Random Fitness Questions

What's the best way to break yourself in at running after an absence from knee injury?

Injury fully heeled and strengthened.

Thanks

Thank you!

Just a quick one folks, started back running recently any tips on how to avoid ire or chub rub as some people call it? TIA

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has any advice here.

From doing Squats, I feel my Range of Motion (particularly I think in my IT band??) has deteriorated. Love doing the exercise, and the benefits are obvious - but just wondering can anyone recommend particular stretches, when to do them, etc. if this is indeed a thing.

I had seen that directly trying to lenghten the IT band is a waste of time as its not very flexible in and of itself and its better to focus on developing the muscles directly rather than doing foam rolling. Pick a glute , hamstring and hip flexor exercise for example and add them in, and as above, i try to start most session in the gym with an Asian squat, if you cant sit unassisted in an Asian squat for a minute or two comfortably its one for the list.

A couple of years ago, I was getting a pain on the side of my knee and no matter what I did the pain kept coming back even after rest. It was my IT band and I started stretching it. Did this for a few days and the pain disappeared. I still do the stretches now before or after working out so it doesn't come back.

What I did was find a surface around waist high. Too low and its not enough but too high and you won't hit the right spot. I used the kitchen table! Then put the leg that has the pain on it but turn your foot so that the outside of your knee is on the surface and your baby toe is closest to the surface. So like a hamstring stretch except you are turning your leg. Leave a bend in your knee though. Now bring your upper body down and hold. You are aiming to go down over the outside to target the band on the outside. So you are over your knee to the side.You will feel the outside stretch when you do it right. The usual thing for stretches, a few secs as first then gradually go longer. This is what got rid of my pain.

If that's too awkward, try it on your couch or bed. Sit on the edge and put leg up on the couch or bed as above. Leave other on floor and stretch over the knee to the outside.

Nowadays I do the same stretch on the ground if I am at a gym or outside and no high surface. Both knees will be at 90 degrees. Think as if you are going down on one knee and you rear knee was in line with your front heel , and then you dropped to one side. So if i was stretching my left IT band, Left leg is bent at 90 degrees with outside of knee on ground and left baby toe closest to ground, right leg is bent at 90 degrees also so that inside of my knee and my right big toe are closer to the ground. Now i would stretch down to my left over the knee again.

Now i have progressed to turning my knees over to the right so i am doing the same on the other side, stretching and going back and forth, then not using my hands for base so it is a great mobility drill while stretching. Hope this helps. Its hard to describe stretches but hope I have made it clear.

Great, thanks for that advice.

I guess the feeling I'm having is of a tightness, restricted movements, not even sure if the IT Band is the correct source to be honest! I feel like I am not doing enough preparation in the form of stretches, or mobility warm ups, etc.

As an example, trying to sit cross legged on the floor with my kids, or whenever I am in a kayak, I find very uncomfortable

Progressing upper body pull? was simple enough since last June was doing 10X3 Pull down , supported row and single arm Dumbbell raise, the 10 x 3s morphed into 5X6 as my progression was adding weight. I might have one more dumbbell increase in me in a couple of months. After the summer I do want to focus on pull/chin ups and possibly doing a few rungs on the monkey bars but in the meantime what sort of progression is worth looking at ? Im generally just interested in strength and to the extent it balances the push activity.

In terms of priority Im more lower body oriented and in terms of upper body I do the bones of 90 reps in an upper body push session, my main goal there is to up my OHP 10kg in however long that will take , the easy increases are behind me.

If you've been pushing hard at it for a while it might be wise to reduce your weights by 10-20% so your body can recuperate and be ready to start pushing again.

I also find that building a bigger base of volume work almost always helps break a plateau. Try getting weights you used to do for 3x10 up to 5x10 etc. If you find you can't do that then you're likely not eating/sleeping enough.

Typically yeah. For volume work I just try to get 30-60 total reps. That could be 3x10, 4x15, 6x5 etc. Progressing the weight you can handle in that range will increase what you can do for 5s.

Sit up / foot anchor..

all, I probably have the wrong technique but I’ve been having to get anchoring my feet under my bike during sit ups.. not ideal as feet get sore fast so is there any devices that are designed to help ? I can just find this…and was looking to see if anyone is using one or an alternative…?