Adages

There is an adage that states the obvious, "If it hurts don't do it." Then again, there's that infamous musclehead credo, No Pain No Gain. And there are lots of times that both are appropriate, and some times it's hard to discern the difference, especially where injuries are concerned. For example, I felt good enough to use hedge clippers to clear a small forest of troublesome sailor's tobacco from my yard. 

It didn't hurt when I did it, just an annoying stretch of the lower extremeties when I had to reach further than my short limbs allow. Had there been any pain at all, I would've stopped immediately. That didn't happen until a good 12 hours later. And it was more than an annoying ache, it was pain and locked-up muscles that threatened never to unknot. 

I'm stubborn. I don't want to avoid all the discomforts of a physical life, even in ripe middle-age. I enjoy shoveling the snow from my property. Moving firewood doesn't faze me. But now, with accumulated injuries, I might have to think differently about what I do with a body that has broken parts. Ugh. 

At the gym, I'm exploring the treadmill programs since there is little else to do. Today: "rolling hills." Sounds pleasant enough, if not downright dull. What's annoying is having to hear the middle-aged man two treadmills down having a ridiculously loud conversation not with any body vaguely in his vicinity, but rather, with another fellow who is seated on an exercise bike a walk aisle away and behind. There's also decently loud ambient music and most of us can't turn our earbuds up loud enough to drown this ass hat out. 

I turn in his direction but he's not looking at me or else he'd see me gesture Shut the F up. Because he couldn't possibly hear anyone else over his own din. No wonder I started wearing a mask again out in the cardio area: too much hot air being expelled into circulation!

Afterward, I venture into the Aerobics Room and gingerly get down on a yoga mat for a few brief stretches and some light core movements. (I'm happy I can actually get down on the floor but a little worried about how I'm going to get back up.) I can handle planks and bird dogs. The Child's Pose is also recommended for lower back issues although contraindicated for glaucoma. Anything that puts your head below your heart is contraindicated for glaucoma, so that includes bending down to put your shoes and socks on. But now I see a wall variation that I might try once I convince myself to put my mat by the only solid wall in the room (because the other 3 are fully mirrored). 

Sitting cross-legged is difficult. I add a "pencil stretch" for spinal decompression since I'm not going to hang from the non-existent low bars. (It's basically laying flat on the mat, face up, feet together and legs straight, with arms pulled straight overhead parallel not perpendicular, as if reaching.) The side-to-side hip roll feels fine but the piriformis stretch makes me nervous. I skip anything that has me curling my core or raising my legs. Sorry Dead Bugs. And since I'm already pushing my IOPs by sleeping on my stomach, I also skip push-ups because those also increase pressure in my head.

The shower is welcome relief for my dry itchy skin but the drive home is still really painful. I have just enough time to collect the mail, drop my gym gear into the washer and then I'm off to the chiropractor. He's a nice enough fellow but I'm beginning to find him annoying in a passive/aggressive way that he's probably not totally aware of. Oh well...

30 Aug 2021
Sciatic Monday pre-Ida

True Alpine Treadmill
Program: Rolling Hills
Time: 30 min + 2 min cd @ 1 mph
Speed 2.5
Incline variable 0.0-1.5
Distance: 1.28
Cal: 97
HR 63, av 98 , high 115

  Skip Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
  Skip 60 Dead Bugs
Elbow Plank 60s
  Skip Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
  Skip Push-Ups 25
  Skip Mat stretch w 3 Eye Yoga
  Skip Air Squats 25