Martin roy training log

[Alan H]

Just so you're 100% on Game Day.

[Martin Roy]

Yesterday was more of the same - treadmill, bike, elliptical, foam rolling, lots of stretching and careful core movement. However, this morning when I got out of bed and moved around a bit, I knew the worst had passed. Barring something odd happening, I'll be completely fine by next weekend. I expect to do more easy, rehab-type stuff today and tomorrow in order to judiciously take it up a notch on Monday.

*Whew* I feel like I've dodged a bullet. And I still have no clue as to what I did to prompt my back to seize up. Ah weel,"the best laid schemes o' mice an' men, gang aft agley..."

[Martin Roy]

On the mend. Yesterday a lot of stretching and easy movement with light weight, including a set of goblet box squats with a 30lb db. I figured that this would either help things or set things back a step. And it helped; in fact I think it was exactly what I needed to do. After the gym, a long hot tub.

Today I stepped it up a bit. Hammer curls 3 sets of 10 with 35; 3 sets of 10 goblet box squats with 35; pec deck forward and backward; triceps; and pull-ups. Also about a half hour spread out over treadmill, elliptical, and bike. Abs and a good stretch.

I'm expecting that by tomorrow I'll be competition ready.

[Martin Roy]

Yesterday evening I was pressed for time but got it done. Started with bike and elliptical, abs, 2 rounds of shoulder routine, 5 sets of 10 goblet box squats with 35 db - this movement with light weight seems to help the most. Finished with a little more treadmill and stretching.

This morning I declared myself 97% good. Tonight is off for my last shot clock appearance of the season. Unfortunately, the Aptos girls bball team won't be heading to the playoffs, but next year looks promising.

I'm thinking that Wed will be some very light throwing drills just to recall the feel of the implements before this weekend.

[Alan H]

I love goblet squats. Goblet squats and 15 minutes on the rowing machine are therapy for my back, I swear.

[Martin Roy]

A funny thing happened on the way to the Queen...

After careful rehab to get my back in shape for this weekend after the fluke incident last week, I experienced an utterly absurd re-tweak on Thursday night which required my withdrawal from the Queen. (insert tirade of emphatic curses)

On Thursday evening I decided to skip a light workout in favor of hydrotherapy in the hot tub. And I smugly congratulated myself on being "smart" to avoid the possibility of overdoing things so close to the Games. I used the big jet for about 10 minutes all over the lower back and glutes; got out with a full range of motion and zero pain. "Perfect", says I to myself, "I'm ready to rock and roll."

About two hours later I moved to stand up from the couch and I was hit with serious discomfort. I hobbled up to stretch things out, but it was clear that something very wrong had happened as a consequence of the tub session. My thought was that it was pain from the deep tissue hydro-massage and would resolve with a good night's sleep. Nope. Friday it was no better and possibly even more uncomfortable. I was seriously angry at the situation and knew that throwing this weekend was off the table. When I got to my office I canceled my hotel reservation before I could talk myself out of it. Then, I vented my frustration at any available target, including a profane email to Alan H.

I sought treatment from an osteopath/accupuncturist Friday afternoon because this is not something that needs a pill or surgery. After listening patiently to my rave, he put some stuff back into alignment and stuck me with some needles. In his view, the large jet, coupled with the hot water, relaxed the muscles and pushed the sacrum slightly out of place, prompting the surrounding muscles to seize up. He told me to walk a lot and do the light goblet squats; the careful movement would help.

So that is what I've been doing and it's better this morning.

But, still...taken out by a hot tub. Who could have imagined?

[Stitchwiz]

I damaged my R rotator cuff through a series of backwards falls over a period of 2 years, and thought it had healed up 6 months after the last fall. A friend and I spent a day at a fantastic outdoor spa with many different types of pools (visualize pond/pool type of hot tub). One had a warm waterfall where I stood and stretched under the running water for about 15 minutes before going into a cooling pool. It felt wonderful at the time.

The next day I was in agony. The stretching had irritated it and the heat had increased blood flow to the area and inflamed the whole area. It took having laser and ultra sound therapy done 3x a week for over 3 months and more than 5K to repair the damage which had not healed properly in the first place. Ouch!

I love a hot tub, and don't get a chance to use one very often, but I will be very careful after what we've both been through. I would never have thought about the jets exerting that much force...but it makes sense when I think about it.

Thank you for sharing, you have probably saved me, and quite possibly others, from doing the same thing.

[Martin Roy]

Thanks for the note, Stitchwiz. It does make sense, doesn't it? Never occurred to me before learning the hard way but, in retrospect, perfect sense.

I'm much improved now, just a little nagging discomfort, and I expect to resume training in the next few days. This weekend I'll start to ramp it up, carefully.

And no hot tubs for awhile. I'll stick with ice.

[Alan H]

You know there is the whole "ice bath after workout" thing.

I, personally figure, no damn way in hell, but you might try it.

[Martin Roy]

This rehab is taking longer than I expected. I'm very close but there are still a couple of movements that cause some minor pain. I'm not going to do anything that might prompt a re-injury so I'm going slowly. The last several days I've done a lot of careful movements with very light weight, along with walking and stretching. Much better than it was but not quite there.

I'm getting impatient.