I have found that the #1 problem I end up with from swimming stuff, in my upper body, is almost always from strained pec mucles. Whenever they are tight, I have all sorts of problems with my shoulders and upper back and even my neck! Since I've been working out trigger points in them, regularly, this has all calmed down.
Mileage Reporting 33rd week of 2013
- Thread starter scedastic
- Start date
I have found that the #1 problem I end up with from swimming stuff, in my upper body, is almost always from strained pec mucles. Whenever they are tight, I have all sorts of problems with my shoulders and upper back and even my neck! Since I've been working out trigger points in them, regularly, this has all calmed down.
I'm sure that you won't be the last parent to overdo it proving to their kid that you've still got it in you!
I should get extra health insurance and PT for that. Mine are only 10 and 8. This ain't gonna get easier. My son can already run circles around me (quite literally, while I'm running)
6.2km this morning, mostly concrete pavement around the streets. I felt awfully flat due to only getting three hours sleep after staying up way too late watching the cricket. My mystery knee niggle (is that a kniggle?) seems to have switched knees, which I'm taking as a good thing - it can't be an injury if it swaps around, right? I checked my new trigger point book and found a new place to attack with the rolling pin, so I'll see how that goes.
According to the weather bureau it was 6.8 degrees C (44F). Not quite
territory, but not far off.
According to the weather bureau it was 6.8 degrees C (44F). Not quite
territory, but not far off.
Sunday
3-mile bike commute
Afternoon
Mid-body strength training -- good pump, then 1-mile recovery stroll with my son to get some dinner supplies at the local mom-n-pop store.
Monday
3-mile bike commute
Afternoon
Upper-body strength training -- started slow on the presses, was a bit sore from previous day's workout, but ended strong, even did some pyramiding on the biceps curls. Was planning on doing a brief Hill Repeats & Sprints workout afterwards, but ran out of time. Just as well; I had a little TOFP in my left foot left over from Saturday's run, but I managed to stretch and massage it out in the evening using furniture glides and my 'stick'. My kids got a kick out of the glides. Funny how tight hamstrings can contribute to pain in one's foot.
Tuesday morning
Nearly six miles / 10K, somewhere between an aerobic and tempo pace during the middle four miles. Woke up past 3 am. after a dream about ultramarathons. 4am start, dark and peaceful, not even birdsong. Once again, I forewent the headlamp and embraced the stones and tree-debris. I'm getting to enjoy the post-run sensation of light bruising from sharp rocks almost as much as the mild abrading from the nearby sandy gravel jhs track. Perfect temps at 63F/17 C.
I felt like running more, but I'm trying not to let the mini triumph of last Saturday's long run make me over-confident. Gotta stick to the plan and build up my overall weekly mileage slowly. 30 mpw will happen soon enough.
Will get in about 10 miles of bike commuting today as well.
Hey, speaking of fish, the other day I was putting together some cheap Menards bookshelves for my wife and turned on the TV. They were showing the world swimming championship or something. Man, you're right, those folks glide smooth as fish. Amazing what humans can do.
3-mile bike commute
Afternoon
Mid-body strength training -- good pump, then 1-mile recovery stroll with my son to get some dinner supplies at the local mom-n-pop store.
Monday
3-mile bike commute
Afternoon
Upper-body strength training -- started slow on the presses, was a bit sore from previous day's workout, but ended strong, even did some pyramiding on the biceps curls. Was planning on doing a brief Hill Repeats & Sprints workout afterwards, but ran out of time. Just as well; I had a little TOFP in my left foot left over from Saturday's run, but I managed to stretch and massage it out in the evening using furniture glides and my 'stick'. My kids got a kick out of the glides. Funny how tight hamstrings can contribute to pain in one's foot.
Tuesday morning
Nearly six miles / 10K, somewhere between an aerobic and tempo pace during the middle four miles. Woke up past 3 am. after a dream about ultramarathons. 4am start, dark and peaceful, not even birdsong. Once again, I forewent the headlamp and embraced the stones and tree-debris. I'm getting to enjoy the post-run sensation of light bruising from sharp rocks almost as much as the mild abrading from the nearby sandy gravel jhs track. Perfect temps at 63F/17 C.
I felt like running more, but I'm trying not to let the mini triumph of last Saturday's long run make me over-confident. Gotta stick to the plan and build up my overall weekly mileage slowly. 30 mpw will happen soon enough.
Will get in about 10 miles of bike commuting today as well.
C'mon girl, you're the one who got me thinking about early morning running in the first place! Oh fallen idol.
"Kniggle" I likes it! If it's on the outside of your knee, it might be mild ITBS, which could quickly become major. And the fact that it commutes between your legs suggests to me that it's not an acute injury, like you say, but you may nonetheless have something cumulative going on. In addition to massaging, try a ITB stretch and a hammie stretch to see if that helps.
As you swimmers may recall, I had / have a nagging shoulder issue. I found doing shoulder raises, front and side, and swings, shrugs, and a few other things really helps strengthen the joint and increase its mobility/flexibility. Yesterday I was able to really push the upright rows, the exercise I hurt the shoulder on in the first place, for the first time in a long time. So I think it might be worth trying, even though swimming is of course a completely different kettle of fish.
Hey, speaking of fish, the other day I was putting together some cheap Menards bookshelves for my wife and turned on the TV. They were showing the world swimming championship or something. Man, you're right, those folks glide smooth as fish. Amazing what humans can do.
Not at all, I love those damn things. I've been reliably abiding by nearly all your recommendations, Sr. Acatar, even when you give up on them. I do them together with the rope pull downs, towards the end of my upper-body (chest, arms, and shoulders) workout. Only I can't do them horizontally, like I saw in one video (maybe one you linked to?) so I kneel and pull the rope towards me from the cable up above. I tried them standing up, but I can't seem to get enough leverage on them that way.
Nice that's South Mountain one of my favorites. You get some cool views of the valley up there.
You picked a hot week to come visit. It's no surprise your dogs don't wanna run.
I don't think your position matters too much as long as you are externally rotating your shoulders. Haha I am a creature of habit so even when I quit things for a bit I always end up returning to them a some point. I've been doing seated presses lately to, trying to out some body building lifts to mix things up. Maybe I should throw some raises in there too. Any other fun ideas?
Yah, me too, although my routine has evolved a lot over the last year or so, in part due to our interactions on your strength-training for runners thread. But the basics are still the same, except now I do squats more, thanks to you. Most of the evolution has been in the supplementary exercises. They really add to the time it takes to get through the workout, but I think there's a lot of benefit in working the joints and muscles at angles that would be too stressful or impossible with heavier weights.
I like the seated presses a lot. I started doing them a few months ago I think. I can't do as much weight as I can with standing presses, but that's because I can't bring in other, nontargeted muscles to help, right? Right now I'm just doing 95 lbs, high reps. Will start adding weight in a month or two and bringing down the reps when I'm sure everything's good to go. I feel a lot more strain in the top of the shoulder when I'm seated, so I'm going slowly with these, although yesterday they felt pretty good--might throw on another 20 lbs next time.
Other ideas? Not really. There's always a million variations, but the exercises I do haven't changed much in a while. I've culled a lot of stuff from six months ago, stuff that I didn't feel gave me much benefit or was redundant with other, more beneficial equivalents. Like the Nordic Curl. It's OK, but traditional leg curls on the bench are easier to set up and seem to target the hammies and calves better. I also like the Good Mornings exercise you suggested.
I've reposted my routine for easy reference. Most of the shoulder stuff is on the first page.
Hey, btw, I re-read some of the stuff on Jason Ferruggia's site after Sid posted a link to it recently. What do you think of his approach? Seems similar to yours/ours. Kind of a no-nonsense, just work on your maxes method. I like simplicity, so it was nice to hear a professional meathead endorse my MO.
I'm getting ready to start working out a strength training routine to maintain during the winter, but everything I see posted on here is overwhelming to me! I won't be going to the gym this winter, so I'm still mostly leaning toward the TRX and other low tech isotonic exercises. Maybe need to start a separate thread about it?
Yesterday was low key, but DH and I rode the spinning bikes for an hour in the evening. I love the new Specialized Women's Gel Sport Saddle I put on my spinning bike.
Yesterday was low key, but DH and I rode the spinning bikes for an hour in the evening. I love the new Specialized Women's Gel Sport Saddle I put on my spinning bike.
4 slow miles this morning. I did not want to get up, but this is the 5th week I will have maintained running 5 days a week and I don't want to quit yet!
IIRC, you ought to be able to press more seated than standing. One of the limiting factors of the standing press is the fact that your whole body has to support the weight and balance it. A seated press gets the center of gravity lower and just the trunk as support. You saying that makes me wonder if you might be doing a bit of a push press, recruiting your glutes to give the bar a bit of bounce up to start the standing press.
Ya, that's exactly it. When I'm standing, I bring in non-targeted muscles to get the initial press going. It's hard to avoid. Plus my home gym is in a garage with a low ceiling, so I have to bend my knees a bit, which further contributes to the temptation to use the lower body to help.
If you don't mind, I'd be interested in seeing what sort of routine you got going. It's always good to compare notes with other lifters.
TRX and body weight stuff is fine, I think. Check out the WOSS suspension straps. They're a lot cheaper than the official TRX ones. For weights, there's no reason to be overwhelmed. Just start with the basics--deadlifts, squats, bench press, shoulder press, bent-over row, and a pull down, maybe power cleans and a few others too. Start at low weight and try to get a feel for proper form and breathing. It might be useful to join a gym that has a trainer circulating. When I was starting out, I had the benefit of being taught all the basics by my older brother and his friends, one of which went on to invent the Zubaz brand and opened a bone fide powerlifter gym for a long time. Join a gym for a month or two and see what kinds of exericses you like, and then begin adding the appropriate equipment to your home gym. Used gym equipment depreciates about as quickly as kids' stuff, so it shouldn't be any problem putting together a basic set-up, and then you can add to it over time. That's how I've done it anyway.
But you're right, it's easy to be intimidated by the body building/power lifting culture. Don't be. Weight lifting is for everyone, and women shouldn't do it any differently than men. Don't do high rep 'toning' exercises or anything. Do the basic exercises, maybe 8-10 reps when you're starting out, and then add weight and lower the reps when you gain confidence in your form. Getting good form is a life-long project. I'm still working on it.
Some days it is the goals that get us out there. I know that I benefit from that sometimes!
Thanks for the encouragement - I needed it. I have done weight training for several years, but just at my own wimpy level. I was very consistent up until last year when I gave up my gym membership for my own pool and started running outside all the time. I already have a TRX available at home, but I've have a lot to learn about it. My girls have gotten into it a lot more than me, but some of what they do "scares" me. I'm afraid of hurting myself!
Interesting, I didn't notice this, granted I have been mainly doing seated DB presses not barbell presses so I'm not really sure about the weight difference?
I have been wanting to add in wide grip behind the neck presses too, but yeah for some reason the seated version really hits the shoulders more than standing.
Currently, I can't really be called a lifter. Earlier in the year I was lifting, just a basic routine, once a week I would squat and bench press, and once a week I would deadlift. Then I would also mix in pushups and chinups during the week as it felt good.
But around March of this year, I just started hiking a lot. That's been making me drop weight and now I'm more like the skinny running self, so the only strength training I'm doing is pushups and chinups, where a couple of days a week, I will just try to do a good number of non-failure sets of pushups and chinups. Since I'm really interested in getting back into running right now, I like that for keeping some strength and not tuckering me out. Experience has taught me that I have to be careful with overload, my recovery capacity just ain't all that great in spite of trying to sleep well and eat well. I suspect it's my great limiting factor as far as athletic potential goes, that I have to be very careful with how much I do and making sure my body gets enough recovery. You don't recover enough, you just end up tearing things apart and not making any gains.
Come winter time, when it might be hard to get out and run outside so much, I'll probably look at maybe doing a day of squats one week, then deadlifts the next. Or maybe just deadlifts. I like deadlifts more than squats. Although I really should get back in the habit again of doing bodyweight squats to the bottom position and holding there, it's a great way to stretch out the muscles down there.
ETA: although one thing I might also do in the winter again if my left shoulder finally finishes thawing, it'll be to do standing presses again. One of the complications sometimes seen in diabetics is something called frozen shoulder and I've been slowly stretching and remobilizing it, but I'm still not at a point yet where I can do a heavy standing press. I loved doing that lift before 2010 and was getting close to finally doing a strict press of my bodyweight overhead, then one day in February I felt that first twinge in the shoulder, ugh.
Lol and I think Wendler's has too much volume... I am of the anti-volume philosophy and 3 reps is pretty excessive for me.
I always keep up with your plans. You've got a great mix of stuff. I haven't been to Ferruggia's site in a while, let me look around and I will get back to you.
One problem I have with the whole weight training internet guru is that most of them are really focused on bigger weights and are ok with gaining weight to get there. It's hard to find advice that blends long distance running and heavy lifting, with a focus on weight maintenance. And I also have issues trusting internet advice because most of those guys are taking supplements. I do believe there is a huge difference between training on and off drugs. So we are really left with piecing it together and expirimenting. Which is fine because I do it because I enjoy it, I am however becoming more skeptical though of any advice I read.
