Getting my body back
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I had years of issues with tight calves, and using magnesium tablets as a supplement seemed to help with muscle relaxation and absorption of other minerals. I also had to modify my running style a little to stop pushing off with my calves so much and using the whole of my leg. If you're getting tight hammys from running then you might need to concentrate on using other muscles for propulsion.<br />
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Another thing I have found to work is stretching them while they're warm. I do a few different things:<br />
<br />- simple sit and reach (on a mat or carpet), legs together, toes pointing at the celing. Slowly down, hold for 30 seconds (grab your ankles or feet), and slowly release.<br />
- raised lunge - with one foot on the floor (leg straight) put one leg up on a chair or bench and do a lunge motion - helps gluteal area at top of hamstring. Hold for 30 each leg.<br />
- straight leg - after lunge on both legs as above, put one leg straight on the bench/chair and lean your torso forward, like the sit and reach. Hold for 30 each leg.<br />
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So if you're doing a run or circuit, it might be wise to stop partway through, stretch the hammies while they're warm, and then do another cool down stretch at the end.<br />
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There is a heap of info if you google it, but you've got to find what works best for you.
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Stretching. Also dead lifts have made my hammies waaaay stronger, and nowhere as tight as I thought they would. <br />
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Are you doing anything in particular that seems to tighten them up or tweak them? I'd also talk to your trainer at the gym and check if your programme has you doing too much/not enough work on them. Could be a muscle imbalance?? -
Running tightens them, but they've always been crap.<br />
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Today at boxing training I was taught how to break someone's nose with my elbow. Boy oh boy am I going to be dangerous. Actually I'm pretty dangerous now, but that is more my scary lack of coordination than anything else. -
[quote name='Mokey']Running tightens them, but they've always been crap.<br />
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Today at boxing training I was taught how to break someone's nose with my elbow. Boy oh boy am I going to be dangerous. Actually I'm pretty dangerous now, but that is more my scary lack of coordination than anything else.[/QUOTE]<br />
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lol, as long as you claim you broke it on purpose they don't need to know you were aiming somewhere else!! -
In a world of pain. Stepped up to advanced boxing training last night, and got paired with a bloke for sparring cos we were approx the same height. Proceeded to punch the shit out of each other ( my knuckles were bloody) and my hands were still shaking when I got home. Today my lower back is killing me and having trouble lifting my arms.<br />
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On a brighter note, I'm getting seriously ripped biceps and shoulders. I would wear singlet tops to show them off, but I have awful t-shirt tan lines from when I caddied at a 36 hole golf tournament a few weeks back so not at the moment! -
Grrrr, au pair on holiday so looking after babies for the next month and can't make it to boxing class. Gonna be a loooooooong 30 days, I may turn homicidal without the ability to smash the shit out of a grown up. Although get a tiny workout from pushing them both in their pram, fuck that thing is about as manoeuvrable as a tank.
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BUrpees - they the same as squat thrusts, different name?<br />
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Remember a drill where you'd do 20 burpees, with the big jump after each one. and after the 20th, you sprint (if you can, 50 metres). Rest 1 minute, and do 19, then 18 etc, down to 1. Good times. -
[quote name='Mokey']All right, here's a question. Anyone else here have utterly crap hamstrings? Or perhaps you used to? If so, some exercises or ideas to strengthen/loosen them so they stop behaving like piano wire would be much appreciated.[/QUOTE]<br />
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here's your best hammie exercise.. presume you've got access to a swissball... if you're weak start with both legs.<br />
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lie on your back, arms by your side.. feet up on ball. lift your ass up, hold it up and roll the ball towards you by bringing your ankles towards your butt. keeping your ass still by engaging your core. High reps<br />
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when you get better do one leg at a time by lifting the other one off the ground<br />
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best exercise for sorting hammies for running.<br />
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[URL="http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/strengthening/swiss_ball/hamstring_curl.php"]http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/strengthening/swiss_ball/hamstring_curl.php<br />
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[quote name='BartMan']BUrpees - they the same as squat thrusts, different name?<br />
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Remember a drill where you'd do 20 burpees, with the big jump after each one. and after the 20th, you sprint (if you can, 50 metres). Rest 1 minute, and do 19, then 18 etc, down to 1. Good times.[/QUOTE]<br />
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xFit version is from standing, drop down to a pushup like position with your chest hitting the ground, flick your legs up and jump into a crouching position, then standup to jump and clap behind you head. They are strict on the chest to ground and standing fully up to jump. I suck at them, anything after ten has me blowing. -
I can't do burpies, my knee is too unstable.<br />
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In shocking news, hopped on the scales today for like the first time in a month and was utterly stunned to see I still weighed 65kg. Obviously that whole fat weighing less than muscle thing is true!! This week has been my first exercise in ages, beach powerwalks twice a day, some in the soft sand, some wading through calf-high water. But this is a bad, bad time for food. -
Righto, summer fun is over, back to the grind now. Power walked to the top of the Mount, then down the four wheel drive track yesterday (calves, quads and glutes hating me today) walked around it today. Boxing training starts for the year tomorrow, will see how the legs are.
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Walking down that track is scary - every step is a foot plant so you don't slip - and somehow there is still gravel skidding! <br />
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You're all heart re the boxing class. <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' /> -
Gah, just crawled in the door from boxing class. Did evil instructor care it was the first one in 6 weeks? Fuck no. Brutal. Heaps of tracks where we alternated 20 hits (crosses, uppers, etc) and a sprint. 3x 4min continuous boxing tracks. Tracks where we alternated press ups and skipping. Deadly squat, kickboxing and ab tracks to finish.
