Mon 7 May 2012
The Plan - Mon = easy KB FSQ or barbell OHS, heavy BP, volume DL, KB snatch test
warmup - not much, cut the lawn, easy cossack sequence
OHS: stick x 3, bar x 1 - decided to do these instead of KB FSQ
BP: bar x 3, 135 x 3, 145 x 5, 5, 160 x 3, 175 x 2, 185 x fail - good thing the safeties are there, pretty sure I would get this weight if fresher.
DL: on 3.5" platform: 225 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 - really getting easy, new set every 4:00 so about 3:00-3:30 rest between sets. Breathing in different ways to see what works best, today tried a little grunt at the top of each rep followed by a fresh inhale, then held the breath at the bottom rather than breath down there. I like this for now, not sure if it will continue to feel good when the weight is heavier.
16: snatch, 30L+30R in 3:00
WHEEL: - standing partials, heels at 6' from wall, 1, 2, top lace eyelet at 6' line, 1
Tue 8 May 2012
Tue = KB getup, windmill, bent press, jerk for skill, KB swing w/ heavier weight
16 kg getups, partials to hand or elbow, a few each side in a row, probably 10 total each way.
16: windmill, lf, 3
24: windmill, lf, 3
32: little sequence today: (4 swings + 1 clean) x 3 no breaks L, repeat R, rest
36: as above but only 2 instead of 3
24: swing, 5L+5R
32: swing, 10L+10R
The Doctor's Visit
I have had, since 2003 when my general practitioner told me I'd broken a rib coughing while recovering from pneumonia, occasional sharp pains in that same spot, the back of my ribs near the bottom. I also have been realizing that I likely have arthritis in my left ankle and my right hip, and my herniated disc, while certain under control, still makes itself known from time to time, especially early in the morning. I figured that, since it's been 15 years since my back injury and 14 years since I last saw this specialist, I'd pay him a visit. Note that he's not on any insurance (he's that well-known, well-respected, and in demand) and my office visit cost me $240 out of pocket.
He asked me a lot of questions, put me through a lot of passive and active range-of-motion and strength tests, and concluded almost exactly what I'd concluded - some degenerative disease was likely the cause of a more limited range of motion in my left ankle, specifically dorsiflexion, and in my right hip.
The hip discussion was interesting and the point of my post here today. He said that, while I had about 15 degree fewer motion in my right hip than in my left, my left was so far better than what's considered normal that my right was also considered far better than normal. There's a lesson there - hopefully I don't have to spell it out for you, dear reader.
The ankle is something I can wriggle around and crack a few times, and then it dorsiflexes more or less like the other one, and that's what I did, and the doctor saw the difference.
The bottom line - he said there's no reason to investigate further since I'm already doing what he'd prescribe as corrective exercise, and that maybe I should come back in another 15 years or so. If you're in the metro NYC area, his name is Dr. Dante Implicito and he's as good as they get - top of his field but as down to earth as people come, and I cannot possibly recommend him highly enough. I count my good fortune that, when I was in the hospital emergency room for the second time in three days in 1997 and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, they recommended Dr. Implicito.
Oh, that rib thing - it turns out to be a rib dysfunction, which is basically a rib that pops out of place and, if it doesn't go back, you might need an osteopath or chiropractor to put back in place for you. Nothing else one can do about it other than what I'm doing, which is staying away from things that make it worse - mine goes right back to where it should be as soon as I stop doing what I do that irritates, fortunately. The bad news is that doing getups with my right arm up and left arm down is the _only_ thing that bothers it - perfect form lets me get away with doing these getups, so perfect form it will have to be. <sigh>
Onward and Upward, Comrades!
No comments:
Post a Comment