I just started a strength training program last November and I can really tell the difference. I went from a leg press of about 70 lbs and now do 150. I use 20 lb dumbells for my bicep curls and chest flys. That along with swimming has made me feel much better. Now if I can just get rid of that layer of fat over these nice, new muscles!;)
I have been strength training for over 25 years. I think it really helps with the aging process. I love to do it, and will keep it up as long as I am able. I started with machines, but do most of my work-outs at home now, so use free weights and resistance bands, med balls, and stability balls. My family room is quite full of exercise equipment!
Fort: My diagnosis was Tendonitis. I don't know why he didn't send me for PT. Your Sis Beth helped me a lot with RC exercises.
ART???? :dunno:
I saw all those RC exercises! That was good stuff and should help. Still rather odd that they didn't send you to PT with that diagnosis. For tendonitis and soft tissue issues, however, I prefer ART, i.e., active release therapy. I've described it before, but just got to www.activerelease.com and read up on it. My ART doc sees a lot of triathletes and volunteers at all the ironman stuff around here and in Hawaii. In fact, I'm going next week. My experience is that ART docs, unlike PT docs, are more focused on keeping your training. My last PT session, they just kept saying, you've got to rest. I think rest can be counterproductive, as an article recently posted by Anna Lea posited. You may have to ease back. But if you "rest," i.e., no swimming, the tendonitis will likely just come back when you re-start. If you've got it, chances are you'll have to keep doing the RC exercises forever and ever. Just my HO and experience. Everyone is different.
P.S. The TI guys, Kaizen and Chaos, love ART too.
The front of the shoulder is the most common area of RC tendonitis pain. Probably ought to see a PT if the pain continues. Have you tried ART? I thought all tris did that.
Fort: My diagnosis was Tendonitis. I don't know why he didn't send me for PT. Your Sis Beth helped me a lot with RC exercises.
ART???? :dunno:
I have started weights again to compliment the swimming and recover from an ailing RC.
I have found that I can lift dumbbells with out pain, but the machines hurt my RC. Not sure why, but I go back to my Ortho next month and he'll probably want to give me a cortisone shot. I'm not sure I want that.
The machines shouldn't hurt your RC, if you're doing lower weights and the correct exercises! What are you doing? No bench pressing right? Did your PT show you what to do with the machines? Most PT offices are equipped with them. I saw my prolo doc last week, he said my strength from lifting was one of the only things that allowed me to keep swimming with my loosey goosey tendons and flexibility issues.
Blech on cortisone. If it's your first one, OK. It's work for awhile. Multiple ones stop working. Plus, they degrade your tendons.
Anyone have any good medicine ball routines?
I don't have a PT; maybe, I should ask for it? I can't do Flat or Inclined bench Bench or preacher curls with a bar or machine. I do dumbbell flat and incline bench, Dumbbell pull-over, and seated dumbbell curls, Lat pull-down, seated cable row, and my RC exercises.
It hurts in the front of my shoulder and a spot half way down my upper arm on the outside. Both areas at hurt are small, about the size of a golf ball.
Well, it seems like the first thing an orthopod does for shoulder pain is send you to a PT, who then gives you a series of exercises to do. Nor sure about that overhead pullover or incline bench ... I don't do those. Generally, you want to stay away from over the head type stuff.
I do chest press and seated dips too. But I do not bend my elbows. I move my shoulders up and down and back and forth only a couple inches to work the small shoulder muscles. I put it on 60 pounds and do 25 reps 2-3x. Tricep kickbacks are good for shoulders. Rowing is good for shoulders and the back. Machines that strengthen the back are good because a weakness in the scapular area stresses the rotator cuff muscles.
The front of the shoulder is the most common area of RC tendonitis pain. Probably ought to see a PT if the pain continues. Have you tried ART? I thought all tris did that.
