This Week's Gym Session

Another Spotted Flycatcher shot today, this time of a local bird. I had a lovely morning on Tuesday, enjoying a pair with their two newly fledged young. Surprisingly, there was a second pair not more than 200 metres away but they were more elusive and I couldn't ascertain if they had young yet. Anyway, this adult was very vocal and I was really pleased when it came to land on a post not more than 6 metres from me.

It took me a good 3 days to recover from last week's gym session. I was just worn out - felt like I'd played 5 sets at Wimbledon in the midday sun, lol! Tuesday, I couldn't sit around any longer and got out for a couple of hours to see these Spotted Flycatchers. It was a 2.5mile walk and the main pain was in the right upper thigh/hip connections. By the afternoon, I felt tired again but then had arranged to play table tennis in the evening. It was just a short knock about (40 mins) but was enough for me to need a very quiet, still day on Thursday.

The gym session yesterday was another good one. The push-up-pluses are still difficult and I don't feel like I'm getting any stronger for that exercise (i.e. chest/arm muscles). As a result, I added in some tricep extensions using the cable/rope machine. I guess I probably need to add in a chest exercise but I'm not sure that my left shoulder has the range of motion (or strength) to do it yet.

Yesterday's Gym Set:

• 5 mins exercise bike
• Hip/lower back stretches
• Glute bridges (10 secs hold) 3 reps then with 6kg dumbbell across hips 10 reps, 10 sec holds
  
• Press ups (plus) (at 45 deg angle) 2 x 8 reps
• Hip extension, abduction, adduction with blue theraband 2 x 8 reps
• Leg press 41kg 8 reps, 48kg 2 x 10 reps, 54kg (with seat set back one notch) x 10 reps
  
• Tricep extensions using cable/rope 2 x 10kg (weight was probably too high - will reduce next time)
  
• Seated rows 4kg 10 reps (kept arms extended so just worked scapular muscles), 6kg 3 x 10 reps
  
• Wobble board 4 mins
• Leg extension 10kg 2 x 10 reps
  
• Trunk twist using cable weights 2kg 2 x 10 reps
• Step ups (with 5kg dumbbells) 3 x 10 reps
• Bicep curls 4kg 4 x 5 reps
• Combo lateral/front shoulder raises whilst sitting on exercise ball 3lbs 4 x 5 reps
• Both shoulders, front raise, lying on my back 1lb 10 reps
• Plank 3 x 30 sec hold
• Stretching: hips/lower back, hamstrings and chest/pecs

Noticeable improvements:
Glute bridge with an extra 1kg was do-able.
Leg press felt comfortable at 48kg, glad to then manage 10reps at 54kg with seat back one notch
Seated rows - continued reduction in front left shoulder pain - now almost pain-free. Only niggle is a 'sticky' right elbow connector - sharp pain and difficulty extending arm sometimes.
Truck twists - feels like my ab muscles are settling down to cope with this now instead of getting strained every week. Hopefully they are 'stabilising' and I'll soon be able to up the difficulty.
Step-ups - normally, by that point, my right thigh hurts but yesterday the steps up were almost pain-free.
Combo front/lateral raises - still fairly limited but now able to stay within pain-free range for left shoulder.
Lying on floor, front raises - definite improvement - previously I could really only manage 5 pain-free reps. Can now manage the 10 ok.

I took an iron tablet with lunch yesterday in the hope that it might aid recovery. We'll see.

Took painkillers last night for left shoulder to be able to sleep.

Right upper/inner thigh stiff/strained today.

Keeping at it

A shot from my trip to The Lodge RSPB in Sandy, Bedfordshire two weeks ago. A pair of Spotted Flycatchers have bred near the gatehouse. This, I think, is the female. She spent most of her time in the nest box, on the eggs. I waited a good 2 hours before she came out to do a spot of fly catching in the sun. It was a wonderful sight - such a delicate, graceful little bird. At one point, she fluttered down to within a metre of my feet to catch her prey. They're one of those species that aren't too bothered about humans, making the experience all the more intimate.

In terms of rehab, it's been a promising couple of weeks. I had to miss the gym last Friday because I was visiting family, but I went yesterday and have also been doing a good deal of walking/birding.

...back later to finish this off.

26 June 2011
...a bit 'later' than I planned, I was wiped out yesterday. I think I pushed pretty hard at the gym on Friday. Feeling less drained today but still not up to doing much.

Ok, so, not actually that much to report. It's a case of plugging away. The LHS lower back and left glute/hip ache/pain does seem to have been a lot better these last couple of weeks. I'd almost say it's finally gone but you never know. The right upper thigh/front of hip/groin problem is perhaps improving too as long as I keep stretching out the adductors. The left shoulder is still restricted on external rotation, which is frustrating. However, for the first time on Friday, I was able to keep within the pain-free range of motion to complete all the exercises. It felt good not to be 'wincing' and 'guarding' on the shoulder sets. My triceps/arms seemed to have lost some strength - the push-ups-plus were harder than normal. A positive note is that I didn't have to ice anything after the gym this week - I think that's the first time ever!

Strangely, it's the left gut pain which has been a problem these last couple of weeks. Before the iron deficiency diagnosis, I had numerous tests etc etc for what became debilitating left abdo/gut pain. Nothing would relieve it. It was just this constant, gnawing pain, day in, day out, for years. As soon as my iron levels began to return to normal, the pain went. I've no idea why it's suddenly recurred. Stress, maybe. Hopefully, it'll just go away on its own.

I'm hoping there won't be any 'interruptions' for the next couple of weeks and I'll be able to consistently get to the gym/pool on Fridays. I think my arm muscles in particular lose strength if I miss the weekly workout. My upper body remains the weakest area with a long way to go....!

I recognise that these posts are getting less and less interesting, (if they ever were interesting, lol). This whole rehab process is more often than not, as boring as watching paint dry. All I can do is keep stimulating my body/muscles/mind and hoping that it'll respond accordingly. I have learnt that for me, at least, I have to be extremely patient. My brain/nervous system doesn't instigate change rapidly. But, I hope that change it does....eventually.

Another 32 Lengths (0.5 Miles)

It's that time of year when the House Martins are back and nesting in the close where I live. They make the most of the muddy puddles on the verges to collect mud and small stones for nesting material, each loading up their beak as shown in the image.

I made it back to the pool yesterday after not going for 2 months. Unfortunately the right upper/inner thigh tightness/pain was already present and niggled throughout. However, it really did feel good to be in the water. After not going for so long, I wasn't really sure what to expect and decided I'd try for 20 lengths and anything else would be a bonus. I did some warm up exercises and got going. I did the usual alternating lengths of breaststroke and backstroke. I immediately had pain in the left front shoulder (I think it's where the bicep tendon attaches). Every breaststroke was accompanied by that pain but I figured it wasn't 'serious' and just put up with it. I took it slowly, as ever - 2 lengths then a rest, then the next 2 lengths etc. Little by little I ended up reaching the 32 lengths again (0.5 miles) in 45 mins. I was chuffed to bits. It did actually feel easier than the first time I did it a couple of months ago. It was annoying that the left shoulder and right thigh hurt throughout and I had right foot cramps from length 25 onwards, but, all in all, there were signs of progress.

I felt typically tired/sleepy through the afternoon but didn't have any significant pain anywhere. I didn't take painkillers to be able to sleep last night, which is a bonus. After the gym session last Friday, I had to take painkillers that night, Saturday and Sunday for the right upper/inner thigh and I iced it daily.

During the week, I went birding on Tuesday morning for a couple of hours. I felt drained and headachy in the afternoon but felt ok on Wednesday. Wednesday evening I went to table tennis and played for 75 mins without too many twinges/pains. I was glad of a rest day on Thursday before the pool yesterday.

Generally, it's been a positive week (physically). The chronic right upper/inner thigh problem is really annoying - there doesn't seem to be any way to alleviate it. Feeling a little drained today and looking forward to chilling out in front of the semi-finals of Queen's!

LHS lower back improvement

A male Yellowhammer from a birding trip last month. It took about 20 minutes to be able to take a shot - he was very good at hiding!

So, it's been a couple of weeks since I last updated here. Last weekend involved visiting family and various long drives in awful weather and bank holiday/half term traffic. Needless to say, I had to miss the gym on Friday, conserving resources for all of that. I was pleased, however, to find that the LHS lower back tightness/ache, which normally kicks in when having to sit for any longer than an hour, didn't recur. In fact, it's been over 2 weeks since I had any pain there. The left glute/hip pain which seems to be connected to that is also improving, although that still seems to be an issue sometimes.

It felt good to get back to the gym yesterday. I had a decent session - felt stronger and more sure of not injuring myself. Having said that, I do have a few mild strains today - right upper thigh and the usual right ab strains. I don't really know how to deal with this recurring right ab problem. I seem to hurt it every time I try to strengthen the area. I was using the minimum amount of weight on the trunk twists (2kg) but I've still hurt it.

The inner/rear knee soreness/pain, whenever I walked, persisted until after last weekend (which was spent mostly in the car). The right upper thigh tightness/ache has been constant and has also been causing weakness in the right knee. I'm hoping it's just one of those things that, with perseverance, will settle down. I'm guessing that a tendon/nerve is slighting impinged and, perhaps, with some stretching and strengthening, it'll release and resolve.

I've been quite surprised by the fact that going to the gym less frequently seems to be more constructive. It's almost as if it takes 2 weeks (rather than 1) for my body to respond/rebuild after each session. Anyway, I've decided I'm going to the pool next week. I've not been for a couple of months and I'm already looking forward to the soothing, relaxing nature of the experience. It's one of those activities that really soothes both my body and mind.

I think today is going to be a 'growing muscles' day. I'm pretty tired after yesterday's gym session and the right upper thigh strain needs rest.

Yesterday's Gym Set:

• 5 mins exercise bike
• Hip/lower back stretches
• Glute bridges (10 secs hold) 3 reps then with 5kg dumbell across hips 10 reps, 10 sec holds
  
• Press ups (plus) (at 45 deg angle) 2 x 8 reps
• Hip extension, abduction, adduction with blue theraband 2 x 8 reps
• Leg press 41kg 10 reps, 48kg 2 x 10 reps
• Seated rows 4kg 10 reps (kept arms extended so just worked scapular muscles), 6kg 3 x 10 reps
  
• Wobble board 4 mins
• Leg extension 10kg 2 x 10 reps, 15kg 10 reps
• Trunk twist using cable weights 2kg 2 x 10 reps
• Step ups (with 5kg dumbells) 3 x 10 reps
• Bicep curls 4kg 4 x 5 reps
• Combo lateral/front shoulder raises whilst sitting on exercise ball 3lbs 2 x 10 reps
• Plank 3 x 30 sec hold
• Both shoulders, front raise, lying on my back 1lb 10 reps
• Stretching: hips/lower back, hamstrings and chest/pecs
  

Encouraging Shift

Today's photo is a male Reed Bunting with a mouthful of seed from the reeds. I had a magical morning's birding on Thursday and got some photographs I was very happy with, this being one, I guess, lol.

It's been an encouraging week. I feel like something has shifted for the better and I'm learning how to cope with being more active. I've been staying out birding for longer (pushing it from 1 hr to 2 and to 3 hrs). It seems to be taking a special kind of mindset. I'm having to concentrate pretty hard on monitoring what's happening in my body (i.e. controlling breathing, heart-rate, panic etc) and regulating my stress levels but I'm hoping that in time, and with practice, this will become an unconscious process (as it should be). I guess that the extreme stress I experienced as a child and young adult has kinda blown all the circuits for regulation and I'm having to consciously reinstate them.

Anyway, I've had an active week. After pottery on Wednesday afternoon, I went to table tennis in the evening (staying for just the 1 hr cos I didn't want to have to miss Friday's gym session). I was careful to keep stretching out my right upper/inner thigh and that seemed to help prevent the usual pain afterwards. Thursday, I had a wonderful morning's birding. The light was perfect and I saw all manner of pretty birds, achieving photographs I've been after for ages.

Friday, I was very happy to discover I was ok to head to the gym. The session went well and I hadn't lost any significant strength during the 3.5 weeks that I'd not been. Of course, during those 3 weeks I had been careful to keep my muscles active and I think that helped. Again, I was careful to stretch out the right inner thigh to prevent the usual post-workout pain for which I normally take painkillers. Amazingly it worked. I went to bed last night and, for the first time, ever, I think, I didn't have to take paracetmol in order to sleep with the pain.

The main niggle this week has been the inside, rear of my knees. All the walking from the birding appears to be causing soreness through the tendons there, making it painful to walk. Both knees are affected. I've been icing them all week and will take it easy today to give them a chance to heal up. Thankfully, it didn't effect the gym work yesterday. I guess it's more of a repetitive injury, as I say, from all the walking.

In terms of recovering from being active, I think the time it takes is decreasing. I was pretty tired/sleepy yesterday afternoon, after the gym, but today, I don't feel nearly as drained/worn out/'rough' as I have in the past after a gym day. I really do hope that this is another solid step in the right direction. It's amazing how I can keep doing the same thing week after week, month after month and nothing seems to change. Then, suddenly, I can sense the shift and I realise that all the hard work was worth it and, although I didn't realise it, things were changing.

Edit: I should note that I'm consistently waking up very early (sometimes 4am) and it's difficult to get any more sleep past 6am. I think it's related to the very light mornings (and happened last year). I seem to be coping ok with it though, which is good.

Checking In Again

Two shots of a Blackcap in the local woods. There are lots about now, ready for breeding, and this little chap landed nicely in the sunlit branches, giving front and rear views.

It's been a busy couple of weeks and I've missed the gym twice now! I was just too tired yesterday after another packed week. Feeling kinda worn out today too so this might be a brief note rather than a detailed update. We'll see...

Essentially, the LHS lower back tightness/ache seems to be improving. I'm managing more walking and sitting without it being triggered so easily. I even had to run through town at one point last week and that didn't bother it at all. The right front of hip/upper thigh problem is a different matter. The running really aggravated it to the point where it was almost impossible to continue walking, it was so painful. I guess there's a shortened tendon in there somewhere which I need to lengthen and strengthen so that it doesn't catch or rub.

I was back at table tennis on Wednesday (they've changed the night, over the summer months, from Tues to Weds). I thoroughly enjoyed it, playing for a good 90+ minutes. Didn't have any pain or problems with my right shoulder, neck or arm. But, it did aggravated the right upper thigh/front of hip problem. My inner thighs have been stiff ever since as well (in a good way!).

I might do a short upper body work out at home this afternoon just to keep those muscles active. I plan to be back in the gym properly next Friday.

I've been getting out birding for longer stretches and hoping that increasing that time will also help build stamina. I think it helps too to not be sitting around all day! Having said that, I do seem to need a day off (or more, sometimes) in between being active, which is frustrating. I can't just have a good sleep and recover like a 'normal' person.

Will leave it there....

Checking In

The front and rear view of a Common Whitethroat. A pretty little warbler that arrives in the UK in Spring ready for breeding. The area where I took this is alive with these guys. The male performs a 'song flight' where he launches up into the air from his singing perch, flutters and sings and then comes back down to land. It really does look like a dance.

Ok, so I've neglected this blog for a few weeks and thought I'd check in. Essentially, I've just been carrying on with the gym work. Nothing much to report. I guess I've been testing out my stamina a bit, going for a few long walks (90 mins) and seeing how everything copes. The Left glute/hip and LHS lower back still get aggravated and ache/hurt, which is annoying. I'm missing the gym next week due to the fact that I'm going away for the weekend and need to preserve my resources.

The good weather is helping me to get out more and be more active (mostly bird watching). I'm hoping that it'll be one of those things where I suddenly realise that I've progressed without knowing it. We'll see....