Tuesday 13 May 2014

I'M BACK BABY.....sort of...the gym edition

So last night at my physio appointment I heard the sentence that I have been longing to hear...

You can start doing light gym work!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

What the lovely professional physiotherapist said was

"Given your range of movement and the progress you have made I would be happy for you to start doing some light gym work. Stick to the static equipment (bike / cross trainer) and keep within your pain thresholds!"

What my "professional/exercise starved" brain  heard was

"blah blah blah...happy for you to go back to the gym.....blah blah blah.....GO!!!"

Even while I was driving home from my appointment I was thinking about what I could do in the work gym the next day!

Just talking about going back to the gym mae me feel SO much more cheerful and upbeat! It most definitely improved my mood!

Driving in to work I decided on what I was going to do. (Scary to admit but I did heed the warning about taking it easy) I made my mind up that I would spend about 10mins of the bike, 10 mins on the cross trainer and then finish off with 4/5 min of core works.

Well, got hold of my coffee and proceeded to get some tasks done while I clock watched my way to 12:00. Actually had to help with something as I was gearing up to go to the gym (work totally getting in the way - how rude!). 12:30 I was in the changing room smelling the old familiar smells of steam,deodorant  and sweat...sigh it was good to be back...sort of, I had forgotten to not breath through my nose! While I was pulling on my shoes I will admit that I was a little nervous about getting back on the horse bike, stationary or not (I am someone who fell off a rowing machine once when I forgot to slide my foot out of the clips - at least I can swim :) ).

Walked into the gym and it was a familiar old sight...glad to see nothing had changed. Same lunchtime gym junkies hefting and heaving, same ladies strutting on the jogging machines and then little old me! Onto the bike I leapt.

I would like to say that the 10mins flew by and I barely noticed the efforts....I would like to say that but I can't. Smokes, two mins in and the sweat started! I gave the resistance a twist and kept on going. I even managed to slip into (sort of) the areo position. Ended up hitting 15mins all up and with much gratitude I lifted my sweaty self from the bike.

No rest for the wicked and I was onto the cross trainer. Just holding the static handles in the middle I set the level to 8 and off I went, graceful as a giraffe on ice. I switched between forward and backward motion every two minutes. All I will say here is that it is a good thing that this equipment is waterproof!!!

I finished off with some core work. Mega bonus, I was able to lie down at this point in time. 60 scissor kicks, 60 reverse crunches and 60 extended leg cross overs (some of these names may be made up but they make perfect sense in my mind).

You wold have been forgiven for thinking that I had been swimming (fully clothed) by the time I walked back into the change rooms BUT I felt great. The shoulder held up (ok I didn't push it wildly) and I had managed to get a substantial good sweat on!!

My mood definitely improved and I am already looking forward to a return session on Thursday! Yup, I will break in gently (honest) so will stick to the same routine for a couple more sessions before we mix it up.

Side note: seeing the surgeon on Monday so will hopefully get some further clearance for some weight bearing exercises.

Happy training and good sessions (long may the enthusiasm last!)

Thanks for reading.


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