Gloria
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Just to clarify, PT as in Physical Therapist, not PT Personal Trainer.
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Getting In Shape for 2016/17
- Thread starter W8N2SKI
- Start date
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yeah, I get it. I've had a lot of PT for shoulder impingement in the past. Right now I have way too many exercises on my plate, and seeing a PT without planning to do the work is pointless.
Gloria
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
The best thing to do for it isn't exercise but manual therapy. Active Release can ussually break up the capsule in one or two sessions. Exercise just brings more blood into the already tight capsule and causes more inflamation and worsens the situation.
Little Lightning
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I finally joined a gym. Not for ski conditioning but for general all round conditioning. Since I'm close to transitioning out of Physical Therapy I thought this would be a good time to try something like this. What makes this gym different from the ones I'm used to is they focus on functional movement not sitting on weight machines. The owner is certified in the Functional Movement Screen as well as several other certifications. If you sign up for their introductory personal training package you get five sessions. The 1st session consists of setting goals, injury and health history plus a Functional Movement screen. The FMS involve 7 tests that evaluate basic movement patterns and asymmetries. The remaining 4 sessions consist of workouts that corrective exercises, strength training, etc. They are divided into blocks and change as you progress. Reassessment is done in 2-3 week blocks, depending on your attendance, of course.
The interesting aspect of this is where the asymmetries turned up, my left hip. Not surprising because of left SI joint issues. My past and present Physical Therapists like to prescribe strengthening activities for my hip, quads and ankle. No matter how much I do them my hip still hurts. I've had cupping, dry needling, and manual therapy which feels good for awhile but still the achiness comes back. Yesterday, when I did the squat test the trainer pointed out that I rotate my hips to the right when I squat. Duh, everyone else looks to make sure I don't collapse my knee. So today's session I was taught to use a band placed below my knee, given very specific directions on how to squat and performed a perfect squat. I will use these "training wheels" until I can do it on my own. I also did pushups and toe touches, which I have never been able to do. There were "training wheels" for those, too. The theory here is that these are basic human movements that we did as children (except toe touching for me) and we should do as adults. We've just lost them due to things like injury and life.
When I'm ready I will progress to things like kettlebells, TRX and other fun strength and conditioning activities. This winter will be tough because I spend so much time in the mountains skiing but even what I do now will help improve my movement patterns for skiing. Sorry this is so long but I just had to share.
The interesting aspect of this is where the asymmetries turned up, my left hip. Not surprising because of left SI joint issues. My past and present Physical Therapists like to prescribe strengthening activities for my hip, quads and ankle. No matter how much I do them my hip still hurts. I've had cupping, dry needling, and manual therapy which feels good for awhile but still the achiness comes back. Yesterday, when I did the squat test the trainer pointed out that I rotate my hips to the right when I squat. Duh, everyone else looks to make sure I don't collapse my knee. So today's session I was taught to use a band placed below my knee, given very specific directions on how to squat and performed a perfect squat. I will use these "training wheels" until I can do it on my own. I also did pushups and toe touches, which I have never been able to do. There were "training wheels" for those, too. The theory here is that these are basic human movements that we did as children (except toe touching for me) and we should do as adults. We've just lost them due to things like injury and life.
When I'm ready I will progress to things like kettlebells, TRX and other fun strength and conditioning activities. This winter will be tough because I spend so much time in the mountains skiing but even what I do now will help improve my movement patterns for skiing. Sorry this is so long but I just had to share.
VickiK
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Sounds like you found a very good place, @Little Lightning . 
Little Lightning
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
The driver of this search for a good gym was not just my ankle injury which has been difficult to heal but also the elderly people, men and women, that I see at my physical therapists office. Many aren't that much older than me. They walk with canes, crutches, walkers. I don't know their stories, some may have had surgery, but OMG they can barely walk or move. It's so sad in a state that's considered one of the fittest states in this country. In my world most people my age don't necessarily move well but they can out ski, hike and bike me. They're strong and active so it was a shock to see the other side.
marzNC
Angel Diva
What I learned when I was completing knee rehab was that the TRX makes it a lot easier to work on good form for squats. Could get just enough of an assist from the TRX to make me feel comfortable going just a little lower than doing a regular squat with no support.
I know what you mean about keeping up conditioning exercises during ski season. Although I've gotten better about at least doing a stretching sequence and some 1-leg balance work.
Little Lightning
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
In PT I did squats with the TRX too. I can squat low pretty comfortably, I just have that little quirk of moving my hips to the right. Today, I did so well with the correction they taught me that I did 2 sets of squats with a 10 lb weight without the assistance of the band around my legs. Because of all the stuff I did today I'm going to be really sore tomorrow.
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It's funny. My PT tried to have me do squats, specifically single-leg squats, with the TRX straps - and I just held onto them for life. I actually did better when he took them away and just put a stable platform behind me, so that I could lower myself until my muscles gave out. Then I could stand back up with both feet if I wanted. But put a strap in front of me, and I act like I'm hanging off the back of a boat trying not to get swept away!
I think I just realized something. I'm not dropping that little bit anymore to the platform. In control all the way, baby! And I'm standing up on one leg. And doing all that with a kettlebell. Hey! Sometimes I don't notice my progress.
Little Lightning
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Today I had my 4th personal training session. I touched my toes for probably the 1st time in my life. At least from what I remember. As a kid I remember the other kids touching their toes but not me. Then I used the toe touch to go into a baby squat. From there it was full squatting with band assistance to fix my leaning to the right, lifting from half kneeling position and practicing hip hinging on my knees with a band around my hips. Its also supposed to give a good hip flexor stretch. This is a precursor to deadlifting. I finished with TRX side step lunges and 30 secs. on, 30 sec rest intervals on a rower.
On Monday my PT gave my SI JOINT a serious workout. Ouch, tomorrow could be painful.
On Monday my PT gave my SI JOINT a serious workout. Ouch, tomorrow could be painful.
santacruz skier
Angel Diva
Hey I was at my personal trainer today and did back squats with 8 lb weights too.
tinymoose
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Little Lightning
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I had a training session today and worked on good squatting form too. However, no weights until we train my hips to stop moving to the right. I also worked on my toe touch. The position is so foreign and strange.
My trainer said I start my squat perfectly then I get to a certain point and move to the right. This is very similar to my movements when I'm skiing. I start my left turn great then give up and rush the rest of the turn. Lots of work to do while I'm waiting for the ski areas to open.
My trainer said I start my squat perfectly then I get to a certain point and move to the right. This is very similar to my movements when I'm skiing. I start my left turn great then give up and rush the rest of the turn. Lots of work to do while I'm waiting for the ski areas to open.
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
What are leg blasters? When my rehab trainer has me do leg blasters, it's squats (10), forward lunges (5 each side), jumping lunges (5 each side), jumping squats (5).
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Ah! Okay, thanks. Yes, I think he's called them "mini" before. Don't feel mini to me yet ... hah. Partly that's because my knee makes it really hard to do lunges properly.
Yesterday at the gym, I watched a couple do shadowboxing - one would stand on an upside down bosu while the other would "attack" them, including going low for squats. Looked crazy fun (and hard). I was staring, I realized, so I told them it looked super fun, but I couldn't do it because of my knee. She offered to spot, but I said I'd better talk to my PT before even attempting. Honestly it's the height off the ground more than the balance that bothers me - I am doing other balance things.
The gym did have one of those half-saturn looking things with a half sphere on the bottom attached to a circular platform, not very high off the ground. I played around on that while holding on to straps to keep myself from falling. Balance ... needs work.
W8N2SKI
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
ugh. I feel it. I actually have great balance, but this morning I tried doing Bosu squats at the end of 2 hours of Pilates/lifting/cardio (including mini-blasters). My legs were shaking like dry leaves and sweat was splashing everywhere. Pleasant picture, I know. Bosu is definitely something to do at the beginning or middle of a workout.
