Swim & Gym + Still Managing Lower Back

I was very pleased to manage another Tuesday swim and a gym session today. I was tired after last Friday's session but managed to get out birding on Saturday and coped well. My lower back has needed managing all week and is still tender/sore. I completed 52 lengths (1300 metres) at the pool on Tuesday and that felt soothing to my back and I recovered pretty well from it on Wednesday. I was tired yesterday and was fairly inactive. Back at the gym today:

• 8 mins exercise bike (difficulty level 7 - legs felt tired so reduced level from 8 to 7)
• Hip/lower back stretches
• Glute bridges (10 secs hold) 3 reps then quad stretches
• Glute bridges 10kg dumbbell across hips 10 reps, 5 sec hold. (only did 5 sec hold due to lower back strain. I left out the single leg glute bridges because I know they aggravate the strain)
• Press ups-plus (at 45 deg angle) 2 x 10 reps. 
• Press-ups on floor (knees on floor) 2 x 10 reps
• Right Hip adduction and extension using cable weights 6kg 10 reps, 8kg 10 reps.
• Seated rows 10 kg 2 x 10 reps, 12kg 10 reps, 14kg 5 reps (and felt my right ab give a little so stopped!); vertical flies 4kg 2 x 10 reps.
• Chest fly with cable weights 4kg 2 x 10 reps.
• Trunk twist using cable weights 5.4kg 10 reps, 7.6kg 10 reps
• Rope pulsing (new exercise on new gym equipment, holding 2 heavy ropes, laid on the floor, and making them pulse) 3 sets to exhaustion.
• Basket ball exercise (throwing a weight ball at a target from squat position) 4kg 10 reps, 5kg 3 x 15 reps
• Overhead basket ball exercise (throwing a weight ball, from above my head, at a target) 3kg 3x10 reps (I made sure I braced my abs and didn't overextend my lower back, which is what made the lower back strain worse last week after the "plank and pull" exercise)
• Combo lateral/front shoulder raises whilst sitting on exercise ball 3kg 10 reps
• Lying on the floor, starting with elbows by my side, arms bent 90 degs, then pushing weight upwards against gravity, straightening the arm (modified front raise) 5kg 10 reps 

I left out the "plank and pull" exercise because I know that's where I strained my lower back last week. I made sure I kept stretching out my right neck after upper body work. 

I feel tired this afternoon but that's not unusual...

Swim & Gym + Lower back

I was worn out after last week's gym session and it basically took all weekend to recover. I felt drained and washed out. Tuesday, I was back at the pool and managed to swim 56 lengths (1400 metres). My right neck and scapular/shoulder were pretty sore/painful afterwards but settled down the following day. Both feet were locked in cramps for the last few lengths, which, in the end, is why I stopped. I had wanted to go for the 64 lengths (1 mile) but just couldn't manage it.

I recovered well on Wednesday from the swim. Then, back at the gym today. The main issue for the past 10 days has been ongoing uterine cramps. As I've mentioned before, my hormones seem to be doing weird things at the moment, including random menstrual cycles and extended menstrual symptoms like the cramps, feeling drained etc. I basically look like death warmed up 99% of the time!

Today's gym set:

• 7 mins exercise bike (difficulty level 8)
• Hip/lower back stretches
• Glute bridges (10 secs hold) 3 reps then quad stretches
• Glute bridges 10kg dumbbell across hips 10 reps, 10 sec hold.  
• Single leg glute bridges, 5 sec hold, 10 reps.
• Press ups-plus (at 45 deg angle) 2 x 10 reps. 
• Press-ups on floor (knees on floor) 2 x 10 reps
• Right Hip adduction and extension using cable weights 6kg 10 reps, 8kg 2x10 reps.
• Seated rows 10 kg 2 x 10 reps, 12kg 10 reps; vertical flies 4kg 2 x 10 reps.
• Chest fly with cable weights 4kg 2 x 10 reps.
• Trunk twist using cable weights 5.4kg 10 reps, 7.6kg 10 reps
• Rope pulsing (new exercise on new gym equipment, holding 2 heavy ropes, laid on the floor, and making them pulse) 3 sets to exhaustion.
• Tricep extensions using cable/rope 6kg 10 reps, 8kg 10 reps
• Basket ball exercise (throwing a weight ball at a target from squat position) 4kg 10 reps, 5kg 3 x 10 reps
• Plank and pull (assuming plank position on hands, then pulling a weight bag from side to side under body) 10kg 2x10 reps.
• Overhead basket ball exercise (throwing a weight ball, from above my head, at a target) 3kg 3x10 reps
• Combo lateral/front shoulder raises whilst sitting on exercise ball 3kg 10 reps
• Russian twist sit-ups with 5kg 15 reps + sit-up then lift 5kg ball in air 10 reps.

Unfortunately, by the time I'd finished the "plank and pull" exercise (and the overhead basket ball exercise), I was aware I'd strained my lower back (aggravated the LHS lower back issues?). It's not a new injury - I've strained it there before (I recognise the pain from hockey days!). I am hoping it'll be fine by tomorrow as long as I look after it for the rest of today.

I also noted that on the other basket ball exercise (throwing from squat position), I was left with the usual LHS lower back aggravation. It's very frustrating. Anything pushing from a squat position (including rowing) seems to trigger it.

Swim & Gym

Yup, managed to kinda get back to the normal rehab routine this week, although I am not doing any daily physio at the moment. Had a good swim on Tuesday. I worked hard mentally to relax my neck/shoulders (to avoid further crick neck issues!) and to engage the correct muscles on each stroke. I was happy to do 50 lengths (1250 metres) in about 45 mins. I then did one final length of front crawl to see whether I could manage it with my left shoulder restrictions. It seemed to be ok (as long as I breathed to the left), although obviously more demanding - I was completely out of breath at the end!

Today was gym day and I did the following:

• 7 mins exercise bike (difficulty level 8)
• Hip/lower back stretches
• Glute bridges (10 secs hold) 3 reps then quad stretches
• Glute bridges 10kg dumbbell across hips 10 reps, 10 sec hold.  
• Single leg glute bridges, 5 sec hold, 10 reps.
• Press ups-plus (at 45 deg angle) 2 x 10 reps. 
• Press-ups on floor (knees on floor) 2 x 10 reps
• Right Hip adduction and extension using cable weights 6kg 10 reps, 8kg 10 reps.
• Seated rows 10 kg 2 x 10 reps; vertical flies 4kg 2 x 10 reps.
• Chest fly with cable weights 4kg 2 x 10 reps.
• Trunk twist using cable weights 5.4kg 10 reps, 7.6kg 10 reps
• Rope pulsing (new exercise on new gym equipment, holding 2 heavy ropes, laid on the floor, and making them pulse) 3 sets to exhaustion.
• Tricep extensions using cable/rope 6kg 10 reps
• Basket ball exercise (throwing a weight ball at a target from squat position) 4kg 3 x 10 reps, 5kg 2 x 10 reps
• Plank and pull (assuming plank position on hands, then pulling a weight bag from side to side under body) 5 kg, 15 reps, 10kg 15 reps.
• Combo lateral/front shoulder raises whilst sitting on exercise ball 3kg 2 x 10 reps
• Lying on the floor, starting with elbows by my side, arms bent 90 degs, then pushing weight upwards against gravity, straightening the arm (modified front raise) 5kg 2 x 10 reps 
• Russian twist sit-ups with 5kg 15 reps + sit-up then lift 5kg ball in air 10 reps.

The old left-hand-side lower back aggravation has returned and my hormones are all over the place. The two could be related!

I picked up my bone scan and blood test results today. All fine....as expected.