Ry's Fitness Blog

Phys Ed - Stretching - The Truth - NYTimes.com

2008-11-05T09:47:00.000-08:00

Phys Ed - Stretching - The Truth - NYTimes.com

Why you don't stretch before you warm up.
They knew this when I was in boot camp, but not in P.E. in high school. There, we always had to stretch first. I used to complain because that made my legs cramp when we ran. So, I started pretending I couldn't stretch well, because I was really inflexible. Then I jogged the mile we were supposed to run, and stretched lightly when the coach wasn't looking.
It's sad to have to hide to do proper exercise techniques. I think our high school coaches and P.E. instructors should be required to do 13 hours of ongoing education per year and be licensed as athletic trainers. (In Idaho, trainers must be licensed and required to do 26 hours of ongoing education every 2 years.) Maybe then we could help prevent teaching people bad habits; Maybe we could even teach good ones in their place. Isn't that was P.E. is for?

Rowing Machine Workout

2008-11-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

Rowing machines are great. They can be stuffed in a closet or corner when not in use, they don't need a lot of instructions to use, and they are nice on the joints in ways walking isn't. And the best part? You can pick one up for $10 or less at your nearest thrift store.
Most people think rowing machines are only good for the upper body, but that's totally wrong! Just try one! They definitely work out the legs, abdomen, back, lats, and the upper body with pecs, shoulders, and arms. This is the overall cardio workout you're looking for if you can't afford a gym or expensive equipment.

Like anything else, rowing machines require dedication and commitment to your workout plan. They also aren't going to make you thin and attractive overnight. And face it, there are a lot of people out there that thin isn't going to make pretty... but thin and ugly has to be better than fat and ugly. :P

Using a rowing machine is so easy, too. You just sit down, , grab the handles, and slide the seat forward until your legs are bent a little more than 90 degrees. That's easy enough. If you can't get that far because of range of motion problems, talk to your doctor to see if this exercise is ok for you right now. Otherwise, put your arms straight out in front of you with the "oars" extended. Push back with your legs, but leave your arms out. Then, when your legs are almost straight, pull the handles back. The faster you do this, the more resistance you will get. Start slow or you'll hurt! To come back to starting position, just relax, push your arms forward, and pull your body forward with your legs by bending them.

Keep your elbows in. Curve your back just a little. Let your joints roll with the motion. Start slowly and build up once you catch the rhythm of rowing. Now, close your eyes and pretend you're on a lake, not carpet. This might work better if you get a blue rug! *grin*

To time myself, I watch a TV anime episode. Mnie have the commercials cut out, so that's 20-25 minutes per session. You can also use a TV show you like that's 30 minutes long, and slow down during the commercials. This lets you hit your target heart rate, but come back down before it gets to high. If you aren't rowing that hard, just work through the commercials. With this plan, you don't miss your show, AND you get exercise. It beats being a couch potato, doesn't it?

It might stink at first, but it gets better. Eventually, it gets fun, and you feel pumped and alive afterwards. This only happens if you really work hard, though. Just drifting doesn't do much, though it is better than sitting on a couch eating potato chips and packing on pounds.

The basic workout is like this:

Begin with a 5 minute warm-up on a light resistance setting, rowing slowly. Concentrate on your form and get your rhythm going. Begin to build your speed and resistance to a level that puts you into your target heart rate zone. (I'll post more on this later.) Stay in your target heart rate zone for the next 20 minutes while varying your rowing speed and resistance level as needed to keep from tiring before the 20 minutes is over. If you consistently go over your target heart rate (if you don't have a monitor, if your heart is beating so hard and fast it almost aches a little) work in intervals. Row for 2-3 minutes then glide slowly for a minute, then row again. Eventually, you'll build up to the point that 20 minutes of hard rowing is nothing. That's when you know you won! But don't stop there. Keep going. Keep doing this 20 minutes of extreme cardio exercise at least 3 days a week.

The last 5 minutes are for the cool down. Gradually slow your rowing speed and reduce the resistance to a minimum. Don't stop abruptly, use this time to let your body cool off and get your heart rate down. As your heart rate begins to decrease, let go of the handle and just use your legs to slowly glide forward and back. Continue gliding while doing some slow neck and shoulder rolls.

When you are done, stretch! Always stretch when you're warm and keep stretching to stay flexible! Building muscle and losing fat is an awesome goal, but if you can barely bend because of it, what good does it do you? Statues aren't all that fun for more than 5-10 minutes. :D

The next post will be about finding your target heart rate, the fact that 1 pound of fat is 3500 calories, and how to do every day things that help burn those calories, without even having to know you're exercising. Beware, it's Autumn leaf raking season! Go get your gloves, and let's get started.

No More Pain!

2008-11-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

I have no more pain from the meds. I'm so happy!
I'm on Lyrica on Keppra now, and doing well after some dosage adjustments.
So! ... Now it's time to add real exercise to the stretching. I'm pulling out my rowing machine and I'm going to do 25 minutes a day, 3 days a week. That's on top of the fact that I am running around at work, pick up rocks and clean up my huge yard at home, and working on the barn.

I also am going to buy a midrange pedometer. I've heard the cheap ones are wildly inaccurate, and I'd rather have it giving me good information. 10,000 steps a day, here I come!

Shoulder Exercises

2008-09-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

Wheee! The pain in my bad shoulder is back. Along with tendon problems in both my knees. I do think I'm falling apart a little bit at a time. I hate meds. They hate me. Can't we just agree to disagree and pare company?
So! On to the exercises.
Later, I'll post some new knee and leg strengtheners, too.

1. Climbing the wall
Put your hand flat on a wall in front of you. Use your fingers to "climb" up the wall (like a "spider"). As you move your fingers up little by little, stop and hold your hand in place for 30 seconds every few inches. Move your fingers up the wall as high as you can reach. Keep trying to go higher.
2. Codman exercise
Sit sideways in a straight chair. Rest your armpit on the back of the chair. Now swing your arm slowly in circles. Make little circles at first and then make bigger circles. Make the circles in both directions.
3. Reaching
Put things you use every day (shoes, coffee cup, toothbrush) on a high shelf. This way you have to reach up for things more often. The reaching is a good stretch for your shoulder.

Do the exercises once or twice a day even after your shoulder gets better. Your shoulder will only get better if you do the exercises. Don't forget to exercise your healthy shoulder too so that you can maintain the movement that you have in that shoulder.

Read the whole article on adhesive capsulitis.

2008-05-04T10:38:00.001-07:00

I haven't really been maintaining this blog since I switched to Lyrica. My legs aren't hurting anymore, and I eat just fine most of the time.

It's Spring, though, and I'll be out hiking soon. I'll have to cross post some things in here about how to get the most out of a hike from a fitness perspective.

The Lyrica is making me tired, so we'll see how that balances against exercising, and how much exercising helps.

Not Good to Myself

2008-03-07T11:06:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, I had ramen for breakfast, then some Pringles snack stix.
For lunch, at about 3:30pm, I had a 16oz can of stew.
Then I had two packages of string cheese between 6 and 8pm, and a Snicker's bar at around 8:15pm.
Add to that 1 Sunkist Soda, 1 Orange Mt Dew, and some juice...
Then I barely slept.
No wonder I feel like crap today. I have to stop doing this to myself.

So far today I've had 3 pancakes with peanut butter and honey on them, 1 orange, and a can of 7-Up. At noon, I'll go eat more.

Mm.. Lasagna, seasoned potato wedges, hush puppies, and a granny smith apple!
I feel like a pig! But I took the stairs instead of the escalator. Does that count for something?

Update Time

2008-03-02T12:30:00.000-08:00

So, I've been too busy and feeling too unwell to remember I even had this blog. Oops!

Today I've had:

Breakfast: 2 eggs, scrambled. 1 cup cottage cheese. 1/2 serving dry cereal (corn pops), 1 sunkist soda, 12oz lemonade.

I am finally off the Topamax and on Lyrica. My legs are back to normal, and I'm getting to be more active again.

Lateral Deltoids

2008-02-11T10:31:00.000-08:00

I hurt this muscle on my left shoulder years ago.
It's not an easy muscle to stretch, I have to tell you. The deltoids to the front and rear are pretty simple, but not this one, because you can't take your arm inside your body, you know?
So, instead, I try to work on keeping it warm and moving. I do simple stretches just to keep my whole shoulders loose. I stand in a doorway with both hands straight out at my sides, and then step forward as if I am going through the doorway, allowing my arms to be pushed back slightly. This stretches the anterior (front) deltoid. Then I cross one arm across my chest and use the other arm to pull it slightly around my body keeping the elbow straight. This stretches the posterior (back) deltoid.

I do 5 reps of each and hold for 5 seconds each 2 times a day.
Once a week, when I am remembering to be fit, I also do lifts for my lateral deltoids. These are pretty simple. I get 16 oz cans of fruit or veggies. (That's a whole pound! Don't scoff, it's heavier than it seems! *giggle*) I hold them in my hands with my hands in towards my sides, then slowly lift my hands with my arms straight so my arms end up straight out from my body, then keep them there for 10 seconds, and slowly bring them down. 20 reps, then I'm done. This isn't exercise, remember. It's more like reminding the muscle to stay limber.
This should probably be done every day, but I'm busy, and also kind of lazy.

Sitting Piriformis Stretch

2008-02-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

These are SO easy to do.
Cross one leg over the other as seen in the picture.
Now, grasp your ankle, and draw it across your body towards your opposite chest. This will stretch the piriformis muscle. You should feel this stretch slightly to the outside of the hip area.
Hold this stretch for 30 seconds.
Do 2 stretches per side per set 2 sets per day to begin with, then move up to 5 per set as you get more limber. This muscle is very close to the sciatic nerve, so you do not want to pull too hard. Be careful.

You can stretch the hip area by gently leaning forward until you feel a stretchy feeling in your buttocks area. Don't lean so hard it hurts. This one is really great, because you can do this at work throughout the day or at home without any need for space, or even having to vacuum the floor. *grin*

Day 13

2008-02-11T09:57:00.000-08:00

Wow! My legs are feeling better today. Cutting down to 75mg of Topamax a day seems to have helped a lot. Still no headache yet.

Still doing stretches: 2 types for piriformis, 2 for calf, 2 for hamstring, 1 upper back, 1 deltoid. (I'll post the piriformis, upper back, and deltoid today.)

12 oz Sierra Mist to start the day. (I know, I know...)

Breakfast, 10 am: 2 omelettes with ham, cheese, bell peppers, and onions. 3 sausage links. ... brought back a banana for a snack later. 16 oz lemonade.

Calf Stretch # 2

2008-02-10T13:15:00.000-08:00

Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you.
Lean forward and grab the arches of your feet.
Pull your toes toward your body until a stretch is felt in your calf muscles.
Hold for 10 seconds.
Repeat 10 times per set.
Do 2 sets per day.

Calf Stretch # 1

2008-02-10T13:14:00.000-08:00

Stand one foot away from a wall.
Extend one leg behind you, keeping both feet flat on the floor,and your rear knee straight.
Lean into the wall until you feel tension in the calf muscle of the extended leg.
Hold for 10 seconds.
Repeat with the other leg.
Repeat 10 times per set.
Do 2 sets per day.

Hamstring Stretch # 4

2008-02-10T13:12:00.001-08:00

Stand one foot from a wall and place your hands on the wall at shoulder-height, shoulder-width apart.
Take a step back with one leg while pushing into the wall.
Keep your back straight and press your heels into the floor.
Hold for 10 seconds.
Step forward and repeat.
Repeat 10 times per set.
Do 2 sets per day.

Hamstring Stretch # 3

2008-02-10T13:10:00.000-08:00

Stand and cross your right foot in front of your left.
Slowly lower your forehead to your right knee by bending at the waist.
Keep both knees straight.
Hold this position for 10 seconds.
Relax for 10 seconds.
Repeat by crossing your left foot in front of your right.
Repeat each side 10 times per set.
Do 2 sets per day.

Hamstring Stretch # 2

2008-02-10T12:02:00.000-08:00

Sit on the floor with one leg out straight.
Bend the other leg at the knee and position the sole of that foot against your opposite inner thigh.
Extend your arms and reach forward over the one straight leg, by bending at the waist, as far as possible.
Hold this position for 10 seconds.
Relax for 10 seconds.
Repeat 10 times per set.
Do 2 sets per day.

Hamstring Stretch # 1

2008-02-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

Sit on the floor with both legs out straight.
Extend your arms and reach forward, by bending at the waist, as far as possible while keeping your knees straight.
Hold this position for 10 seconds.
Relax for 10 seconds.
Repeat 10 times per set.
Do 2 sets per day.

Tip: Note how far you can reach when you start this, then note how far you can reach after 3 months of this. You will notice a large difference if you stay dedicated to this.

Muscle Preparation

2008-02-10T11:56:00.000-08:00

And how, exactly, do we get in shape without hurting ourselves more? As we get out of shape, especially sitting in a chair all day at work as most geeks do, our muscles get week and they get shortened. So, when we decide to get up and get active, we pull and strain muscles unused to doing anything serious.
First, we need to start by stretching these muscles and getting them prepared for what's to come!
A series of posts about stretches for particular muscle sets will follow in the days to come, starting with the legs. Since I love to walk and hike, these are the muscles I am most likely to damage. Due to my recent injury/medication side effect, these muscles are cramping, so I need to get them stretched out and ready to go before Spring gets here, anyway.

Day 12

2008-02-10T11:49:00.001-08:00

More stretches this morning. It's getting easier to do that.

Breakfast: 2 pieces of buttered white toast. 12 oz Sunkist soda. 12 oz lemonade. 12 oz water. Am I floating yet? 2 sausage links. 1 small orange. I was hungry, but what was available killed that pretty quickly. I'll eat more for lunch.

Moved 3 computers to storage. Had to completely rearrange the storage room to do that. The process took about an hour. I know that's not what normally comes to mind when we think exercise, but it definitely was.

Lunch: A HUGE backed potato with butter, salt, and pepper. Chicken with a mild barbecue sauce. A half piece of corn on the cob with butter.

Dinner: One slice of pepperoni and bacon pizza. 12 oz Sierra Mist soda.

Total of 102 oz of mixed lemonade and water.

Day 11

2008-02-09T15:23:00.000-08:00

Woke to legs and feet so cramped and spasming that I couldn't even moved my toes. Forced myself to stretch enough to get moving, and had Aaron drive me to work.

I am not exercising today, but I have been walking around off and on. Definitely an escalator day. 32 oz water before I left the house.

Breakfast: 2 pieces white toast with peanut butter and honey. 24 oz water.

Snack: 20 oz lemonade and water, 4 wheat sesame crackers

Lunch: Salad: lettuce, sunflower seeds, green onions, ranch dressing Potatoes au gratin and 2 thick slices of ham. 16 oz caffeine free root beer, 24 oz water.

I am NOT drinking any more water. I'll explode.

3:00 pm, more stretches just to be able to get up and move again to go fix an ATM machine... 10 min before I can get my left knee to bend.

Day 10

2008-02-09T15:18:00.000-08:00

Wake up, do stretches, do stomach crunches, drink water. Repeat. I'm turning this into a morning routine.

Breakfast: 8am Oatmeal with butter, milk, and brown sugar. Oyster crackers. plain potato chips. Water mixed with a little lemonade.

Lunch: Mashed potatoes, butter, salt. Ham. 10 oz root beer.

Snack: More oyster crackers. 1 blackened prawn. Too spicy! Ouch!

Dinner: All beef hot dog with mustard, plain potato chips, 12 oz lemonade.

100 oz water total for the day.
6oz Sunkist soda

Paced around my porch. Did evening stretches. Wiggled into a tunnel dug in some snow under a semi trailer to hook up a winch. Not sure that really counts as exercise. Took the steps instead of the escalator. That has to count for something. Had to go upstairs 4 times. My legs didn't hurt too badly, they were mostly just stiff today.

Day 9

2008-02-07T21:33:00.001-08:00

Totally lazy today.

Did all my stretches at about 10 am, reallllly slowly, in bed. Refused to actually get out of bed until noon, except to drink grape juice at 6am and again at 10.

Noon, brunch! 2 egg omelette with polska keilbasa, garlic, green onions, and cheese. Real butter to keep the eggs from sticking, salt, and pepper. And... grape juice! (I'm so predictable. heh)

Ummm.. snacks? Pringles wheat sticks. Taste nummy, smell gross. DO NOT SNIFF! Don't ask. Just don't do it.

12 oz Sunkist soda

Demolished a whole pitcher of grape juice today and about 32 oz of water. I was really thirsty.

Then Aaron brought me cinnamon bears! My favorite! And they burned my tongue! I don't think I like the Topamax anymore. :( I ate several anyway. (10 by the time class was over, I think.)

Then, after I got home from class, I decided I was actually hungry, so I eat the rest of my queso burrito... but now I want more, but my tummy says I don't.
So, I'm thinking popcorn. There's always room for popcorn, right?
Fresh homemade real popcorn with real butter and sea salt. Mmmm... Not the nuked stuff that comes in a bag. That's sacrilege.

Day 8

2008-02-07T21:28:00.000-08:00

Day 2 of Physical Therapy

Water water water and more water. Blech, ok?!

1/2 a Q'Doba Chicken Queso Burrito for lunch. Black beans, Roja Salsa, Cheese.
These things are like, the size of a newborn. 1/2 of one is an accomplishment when I'm feeling normal. I'm proud of eating this much at once. About 20 oz of root beer, too. Things are spicier than they used to be.

Shoveled tons of snow. (Ok, maybe not, but it took an hour to get it moved.) Then used a normal shovel to chop ice off the sidewalk. I'm SO sick of Winter. C'mon, Spring!

Grape juice! YOM! About 24oz between lunch and bed time. Plus more water.

Fried rice for dinner:
Steamed white rice fried with green onions, garlic, and ham in peanut oil. Eggs added, of course. Yummmmmy. Ben loved this, too. Salt added after cooking, since I skipped the soy sauce. Had about 2 cups.

Also had random snacks throughout the day, probably added up to about 6 saltines, 5 mint ice cream Nibs, and 10 grapes. Nothing huge.

Evening stretches for therapy.

Day 7

2008-02-05T23:46:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 Waffles, 1 Sausage patty

10 butter sautéed shrimp, 1 cup steamed jasmine rice

12 oz Sunkist soda

12 oz water

32 oz mixed water and lemonade

Physical Therapy started today. Mostly minor stretches to check range of motion. Ice for 20 min. Ouch.

Did my stretches tonight. Ouch more. I hurt.

No exercise. No no no.

Day 6

2008-02-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Breakfast: 8am 1 orange 4 grapes 1 small cinnamon roll 1 sausage link 7 oz lemonade

Lunch: Noon Hot dog with mustard and 1 slice white bread, salad with iceberg lettuce purple cabbage green onions sunflower seeds and ranch dressing, some sort of orange cake with whipped cream frosting, 13 oz lemonade, 10 oz root beer.

Snack: 3pm granola bar, 2.5oz bag plain potato chips, 20oz lemonade

Dinner: 5:20pm 1 slice ham, 2 buffalo wings, 1 cup steamed white rice, 1/2 cup steamed baby carrots with sesame and carroway seeds and more stupid lemonade

I am SO STUFFED! I'm going to go die now.

Appx miles walked today: 5

Day 5

2008-02-03T02:56:00.001-08:00

3am - Spent the last 3 hours shoveling snow and scraping ice off my porch so we could put rock salt down, and then digging out the fire hydrant across the street. I definitely need to consume more calories.
Oh, and I drank 12 oz more apple juice and more water.

8:00 am - More apple juice, more water, teddy grahams, back to bed.

Noon - Microwaved burrito, more apple juice
1/2 hour leg and back stretches

3pm 16 oz Water

6:15pm Mac and Cheese, 4oz apple juice, 10 oz lemonade

Day 4

2008-02-02T13:45:00.000-08:00

10 am, 24 oz water, 12 oz koolaid

noon, 24 oz koolaid, 6 oz Sunkist
2 sausage patties, 1 egg, 2 pieces of toast with butter

1pm - 1:45pm Cleaned house. (If it works up a sweat, it's exercise in my book.)

4:00 pm 1/2 cup Chicken and rice soup, 5 saltines, 10 oz apple juice, 12 oz koolaid between 2 and 4, and some teddy grahams.

Lots more water and apple juice...

8:30pm Soft taco with onions and cheese.

Day 3

2008-02-01T23:00:00.000-08:00

Now I know why yesterday was hurting so fiercely. Kidney stone. 3mm. Started hurting around 6am. Finally passed it around 7pm. Went to the ER where they pumped me full of morphine and phenergan then gave me scripts for phenergan and percoset. Yum... not.

So, no, I didn't exercise today, either.
I did drink 32 oz of water and 32 oz of koolaid on top of the 2 saline bags put into my IV. I also had 8 saltines, 5 triscuits, a handful of honey Teddy Grahams, and a few pieces of smoked sausage.

No update on weight today. My bathroom scales appear to say 128lbs.
Too bad sleep isn't an exercise that counts. I could burn tons of calories.

Day 2

2008-01-31T15:31:00.000-08:00

I hurt from sciatica, and I'm not doing anything today. I don't care.

Doctor's office, 10 am: 128lbs, 5'6" tall, BP 115/90, RHR 82BPM

About 2pm
Ate 1/2 bowl of Tuna Noodle Casserole the way we make it...
Egg Noodles, Tuna, Cream of Chicken, Salt, Pepper

By 3:40 pm, 8oz Sunkist Soda, 14oz Water, 12 oz Koolaid

5:30 pm 6 Triscuits, 6 quarter pieces of summer sausage, 3 squares cheddar, 24 oz koolaid, 14oz water

7-8:15pm, broke my resolve to refuse to do anything today and dug the trash can out of the snow bank, also made a mental note to get the fire hydrants dug out better. The fire department does this, God bless them, but I think it needs to be done a little better. Winter and snow are really not protection from a house fire. You just end up standing outside in the freezing cold in a blanket watching everything you own as it immolates as opposed to doing so in moderate temperatures.

8:30 pm 4 onion rings, 1 corn dog, 8oz sunkist, 32oz lemonade

11:31pm, woke up thirsty, drank the rest of my lemonade (appx 8oz), drank a full glass of water. (14-15oz. Most of the glasses around here hold a pint.)

Day 1

2008-01-30T12:04:00.000-08:00

Shoveled snow from driveway with regular shovel and snow shovel from about 7:45am until 8:45am.

10am
1/2 bowl of soup (Appx 10 oz?) made from leftover stir fry and rice
32oz grape juice.

(Stir fry contained baby corn, szechuan sauce, chili paste, garlic, green onions, peas, broccoli, and beef cooked in peanut oil.)

By 12:15 am, 32 oz water consumed

3:15pm, walked 1/4 mile though knee deep crusted and semi packed snow. (Step up, pause, sink, this has to count or burning more calories than just walking. It's like stair climbing plus pulling one's feet out of mud all in one activity.)

4:00 pm 5 Wendy's Chicken Nuggets and a Baked potato with 2 packages of fake butter, salt, and pepper. 6 oz Sunkist Soda. 12 oz water.

I was going to go shovel more snow, but the sciatica said no, so I'm going to go do some really light stretches, and try to find a comfortable position to lay down now.

10:45 pm 1 pepperoni pizza hot pocket and more grape juice (10 0z?)

This is all Cassie's Fault

2008-01-30T11:09:00.000-08:00

So, I know this girl Cassie, and she's trying to get fit... and somehow, I decided to do this with her. Am I a sucker, or what?
Ok, don't answer that.

I'm going to try reallllly hard to post every day with 1) what I ate and 2) what I did that counts as exercise, and no, typing and talking don't count. Heck, if they did, I'd be an Olympian! WOOOO! But I'm not, so, here we go.

I'll also try to track my heartrate and such, like she's doing, but I can't promise I'll always remember everything. I kinda suck at stuff like that.

A side benefit is this: if I remember to track my meds and stuff here, if my doctor needs it, I can always find it. :P