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.