On Pain and Wellness

I apologize to my one or two faithful readers (I know there must be a couple of you out there who read this) for my lack of posting. I am a programmer by trade, and when things get busy, I spend 8+ hours a day in front of a computer. So when I'm not working, the last thing I want to do is be on a computer.
When I last posted, I was complaining about a pain in my shoulder. It got much worse as Friday went on, and stayed worse over the weekend. Whereas before it would go away once I relaxed, by the end of the day Friday no amount of deep breathing and meditation was helping. I was thinking "what did I do to cause this?" and could come up with nothing.
I made an appointment with my chiropractor on Monday. He made some adjustments in my spine, but nothing too drastic. But his diagnosis was a revelation. What he said was that I hadn't done anything; my problem was in my lower back, not my shoulder. As my body returned to proper alignment, the old injuries began to resurface. And when I thought about it, duh!
There was a reason my body shifted into the misalignment in the first place. It was the body's own palliative effort to mask the pain from some long-forgotten injury. As I began to correct myself through chiropractic intervention and my own attention to posture, the old injury could no longer hide. It's a basic tenet of holistic healing.
Sometimes you can't help getting caught up in the mindset of allopathic medicine and it's emphasis on palliative remedies. And while allopathic medicine can do amazing things, the great failing is that it too often confuses the symptoms with the disease.
The lesson to take forward here is that in all things, we hold metaphoric postures for certain reasons. What Coach Ilg refers to as the ego is really your spirit's own efforts to spare you from pain. But as we move back along the continium towards cure, there are roadblocks to work through, which manifest themselves as pain.

My shoulder still hurts a little, but I recognize it for what it is: a sign that I am moving in the right direction. It is more important now than ever that I remain mindful of my posture, to rewire my body into alignment. I am back in the gym this week, and I plan on a very challenging run on Thursday. I am looking forward to it.

Namaste

Rest is good

I've been taking it easy this week. I played volleyball on Monday, and then did yoga and meditation Tuesday and Wednesday. Then last night I went on a long run, and did so much better than I expected. You can read the fascinating details on my other blog.
One item of concern is that I have been having these intense pains in my shoulder: muscle cramps in levator scapulae, to be specific. This is usually a sign of stress for me, and work has just been crazy busy this week. The pain goes away with pranayama and relaxation, so I am using it almost like a beeper guru.

Finishing Strong

It is the last weekend of my second Green Tara. Yesterday our plans were changed oh-so-many times, but ultimately we ended up back at Whipple Dam for volleyball, frisbee, and of course, swimming. My swim coach (aka my lovely wife Sue) tells me that my backstroke sucks almost as much as my breast stroke, but my freestyle is coming along. As always, she was not tired at all after swimming, whereas I was exhausted.
Today we needed to go to the gym. Sue suggested we ride our bikes the 10+ miles to the gym, which given the beautiful weather was an awesome idea. So we did that, although Sue was uncharacteristically tired. She fought through it all, and we got our workout in. Then she decided to drive home (one of our cars was at work, which was 2 miles away) but I was determined to ride back. There's one big hill on the way back, and the wind was hitting me right in the kisser while I was climbing it. I was so tired, but I knew once I got up it the rest was easy. I dropped the front derailer into first gear for the first time all season. I did it, and I still had enough in the tank to mow the lawn and cut the grass.

I do wish I was resting this week, but I don't think that is meant to be.

Thursday and Friday recap

Thursday night Sue and I lifted upper body. I think we were both feeling strong. I even took up the weight on barbell curls, which caught up to me in that last minute. My arms felt like wet rope when it was time for two-bench press. But I fought my way through those, and it was a good tired when I was done.
Today I wanted to run, but it looked like it was going to pour. Which of course it didn't. So instead so and I did our intervals on stationary bikes at the gym. Sue was a little later than I expected, so I had a long warm-up; like 25 minutes. I was a yucky, sweaty mess when we finished the last increase.
Sweat rules!

Change of plans

There is a 6.4 mile run today (not a race, just an organized run) up the steep hills behind Tussey Mountain. Originally this week, I had planned to do that run, and move my upper-body workout to Friday. But yesterday my friends invited me to play racquetball again, so I sent about 2.5 hours last night running around inside a small, hot box. It's all about balance: I've had so little time for my friends lately, I needed to do that. And of course it was fun too, even if I still am not beating them.
Needless to say, a run up the hill is not so appealing today, even though the weather is so nice. I'll go push up the iron instead.

Lower body day

It was quiet in the gym last night, and hot. I was a sweaty mess by the time I finished the first round of leg extensions, and not just because I took the weight up. Even after all the squats and presses, I still felt good enough to try keeping the weight up for the second round. That didn't work quite so well: I had to take the weight down halfway through a set. But I feel like I am getting stronger and stronger.

I don't have any kids, but I found a couple of interesting articles today for those of you that do:

• MedicalNewsToday.com reports that kids who walk to school (there must be a couple of them left) remain more physically active throughout the day than their driving-to-school counterparts.
• Nubella is pointing to an article which says that kids who spend more time outside get better grades.

So there you have it, parents: maing your kids walk to school is good for them, good for their grades, and you can save on gas.

Bloglines - Know the Signs of Exercise Addiction

Bloglines user paulmount@adelphia.net has sent this item to you, with the following personal message:

For goodness sake, people: balance and moderation in all things!

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Know the Signs of Exercise Addiction By Barbara Bourassa Although most Americans are sedentary, a small group of people are addicted to exercise. Obligatory exercisers, as they are called in the fitness world, chose exercise over personal relationships and social activities, and pursue their obsession despite injuries, says a new article by Jane Brody in The New York Times. The article cites a class example: a 38-year-old doctor and marathon runner who complained of constant tiredness, sore muscles, and lack of energy. The patient's wife said he was increasingly irritable, and that he no longer enjoyed running. For the obligatory exerciser, exercise becomes a top priority, even more important than work, school, friends and family, the article says. And young women, who worry constantly about gaining weight, are at higher risk of developing this syndrome, the article notes. Warning signs include feeling anxious when you miss a workout; talking constantly about training, workouts, or diet; or neglecting other areas of your life in order to exercise.

You call this a rest day?

I was supposed to take yesterday off, but a homeowner's work is never done. I had to trim and mow the lawn, and then the dogs
needed a nice walk. I'm a little tired today, but I'm still ready for lower body tonight.

Weekend review

Another action-packed weekend has passed, but the workouts continue...
Friday: Yoga (since I had done aerobic on Wednesday).
Saturday: EEE-GAD at the gym. I took the weight up on some things, so I must be heading the right direction. That evening we sat outside looking for shooting stars.
Sunday: we went to Whipple Dam with some friends. I spent many hours swimming, and I was almost keeping up with Sue. At least at short distances. But then later she told me she didn't feel like she was working that hard, whereas I was exhausted. Of course that's because she's so much more efficient than I am when it comes to swimming.

I'm feeling "well-trained" and I'm looking forward to my rest day today.

Upper Body

I didn't realize my arms would be so tired from racquetball, but man did I suffer through last night's workout. During the first round of two-bench triceps, I hit a point where I could no longer lift myself. The muscles didn't hurt or anything, they just would not contract. Maybe it's because I came into the gym weighing a hefty 159.4 lbs. I sucked it up though and got through everything.

Reuters.com - One in six US high school students has asthma-study - Thu August 11, 2005 02:36 PM ET

Well two things occur to me: (1) That Asthma is being way over-diagnosed, and (2) Is this the result of never letting kids walk anywhere, ever; and of keeping them in hermetically sealed, climate controlled structures their whole lives?

One in six US high school students has asthma-study

Thu August 11, 2005 02:36 PM ET By Paul Simao ATLANTA (Reuters) - One out of every six U.S. high school students suffers from asthma and more than one-third of those report having an attack in the previous year, according to a federal study released on Thursday that suggests schools do more to manage the potentially fatal lung disease. Asthma, which is marked by breathing difficulties, coughing and inflammation of the airways, disproportionately affects children and adolescents. In some states, it is the leading cause of absenteeism in schools. In 2003, an estimated 16.1 percent of those enrolled in grades 9 through 12 said they were suffering from the disease, according to a survey of more than 13,000 students by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 38 percent reported an asthma attack or episode in the 12 months before the survey, the CDC said. The current rate of asthma reported by the students was about double that found in a separate 2003 federal study that polled parents. CDC researchers said more research was needed to explain the factors behind the discrepancy. The Atlanta-based agency, however, urged educators to develop plans to deal with students' asthma, which can be triggered by exposure to certain allergens commonly found in schools, such as chalk dust, mold, and cleaning products. Teen smoking and exposure to diesel fuel from school buses also may contribute to attacks in classrooms. "Schools can help improve asthma management among students whose asthma is not well-controlled by providing health services, education and control of environmental triggers," the CDC said in a weekly health report. The CDC published its study amid growing debate over the scope of asthma in the nation. Although overall cases of the disease rose 75 percent between 1980 and 1998, there are signs that the disease has stabilized since then.

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Racquetball

The thing I like about racquetball (aside from the fact that it's just plain fun) is this: if you hustle, you can get to almost any ball. It's a small court: unless your opponent hits a great kill shot, you'd be surprised how quickly you can get across the court. The hardest part is keeping that in your head.
I played 5 games last night, and lost them all. I was a little bit rusty, obviously, but all the games were close enough that I had a chance. If we had kept playing, I definitely would have won.

Lower body

Yesterday was lower-body strength training, which is an excellent way to burn off the stresses of work.
For the first time in a while, I did all the squats. I had been avoiding them on the advice of my chiropractor, doing presses instead. But since he gave me the go-ahead last week, and I have an appointment today, I went all out. It felt great, although my ego was begging me to quit during the second set of jump squats. But I kept thinking to myself, "just do two more," and much to my surprise, that voice went away. I also took up the weight on the first round of leg extensions. I had no problems, but it caught up to me on the second round. Vastus medialus was burning!
I am playing racquetball today, but I will try to get in a short yoga practice as well.

Dispatches from the world of Duh...

Modern science is spending a lot of time and money studying and testing the things we all know in our hearts to be true. Here are three examples...
The Mayo Clinic suggests you eat fewer calories and exercise more.
Dr. Robert Cole teaches us that learning to do yoga poses properly will help prevent injury.*
The Mayo Clinic points out that regular exercise has many healthful benefits.

I think the really sad part is that there are so many people who actually don't know this stuff.

(* I do give Dr. Cole credit for also reminding people not to force poses: as Baron Baptiste says, "Don't try harder, try softer.")

Catching you up

It was a crazy, hectic weekend, but I found/made the time to meditate in motion.

Friday: Rather than doing intervals, my body was begging for a fast run. I obeyed: I ran 5KM in 24:00. I had run exactly that same time as the first half of a 10K in a race a few weeks back, and that was with streets closed and hundreds of other runners to draft off.
Saturday: EEE-GAD, in the morning. I felt great and powerful the whole time. And Sue managed her first pull-up without any assistance! (I know she is capable of more than that, but she doesn't trust herself enough yet.) I did those dumbell presses, and I kept Coach Ilg's voice in the back of my head: no giving up! On top of all this, I set a new personal best with 54 crunches in a minute.
The rest of the day we spent cooking and cleaning, and we enjoyed a long night of food, wine, and friends.
Sunday: Sue's parents came, earlier than expected, so that became a rest day. But after dinner we took the dogs for a short stroll, and were treated to a show the muskrats were putting on. The dogs wanted to play with them, of course, but I told them I didn't think it was so good an idea.
Monday: I meditated in the morning, with only partial success, and then this evening we took a 15KM bike ride. In honor of Coach Ilg's race, and because we had rested yesterday, I led and went balls-out the whole way. We broke our record for that course by damn near two minutes.

Yesterday Kicked My A$$!

I have been trying to extend my running miles each week, so yesterday I decided to again run from work to the gym, a distance of just over two miles. It was hazy, hot, and humid last night (about 93 degrees), and that hard run took a lot out of me. I knew I was in trouble when I had to take the weight down on hang cleans.
But, as Coach Ilg has told me, the amount of weight is not important: the two keys in WF training are mindfulness and elegance in strenth training, and never quitting. So in spite of my fatigue and the humbling effort, I got through everything. I even managed to set a new personal best in medicine ball crunches: 52 in the first 1-minute set. (I know the number isn't important, but counting them helps keep me focused.)
There's a lot going on this weekend, so I may not have time to post. But I will if I can.

Namaste

Bloglines - Fighting Weight Gain With Yoga

Bloglines user paulmount@adelphia.net has sent this item to you, with the following personal message:

An interesting item. But there's nothing here to indicate whether these people are more active in other ways. Is yoga their only workout, or is it just part of their wellness regimen?

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Nubella Health and Nutrition News Health and Nutrition News delivered daily

Fighting Weight Gain With Yoga By Barbara Bourassa A recent study of more than 15,000 men and women reveals that yoga may help prevent the weight gain associated with middle age. Most people between the ages of 45 and 55 gain about 1 pound per year, according to a new article in The New York Times. Yet among study participants who practiced yoga for 30 minutes once a week for 4 or more years, the weight gain was less, the article says. In addition, the overweight study participants who practiced yoga lost an average of 5 pounds. By contrast, their counterparts who did not practice yoga gained an average of 13 pounds, the article says. The study's lead author emphasized that yoga is not a magic pill. Yet yoga offers "a safe and comfortable way for people who have never been physically active to begin regular physical activity," the researcher said.

Sweaty yoga

Yesterday, Sue felt like she needed some extra cardio, so she biked home from work. I would have joined her, but somebody needed to go to the store: the dogs must be fed!
I did an hour of yoga in the sticky humid air of our meditation room. I've decided that tree pose is definitely my favorite. I can't explain why, but I just find it so calming. I should do that first from now on, so my focus is that much better for the rest of my practice.

Namaste, fellow travellers.

Week 2 begins

I felt like I needed some extra cardio (and some extra running), so yesterday I ran the 2+ miles from work to the gym before Sue and I started the lower-body workout. All those leg extensions take on an extra layer of cruelty after a hard run in 90-degree heat. But I refused to quit: I took the weight down when I needed to, and I got through it.
Today's visit to the chiropractor went very well. It's time to push!

Bloglines - The Myths and Truths of Strength Training

Bloglines user paulmount@adelphia.net has sent this item to you, with the following personal message:

Here's some more truth to keep in mind as you continue your WF journey...

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Nubella Health and Nutrition News Health and Nutrition News delivered daily

The Myths and Truths of Strength Training By Barbara Bourassa True or false: as we age, our muscle mass declines, especially in our 30s, 40s, and 50s. True or false: strength training (whether it takes the form of free weights, resistance bands, or everyday activities) can help tone and preserve muscle. The answer to both statements is true, according to a new article by Sally Squires in The Washington Post. True or false: Strength training will dramatically increase your metabolism. False, according to the article, which says that if you add four pounds of muscle, you will burn about 50 extra calories per day. Other common myths (such as you'll need to eat more protein if you lift weights or you should use a supplement such as creatine to build muscle) simply aren't true, the article says.

Rest Day

I came across an article today about new research into the effectiveness of vitamin suppliments. It just goes to show that the essence of a thing is not the same as the thing itself, and that when it comes to nutrition, shortcuts just aren't going to work.

Weekend Review

What an excellent weekend of WF training!

Saturday, Sue and I did the EEE-GAD workout from Total Body Transformation. I felt so strong, until the seated dumbell press humbled me. I know that this exercise will always be a struggle for me. I sought out Coach Ilg's advice, and his response is on his blog, Direct Lines. After that, we had yardwork and other chores, so we couldn't get to yoga until the following morning.
I may have to start doing yoga in the morning more often. I felt so much more focused than I usually do in the evening. Then after still more yardwork, we took the dogs for a longer-than-expected hike. When we got home, we took a quick bike ride. We were both a little surprised that in spite of our weary legs, we totally crushed our usual pace. I told Sue that this was the benefit of all those leg extensions: your muscles learn to keep firing even when tired, and your spirit learns that you can overcome that fatigue.

I'm feeling well-trained today, and looking forward to a good rest day.