Posted by alexandra_k on April 29, 2011, at 18:31:55
In reply to Re: walking poles/hiking poles, posted by alexandra_k on April 29, 2011, at 4:54:53
I don't think Ripptoe tends to deal with many people who are injured. He mostly deals with college level athletes. I do think that many people (including women!) can have trouble producing and maintaining their lumbar extension after back injury.
My lumbar spine has had a dull nagging kind of ache since my injury. The way I dealt with it was mostly to tune it out / ignore it. I've had to re-learn how to be properly aware of the position of my lower back in order to produce the lumbar extension and feel when it is starting to be pulled out in weighted movements.
Where is your spinal injury? Lumbar / thoracic junction or somewhere else?
I didn't mean to be totally dismissive of the idea of light weight training producing results...
But there is a world of difference between 'maintenence' and 'improvement'. Because of the age related decline you actually need to improve in order to maintain - if that makes sense. And... You probably want to make up for some of the decline that has already happened since your early 20's...
It is a bit hard, though...
When I first started at the gym I got a machine weights program. I did that for 3 months and it was actually pretty good for me because I learned what muscles each machine was supposed to work (helpful pictures on the machines) and learned to have some voluntary control over the activation of the muscles. I was also really weak. Had difficulty doing three sets of 8-10 at the lightest weight.
Progress comes so very fast when you just start out... Only took one or two weeks before I could put the weight up and get the 8-10 reps! That was what got me hooked... Feeling that I was making progress.
After 3 months I got a free weights program. Squat, Lunge, and some dumbbell exercises. I spent much longer on these without any weight at all. Learning how to hold my spine safely for overhead pressing (engage abs and glutes and don't overextend the spine) and just getting the hang of the movements. I... Probably got a bit weaker with respect to my strength on the old exercises... But these are functional movements and now I'm able to use them in my daily life (e.g., squat to sit, lunge to pick up stuff from the ground, press to put stuff on the shelf).
Squatting was really hard for me because I've got long femurs and my knees can't come in front of my ankles because of my injuries and also because i've got some crankiness in my hips so that they really don't like a wider squatting stance. Did a lot of reading on the internet trying to learn how to squat properly... And discovered the Olympic Lifts. I wanted to be able to do them with good form. Symbol of flexibility, mobility, and strength for me. Didn't know if it would be possible, but wanted to try.
Apparently if you are athletic you can expect to snatch your bodyweight in 1 year. I wasn't athletic, though, and much of my training is still focusing on mobility (still working on my back position and ankle mobility and trying to relax the tendons / muscles in my feet / lower legs). I can snatch about half my bodyweight at the moment (after 1 year). Hopefully I'll be snatching my bodyweight this time next year :-)
It is about finding something you enjoy...
But... One virtue of heavy weights is that it improves bone density (so you are less likely to fracture bones later in life). One virtue of functional movements (squat, lunge etc) is that you are less likely to lose your balance / fall later in life.Use the muscles - spare the joints.
Used to have a lot of joint pain. Then I learned that muscles are what is supposed to protect your joints. Muscles are the impact absorbers... Not your ankles and knees after all... Forefoot gentle strike and your arches will eventually progressively adapt to do what they are designed to do (the muscles in your midfeet are the primary shock absorbers for motion). Orthotics are a crutch... They might give you better mobility but it is artificial in the sense that you aren't working to rectify the weakest link. To have better mobility from within yourself...
poster:alexandra_k
thread:983787
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20110407/msgs/984098.html