Wednesday, August 28, 2019

WWU - My Home Gym...er, "Gym"

I thought I'd show you my little home gym where I do my PT exercises:
It IS fancy, I know...

This is in a little corner of our bedroom, formerly home to Paco's sleeping crate (don't worry, he upgraded to roomer accommodations in my closet).  I use the chair, the floor pillow, and the foam roller every day.  Sometimes I'll pull out that cheapie full-length mirror behind the chair to check my form.  Sometimes I'll hold that PVC pipe behind my back when I'm sitting on the chair to make sure I'm in zero spine.  And sometimes I'll use that green yoga strap when I'm trying to do the Bretzel stretch while my body is being particularly inflexible.

Oh, I just realized that I didn't point out the part of my home gym that gets the most amount of use:  the floor.  Over half of the exercises are done there, and to go along with that, the vacuum is the next most-used piece of equipment because floor plus dog plus cat plus feet = a lot of fur and dirt.

But wait, there's more:
Why yes, that IS an orange kettlebell in my office. 

After Jared had me use a kettlebell to do hip hinges during one of my workout sessions, I bought one to have at home because I felt like I did the hip hinges better with it; there is something about holding it behind my back that gives me the right feel to start the motion correctly.  Only thing about having one at home is, I'm not supposed to lift anything heavy - holding it is OK, but I shouldn't pick it up from the floor.  So, this little spot of a cabinet in my office became the storage area for the kettlebell.  When I want to use it, it's at the right height for me to pick up, and when I'm finished, I just back up to the cabinet (since it's being held behind my back) and feel my way to setting it on top.  It may look awkward but it works.

I realize that I've been talking about PT for months now, and lately I haven't added anything new because I was still working on mastering some of the more challenging exercises.  One in particular is the rocking pigeon, where you are sitting on a chair with one foot on the floor and the other leg bent so the ankle rests on top of the other knee.  You get into zero spine position and rock forward to stand on one leg while the other is still bent and touching the top of the knee.  I could do it with my right leg on the ground - it was wobbly but I did it.  However, try as I might, I could not make myself stand with the left leg on the ground - it just would not budge. 

Yesterday I did the rocking pigeon at PT - right leg was wobbly but I could stand.  Left leg, still a no go.  Amanda then put a cushion on top of the area where I was sitting, which raised me up two inches...and I actually managed to stand up on my left leg!  I couldn't believe it - I honestly thought that my leg was too weak to be able to do that, but it just needed some different mechanics and boom - I had a breakthrough!  Both Amanda and Jared have said many times that there is a disconnect between my mind and my leg thanks to the nerve issue, and that right there is proof - what I couldn't will myself to make happen actually happened with a small physical change.

I have a new goal now - to do that rocking pigeon one-legged stand every day, as many times as I can.  Yesterday it was three, and I'll build from there.  It doesn't sound like a huge thing, but after months of failure, it is big for me.

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No workout with Jared tomorrow because he's on vacation, but hopefully I'll get that steroid injection in my SI joint instead, and a whole new pain-free world will open up for me!  I have my fingers, toes, and eyes crossed that it happens.

18 comments:

  1. Congrats on your break through with the rocking pigeon one-legged stand. This sounds hard to do period let alone with having disc/pain issues.

    I hope you get pain relief from your steroid injection.

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    1. You know, you are right...I had Jeff try that move and he couldn't do it, so yeah, it probably is hard to do regardless.

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  2. Woohoo on the breakthrough with the one legged pigeon stand. (I was going to call it the ‘pigeon thing...but didn’t want to disrespectful...but dang I am still giggling about it so I had to type it...yeah I’m a nutcase!!!). You are making improvements right and left. I know if feels slow and like no improvement to you sometimes...but really...every time you talk about pt or the gym you are talking about something else you have conquered!!! You rock!!!

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    1. Oh believe me, some of the names for PT moves are pretty hilarious...apparently in the coming weeks I'll be doing some sort of pole move - dancing? vault? - which will be entertaining, I'm sure. ;)

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  3. Hooray for progress! I'm so glad things are moving forward--albeit slowly. Forward is a pace, right?

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    1. As I learned with running, forward most definitely IS a pace. :)

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  4. Again, I know you have a hard time seeing it but you are doing great! I swear I need to do some of your PT moves. They sound marvelous for hip flexors. Pretty sure I couldn’t even do one rocking pigeon! So here’s the lesson for ME once again: don’t compare yourself to other people. You just do you and keep trying your best.

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    1. Thanks - I know that when I look back on this I will notice the progress more than I do right now. It is very challenging to be in the moment and realize things are changing.

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  5. Yeah, that rocking pigeon sounds HARD! Pretty sure I couldn't do that one. Good luck with your injection tomorrow!!!

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    1. It is hard...yesterday I managed it but it's not going as well today.

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  6. Yay for progress! And fingers crossed for the injection relief :-)

    BTW, my home "gym" looks similar, except my kettlebells are gathering dust in the closet and I incorporate the highly technical, yet underrated, piano bench. It makes a fairly decent weight bench!

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    1. Very clever, using the piano bench as a weight bench!

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  7. Doesn't it feel great when you finally master something you have been working on for a while! Especially if it is something you thought you could never do when you first started. I still have those moments occasionally during my workouts, and it makes me feel so accomplished. Plus it makes me want to do more. So, Good for You!

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  8. Yay! Progress is a step in the right direction. You are doing great. That "pigeon thing" sounds way hard. (I may try it lol)

    I love home gyms. They can look any way we want them to look. And it still works. (If you do the work lol) Mine is in the guest room and includes a bowflex max trainer, my treadmill, weights ranging from 3 pounds to 50 pounds. The heavier ones are hubby's obviously. And I also have a set of PT resistance bands, a jar of thera-putty and a bar similar to your PVC pipe for PT on my hand, arm and shoulder.

    Can't wait to hear about your pole dancing lol.

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  9. Congratulations on making progress..These small steps are adding up.

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  10. That’s awesome about your accomplishment at PT! Every small step like that leads to recovery! Hang in there!!

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  11. I love your high-tech and fancy home gym, ha ha. It sounds like you have a great set-up for the exercises that you have to do. How is Paco enjoying his crate upgrade?

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  12. Rocking pigeon sounds HARD! That is brilliant to use the cushion to assist your left side! Yay for progress! I love hearing about the people you have in your corner!!! <3

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