I hate being "Mr average"

[chris finn]

That's great news, Chris.  It looks like you're about 8 weeks out.  If I can make similar progress, which is definitely not guaranteed because I'm about 10 years older and probably not in as good condition as you are, I might be able to get back on mine around my birthday on 8 May.  That would be very cool.

BTW, my concept 2 is about 15 years old and I wouldn't be surprised is it's rusted solid by now.  Not rich enough to go get another one.   :'(

lol...dont know about the good condition...my cardio conditioning dropped off rapidly, due to the pain of my hip..and not being able to train consistantly.

Just recalculated how many weeks it has been...I was way out.. I thought I was coming up to week 11,but its actually week 9......I feel much better about my progress now :D ....although Im not so happy about my math  ;)

Im sure you will be back on the rower...and anything else you want to do too. Its strange how the progress works....I can do things now that just a few weeks back I wouldnt have believed. Im sure that it will all come back to you. Your only.....mid fifties (??)....thats the new 30 ;) :D

[FlbrkMike]

 :D  I'll be 56 in May, and 50 may be the new 30 but these days I sometimes feel closer to 85 than 55.  Hopefully the surgery will turn that around, and maybe I can start counting backwards. ;D

As I've been telling my friends lately, it's amazing sometimes what we will put ourselves through just to get a few weeks off of work.

[obxpelican]

When you have hip issues everyday is a long journey, I can remember how tired I would get just going to the store for a gallon of milk, driving around looking for a close spot, then pushing the cart and putting as much weight on the handle of the cart.

Hip problems also take a toll on your emotions too, many of us were crabby pre-op and end most of us had a huge change post op.

Yes, you are so right about feeling old, that will change when you walk straight lines.


Chuck

[chris finn]

Hip problems also take a toll on your emotions too, many of us were crabby pre-op and end most of us had a huge change post op.

Yes, you are so right about feeling old, that will change when you walk straight lines.

Chuck

Gotta agree...my wife reckons she has got her old husband back after years of pain..and "painkiller-cotton wool head"....and several people have told me that I look 10 years younger...gotta say...at the moment I feel great (although Im not looking forward to my return to work as I hate my job...but I am spured on to look for another job, now that Im on the mend  :D )


Did a cardio workout today.....a warm up on my crosstrainer and then several rounds on the heavy bag....only starting out slowly....but it felt really good.

[andybc]

Interestingly, loads of people have told me how much better I look than before the op. Hadn't realised I looked so crap - but I guess the pain just wears you down.

[halfdone]

So true! As I approached my second HR, my family basically said to me "Don't wait so long this time! We don't want to live with the grumpy bear again!"  ;D

[chris finn]

Im about 6 or 8 inches from touching my toes.....I used to be able to put my hands flat on the floor with straight legs...but I`ll settle for touching my toes ...for now  ;) :D

[FlbrkMike]

Keep up the good work!!

How are the workouts going?  Right now I'm just happy to be walking.  Can't wait to start doing some cardio work.

[chris finn]

Keep up the good work!!

How are the workouts going?  Right now I'm just happy to be walking.  Can't wait to start doing some cardio work.

Workouts are going great thanks :) ....still in the experimental stage at the moment.....thinking of doing a 52 week strength routine. I did one about 6 years ago....2 weights workouts a week for 52 weeks.....to get my lifts up as they were pathetic......well they still are..so I think its time for another strength cycle  ;D

[gary2010]

Im about 6 or 8 inches from touching my toes.....I used to be able to put my hands flat on the floor with straight legs...but I`ll settle for touching my toes ...for now  ;) :D

Twist the torso back and forth a few times before you bend, I don't know how this works, but it does.

[chris finn]

Twist the torso back and forth a few times before you bend, I don't know how this works, but it does.

I think its only my hamstrings which are stopping me going all the way down. I have to be careful with twisting motions as I have torn discs  :'( ...but cheers anyway  :)

[gary2010]

I have to say I think kicking at 9 weeks is well ahead of the curve. I can tap a pad with either leg but a full kick even with the unoperated side would put unacceptable impact through the support leg. I'm still having trouble with abduction, just about to post on my thread about that.

[chris finn]

Im only kicking with my non op leg... with about 80% of full power. I tried with the other leg and its just too early.

So..today was a good day/bad day kind of thing.

The good was doing a cardio session on the rower and crosstrainer...also the Physio said that he thought I was doing really well.

The bad ?? ....after physio I was supposed to go into work to have a chat about returning. I got half way..and turned round and came home. I just cant face the prospect of going back there, it fills me with dread...I hate the place so much. I know,I know..Im a wimp  :-[ :-[ ..Im going to have another go tomorrow......

[gary2010]

It sounds like you need another job! Mines not exactly a bundle of laughs, but it's not a good time to be looking. I went back at 4 weeks, as soon as I felt well enough to drive in every day. I'm allowed 6 weeks a year so I thought it best to keep some in reserve in case of complications. Before I started having surgery I'd had 6 days sick in my entire life, and 2 of those were for someone else.

[chris finn]

Too right I need a new job.....but what ???? I want to change, but Im not sure what to. And your right..its not a good time to be looking.  :( :(

[FlbrkMike]

Hey chris finn, are you still out there?

Have you been using your rower?  How has it been?
Mine's been calling me to get it out of the corner of the garage, and I think I'm going to give it a go.
Should I be worried?

Thanks,
Mike

[chris finn]

Yup...Im still here.

Ive been weight training,using a cross trainer, a heavy bag and the rower for quite a whille now.

I did have a glitch a few weeks back. Lots of pain in my hip...trouble sleeping etc. Saw the consultant and he did x-rays and a blood test as a precaution. The x-rays were ok. And I went back for the blood test results a couple of days ago...and they are ok too. Turns out that the pain was caused by an inflammed nerve..he gave me an injection right into the pain area, when I went for the x-rays and blood test..and the pain went after about 2 days.

I had been doing to much too soon apparently...so I have reigned it in a bit. I think it was the interval style training on the rower and cross trainer that caused the problem. So for now Im using a "normal" pace for my cardio sessions and everything is fine so far.

At first I just practised getting the rower set up and sitting on it. Then I started performing the action...but very slowly. Once I could do that and know I had no pain, I started to use it on a regular basis....increasing the speed of stroke over time....

I would say to give it a go..but maybe avoid interval training for now  ;) ;) Let me know how you get on when you do give it a go.

good luck.......Chris

[FlbrkMike]

I got the rowing machine out yesterday and did three 5 minute sets at a low setting (2 out of 10) and a fairly slow pace, with about a minute between each.  The first set was very slow and felt really good - no pain, no stiffness and my knees actually did not stick out to the sides   :D .  So good that I unintentionally started speeding up in the second set and had to consciously slow down.  Third set was at a pretty even pace.

I actually got my HR up to about 138, which isn't particularly high but considering my lack of cardio work in the past couple of years was pretty good, and it felt great.  It also gave me a good warmup for my other regular PT exercises.  I really was very happy just so see that I could get my feet strapped in and grab the bar with no trouble, and work the thing at all.

This would be barely a warm-up for the workouts I used to do but it's been such a long time, and this was really pretty much of a trial run, I didn't want to push it.  Plus, I don't have any callouses on my hands and I didn't want to cause any blisters.  I think I'll try again tomorrow before our big Easter dinner, maybe a little longer and maybe a little harder.

[chris finn]

Thats fantastic  :)

What you said about " This would be barely a warm-up for the workouts I used to do but it's been such a long time," is the bit that I really need to get into my head. It has to be a slow build up to where you were before....after all..it took many months if not years to get to that stage of fitness the first time.

Very obvious advice, but something that I still have to remind myself of everytime I hit the gym....maybe I should put it on a poster and hang it in my gym  ;) ;D

Its good to hear that your back on the road to regaining your previous fitness levels. Im sure that you will do it...with a little patience  ;) ;D

[halfdone]

  :) :) The erg is great - I have been tentatively building up - it's nice to feel fitness, strength and mobility improving but still a looong way to go.

I've had all the usual start-up stiffness and little reminders of the op when I overdo it a bit on the exercise, but generally have had an easy time of it.  (3 months post-op).  But I got a bit carried away cleaning out the garage yesterday and I'm paying for it!  Where's the hot tub??   ;D