It occurred to me after I listed "stretching" in my last log that I might actually need to explain what it is and why it is in there. My old log was on my website and everyone pretty much knew what my old-man issues were. Not so here.
The Cliff's Note Version is:
I have an 80-year-old back. I have had a LOT of lower back issues for years including herniating the same disc 9 times. The issues peaked about 4 years ago when I had come to the conclusion that I needed to get the problem figured out or I was not going to be able to train legs anymore. Clearly, that meant I would be done competing unless I could find something to compete in that didn't require legs. I suppose I could have competed in Physique contests. Yeah, right.
I decided to look into chiropractic care and it was a life saver. However, it didn't completely eliminate the problem but it did make the issues much less frequent. I was able to train again and go heavier on leg and back work but was still not 100%. What about the stretching, you say? Be patient young gwasshoppa; I'm getting there.
I ended up having the worst back injury to date in January of 2013 - almost exactly 2 years ago. Had there been a bus driving by I would have contemplated jumping in front of it. I am no stranger to back pain but this time it was horrendous. I will not retell the story in detail but suffice to say that I was stuck on the toilet for 3.5 hours and unable to sit up due to a back spasm. For the next 3 days I laid in bed and ate nothing because if I was going to have to shit, it was going to be in that bed because I was NOT getting up due to the pain. I did not drink water, either, and peed once or twice a day in a cup.
Though the injury was the worst I had encountered, I recovered relatively quickly in that I was up and around after about 4 days, and training in 2 weeks. While lying in bed, I recalled that I had not been going to my Chiro because my back had felt great all year. Bright move, I know.
Remedy? I have not missed a Chiro appointment in 2 years. I go religiously every 2 weeks driving 70 miles round trip. (I live up the canyon outside of Denver and I have one guy that I trust and have used from day 1).
I knew the chiro adjustments were good but it wasn't enough. The adjustments would re-align my spine but the muscles weren't balanced, so for the next 2 weeks until my next visit, the muscle imbalance/tightness was pulling my back out of alignment again. I started stretching, and the combo of stretching consistently and having the chiro adjustments has kept me injury free for over 2 years now.
I hate stretching about as much as I hate cardio but I understand completely that the only reason I am injury free is this 1-2 combo. Right now, I stretch Mondays and Fridays after I train, and then I stretch lightly before legs on Saturdays. I will detail my stretching protocol in the Until I Collapse DVD but I may write an article for EliteFTS in the meantime that details it, as well.
My back has not felt this good in probably 10 years. I still have it in the back of my mind but the flexibility that I have now is great and I am able to pound legs and back pretty hard. I can ride my bobber for long periods of time with no issues and that is every bit as important as being able to train.
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