Posts Tagged ‘left hamstring’
7/22/10 – Personal Training Session – Uh Oh – Hamstrings – ARGH
Today I met my personal trainer at 7am. Yes, this is too early, but we made the best of it.
Last time we did endurance exercises, and this time was no different. My first set started with the plank with a twist. I have a workout ball that I am squeezing between my hands with my arms extended. I then do a shoulder move forward and back, while holding the plank for one minute. I am so proud of myself because two weeks ago, I could only hold for one minute!!!
Next, I learned a new move with the kettle bell where I “snatch” (stop giggling you 13 year-old- boy minds!) the kettle ball from the floor and haul it up from the squat and then catch it at the top. Not a good move if you have a difficult time with coordinating things like a heavy kettle ball moving around your hand and needing to be caught by your arm. This one will need some time to get good at.
The next one was a plain old start holding the kettle ball in one hand at shoulder height while in a squat. Then, push yourself up and press the kettle ball up into a straight arm. This one is grueling because my legs are doing twice the squats while my arms are doing 15-18 reps. If you do the math you will find that my legs are doing 30 or more squats!
Finally, assisted pull-ups. This time she reduced my assist by 10 lbs. Still could do 10 reps first time and 8 the next.
Second round: Since I didn’t get a side plank last time, you had better believe it was in this one, but not first. First was a cable exercise where you pull the cables from below all the way up to your shoulders where you hold them with your arms bent. Then, you squat. This throws your balance off because you are standing a little forward of the cables causing a backward pressure when you stand and squat. Awesomely, though, I felt it mostly in my glutes, which is great because it means that my low back muscles are getting stronger!
Second cable move was pulling the cables up in a “V” above my head. Only 10 lbs. You try it! This was killer!!!
Third was the side plank, but I had to pull my knee up to hip level, which completely changes where the weight is. So difficult. I went from being able to hold a side plank for 1 min 15 secs to 45 secs. Whew!
Final exercise for round B is on the weight bench. Laying on the bench with my legs on the bench and my abs pulled in, I lower weights straight down above my head with a slight bend (just not locking basically) in the arms. I was able to do 9 lbs, which is awesome because the first time I did this on the floor was with 3 or 4lb weights! So much stronger! Also, the bench gives me the opportunity to get a bigger range of motion.
Now, for all of you who would like the chance to get as buff as me ;-), my personal trainer, Melissa, has gone out on her own! Yes, she has her own business, and she works out of Urban Fitness gym up on Capitol Hill on Boylston between Pine and Olive. You do not have to be a member of the gym to workout with her there as she has a contract with them to be able to bring in her clients at no charge to the client 🙂
Also, if you have a gym at your dwelling place, she can train you there if that will work better for you. Many, many options for training! I will have more contact information up as soon as I get it nailed down 🙂
Now, the left hamstrings were really bothering at the end of the workout this morning, and stretching them revealed real tightness in the left leg (where the left hamstrings have historically been much less tight than the right). Not sure what is going on there. I’ve started all sciatica PT exercises. I had my chiropractor adjustment. Now, my hamstring just freakin’ hurts.
I am really a little concerned, and I would really like to stop getting injured so I can get going on running. Is it the shoes? Is it the squats? Why won’t the glute and the hamstrings just get along????
More on that later. For now, bed. Good night.
Physical Therapy Visit 5/26/10
It really does take a Village!
Today, I went into Travis after having an increase in the “pulling” sensation in my left hamstring and sometimes my upper calf muscle. I showed him where my problem was, and he said that he did not think it was my hamstring. After several tests, he hypothesized that the sciatic nerve is being irritated by the piriformis muscle (this is a muscle that wraps around your hip bone from the tail bone to the top of the femur or big leg bone).
HA! Once again the symptom is not really anywhere near the problem! The idea is that the sciatic nerve runs under the piriformis. Thus, when the piriformis is tight (mine is), then it places pressure on the sciatic. Pressure on the sciatic equals irritation further down the leg.
So, if this sciatic nerve hypothesis is correct, then it explains why glute exercises irritate it. When I work out my glutes, then I am definitely tightening the piriformis muscle, thereby irritating the sciatic – VOILA! My hamstring feels like it’s “pulling” or doing all the work.
Wow, if this is correct, I am going to advertise for real for my physical therapist!
The exercises:
I am to do a slumped stretch where I slump over as much as possible with my hands completely limp and resting on the chair behind me while I lift my leg just enough to stretch but not irritate the sciatic nerve.
Then, a “press-up” where I lay on my stomach and press up with my arms. This is to help relieve any pressure that might be coming from misalignment in my back (I’ll get back to that as I am now going to call my chiropractor to consult him).
Next, a bridge to specifically use my lower back.
Finally, a stretch for the piriformis.
Oh, I’m also supposed to foam roll the piriformis when I foam roll the IT Band.
So, I have a plan. I have a new diagnosis that is much more plausible. However, this is still a hypothesis.
As for how my chiropractor fits in: Travis said that when folks have sciatic nerve problems a lot of time it starts when the vertebrae put pressure on a disc. So, there could be a possibility of my having a disc out of place or something, but my symptoms are so mild that it is probably not that severe. I am going to call Dr. Larry tomorrow to talk about it.
Anyway, several things fell into place if the sciatic nerve and the piriformis are to blame. First, I have not had problems with the sciatic in a very long time – maybe a year, and that includes all the running I did at the start of this project. The one thing that is true for that point in time is that I was getting a back adjustment and an hour-long therapeutic massage every two weeks. It has been over 5 weeks since my last massage, and I had not had an adjustment in 4 weeks when I saw Dr. Larry last Friday.
Put that all together and my piriformis has had the chance to really get tight, and my back could have gotten all kinds of out of whack. Plus, when you are not getting regular adjustments, your body tends to not hold them as well. I know all this seems to point to the fact that once you start chiropracti you never stop.
Well, I don’t think it’s like fast food where you become addicted, I think it is something that your body actually needs on a regular basis. I also think that everyone should get a massage at least once per month. With our sedentary lifestyles, our bodies do not get the constant movement that they were made to do. So, they get all “stove up” or tight and run down. The chiropracti puts everything back into alignment, while the massage relaxes the muscles and helps the body to hold the correct postion, especially when supplemented further by strengthening and exercise.
However, I must bid you good bye as it is time for me to ice my butt. Have a great evening!
Latest Run (#?) 5/20/10
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on May 21st, 2010
So, I am going through Travis’s running program of W (walk) 1/4 mile, R (run) 1/4 mile, W 1/4 mi, R 1/4mi, W 1/4 mi with running increments increasing slowly over time.
Today was the W 1/4, R 1/2, W 1/4, R 1/2, W 1/4. I am still working on lengthening my stride, which is getting much better! I have not started the “stride outs” in the Vibramâ„¢ Five Fingers, yet, as my ankle does not seem to be strong enough to handle that. I think I could do them in my super stiff running shoes with orthotics, but not “barefoot” – yet.
Anyway, I successfully completed the first R1/2, but on the second one, about 1/4 mi in my left foot started to hurt on the top above the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th toes. I decided that was not an “I’m tired, but can keep going.” Instead, I felt that this was a “OMG STOP RUNNING! I’m not ready! I’m NOT ready!!!” So, I stopped. I completed 3/4 mile running, though, which is good for now.
However, I will say that the walking 1/4 mile between running is truly magical. It is just enough time for my feet and legs to recover and go again. I would never have thought that was really necessary. I have no idea how I was running before….oh wait, yeah, I was running like a little old lady 😉
Never the less, I was a little bummed that I didn’t make my goal today, but I did get through the first 1/2 mile. I will try this run again, but not until after Wednesday of next week.
Remember that hamstring I was telling you about. You know, the one on the left leg. Well, it is really starting to become a problem. I have enlisted the Village, though. Travis is going to look into this and pull some magical tricks out of his bag on Wednesday of next week. After that, I will start the running again. So, until then, more cardio indoors (blech) and more weightlifting (HOORAY!).
Left Hamstring – ARGH!
Posted by admin in Reflections on April 13th, 2010
So, since beginning my physical therapy, an old problem having to do with my left hamstring has come back. It is an interesting thing where the hamstring seems to always be working, but not correctly. I do not know how to describe the sensation other than to say that it is a pulling sensation where the hamstring feels like it is working for everything. I do sit ups, I feel hamstring. I do bridge, and the hamstring is doing more work than the glutes on the left side. Needless to say, it is annoying and not very beneficial for me.
Frustrating. That is actually what it is.
I am going to ask Travis about it, but until I get a chance, I am going to try stretching some of the connective muscles. I wonder if helping everything relax will help.