Of bikes and bods: follow-up

[shadesofmauve]

Received an email back from the biomechanics guy in Arizona. He says that there are lots of self-styled fitters/biomechanics who don't know what they're doing (which is true; there's someone claiming to do that at every bike shop and REI), doesn't have any suggestions in the northwest, and says "I could fit you in in June if you fly to Tucson."

o_O

Yeah, no.

That kind of expense makes sense for people who're competitive, and maybe once you've exhausted all other options, but it sure as hell doesn't make sense for me.

I probably just need to stop being such an idiot about my boring leg-lift exercises and make time to do them every day. If I can get my knee somewhere up to snuff then the hip stuff should mellow out and then I can start thinking about ways to improve my bike set-up.

There are no magic bullets.

There are lots of leg lifts, the most boring exercise in existence. westrider, when you're down this weekend? You have my permission and request to harass me about doing my stupid exercises.

Bonus note for readers of aStSHB: Yes, I lifted my own most-neglected exercise whole-cloth and put it straight into the fic. Never accuse me of originality. :P It does fit with Joker's disability -- people with OI often have very loose ligaments, and strengthening the muscles around the knee helps make up for a weak ACL. Or, in my case, no ACL at all.

Comments

[stasia]

By 'leg-lifts', do you mean the thing where you lie on your back and lift your legs straight up and then down to an inch or so above the ground and repeat ad nauseam?

I hate those, but they work my lower abs, which nothing else does (no matter how many times people say that doing the stupid "reverse crunch" will work that area), so I do them.

What I want is a magic weight loss pill - I wouldn't mind the exercise if it ever showed any positive effect. *sigh*

Stasia

[shadesofmauve]

Nope, though those couldn't hurt. I have to do three types -- lying on my side, lift slowly up as far as you can go, descend slowly. Lying on belly, bend knee to lift foot all the way up, release. Sitting down, lift foot all the way, release. With ankle weights. They're super ultra boring, but the muscles of my right leg are A) atrophied and B) hard to work for mechanical reasons -- not to mention the very targeted work is necessary to make up for the lack of ACL.

If that's not enough specifics for your nurse-brain, let me know and I'll elaborate. :P

[stasia]

Ah, that's very clear, thank you.

I bought a copy of an exercise video and am trying to make myself do the stupid 20 minutes of exercise every day. I'd been doing pretty well, but then my friend came out for a surprise visit and now I'm back to my lazy ways.

Ugh. It's not even as if the stupid exercises are hard. I'm just lazy.

*whinewhinewhine*

Stasia

[emony42.livejournal.com]

How much concentration is required for you to maintain the proper form? I ask because as I was talking to Clone today, she happened to mention that (for figure skating) she did similar exercises any time she was playing video games or watching TV. I'm wondering if you'd be more likely to do your exercises regularly if you gave yourself permission to do something fun at the same time (a better carrot than arm exercises?). For me, it'd be something akin to "so long as I'm doing my exercises, I can keep reading my book." I'd have to do time-based sets rather than rep-based, but that'd be manageable. Just a thought.