Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Bringing Stupid Back!

Yep, I'm bringing stupid back.  I know, I know - it never left, right?  Well, this morning I was working out at the gym, and I was using fairly heavy weights, because I do not believe that nonsense about women and light weights and toning.  Utter BS. However, let me add the caveat that if you are a woman in her mid-40's who has allowed her fitness to lapse and then tried to regain it, perhaps you should not be squatting with 120% of your body weight just a few weeks into resuming weight training. There's heavy and then there's stupid.

You already know this isn't going to end well, and sure enough, it didn't. I completed a repetition, thought, "Hmm. I'm feeling that rather more in my back than in my legs..." and then completed another rep. Why?  Because I had two more reps to go, and heaven forbid I don't finish the prescribed number of repetitions. The sky might fall in, and chaos would ensue, or something.  And on the last repetition, my lower back seized up.  So, I stood up as best I could, and cussed and whined a bit.

And then, of course I went immediately to the showers floor exercise area, where I proceeded to do walking lunges and box jumps.  Yes, my friends, I am afraid I did that.  Because I was just certain that it was just a severe twinge and it would go away if I kept moving.  Then I tried to go get on Jacob's Ladder and my back protested so loudly that I finally got the message and went to the showers.

Now I'm sitting at my desk with a heat wrap on my back, lamenting my own stupidity.  I was just getting to the point where I could do half-mile repeats at an 8:30 pace!! I have a half marathon in two weeks that I was hoping to PR.  Instead, I will have to slow down and go back through the rehab sequence again. Yay. Anybody know any good lower-back strengthening exercises?  Looks like I'm going to need 'em!

9 comments:

  1. Stink! Hope your back feels better soon! The only lower back stengthening move I know is the superman move where you lie on your stomach and slightly lift your chest of the ground. Also, you can lift left arm, right leg and alternate side on your stomach as well. Also have done this on the ball.

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  2. First of all, you are not stupid! Secondly, I am just so so so sorry that you are dealing with back pain. You've been kicking some major butt with your workouts and I don't believe for one minute you ever lost any fitness! ;) I hope you back heals soon. Fingers crossed the half will be easier for you than you think!

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  3. Oh no!!!!
    I swear by PT for these things (a good sports one) to get you back on your feet quicker! My son pulled a siatic nerve running track and the PT guy really fixed him up and gave him a billion "right" exercises to do.

    And pleeeeaaassse, we ALL do things like that and I would never call myself "stupid" come on now ;).

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  4. This does sound painful! I hope it goes away soon! I think I am on the opposite side of the spectrum on this one. I am such a whiny that I quit on the least suspicion of pain. I can't handle pain at all! Good news: never been injured. Bad news: I might never lift to my full potential :-(

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  5. Silly girl - listen to your body! Hope you feel better soon!

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  6. Insert part about training partner expressing concern about rapid weight increase (mechanical not personal) and unheeded suggestion about taking it easy on the plyometrics today....so sorry the discomfort continued. PT is good, but you also might think about a muscle relaxer to set things right and then PT. The Superman stretches suggested by Meredith do work.

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  7. Not stupid, just adventurous! : )
    Sorry about the pull! Sending all my rapid healing, good as new thoughts your way.
    BTW I used my race entry winnings from your giveaway toward Twin Cities in Oct! Thanks again!

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  8. i guess your 'tude was go big or go home ;)

    i like supermans for lower back stuff. and the upside is that you can pretend like you're flying...not that i've ever done that of course...

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  9. Oh NO!!!!! But you know what, I would have done the same thing you did.

    My husband has been on the phone all night so I'm catching up on blogs, nice job with your one pound!!!! : )

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