OT: P90X/Health and Fitness Thread

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

I've been only focusing on running for the last 18 months because the 12 months prior to that I was recovering from an ACL tear. The ACL tear stopped me from doing any cardio for 12 months since I had to wait 6 months after sustaining the injury to finally have surgery. I put on 20-30 pounds, which made that year the worst year of my life. I have lost nearly all of that weight and am now back in excellent running shape. Now my goal is to get back into a regular weight lifting routine 3-5 times a week. I'll definitely be stealing some of your guys' routines and lifts.

[LUKE23]

Luke, I assume you're doing a lot of balancing stuff? Do you have a bosu ball or (my preference) an airex pad? Do you have a physical therapist? Do you have full range of motion? I don't want to tell you a bunch of stuff you already know, but I also have a TON of ankle rehab exercises I've used. When I did my knee, I had to build everything back up.

I haven't done anything yet. I originally had the injury in mid march. My doctor said it was a sprain (after looking at the x ray), so I just tried to let it heal on its own. Two months or so later, it was still bugging me. I set up a MRI and then went to an ortho. I thought he'd put me in a walking boot, but he just recommended completely staying off anything that puts pressure on the ankle (running and jumping) and wearing a brace for anything beyond walking around the house. So I've been spinning and lifting upper body (with the brace), but no running or sports, and that includes any kind of exercise that puts pressure on the ankle.

So really, I haven't used my right ankle for anything explosive since March. I've seen some exercises online, but I wanted to hear from people on ones that have actually worked. I want to rebuild the strength in my ankle so the chances of future sprains go down.

[EastSideBucksFan]

I had a terrible sprained ankle a few years ago that happened from coming down on someones foot after a rebound attempt. Completely flipped it. Never went to the hospital, just used a lot of RICE and stayed off it for a few weeks. Sounds like mine wasn't close to as severe as yours.

But I did some pool work, just basically walking in the pool was nice resistence and a good way to ease back into it. Used some stretch bands to strengthen it where you just lay on the floor flex against them. Do lots of toe lifts during the day up against walls to get things loosened up in there. Stair work when you get stronger, try to just stay on your toes to maximize the effectiveness. There's a few things for ya.

[DocHoliday]

I had a terrible sprained ankle a few years ago that happened from coming down on someones foot after a rebound attempt. Completely flipped it. Never went to the hospital, just used a lot of RICE and stayed off it for a few weeks. Sounds like mine wasn't close to as severe as yours.

But I did some pool work, just basically walking in the pool was nice resistence and a good way to ease back into it. Used some stretch bands to strengthen it where you just lay on the floor flex against them. Do lots of toe lifts during the day up against walls to get things loosened up in there. Stair work when you get stronger, try to just stay on your toes to maximize the effectiveness. There's a few things for ya.

I had a similar sprain playing volleyball in college, came down on the guys foot across the net from me, at least I got the point on a spike over him. It blew up and got a nasty shade of purple and I hobbled on it for quite a while after the swelling went down until I went to a chiropractor and he popped the bones back in place and it was like it never happened.

[emunney]

Are you cleared for impact? You're all healed and everything, right?

A really conservative but really effective thing you can do is one legged balancing. Once you can do it on a hard flat surface for a minute, try doing it with your eyes closed. Once you can do that for a minute, get an airex pad and do it on that. Then eyes closed on that. Be creative in trying to destabilize yourself. Move your arms and your other leg around. Have someone toss you a tennis ball and toss it back. Ask them to do it so you have to reach for it. You can obviously use a basketball, too, or once you get better at it, a medicine ball. You can just keep building out. I have an exercise ball that I filled partway with water and part with air so it sloshes around. It's about 110lbs. One thing I've been doing is to stand with one leg on the pad, bend over and do essentially a stiff-legged deadlift to grab the water ball off the ground, bring it up to my chest and then try to get up on my toes. The pad is unstable, the ball is unstable (and pretty heavy). The more you do, the more benefits chain together.

I've got a bunch more stuff that you can build to, but if you haven't been doing any running or anything for that long, I think three weeks before you get back on the court might not be a good idea. Take a couple months to rebuild the strength in that ankle. If you're at all like me, you can't dial down the intensity when you're playing, even if you tell yourself you're going to 'take it easy'. So make sure you can do all the things you normally do on the court before you get back on the court.

Some other things -- do the low impact stuff first:

- STRETCH.
- While you're watching TV or at work or whatever, traces shapes in the air with your toe. Do the alphabet. -- Do toe raises and heel raises at your desk. Slowly rock your foot from side to side and roll it in a circle, first one direction, then the other.
- Run some post patterns.
- Run figure 8s.
- Single leg hops (don't neglect the healthy leg). Move toward hopping from side to side, front to back, four corners, bowtie pattern, etc.
- Defensive slides.
- Suicides will help you get your wind up. Alternate the foot you plant with.
- 100 yd backpedals.

[LUKE23]

Thanks man. Yeah, there is no way I can play basketball not full throttle, so I'll have to keep that in mind.

[jimmybones]

I second the balance training recommendations of emunney. I work with a lot of people with knee and ankle injuries and the main focus is usually on enhancing proprioception(fancy way of saying balance). One thing to keep in mind is that after an injury your body needs to be "taught" all over again to use the effected muscles. The injury effected the nervous systems actual connection to activating that muscle(s). It's important to do this otherwise your dominant/healthy muscles will take over most movements and that's where compensation injuries occur.

[Henchman24]

Anyone try DDP Yoga? I'm currently into my sixth week and have found it's an effective way to get cardio with very low impact. To be honest, I probably wouldn't have posted after seeing all the weight lifting posts and feeling a little inferior about it (no weights in DDP), but, the balance exercise discussion compelled me to. DDP is all about strengthening the muscles you use to balance.

[emunney]

I doubt I would have ever guessed that the DDP stood for Diamond Dallas Page. Never heard of it until now.

[EastSideBucksFan]

Yoga is a great way to increase flexibility, balance and minor muscle motor function.

Anyone that wants to make fun of me (my friends usually) I tell them to google Yoga Pants on Google images and tell me if looking at 25 of those a$$es for an hour makes me lame. Yoga classes are usually 2 or 3 guys and 25 womens. I like that ratio.

I've never heard of DDP Yoga....sounds like a porn title.

[DrugBust]

Yoga was easily the toughest day of P90X. That **** is no joke.

[Newz]

Yoga was easily the toughest day of P90X. That **** is no joke.

[LUKE23]

Yoga was easily the toughest day of P90X. That **** is no joke.

Yep.

[REDDzone]

Yoga is a great way to increase flexibility, balance and minor muscle motor function.

I started doing bjj a few months back. Has really helped me with flexibility, core strength, and balance. Dropped the 6-7 pounds I had to lose (I'm a pretty fit guy). Also addictingly fun and I enjoy martial arts. Not to mention, my diet has gotten a lot better just because the thought of eating greasy foods after class just makes me queasy.

edit: the reason I quoted you is because a lot of people use yoga to supplement their training.

[Lakerfan17]

Anyone here do crossfit?