Adventures In Goat World
The Arms Race
So in anticipation of probably at least needing some sort of surgery and having to cart my ass around on crutches for a period of time longer than five minutes, I've started lifting weights.
The last time I was on crutches, I was on them for about three days of actually using them properly, and my arms just about fell off.
The fact that I'm very overweight also really hit me hard I was on crutches. Every time I took a step with crutches, it was basically like doing a 200+ lb bench press. I had just about zero muscle tone in my arms, and it became quite literally painfully obvious.
This time, however, I've got a little warning. I can at least focus my workouts so that my arms only feel like they're going to fall off at a point where they don't have to carry my body weight.
Since realistically any surgery is not going to happen until the third week of May, I've got about eight weeks to get my arms, shoulders, and chest as strong as possible, and it's a race against time for me to try and get ready.
My start hasn't been great. I can really only do about 30 lbs. on several of the machines, and no more than 50 on anything.
I did 50 on one machine this morning (I have no idea what it's called, but you lift straight up over your head and it works the back and the muscles under your upper arm), and I couldn't lift my arms above shoulder level until late this afternoon.
I'm going to try and meet with a trainer at my gym next week to get some advice on what muscle groups I need to target. Hopefully I can gain enough strength so that the transition to crutches isn't too horrible.
However, if I don't post for a few days, it probably means I've overdone it and I can't lift my hands to the keyboard. If that happens, I'll try to type out SEND HELP with my nose.
The last time I was on crutches, I was on them for about three days of actually using them properly, and my arms just about fell off.
The fact that I'm very overweight also really hit me hard I was on crutches. Every time I took a step with crutches, it was basically like doing a 200+ lb bench press. I had just about zero muscle tone in my arms, and it became quite literally painfully obvious.
This time, however, I've got a little warning. I can at least focus my workouts so that my arms only feel like they're going to fall off at a point where they don't have to carry my body weight.
Since realistically any surgery is not going to happen until the third week of May, I've got about eight weeks to get my arms, shoulders, and chest as strong as possible, and it's a race against time for me to try and get ready.
My start hasn't been great. I can really only do about 30 lbs. on several of the machines, and no more than 50 on anything.
I did 50 on one machine this morning (I have no idea what it's called, but you lift straight up over your head and it works the back and the muscles under your upper arm), and I couldn't lift my arms above shoulder level until late this afternoon.
I'm going to try and meet with a trainer at my gym next week to get some advice on what muscle groups I need to target. Hopefully I can gain enough strength so that the transition to crutches isn't too horrible.
However, if I don't post for a few days, it probably means I've overdone it and I can't lift my hands to the keyboard. If that happens, I'll try to type out SEND HELP with my nose.
Labels: angry ankle, exercise, pain
