Topic: Lessons from the Gym

[Rachel]

Hi,

It has been since Early March when the gyms were closed. They hope to be allowed to reopen in August.

Anyhow it has been about 2.5 months since I have been in the gym and I wanted to share two issues that occurred where I had hurt myself in the gym.

1) I was squatting with 260 pounds and something in my back went. I do not know exactly what went but I do know it hurt. I tried lowering the weight on subsequent visits and over time. I got to the point where I just stopped squatting. I continued to do leg exercises on machines. However, I stopped doing heavy weighted squats.

When the gym reopens I may at some point start squats but it will be low weight and on a squat machine.

One thing that helped was strengthening my back with bending my torso with my legs held in place on a back machine.

2) I hurt a deltoid muscle. It is 95% now after 2.5 months of rest. I stopped the exercise that caused the rip. I again was using a heavy weight.

So if you go back to the gym after the pandemic subsided please remember to stretch and used lower weights and higher reps. If you have any question ask the staff on how to use the weights.

Butt, I found a great exercise for the butt at home. I use a barbell with 50 pounds on one end. I pick up the heavy end by bending my legs and thrusting up for 20 reps three sets.   

Rachel

[Northern Star Girl]

@Rachel
Dear Rachel:
So sorry to read that you gym experience is delayed until late summer.
 
This last week my local gym was allowed to be open for business.
My gym-gals group (5 of us) were able to return last Thursday to start our weekly
meetings and workouts....  it felt so good to not only get back to our workout
routines but also the great fellowship among our group.

Please continue to be careful as you do your exercises especially after
your gym has been shut down for so long.

Be careful, be safe.

Thank you for sharing and posting.
HUGS,
Danielle

[madeleine]

Really good advice Rachel.  In addition to stretches, I like to do a meaningful amount of cardio before starting also, especially if I haven't worked out for a while. This warms up mys  muscles up a little more and gets my pulse and hear beat up too.

Rachel, was it the lower back? Do you have someone with when you are lifting, like to spot you or a workout partner?

[Rachel]

@Northern Star Girl, I am happy for your social life resuming. It is incredibly isolating these days. I am very thankful for work.

@madeleine,
Hi, I do not have a partner to lift with. The bench press is across from the squat racks. I saw a guy go down with 260 pounds. The weight I use to squat. He had 2 guys watching which did not help. It was very eye opening. When I go back I will use the squat machine. It has a slot so the weight must go in perfect alignment  and stops so if something occurs you can get away.

[Maid Marion]

Hi Rachel,

Sorry to hear you hurt yourself.

I get my exercise gardening.  I've figured out that I can spread it out over the entire year, even in snowy Connecticut.  The snow rarely stays on the ground for more than few days.  If I dress warmly there are all sorts of yard tasks I can do on the warmer winter days to stay in shape all year long.  As I have lots of small flowering plants I do a lot of yard work from a squatting position.  I can squat for hours.

Marion

[madeleine]

@Northern Star Girl, I am happy for your social life resuming. It is incredibly isolating these days. I am very thankful for work.

@madeleine,
Hi, I do not have a partner to lift with. The bench press is across from the squat racks. I saw a guy go down with 260 pounds. The weight I use to squat. He had 2 guys watching which did not help. It was very eye opening. When I go back I will use the squat machine. It has a slot so the weight must go in perfect alignment  and stops so if something occurs you can get away.

Rachel, yes, I don't think you can spot someone for squats.  I was curious if anyone is watching your form.  My understanding is that the most common way you can hurt your back squatting is by keeping your back too straight.  You probably know this, but a slight curve to the spine can help when squatting.  I'm no expert but I worked out with someone who knew about lifting and I learned from him that most of the time I hurt myself was when my form wasn't right. In any case, have messed up by lower back several times and it is no fun!