Saying good buy to rehab exercises

[JowGaWolf]

It looks like I'm back. I've been walking with 8lbs dumbbells for about a month. Tonight I jumped from 8 to 20lbs and it was rough. I need to lower the weight but I was able to complete my 2 laps without taking shortcuts. Lap 2 was rough. I started having thoughts of "maybe I can leave the weights here walk home, get the car and then pick up the weights." I walk laps in my neighborhood right after eating dinner.. My goal is to eventually get a lighter weight so I can gradually strengthen my back and for it not to be such a struggle.

So far my hip is good, back is goods, my legs were really strong but the biggest issue was my grip. That was the nightmare. I was able to keep good structure but holding 20 lbs dumbbells for 45 minutes was rough. My staff no longer feels as heavy as it used to.

So to explain what I've been doing for a month. Some call the exercise "Farmers Walk. " I did it a few seconds before failure. My goal is to eventually walk 2 laps probably 800 yards with hills.

With the lighter 8lbs weight I was doing continuous curls and transitioning into upper cuts, and circular movement similar to what I would use with a staff. 20lbs is just too heavy to do that. My focus is to lift a weight that is light enough to do that but heavy enough to make me work at it after the 5th rep.

Eventually my walks will get longer, not with the weights but I want to implement some other activities as well things like kicking. It's been a while since I've could feel my hip and I like that. I don't have that constant pain and I can actually feel my back stabilize as well. The walking has helped a lot. The rehab period sucked but the healing was work it. The real test will be tomorrow when I test to see if my kung fu shuffle step footwork irritates my hip.

 

[Alan0354]

Tell me again what is your injuries. I remember you told me once, I forgot.....Old mind.

20lbs is a lot of weight to have long walk and try to do upper cut along. It's easy for the first 20 reps.......then......it's not so easy........then it gets very hard!!! Doing it for 45 minutes walk? You got to be kidding!!!

I remember you mentioned about the hip, but it's from car accident(?). My advice is if your hip doesn't feel good, do NOT do long walk. I don't want to repeat about my wife had two hip replacement because of walking. Hip is a funny thing, I remember you said your cartridge of the hip is not wearing thin......GOOD, keep it that way. If you really want to do long walk, don't do it everyday. I kept telling my wife don't do 6 days, 2miles a week, she did not listen. Now she has two metal hips. Once the cartridge wears down, there's not much rehab you can do to reverse it, seems like replacement is the only option by that time. Be careful, when the hip goes down, it's goes down fast, don't expect you have years, it's in months (like 2 to 3) before replacement. Seems like trying to fight it after that just delay the inevitable and just more suffering. Luckily, recovery time is very fast and easy to recover fully. My wife hardly think about it at all. She is going to have carpal tunnel surgery next week, it's supposed to be a very minor surgery. She'll be in for a rude awakening, that's the reason I am trying so hard NOT to have surgery on my right hand. It's a half a year ordeal.

Good luck, I am battling my right knee, it's not getting better. I have a doctor appointment in 2 weeks and see what happen. Funny if I warmup, I can do my stepping around in stick fight, kicking. I can do lunges with 30lbs weight on each side, double steps up to 2nd floor 16 times......BUT, after I sit down or watch tv for a while, the knee gets very bad, I have problem walking the first few steps.

Good luck.

 

[_Simon_]

Great to hear brother, awesome . Ease into things slowly ya hear?

 

[JowGaWolf]

Tell me again what is your injuries. I remember you told me once, I forgot.....Old mind.

20lbs is a lot of weight to have long walk and try to do upper cut along. It's easy for the first 20 reps.......then......it's not so easy........then it gets very hard!!! Doing it for 45 minutes walk? You got to be kidding!!!

I remember you mentioned about the hip, but it's from car accident(?). My advice is if your hip doesn't feel good, do NOT do long walk. I don't want to repeat about my wife had two hip replacement because of walking. Hip is a funny thing, I remember you said your cartridge of the hip is not wearing thin......GOOD, keep it that way. If you really want to do long walk, don't do it everyday. I kept telling my wife don't do 6 days, 2miles a week, she did not listen. Now she has two metal hips. Once the cartridge wears down, there's not much rehab you can do to reverse it, seems like replacement is the only option by that time. Be careful, when the hip goes down, it's goes down fast, don't expect you have years, it's in months (like 2 to 3) before replacement. Seems like trying to fight it after that just delay the inevitable and just more suffering. Luckily, recovery time is very fast and easy to recover fully. My wife hardly think about it at all. She is going to have carpal tunnel surgery next week, it's supposed to be a very minor surgery. She'll be in for a rude awakening, that's the reason I am trying so hard NOT to have surgery on my right hand. It's a half a year ordeal.

Good luck, I am battling my right knee, it's not getting better. I have a doctor appointment in 2 weeks and see what happen. Funny if I warmup, I can do my stepping around in stick fight, kicking. I can do lunges with 30lbs weight on each side, double steps up to 2nd floor 16 times......BUT, after I sit down or watch tv for a while, the knee gets very bad, I have problem walking the first few steps.

Good luck.

Yep. I was recovering from a lingering hip injury. I only do upper cuts with 8 lbs. 20lbs is too heavy and it would cause too much strain on my back.

The walk itself isn't long. It's less than a mile about 800 yards. It just takes me that long to get through it as the weight forces me to use shorter steps. I also walk it at a casual pace trying to coordinate my steps with the shift of the weight. I will do my stance training today and that will be the final test. The stance training is more demanding than the walk.

Knees are tricky. Hopefully it's not a cartilage or ligament issue. I used to have a similar problem but in my case a tendon some how wrapped around something in a bad way and it never moved back to the natural position. I was find during most exercise, but an hour after that exercise it was like I was crippled. Walking down the steps was so painful that I had lean on the rail and I couldn't take alternating steps., One day I had to sit and slide down the steps. Walking up the steps was no problem. It was strange.

I hope there's nothing serious with your knee. Knee, back, and hip are so vital to total body movement.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Great to hear brother, awesome . Ease into things slowly ya hear?

Yep I will be buying a set of 10lb weights 20lbs was in interesting trip but it's not sustainable at this point. I did a little more than half a lab before my grip started to fail. After that it was slowly became a mission of "walk 20 steps and put down the weights until finished."

20lbs is just too heavy for me and what I'm trying to strengthen. It reduces the number of exercises that I can do. I will be following your advice and and easing into it. I will return to the 8lbs tonight.

 

[_Simon_]

Yep I will be buying a set of 10lb weights 20lbs was in interesting trip but it's not sustainable at this point. I did a little more than half a lab before my grip started to fail. After that it was slowly became a mission of "walk 20 steps and put down the weights until finished."

20lbs is just too heavy for me and what I'm trying to strengthen. It reduces the number of exercises that I can do. I will be following your advice and and easing into it. I will return to the 8lbs tonight.

Yeah sounds good.. and I've tried Farmer's walks for a cycle in training once, brutal haha.. but great exercise

 

[Flying Crane]

You do realize that there are dumbbells in several increments between 8 and 20 pounds?

 

[Alan0354]

Yep. I was recovering from a lingering hip injury. I only do upper cuts with 8 lbs. 20lbs is too heavy and it would cause too much strain on my back.

The walk itself isn't long. It's less than a mile about 800 yards. It just takes me that long to get through it as the weight forces me to use shorter steps. I also walk it at a casual pace trying to coordinate my steps with the shift of the weight. I will do my stance training today and that will be the final test. The stance training is more demanding than the walk.

Knees are tricky. Hopefully it's not a cartilage or ligament issue. I used to have a similar problem but in my case a tendon some how wrapped around something in a bad way and it never moved back to the natural position. I was find during most exercise, but an hour after that exercise it was like I was crippled. Walking down the steps was so painful that I had lean on the rail and I couldn't take alternating steps., One day I had to sit and slide down the steps. Walking up the steps was no problem. It was strange.

I hope there's nothing serious with your knee. Knee, back, and hip are so vital to total body movement.

May I make a suggestion: Talk to your doctor, specifically ask him/her to prescribe you to rehab with WEIGHT training. They do have it and I went through it. Doctor usually don't prescribe that and some even reluctant to do that. You have to find the right doctor. It literally saved my life. My back was in such bad shape from a few years of high kicks I couldn't even stand for 2 minutes without tingling going down my legs. I thought that was it for me. After exhausting all different treatments( you name it short of surgery, I had it). Finally the doctor in St. Mary Spine Center ( the famous place that operated on Joe Montana of 49ers) send me to try on rehab with weights. I never looked back. I have been doing weights non stop for 34 years since and excluding any round and side kicks, I am working almost normally. More importantly, if a doctor prescribes, you can get the insurance to cover the cost.

I am NOT a doctor, I can only tell you the miracle of weight training. FIND a doctor that is willing to prescribe you to weight training rehab and put in some time. After I went through for 2 months learning what to watch out not to injure myself( weight training can be dangerous if you don't know what to watch out), I just went to a gym and been in the gym ever since until the lock down. Now I am doing it at home with improvised equipment.

Notice the top athletes are getting older and older? Mainly because the weight training for recovery that extend their career. It's the key to longevity. Hey, I am 68, still hanging around!!!


Regarding to your dumb bell, the weight increment is quite huge, like the next one up from 8lbs is 10lbs, then 12lbs and then 15lbs and 20lbs. The increment is to big. Since I am born cheap, let me suggest to you. You must have some nuts and bolts in your garage. use duct take to tape some say 3/8" 4"long bolt onto the 8lbs dumb bell as increment. When you feel comfortable, add another bolt etc.

Ha ha, how do you think I made my 60lbs weight jackets? I am too cheap to buy their weights, I broke the two steel ball bearing bags for iron palm( as a revenge ) and use it as weights. Then I use a lot of 3/8" X 4" steel bolts to make up the weight. Just keep adding and weight it on the scale to get the right weight!! So I got by only buying two empty weight jacket for cheap. I literally stuffed any nuts and bolts to make up the weight!!

They do have 1.25lbs magnetic weights to stick onto the dumb bell for small increment, but if you use it for doing upper cuts, it won't work, it will fly off!!! Your best bet is duck tape and bolts. Or you have to waste money buying different dumb bells that you might never use after your rehab.

JMHO

 

[JowGaWolf]

You do realize that there are dumbbells in several increments between 8 and 20 pounds?

I just learned that today from post #7

 

[Alan0354]

I just learned that today from post #7

I thought you know, I was going a step further, choose the right weight, then add bolts to increment a little at a time( a few oz). It might be critical as you do upper cut with that, increment of 2lbs might be too much to jump if you buy ready made dumb bells.

 

[punisher73]

I just learned that today from post #7

If you get adjustable dumbbells they even sell 1 or 1 1/2 lb. plates to get that right in between your five lb. increments.

I had a welder friend build/weld me a pair of "farmers walk" dumbbells with 1 inch steel rod to my specifications. I can pile on a bunch of plates (for my level) to do heavy farmers walks. It is a GREAT exercise for the whole body when done properly. Also, you are right, it can fry out your grip very quickly.

 

[Alan0354]

By adjustable dumb bell, you mean this?:
https://www.amazon.com/ATIVAFIT-Adj...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

He is going to do upper cut with the dumb bells, adjustable dumb bells likely not going to work. I have one of those adjustable dumb bells, things are going to fall out and come apart if you swing it wildly. That's the reason I did not suggest that.......and very expensive. Yes, if it's only for weight training, it's perfect, not for swinging around.

That's the reason I suggested first finding the closest weight, then tape bolts on to fine tweak the weight. Say 12lbs is the closest but need a little more, then tape one bolt to each to increase like a few oz. The next jump on dumb bells would be 15lbs, that's 3lbs jump. For swinging exercise, you need smaller increments.

 

[punisher73]

He is going to do upper cut with the dumb bells, adjustable dumb bells likely not going to work. I have one of those adjustable dumb bells, things are going to fall out and come apart if you swing it wildly. That's the reason I did not suggest that.......and very expensive. Yes, if it's only for weight training, it's perfect, not for swinging around.

That's the reason I suggested first finding the closest weight, then tape bolts on to fine tweak the weight. Say 12lbs is the closest but need a little more, then tape one bolt to each to increase like a few oz. The next jump on dumb bells would be 15lbs, that's 3lbs jump. For swinging exercise, you need smaller increments.

I got the kind with the screw on end caps and they stay on very well.

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/fitness-gear-40-lb-adjustable-dumbbell-set-16fgeufg40lbdjdbsdmb/16fgeufg40lbdjdbsdmb

Similar to that, but it was just the handles and very inexpensive.

But, I've had a couple other kinds and agree that they aren't very good.

 

[Alan0354]

I got the kind with the screw on end caps and they stay on very well.

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/fitness-gear-40-lb-adjustable-dumbbell-set-16fgeufg40lbdjdbsdmb/16fgeufg40lbdjdbsdmb

Similar to that, but it was just the handles and very inexpensive.

But, I've had a couple other kinds and agree that they aren't very good.

Yes, those will work for him doing upper cuts. I don't know what is the smallest increment of weight, when I had them, the lightest plate is 1.25lb. That would be the smallest increment of weight.

I used to have two sets of this kind of adjustable plates dumb bells, I gave them away. I find it very inconvenient to use. You have to unscrew both ends and change plates between sets, you have to do on both. When you are in the middle of the work out, you don't have the time, and more importantly, you are exhausted after the set, you want to have a minute to rest, not busy changing plates. I changed to individual dumb bells until those true adjustable dumb bells came out about 25 years ago, I bought a set from 5lbs to 80lbs with 2.5lbs increment, I never look back. It's expensive, close to $300 at the time. Now they have better ones easier to adjust, mine is old style that actually have to push pins to adjust weight. Mine is the older model of this one:
Amazon.com : POWERBLOCK Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbell (2020 Model) : Sports & Outdoors

If I were to buy a set, I would get the newer design that adjust by turning the knob to pick up different combination of weights. The pin type I have is still harder to adjust. Might not sound like a big deal, but it is. You see they have rolls of dumbbells in the gym, you just put one pair down and pick up another pair. It's very important when you are working out.