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January 11, 2007
A spin on a spiffy bike
I did try out the new spin bikes in the gym this morning and had a great workout! I am not 100 percent sure I was adjusted correctly, but I played around with it until I felt comfortable and then just started jamming. It is the most comfortable spin bike I've ever been on, and the first time I clipped in to one (not counting my trainer). The ride was very smooth, the resistance easy to adjust, and my butt didn't even hurt that much. I mostly rode at a steady pace with a few short surges thrown in, since standing up to pedal is what works the hamstring (and what I did way too much of in May and June when I was first dealing with this injury). I was getting a few stares for my dripping sweat, but that's what happens when you are in a hot room and riding a bike--if you are doing it right. All in all I wished I had another 15 minutes or so to ride, but it was nice to mix up the cross training and I'm glad I took another non-running day.
Speaking of not running while injured, several of my friends and family members sent me Gina Kolata's article in today's New York Times about a "new" school of thought that says running, or at least working out, through injuries, is actually the best course of action--instead of complete rest. We all know that I never take real rest days unless I am in an airplane or on my deathbed, so this doesn't really apply to me. In fact, it's nothing new to me. In my 9ish years of running through all my aches and pains until I couldn't because they became actual injuries instead of just annoyances, I have found that I generally felt better after the run. That's how I know that I am injured, when running actually makes something worse. This is why my current knee/leg situation is so frustrating: it doesn't seem to follow any particular pattern of when it feels better and when it feels worse. OK, that's my article-related rant.
Back to workout news...I lifted at lunch again. I appreciated the quiet of the gym and the fact that I could use everything I wanted without waiting. I am trying some new, fun exercises in my lifting routine, like throwing a (light) medicine ball against the wall and catching it a bunch of times. I feel like that must be good in the sense that I might actually be increasing my ball-sports-playing skills as well as my strength! Too bad I don't test those skills too often!
Time to get ready for the return of Thursday night T.V....
Posted by becky at January 11, 2007 8:09 PM
Comments
The article's lead makes it somewhat confusing: most athletes (amateur or otherwise) are probably most concerned with injuries which stem from doing their sport as opposed to injuries contracted in other activities ( a slip, lift, accident) which could interfere with their sport.
All the doctors I know have always said that to start moving your limbs after trauma can usually have beneficial effects and quicken recovery.
The problem is when you injure yourself because you don't run or exercise right in terms of quantity, quality and recovery patters. This requires very special analysis, experience and yes, of course, some common sense too.
Posted by: corrado giambalvo at January 12, 2007 11:51 AM