New hurdles to cross after years of training. Staying injury free

[induced_drag]

I have quite a few years under my belt in the gym. Recently I have found that it is harder and harder to recover properly from working out. I also found I am picking up more 'nagging' injuries. Some may say this is just age, but I do not think that is the core issue. I attribute it the combination of two things.

1) Getting to the point where I am moving fairly heavy weights.
2) Getting to this point while neglecting mobility and flexibility work.

I really see it as a combination of these two. Prior to really pushing for maximum weights, I neglected mobility and flexibility work and never really had issue. Now that I have developed strength to fairly decent levels, I am finding limits in my flexibility are leading to injury and strain. I believe had I not neglected these, I would not be suffering the issues I have now. Overall, my flexibility has gotten terrible over the past two years. All the training and little to no stretching, has left me MUCH tighter then I have ever been. Add this to being the strongest I have ever been, and it is a recipe for disaster.

I have been looking into this and decided that I really need to work specifically on mobility work and flexibility. I plan on dedicating time every day to work my tight areas. I also plan on incorporating massage. My chiro has used the "ART" technique to break up scar tissue before and it has worked very well for me. Basically you are stretching while specific areas are massaged or point pressure is applied. It can be very painful, but quite effective. Only downside is my new health insurance no longer covers my chiro (used to cover 100%).

In researching ways to do deep tissue and "ART" at home, I remembered this machine at my old gym about 20 years ago. It was an archaic looking device with rollers that spun. I can remember how well it worked and thought with some modifications, you could use it on the whole body. Snooping around, I found some on the internet.

It is called a "vitamaster vmrl-14". Here is a pic



And a vid of one in action




I found one on ebay and bought it.
Originally they were marketed to reduce womens cellulite as well as circulation and general 'vitality' issues. I can remember how intense the massage on the hamstrings was when you sat on it. That brings up the first issue. I plan on modifying mine with a variable speed motor controller. I think for this to be effective you really have to be able to slow it way down. I ordered a AC variable speed motor controller. (They sell them to bring down the speed of routers in woodworking). It has not got here yet. I am also contemplating making a new enclosure for it. One that would provide the ability to use it in several different orientations. I think if done right, it can be used for the whole body.

I will update as I progress with this idea, but I was just throwing it out there. Kinda nuts, but I am sick of feeling so damn tight all the time. I can only ask my wife for so many back rubs. She has long lost sympathy for my aches and pains that I inflict on myself willingly.

[Get-n-fit]

well crap!!!...I could have wrote the same thing about myself. The problem for me is I train during my lunch break so I'm trying to lift heavy, hustle through my workout and get back to the office, so saying stretching is neglected is an understatement. And I'm in the same boat as you, everything is stiff and flexibility is non-existant. I already have monthly appointments with a masseuse to work on kinks throughout my shoulders, upper back and neck. Guess I should learn from you and get started on finding time somewhere to work on flexibility.

[Black Sunday]

They had those at my first gym, Jack Lalanes. I liked those corn cob rollers.

Remember these? Didn't care for the belts and unfortunately none of the girls down there looked like the model.

[TCO76]

you think women like the washing machine on spin cycle? Oh god I can only imagine........(okay what were we talking about?)

[GKC45]

I'll be following to see how this turns out.

[GuyJin]

As long as it doesn't rub you the wrong way.

Those things are good, but I find that if I regularly stretch out, static stretches I mean, along with dynamic warmups, then I don't have to worry about injuring myself. Granted, I'm not going anywhere near what I used to do or even close to what the OP does, but these two kinds of stretches really work and work well for me. That, and avoiding certain exercises which I used to do. (That list would take up a page)

[silverlightning]

I feel you on this OP. Certain exercises I don't go as heavy as j can due to injuries. I try and stimulate the muscle using other techniques. I was using massage therapy but my therapist is no longer there. I also incorporate ice, KT tape and solanpos patches.

[ilovethe80s]

That thing looks promising, please keep us posted on what you think of it. I do a plenty of mobility work and have a lot of flexibility, but still have an unreasonable amount of muscular congestion. Everytime I go in for a massage, the masseuse is horrified. The last masseuse I went to said to do contrast showers every training day. Haven't been doing it long enough to comment, but a lot of people seem to find relief from them.

The black rumble roller, pvc pipe, tennis/ golf balls all help with the tension somewhat, at least for the time that you're doing it. You can google trigger points online to enhance it a bit. My husband also has given up on removing knots and is tired of me lying on the floor begging him to stomp on my hamstrings . I don't love static stretching, but static stretches in conjunction with some sort of rolling seems to help a bit more than rolling by itself. Interested to see how that thing works out for you.

[revaeb]

well crap!!!...I could have wrote the same thing about myself. The problem for me is I train during my lunch break so I'm trying to lift heavy, hustle through my workout and get back to the office, so saying stretching is neglected is an understatement. And I'm in the same boat as you, everything is stiff and flexibility is non-existant. I already have monthly appointments with a masseuse to work on kinks throughout my shoulders, upper back and neck. Guess I should learn from you and get started on finding time somewhere to work on flexibility.

I have the same issue. Last 2 months I have taken to actually doing a stretching routing next to my desk. I don't wear a suit for work so it helps. Also, I will foam roll at night in front of the tv. I used to never stretch or do anything and now it seems like I have to if I want to get stronger and recover.

[Marius_Ursus]

I get a lot more out of mobility than I do out of stretching, and I like Dan John's advice to work mobility in between sets as strengthening the muscles and connective tissues as your joints go into place will keep them there.

Intuflow + baby rolls have helped me a lot.

[TouaregV8]

I agree with you 100% ID as I have been experiencing the same issues over the past year. I'm seeing far more muscle strains than I have ever seen before and I'm sure age, as well as lack of stretching/mobility, is to blame. In my 20's I guess my body was far more resilient and I could get away with lifting maximum amounts of weight and focus on nothing else, nowadays it's a different story. I'm just as strong, if not stronger in many cases than I was in my 20's, but it's quite evident that additional therapy is required to remain healthy. I love A.R.T. massage. I have a great guy that I use locally, the only problem is that he is $75/hour and he can only cover (effectively) half of my body in that one hour so it can get quite expensive when paying out of pocket. I'm not sure how effective it is only being able to see him once a month, if that. Seems like foam rolling is a big thing these days as well. I haven't tried it yet but I see a lot of people at my gym rolling around on them. Good luck with the new device. I hope it works out for you.

[tornmuscle123]

As I got into my 40s I started picking up injuries - the answer for me was prehab. In my case, I do mine with a sled for both upper and lower body on MWF after workouts - that coupled with extensive warmups and my rumbler keeps me in the game.

[induced_drag]

Good to see I am not alone in this. I am going to tear down the roller today and look to rebuild the enclosure. (the one I get is beat up a little).

I am also going to see if I can add a mount to the bottom out of 2" square stock that will allow me to affix the roller on to my Ironmaster superbench. This would allow me to adjust the height from head level, down to floor and I also could orient it facing horiz or vert. This should really make it easier to do shoulders and upper back as well as arms.

Looks like a fun little project

[naturalguy]

ART is great, I go every two weeks to my chiro and he keeps me loose with it.

I've found that as long as I warm up properly and give myself enough time to recover I actually have less injuries than when I was younger. I started competitive powerlifting at 40 and am my strongest ever now and feel great. I used to have shoulder pain but since I switched to powerlifting form (elbows tucked in) my shoulders feel great.

[bigtallox]

I have quite a few years under my belt in the gym. Recently I have found that it is harder and harder to recover properly from working out. I also found I am picking up more 'nagging' injuries. Some may say this is just age, but I do not think that is the core issue. I attribute it the combination of two things.

1) Getting to the point where I am moving fairly heavy weights.
2) Getting to this point while neglecting mobility and flexibility work.

I really see it as a combination of these two.

Yup, yup. I'm there too, kind of. Lately I *HAVE* been working flexibility almost equal time to heavy strongman events. It's SLOWLY making a difference.

In researching ways to do deep tissue and "ART" at home

I sent my wife to massage therapy school. She's very good at what she does and now makes pretty good money as a LMT. The downside of that is that now she never has time to work on me LOL. Oh well.

It is called a "vitamaster vmrl-14". Here is a pic

Looks nice. Good find.

[tobymax123]

I love being flexible. Problem is, I'm not flexible right now, because I too have been neglecting it. I have tight hamstrings and shoulders now, and I hate it.

As a former gymnast I know how to stretch and stay flexible, and I know that it takes consistency in practicing your stretches to improve your flexiblity. But I don't enjoy stretching like I enjoy lifting, so I neglect it. So yoga is my outlet for improving flexibilty and moblity. I enjoy it in a class setting (not at home watching an instructor on video), but darn it, I just haven't made the time for classes lately.

[Galactus]

I love being flexible. Problem is, I'm not flexible right now, because I too have been neglecting it. I have tight hamstrings and shoulders now, and I hate it.

As a former gymnast I know how to stretch and stay flexible, and I know that it takes consistency in practicing your stretches to improve your flexiblity. But I don't enjoy stretching like I enjoy lifting, so I neglect it. So yoga is my outlet for improving flexibilty and moblity. I enjoy it in a class setting (not at home watching an instructor on video), but darn it, I just haven't made the time for classes lately.

Yeah that yoga is a lot more tolerable if its in a class with a bunch of women wearing yoga pants!

[TouaregV8]

Good to see I am not alone in this. I am going to tear down the roller today and look to rebuild the enclosure. (the one I get is beat up a little).

I am also going to see if I can add a mount to the bottom out of 2" square stock that will allow me to affix the roller on to my Ironmaster superbench. This would allow me to adjust the height from head level, down to floor and I also could orient it facing horiz or vert. This should really make it easier to do shoulders and upper back as well as arms.

Looks like a fun little project

MacGuyver like. ; )

[racedoc]

Just called my MT to get setup for some deep tissue massage, after my groin strain this morning while doing squats. Have had a ton of low grade strains this year and do just about zero mobility work (until now). Great post!

[x-trainer ben]

I am inclined to say the tightness isnt just from heavy weights but hours of muscle stress. I was waking up tight from all sorts of endeavors and it increased with age. At 35 i began stretching and have enjoyed it immensly as it "adjusts" me with out having to visit the chiro. It really is a neglected area as most here chase numbers and deal with the expected injuries. There was a link i had from a trainer who had 10 exercises that prevented the most common injuries, but of course i cant find it at the moment.

[jdtemple]

Injuries are keeping me from doing any leg work right now, and deadlifts. Back day has been reduced to a lots of pull-ups.

Using this page as a guide, I have put together what I hope is a decent mobility training day, to take the place of leg day for a bit. Hopefully it helps.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-t...#axzz2dJINelD6

I have been having dedicated stretching/foam rolling sessions for 20-30 minutes, 3-4 days a week for quite a while now, and it has helped a ton. But, I need to get more serious about my hip mobility.

[Corbi]

Just called my MT to get setup for some deep tissue massage, after my groin strain this morning while doing squats.

Deep tissue massages hurt like hell but after a few sessions you feel 100% better. I am going to schedule some for my upper legs and hip areas as I feel pretty bound up there. In the mean time I just found out one of my gyms has a hydro massage table and I used it today for the 1st time and I liked it.

[Korr]

Too funny reading this............

Just this Monday 8/26 I started a mobility, and flexibility day to help the recovery process and to help some nagging injuries.

[socket]

This pertains to this thread. Some good stuff.

http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask...ymobility.html

[Big_Sky_Guy]

Been working on mobility for a couple years as I could no longer tolerate an injury per year.

It is a slow process. Dynamic stretching, static and static with the use of bands to "distract" the joint, deep tissue work several times a year, lacrosse balls, hard foam rollers...yoga, I am using it all to keep the injuries at bay.

Defranco has some great stuff. Kelly Starrett's Mobility Wod site has also been very helpful for me.

[induced_drag]

Well......been working on my project all weekend. I totally scrapped the original enclosure and just about everything except the original rollers. I sanded and applied black stain the the rollers and put satin poly on them. (Paint would have worn off quickly). I built a new enclosure out of 3/4 birch cabinet plywood which I then painted.

The motor and counter shaft were the tough part. One of the old bronze bushing on the counter shaft had worn through....it ended up cutting through steel frame and messed up the whole shaft. (metal on metal wear). I found a bushing to replace and re made the brackets for the counter shaft. With some 1/2" round stock, I just made a new shaft.

Here it is all together..... Cant wait to put it to use!

[pharmamarketer]

Well done ID. I hope it works for you