just a touch occupied.
It’s funny how industrial health (oil field in this case) applications can be adapted to the office environment.
[quote]soldog wrote:
3 June 2008
Weight 182.8
Two pounds up from Thursday, all that beer and chips over the weekend.
Zercher Squat: 5x135, 5x165, 5x195 (PR), 3x5 185 lbs
195 is a PR for Zerchers but the form was breaking down so I went back to 185 for sets.
Dead lift: 5x185, 5x225, 3x5x255 (PR) lbs
PR for weight and reps. I’m close to my top end for reps right now.
Chin ups: 6/6/6/6/5/5
Three more than Thursday. These are coming along nicely
DB hammer curl: 43.5 lbs 4x5, 4
Up 2.5 lbs, did these alternating arms this time. PR for weight and reps. I�??m thinking of going to an EZ-bar curl just for grins.
Bench Dips: 80 lbs 10/10/10
Plate Pinch: 2-35lb plates two handed got it off the ground and held for 5 seconds (PR)
2-45 lb plates two handed (alternating grip) got it off the ground. (PR)
[/quote]
yezzz - de squat and de dedli’t make evyting strong…
Great going on the PRs soldog.
[quote]j_willy3 wrote:
Soldog,
I am going to try to get some vid recorded from this cat http://www.isr-institute.com/ He is a big proponent of stretching in an industrial climate.
Strangely enough they took this into the office environment too. It has worked wonders for my ladies in the office.
I have this on my calendar. It may take a while to get the vid together. We are slated to have the training next quarter, but unfortunately we had a loss of limb accident recently and that has us just a touch occupied.
It’s funny how industrial health (oil field in this case) applications can be adapted to the office environment. [/quote]
That would be great J. Just watch out about that proprietary information stuff and posting on the internet.
I do a lot of stretching on Monday/Wednesday at Karate but that ends up mainly focused on legs and hips. I really need to get on a regular upper body stretch program.
ps - Sorry to hear about the accident. That is always a terrible impact on the person, family and co-workers.
Soldgog,
I think your recent posts bring up an interesting issue…
When it comes to nagging issues (muscle imbalances, muscle strains, aches/pains) we tend to focus on our weight training issues. We look to see if we are doing too much of one particular exercise or not enough of another (too much pulling and not enough pushing, external rotation versus internal rotation, etc). These are real issues that we need to consider when designing a routine, or rehabbing an injury, but I think we sometimes miss the things that we are doing the other 23 hours in the day.
I spent six months trying to figure out why my back was bothering me. I changed up my routine and started doing more stretching. This helped but the problem was still there. Finally, I realized that my chair at work did not fit me properly. I changed the lumbar support and continued with the stretching. Two weeks later the strain was gone.
Like you mentioned, focusing on the things you do outside of the gym will probably have huge benefits for your time in the gym.
mday
Congrats on those PR Doggie! Great work!
Soldog, it might be worthwhile to consider some neck exercises to shore up those muscles in case they are being overtaxed.
Here are some good tips:
www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/NeckWt.html
The neck responds quickly to training.
[quote]1Geech wrote:
Soldog, it might be worthwhile to consider some neck exercises to shore up those muscles in case they are being overtaxed.
Here are some good tips:
www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/NeckWt.html
The neck responds quickly to training.[/quote]
You know those are some really good exercises. And I can do the weighted versions with the set up I have at home.
Also interesting to note: This mid/upper back doesn’t bother me at all while lifting - just while sitting at the computer. Must be a work aversion thing… LOL