exercise – Brenda Nolen

Well, I think I have to accept that my shoulder issues are not going to go away on their own. As I mentioned before, this week’s second weight training session went fine, with normal muscular pain which morphed into tendon pain in my right shoulder, then (since my left shoulder felt left out) the pain switched to my left shoulder and is still there. I’ve known for a while that it was tendonitis but thought that if I just went easy with my range of motion (don’t do anything heavy over my head, basically) that it would improve over time. I was wrong, so now I have to do something about it if I ever want to gain the strength I envision.

Disclaimer: This doesn’t surprise me, though it does irritate me. I am, after all, 45 years old and have pretty much lived in front of a computer since I purchased my first one in 1998 (well, before that, when I would do whatever I could to learn about them. Heck, I learned typing on the first incarnation of a Macintosh computer).

So, now, I’m sitting here, with my horrible desk posture, trying to figure out how to fix this NOW (I wish it could be that quick). Before today’s workout, I did this stretch. Now, I didn’t have the stool setup so I just leaned over the arm of the couch (the bungee cords were in the garage, where my weights are). They all just about killed my shoulder! I lifted my arms above my head as far as I could without excruciating pain. So, I’ll either hold off on doing this or just NOT raise my arms so high.

I’m going to do these every day (they suggest two times a day to start with). These are the best stretches I’ve seen for shoulder pain yet (and I’ve been looking off and on for about 4 months).

I’m not sure if I’ll wait to add this (depends on how I deal with these stretches) or do these in conjunction with the stretches. These are basic exercises to correct posture. The way I’m looking at my shoulder pain is that my entire upper body is the problem, not just the shoulders.

And then I’m going to throw this one in, since bad posture includes my neck.

Since I was able to get my entire weight training in today, I know I didn’t do anything to aggravate my shoulder (good thing) so I SHOULD be able to continue working out while doing all these stretches/exercises too.

Most of the time, I toss these things aside (well, I read them first, say to myself, “Yeah, right” then forget them). This one, I actually agree with (all of it). They even talk about the benefits of fat in your diet! The first slide talks about carrying exercises. I am no fitness guru so I had to look some of the exercises up (thank you, Google). One was called a farmer’s walk. It showed the guy with special handles on barbells that you lift, then carry around. My first thought was, “Heck. Load up a wheel barrow with concrete blocks or bricks!” (which is what I was doing for the first few months after we moved in here). AND for all you who have been shoveling snow, you’ve all been getting quite a workout with no extra equipment required!
BUT what struck me was the carb cycling. I think that is what has changed my weight loss/fitness for the better. Since I finally got back on track (after the great Christmas cookie binge of 2013), I haven’t been consistent with my carbohydrate intake. One day I might get in 10 (at the most … I refuse to give up my dairy in my coffee) and the next I’m right there around 20.
I’ve also started basically doing this with my exercise. I’m adding a little more weight until I can’t handle it, then dropping it down so I can complete my sets. Also, swapping my standard cardio for digging in the dirt (after the second day, I was amazed at how much my stomach, shoulders and biceps hurt from throwing those shovels of dirt) has actually lengthened my cardio times. I went from doing 20 minutes, then dying, to 30 to 40 minutes before my muscles give out BEFORE my lungs. I’m loving that aside from my added strength, I’m seeing physical progress in my yard. I know I have a before picture of that stupid mound of dirt somewhere … I’ll find it then do a video or just take an after picture when I’m ready to build the raised bed.
Anyway, take a look at their suggestions. I’m so surprised!
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/news-and-features/galleries/training/6-habits-highly-effective-lifters

Tag: exercise

Shoulder Injuries

6 Habits of Highly Effective Lifters from Muscle and Fitness