My husband managed the last load which means it's been several weeks, and my sciatica is improving. He also chided me for pulling the loaded wheelbarrow instead of pushing it. It's true that pulling works different muscles, mostly hamstrings, biceps and lats while pushing is more quads, glutes and triceps. And you can use your own body weight when pushing. So maybe I should push instead of pull?
Of course, some online resources seem contradictory in their advice. Just look at this from an ergonomics best practices page:
"Wherever possible, choose to push loads instead of pull. Pushing is
generally associated with a higher risk of injury when compared to
pulling. It is easier to apply force when pushing and there is less stress on the muscles than pulling movements produce. It is also easier to see where you are
going if you are pushing an object forward, rather than pulling it while
walking backwards."
Don't they mean that pulling is associated with a higher injury risk than pushing? I dunno, they're the "professionals," right?
I've been avoiding exercises that punish my hamstrings because they tend to spasm. Stressed hamstrings also aggravate my sciatica which is why I've nixed the Rip Skulls from my workout. Besides, I don't need bigger arms than I already have!
I got to the gym a bit late after stopping off at a friend's house to pick up almost a dozen cans of cat food her finicky felines won't touch. She was going to toss them in the trash and I convinced her not to. A lot of folks need help feeding their pets these days but she's elderly and not willing to trek to the animal shelter. This weekend I spied a request for cat food from a woman helping out a friend who feeds strays in the TNR (trap, neuter, release) program. She's looking for anything she can donate to help, so I'm meeting her tomorrow to hand off the tins of cat food. It's not a lot of food, but every little bit helps, and at least it won't wind up in a landfill.
It's cold and dreary but it's not snowing or sleeting. I get on the elliptical and pedal, happy that my feet don't go numb. Because I'm late, I can't use the Stretch Cage for pull-ups until after my core and stretch routine. A senior gal is using it and although I've seen her regularly, I've never seen her in the Stretch Cage. Maybe Snow Bird has inspired her? Tomorrow I'll do cardio, core and then DB Shoulders...
I might not make it to the gym on Wednesday if I decide to drop my car at a local repair shop to have them look at my car's transmission chain. The car is running fine but has twice in the past two months not had the shifter properly engage the transmission, staying stuck in first gear. The repair shop guy said all the Subies he's seen got stuck in Park, not First. So that's not reassuring... Meanwhile, I've kept my appointment for Friday at the dealership repair shop, just in case. They at least can give me a loaner should they have to keep the car.
I did read an interesting article that suggests raw honey may indeed have cardio metabolic benefits that we all thought was mythological. So maybe I start using the less expensive local raw honey in my oatmeal instead of the pricey maple syrup? Maybe...
9 January 2023
Cold Dreary Monday
Precor elliptical #1
Program 2
Time: 30 + 5 (5674)
Distance: 2.86
Cal: 319
Avg Hr: 141, 194-78
Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
60 Dead Bugs
15 Gentle Hip Bridge/Thrusts
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12x
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga
HGPU 23
No comments:
Post a Comment