2018 Health and Fitness Thread

[Accumulator]

Anybody else try the "get down, get back up" test?

From standing, get down onto the floor and then get back up *without* using your hands/elbows/knees.

Five points for both up and down for a total of ten possible, subtract one point for any hands/etc. that you need to touch the ground with.

Obviously, a score of 10 is what`s desired, but apparently scores of 8-9 also correlate well with all-cause mortality.

Apparently, most people find this incredibly challenging and there is indeed a bit of a learning curve when it comes to technique, so I wouldn`t expect most people do be able to do it right off the bat. Most people probably shouldn`t try it without warming up first, and I`d do it in an area where you have plenty of room since momentum is probably gonna be part of it. And I`d do it on a soft surface in case you fall down (perhaps pretty hard).

And I guess that brings us to knowing how to fall down without hurting yourself...easy to know, harder to do in the moment unless you have long-term experience with such stuff. Parents oughta make sure their kids learn that at an early enough age that it becomes lifelong second-nature, could make all the difference some day.

 

[RaydiantDetail]

Anybody else try the "get down, get back up" test?

From standing, get down onto the floor and then get back up *without* using your hands/elbows/knees.

Five points for both up and down for a total of ten possible, subtract one point for any hands/etc. that you need to touch the ground with.

Obviously, a score of 10 is what`s desired, but apparently scores of 8-9 also correlate well with all-cause mortality.

Apparently, most people find this incredibly challenging and there is indeed a bit of a learning curve when it comes to technique, so I wouldn`t expect most people do be able to do it right off the bat. Most people probably shouldn`t try it without warming up first, and I`d do it in an area where you have plenty of room since momentum is probably gonna be part of it. And I`d do it on a soft surface in case you fall down (perhaps pretty hard).

And I guess that brings us to knowing how to fall down without hurting yourself...easy to know, harder to do in the moment unless you have long-term experience with such stuff. Parents oughta make sure their kids learn that at an early enough age that it becomes lifelong second-nature, could make all the difference some day.

I do this every time we practice Judo/ Takedowns prior to training lol Probably not the same test but I have some experience falling. In fact, more important than learning different throws the first thing you learn is how to properly be thrown and break fall to minimize damage as much as possible.

As part of training we practice forward rolls without using any elbows, hands, knees etc, backwards rolls, backwards hand springs, side falls, forward falls, back falls. I definitely agree its very important for kids to learn and my kids will start training when they are of age. I already slowly train my 2 year old daughter at home for fun.

I will try the test when I am in class tomorrow but definitely not going to attempt it on concrete/ hard surface to start nor would I recommend anyone to do that. Dental work is expensive.

 

[Accumulator]

RaydiantDetail- That`s great that you`re doing Martial Arts. And better still that you`re introducing your daughter to it at a young age!

I did Judo as a kid, but it`s sure been a *long* time since I did any rolls/etc. Your familiarity with such moves oughta pay off big-time when it comes to the down/up.

The down is pretty easy- just do the eccentric/negative part of a "Pistol"-style one-leg squat and drop down the last inches as softly as you can.

The up is not so easy. I have to rock a little to build up momentum as I can`t just "scissor" myself up (could never sit cross-legged anyhow). With a little momentum I can do the concentric/positive part of the Pistol, getting up with the use of one leg while the other remains outstretched. That works a lot better for me than trying to use both legs, just a coordination thing I guess.

I`ve done best when I do them right after my cardio, when my legs (and the rest of me) have warmed up but aren`t too spent. And yeah...trying them on concrete could be, uhm..life changing.

 

[pgp]

Accumulator , what core exercises do you do ? I know the sit ups where your feet are held down (like we did in high school ) are bad for your back.

 

[RaydiantDetail]

RaydiantDetail- That`s great that you`re doing Martial Arts. And better still that you`re introducing your daughter to it at a young age!

I did Judo as a kid, but it`s sure been a *long* time since I did any rolls/etc. Your familiarity with such moves oughta pay off big-time when it comes to the down/up.

The down is pretty easy- just do the eccentric/negative part of a "Pistol"-style one-leg squat and drop down the last inches as softly as you can.

The up is not so easy. I have to rock a little to build up momentum as I can`t just "scissor" myself up (could never sit cross-legged anyhow). With a little momentum I can do the concentric/positive part of the Pistol, getting up with the use of one leg while the other remains outstretched. That works a lot better for me than trying to use both legs, just a coordination thing I guess.

I`ve done best when I do them right after my cardio, when my legs (and the rest of me) have warmed up but aren`t too spent. And yeah...trying them on concrete could be, uhm..life changing.

There are a few ways to do the up/down. One way we used to is while standing you cross your legs and spin/while you drop your but back and down. You end up in a seated position. Then to stand you do the inverse and twist the opposite way and use the momentum to come up. It actually takes quite a bit of core strength. I tried it in my daughters room before responding tothis post since she has puzzle mats but I did stumble a bit hehe.

I have trained martial arts most of my life. Started with Wing Chun when I was around 7 then Judo and Karate. Moved to training Muay Thai and Boxing when I was in my late teens/ early 20`s and then MMA. The last 6 years I have pretty much focused on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. With BJJ there is stand up associated with the training like Judo and Wrestling. Certain Judo throws like Tomoe nage, osoto gari, ouchi gari, seoi nage, and drop seoi nage are very popular in BJJ. Then wrestling a lot of double leg takedowns, single legs, with different entries, and the defense to those etc. I used to teach Muay Thai/ MMA for a few years as well. Its always been a passion of mine so passing it on to my kids feels nice. For me training is like therapy.

 

[RaydiantDetail]

RaydiantDetail- That`s great that you`re doing Martial Arts. And better still that you`re introducing your daughter to it at a young age!

I did Judo as a kid, but it`s sure been a *long* time since I did any rolls/etc. Your familiarity with such moves oughta pay off big-time when it comes to the down/up.

The down is pretty easy- just do the eccentric/negative part of a "Pistol"-style one-leg squat and drop down the last inches as softly as you can.

The up is not so easy. I have to rock a little to build up momentum as I can`t just "scissor" myself up (could never sit cross-legged anyhow). With a little momentum I can do the concentric/positive part of the Pistol, getting up with the use of one leg while the other remains outstretched. That works a lot better for me than trying to use both legs, just a coordination thing I guess.

I`ve done best when I do them right after my cardio, when my legs (and the rest of me) have warmed up but aren`t too spent. And yeah...trying them on concrete could be, uhm..life changing.

Accumulator - Pistol squats are pretty dang hard so the fact you can do the down and up (with a little momentum) is impressive. Not many people can even do the up let alone with momentum involved. I doubt I could very successfully lol.

My last message also wasn`t meant to come across as bragging, so I hope it was not received that way. Martial Arts has just tremendously helped me deal with self confidence issues my entire life. I think its made me a better and stronger person in many ways.

 

[Accumulator]

Raydiantdetail- Your "spin/twist" is kinda what I meant by the "scissoring" method. I won`t be doing that in this lifetime

Props to you again for your MA interest and passing it along to the next generation.

pgp- IMO situps aren`t *necessarily* bad for the back, but the back shouldn`t really be involved and when it is the poor form can lead to trouble. I don`t do those anyhow as they focus almost entirely on the Hip Flexors and the *upper* part of the abs, and those aren`t what need the most work IMO; I`m all about the lower abs and the obiques. Focusing on those still gives my upper-ab area plenty of work.

The big problem with situps is that they often work the hip flexors instead of the abs, and when those are overdeveloped (relative to abs) various things go haywire. So instead of situps, do crunches, like with your legs up on a bench/etc., rolling your shoulders up off the floor using just your abs (don`t pull on your head).

If your back *arches* when working abs, then something`s wrong, you don`t want that.

Eh, I`ll have to do some reviewing/studying before I can get very specific about Core Work as I`ve basically just done what works for me and only remembered info long enough to get squared away But I will say that IMO most people go about it *all wrong*.

What I`m doing for my Core:

I exhale during the positive/concentric part of the motion, blowing air out between my teeth with my tongue pressed against the back of my upper teeth. Got that last part from Pavel...not sure if it really does the neuromuscular thing he says it does, but it`s kinda a habit now. But *do* exhale when doing each rep, don`t hold your breath or try to inhale at the wrong time.

I`m all about focusing on the Lower Abs and Obliques. The function of the lower abs is to raise the buttocks off the ground when lying on your back, so that`s the movement you want.

-Reverse Crunches. I do these lying on the floor, a flat bench, an inclined bench. I vary my leg position to alter the resistance. Idea is to lift the buttocks up and roll the hips towards your navel.

Easy starting point: Get in front of a wall, lie on your back about 12" away from it and press your lower back/lumbar region into the floor (NO ARCHING!) with your heels resting against the wall. Lift your buttocks up while thinking "roll hips up towards ribcage" so your heels come off the wall and your legs come back towards your head (as much as they will). Try to feel your lower abs working.

-Leg Raises. I do these in a "ab" or IIRC "Roman" chair, which makes them easier than when hanging from a pullup bar (less swaying). You can do them sitting on a bench too, but it doesn`t feel the same to me.

-The Ab Bench. This is a plate-loaded thing you sit on to do a type of situp. (Google it up and you oughta find it.) I dunno...I`d quit using it, hadn`t for years, felt it was too focused on the uppers (that again ). But I`ve put it back into rotation and that was probably good.

-Trunk Twists for Obliques. These *MUST BE DONE PROPERLY* or they`ll cause injury instead of the desired results! The resistance must come *from the side*, so *NO!* don`t put a barbell on your shoulders and twist! That`s the exact wrong thing! (Emphatic enough to get my point across?) I`m using a resistance band, but might use a cable setup if mine were adjustable for height.

Resistance from the side around torso level works the outer Obliques. I connect the band to something right around ribcage-height.
Resistance from a bit higher (I sit or kneel with the band at the same attachment point) works the inner obliques and I`m focusing on those.

The ROM for obliques is only about 90° so don`t overdo it by twisting too far.


Lying Side Crunch- Lie on your right side on the floor, right leg bent, left leg ~straight, right hand on left obliques (to feel them work), left hand a)over head = hard; b) around head = medium; c) extended towards feet = easiest. Use your left obliques to raise your right shoulder a little bit off the floor, thinking "up and forward a little" instead of "just up".

I DO NOT do sidebends with dumbbells. I`ll *very rarely* do them with a High Pulley Cable Machine (good for decompressing the spine, BTW) with minimal resistance.

NEVER do "scissor kicks" or other such stuff where you`re lying on the floor doing those movements. Very hard on the spine.

I`ve upped my rep range for all Core Work recently to where I`m doing lots of reps for many movements (only a few for the hard ones though :0 ). Once you`re lean enough, spot-reduction *DOES WORK* no matter what anybody (else) says and doing more reps, along with increasing the frequency to just about the point of overtraining them, is working great for me.

I`d do the "Reverse Cruch in front of the wall", some regular Cruches with your legs up on a bench/etc., and the Lying Side Crunch. See how those go and really try to feel the right parts of the right muscle groups working. If you feel your back, then something`s wrong with the form. Generally, think "rounded back, not arched".

Eh, the above is probably a jumbled mess but it`s the best I`m gonna do right now off the top of my head

 

[RaydiantDetail]

Raydiantdetail- Your "spin/twist" is kinda what I meant by the "scissoring" method. I won`t be doing that in this lifetime

Props to you again for your MA interest and passing it along to the next generation.

pgp- IMO situps aren`t *necessarily* bad for the back, but the back shouldn`t really be involved and when it is the poor form can lead to trouble. I don`t do those anyhow as they focus almost entirely on the Hip Flexors and the *upper* part of the abs, and those aren`t what need the most work IMO; I`m all about the lower abs and the obiques. Focusing on those still gives my upper-ab area plenty of work.

The big problem with situps is that they often work the hip flexors instead of the abs, and when those are overdeveloped (relative to abs) various things go haywire. So instead of situps, do crunches, like with your legs up on a bench/etc., rolling your shoulders up off the floor using just your abs (don`t pull on your head).

If your back *arches* when working abs, then something`s wrong, you don`t want that.

Eh, I`ll have to do some reviewing/studying before I can get very specific about Core Work as I`ve basically just done what works for me and only remembered info long enough to get squared away But I will say that IMO most people go about it *all wrong*.

What I`m doing for my Core:

I exhale during the positive/concentric part of the motion, blowing air out between my teeth with my tongue pressed against the back of my upper teeth. Got that last part from Pavel...not sure if it really does the neuromuscular thing he says it does, but it`s kinda a habit now. But *do* exhale when doing each rep, don`t hold your breath or try to inhale at the wrong time.

I`m all about focusing on the Lower Abs and Obliques. The function of the lower abs is to raise the buttocks off the ground when lying on your back, so that`s the movement you want.

-Reverse Crunches. I do these lying on the floor, a flat bench, an inclined bench. I vary my leg position to alter the resistance. Idea is to lift the buttocks up and roll the hips towards your navel.

Easy starting point: Get in front of a wall, lie on your back about 12" away from it and press your lower back/lumbar region into the floor (NO ARCHING!) with your heels resting against the wall. Lift your buttocks up while thinking "roll hips up towards ribcage" so your heels come off the wall and your legs come back towards your head (as much as they will). Try to feel your lower abs working.

-Leg Raises. I do these in a "ab" or IIRC "Roman" chair, which makes them easier than when hanging from a pullup bar (less swaying). You can do them sitting on a bench too, but it doesn`t feel the same to me.

-The Ab Bench. This is a plate-loaded thing you sit on to do a type of situp. (Google it up and you oughta find it.) I dunno...I`d quit using it, hadn`t for years, felt it was too focused on the uppers (that again ). But I`ve put it back into rotation and that was probably good.

-Trunk Twists for Obliques. These *MUST BE DONE PROPERLY* or they`ll cause injury instead of the desired results! The resistance must come *from the side*, so *NO!* don`t put a barbell on your shoulders and twist! That`s the exact wrong thing! (Emphatic enough to get my point across?) I`m using a resistance band, but might use a cable setup if mine were adjustable for height.

Resistance from the side around torso level works the outer Obliques. I connect the band to something right around ribcage-height.
Resistance from a bit higher (I sit or kneel with the band at the same attachment point) works the inner obliques and I`m focusing on those.

The ROM for obliques is only about 90° so don`t overdo it by twisting too far.


Lying Side Crunch- Lie on your right side on the floor, right leg bent, left leg ~straight, right hand on left obliques (to feel them work), left hand a)over head = hard; b) around head = medium; c) extended towards feet = easiest. Use your left obliques to raise your right shoulder a little bit off the floor, thinking "up and forward a little" instead of "just up".

I DO NOT do sidebends with dumbbells. I`ll *very rarely* do them with a High Pulley Cable Machine (good for decompressing the spine, BTW) with minimal resistance.

NEVER do "scissor kicks" or other such stuff where you`re lying on the floor doing those movements. Very hard on the spine.

I`ve upped my rep range for all Core Work recently to where I`m doing lots of reps for many movements (only a few for the hard ones though :0 ). Once you`re lean enough, spot-reduction *DOES WORK* no matter what anybody (else) says and doing more reps, along with increasing the frequency to just about the point of overtraining them, is working great for me.

I`d do the "Reverse Cruch in front of the wall", some regular Cruches with your legs up on a bench/etc., and the Lying Side Crunch. See how those go and really try to feel the right parts of the right muscle groups working. If you feel your back, then something`s wrong with the form. Generally, think "rounded back, not arched".

Eh, the above is probably a jumbled mess but it`s the best I`m gonna do right now off the top of my head

Accumulator - Great info! What are your thoughts on static core exercises like plank variations. I find myself doing more plank work these days than crunch/ dynamic type core work. I know both have their place though.

 

[Accumulator]

Accumulator - Pistol squats are pretty dang hard so the fact you can do the down and up (with a little momentum) is impressive. Not many people can even do the up let alone with momentum involved. I doubt I could very successfully lol.

Heh heh, when I say "you`re too kind" it`s not false modesty...I`m not that good!

I use plenty of momentum getting back up, rocking a few times to get it going and the momentum makes the rock-bottom Pistol doable.

Going *down* really is easy-peasy for me though, very minor "plop" when my rear hits the floor

Regular Pistols always end up hurting something, so I finally just quit doing `em before the "hurt" turned into genuine injury.

Get that momentum right and I bet that, especially with your MA experience, it`ll suddenly be a piece of cake. Seriously, I bet you can put me on the trailer on this one once "just how loose a technique are we talking about?!?" gets factored in. Heh heh...I use the mantra we said about driving at VDI "it doesn`t have to be pretty, it just has to work". Now I`ve probably exaggerated that, but you get the idea.

My last message also wasn`t meant to come across as bragging, so I hope it was not received that way. Martial Arts has just tremendously helped me deal with self confidence issues my entire life. I think its made me a better and stronger person in many ways.

I wonder about coming across that way too, and/but have decided to just not worry about it. Heh heh, anyhow...it`s the internet, where everybody`s ten feet tall and bulletproof and all cars are swirl-free. We have whatever credibility our posts impart in the eyes of those who read them; think I/you/we/whomever is full of BS then just ignore it.

I don`t take your posts as bragging at all, and IMO not sticking with MA was one of the biggest mistakes of my life (hey, I was a kid and I did have, uhm...reasons). A variation on MA factored somewhat heavily into the Adrenal Stress Conditioning that literally changed my life.

One thing I don`t think I`ll *ever* be accused of is braggin` on poundages/etc. I readily admit I often use baby-weights, don`t do heavy movements that "every he-man does!", can`t run a 6-minute mile (maybe not even a 7), can`t do a lot of things. But I`m 100% satisfied with my fitness at age 58

 

[Accumulator]

Accumulator - Great info! What are your thoughts on static core exercises like plank variations. I find myself doing more plank work these days than crunch/ dynamic type core work. I know both have their place though.

Oh, [snap]..I gotta get on with the day while I`d rather post about this stuff!

I don`t do planks as the whole idea of long-duration static contraction just doesn`t do it for me. So...I don`t do them. Period. I`ve tried them a few times just to show people that "I can do `em, just don`t see the point".

NOT FLAMING THEM. Just..well, don`t see it. And I`m not spending one moment, or *any* energy, on stuff that I either don`t see the value in or get results from.

My Core Work is all about 1) having a tight, decent-looking midsection and 2) maintaining a healthy back and keeping my innards in the right place through having strong abs.

I basically don`t do *any* static contraction stuff at all other than holding for a moment when working my grip. Eh, OK...doing chins/deads/etc. is Static Contraction for my hands, but that just takes care of itself somehow (never need straps, so..OK).

 

[jrock645]

I stick to hanging knee raises, medecine ball myo crunches on a bosu ball, and some planks. Need to add some ab wheel in.

As for the bowflex, i cant recall binding or not. Been a long time and i didnt really use it that much.

 

[Accumulator]

jrock645- Bet you`d remember if the Bowflex was prone to the binding, it`s awfully irritating. But yeah...IMO 99% of Home Gym AIOs just gather dust. IMO it`s that MultiTool Effect; sometimes you simply need a few separate tools that do the few essential jobs perfectly instead of one tool that does a half[baked] version of all the jobs imaginable.

Trying to do the Hanging Knee Raises with your legs *straight* ups the ante, huh?!? I`m working at that progression and it`s slooow going.

Used properly (as maybe 5% of `em are), the Ab Wheel can be very good, though I never bothered replacing the one I gave away before I knew from how they oughta be used.

Yeah, the Bosu/etc. balls can be good, another of those things that too many people don`t use properly.

OK..somebody school me on "Why Do Planks?" I simply don`t get it, and/but maybe I just need it explained to me.

 

[jrock645]

jrock645- Bet you`d remember if the Bowflex was prone to the binding, it`s awfully irritating. But yeah...IMO 99% of Home Gym AIOs just gather dust. IMO it`s that MultiTool Effect; sometimes you simply need a few separate tools that do the few essential jobs perfectly instead of one tool that does a half[baked] version of all the jobs imaginable.

Trying to do the Hanging Knee Raises with your legs *straight* ups the ante, huh?!? I`m working at that progression and it`s slooow going.

Used properly (as maybe 5% of `em are), the Ab Wheel can be very good, though I never bothered replacing the one I gave away before I knew from how they oughta be used.

Yeah, the Bosu/etc. balls can be good, another of those things that too many people don`t use properly.

OK..somebody school me on "Why Do Planks?" I simply don`t get it, and/but maybe I just need it explained to me.

I have not attempted straight legged raises like that. Don’t feel like I could do that movement without swinging, which would be bad on the back. Bending the knees, I can keep the movement controlled and I feel like I get what I need from it. I do some bicycles and flutter kicks (part of the military calisthenics routine)and feel like these can be done safely if you just slow down and truncate the movement a bit(I.e. don’t try to get full extension).

As for planks, it just engages a lot of core muscles at one time. And the key is keep trying to do it longer. I need to keep upping the ante. I usually do just shy of a minute(and I always do it last, after my other core movements) but have done over a minute. Need to get back to pushing upwards toward 2minutes.

I used to have a torso track machine, until I wore it out. Don’t think they even make them anymore. Great machine, like an ab wheel but with scalable difficulty.

Tried a new mini workout for cardio/conditioning work Wednesday morning. Called “The Bear” barbell complex. You start with a bar on the floor. Clean it, then front squat, overhead press, lower bar behind neck then back squat, then push press and return bar to floor. Do 7 repetitions of that series, that’s a set. Try to do 5 sets. Add some weight once it’s not quite hard enough.

 

[Accumulator]

I have not attempted straight legged raises like that. Don’t feel like I could do that movement without swinging..

They *are* a bit of a jump from the bent-knee ones. My Ab Chair makes it pretty easy to avoid the swinging but I dunno about doing them hanging from a bar.

..I do some bicycles and flutter kicks (part of the military calisthenics routine)and feel like these can be done safely if you just slow down and truncate the movement a bit(I.e. don’t try to get full extension).

I won`t argue, but OMG I hope you don`t injure yourself. What I`ve read made them sound incredibly ill-advised (torquing of lower spine) and I wouldn`t do `em for anything. Period. It`d freak me out to *watch* somebody do them!

Do you have a lumbar pad there to press your back against so it doesn`t arch on its own?

As for planks, it just engages a lot of core muscles at one time. And the key is keep trying to do it longer. I need to keep upping the ante. I usually do just shy of a minute(and I always do it last, after my other core movements) but have done over a minute. Need to get back to pushing upwards toward 2minutes.

I just don`t get the "why?" of it. What is the benefit in the sense of "after doing Planks I really [Fill In Blank]". I guess what I`m thinking is that plenty of movements are challenging, but that doesn`t mean they`re beneficial. Again, not arguing, just don`t understand why being able to hold the torso rigid for x-time is of value and/so what am I missing here?

How do you breathe during the Planks (like, without relaxing the diaphragm)?

Your two-minute goal sounds good for working TypeII muscle fibers but I don`t see how the Static Contraction will benefit them.

I used to have a torso track machine, until I wore it out. Don’t think they even make them anymore. Great machine, like an ab wheel but with scalable difficulty.

Yeah, I`ve seen those and thought they could be good if the design was OK. Too bad it wore out...I never see them any more. Sigh..there are lot of old pieces of equipment I wish I could find, seems incredible that they didn`t catch on in a big way.

Tried a new mini workout for cardio/conditioning work Wednesday morning. Called “The Bear” barbell complex..

Hope that works well for you. Again, not something I`d ever do, but there are lots of ways to stay in shape and whatever you like doing is more likely to get done.

How high does that spike your HR? Is there a Recovery Interval between the sets? Curious just how it works in that regard..

No worries about that interfering with your other work? E.g., how can you do Push/Overhead Presses without it messing with your Upper Body work or the Squats interfering with your Leg days?

If I were to do those I`d be unable to perform optimally on my Resistance Training days. Hard enough to keep the StairMaster/AirDyne from interfering (and vice-versa).

I tried various Conditioning routines a few years ago, and finally decided that for me all cardio would be on the Stair/Air. BUT that`s just me, and oh man I do worry about sounding all contentious

Eh, maybe my..uhm..advanced age..makes the Recovery thing more of a priority than it is for others. It`s *such* a fine line for me...even have to factor in home/grounds chores.

 

[Oneheadlite]

As always, Interesting thread to follow. I don’t think I’ve ever had a thread where I’ve had to go off and google exactly what muscles people are referring to or find out what different excercises or equipment are.

On a normal day (IE, a month or so ago), the “Get down, get back up again” test would be a non-issue. I’m lucky to be pretty light weight, which makes life a lot easier on a bunch of different fronts. Didn’t know that was an actual test, but I can normally just cross my feet and lower myself down and reverse to come back up. Raydiant- that’s intriguing with the spin added; I’ll have to try that when I’m a little less... compromised.

Had my follow up visit at the Chiro/PT place. Little bit of history I left out is that I have Scoliosis. This round of X-rays shows that the curve in my lower back has increased 4 degrees since being measured at the same location 3.5 years ago. No apparent issues with my hip, so as I was guessing it looks like it’s nerve pain from my back being a mess. When she was doing the exam, she mentioned “You feel very... stuck.” So, 12 appointments made to start getting things back on track, plus a whole new outlook as that was a pretty heavy reality check.

Thankfully the pain has been lessening just with being more mindful. Easier getting out of bed in the morning (rolling over would induce pain, then certain bending would set off the hip pain. I know, I sound like I’m 100...), and sleeping through the night has been better. I’m still finding my body much prefers being up. I’m on my feet all day at work, plus meal prep and/or dishes at home; that’s all no problem. Proper technique at work and I can still pick up SUV wheel/tires with no issue. Interestingly though, no matter how I sit, if I spend too much time sitting down I start to pay the price.

One thing I was going to ask the gang here - What are people’s thoughts on Kinesiology Tape (Rock tape)? It’s part of the rehab treatment they use. I don’t really understand how it’s supposed to work, but my expertise is a different kind of machine.

 

[jrock645]

@Accumulator

The way I understand it, planks really stress the transverse abdominis, which plays a key role in healthy posture and holding in those innards you mentioned a few posts back.

 

[Accumulator]

jrock645- Ah, OK...thanks, I`ll look into that. I gotta keep learning

 

[Accumulator]

Oneheadlite- Your ability to do the down/up that way is just how I figure it`s supposed to go, great that that you can do it that way! Shows good relative strength and great flexibility IMO. And yeah, keeping your bodyweight in check will pay all sorts of dividends.

I don`t know from Scoliosis at all...is the +4° considered a big change for you over 3.5 years? In her late 30s, Accumulatorette went from 30° to 50° in about a year and that`s what prompted her to get the Spinal Fusion (which took her curvature down to ~15°, she considers it the greatest thing ever). She was OK at 30° for decades, but had to be diligent about her stretching/etc.

At least it`s sitting that bothers you, most people need to do less of that anyhow. Being able to sleep OK is *so* important, glad that`s working out OK.

I also don`t know from Kinesiology Tape..but some athletes that oughta have a clue use it. How did *they* explain it?

I gotta admit I`m a bit cynical about many PT/Rehab personnel as they`ve basically *never* answered any Qs that my wife or I (or any of our friends/relatives) have had, at least not satisfactorily. They seem to count on patients *not* being informed.

 

[Accumulator]

jrock645- You did indeed bring an oversight to my attention! I`d just dismissed Planks and that was dumb Not sure I`ll be doing them, but looking into things for the Transverse Abdominis at least reminded me that I need to get back to some Static work for mine (and for general postural work).

I`d been blowing the Trans Abs off and just working my Obliques.. Glad we discussed the Planks beyond "I do them"/"I don`t", same ol` same ol`..I gotta watch that I don`t find excuses for bad decisions.

 

[Oneheadlite]

Accumulator - Thanks for sharing about Accumulatorette. Oooh boy, the notion of back surgery honestly terrifies me; glad to hear it sounds like it went well and has been a good thing for her. How have things been post Fusion? Anything she has to watch for?

I`m 35 now, and my curve had been 21° back in junior high (maybe even high school) when we were monitoring it to determine if I`d need to use a brace to help slow it down. When I wrecked my back at work a few years ago, it measured at 21° again when the Chiro/PT place did their X-rays. So to have it move a tangible amount in that period of time is enough to catch my attention/make me nervous.

Was going to comment on the "To plank, or not to plank" discussion - I would think one of the benefits of planks is muscle awareness. I remember when I left my first yoga class, I was no longer thinking "Stand up straighter." It was "Fire the muscles here, here, and here" to tilt this and straighten that. I think planks also help to learn to engage all your muscles to work towards a goal vs just letting your power muscles take over. This is strictly my low-expertise thought.