Friday, July 27, 2012
I spent most of the day lying around hoping my low back pain would begin to subside. It never did. Finally, I decided since inactivity was having no effect, I should do something. I’d planned to meet Marla, editor of Ohio Sports and Fitness, and a friend of hers in the park for a Survival Workout. I texted her to say I’d meet her and put them through the paces.
I arrived at the park to find them waiting, which was not my plan. I’d hoped to arrive early and try doing some stretching and walking to try and loosen things up. Instead, they got to see what appeared to be an 80-year old man trying to get himself out of his car. Once I was on my feet and no longer moaning from the effort, I explained the situation.
“I’ll try to do what my back and elbow allow me to do. You guys, on the other hand, will get my undivided attention to making your workout a living hell,” I said through gritted teeth. I’m really no fun to be around when I’m not feeling well…as they were about to discover.
We started with push-ups and dips and moved to the pull-up branch where neither lady could manage one. I demonstrated a way of ‘walking up the tree’ by grasping the branch and pulling up while suing their feet and walking up the trunk. They could get their heads above the branch in this fashion and were using those lifting muscles in the back, arms and shoulders in ways they weren’t used to. I think they thought it was fun, too.
They high-skipped across golf ball field and into the woods where we began lifting rocks. I took them on an Indian Run through the underbrush, ill advised for someone suffering low back pain, but someone had to lead the way. It would be the last thing I did that involved the lower body.
They laughed and talked along the way…enjoying the experience way too much. I wanted to put them through a little more pain, but since I wasn’t able to demonstrate and do a lot of the lower body moves myself, they escaped. Honestly though, I really don’t like to have people working so hard that they don’t feel well…and they had both wanted to hurl after kareoking up the steepest hill in the park. I’d backed off after that and the net positive experience would have them both returning. There was a party at the pavilion, so we steered around it and thus missed the chance to climb the pole. I did have them climb up the rugged hill behind the pavilion and discovered a Marla weakness as we descended down a steep incline through the woods. She was extremely concerned about slipping and falling, using a caution that normally led to slipping and falling.
“Lean backwards and use fast, short steps. Quick feet will keep you from falling, but if you do, you’ll land on your butt and slide a little. No big deal and you’ll hardly feel a thing,” I said.
I don’t know if she bought it…we’ll find out the next time. I managed to break a decent sweat and my back felt marginally better by the end of the workout. Once home and after I cooled down, the back tightened up again and the pain returned with renewed vigor. I can only hope that I’ll gain some relief from a good night’s sleep.
Survival Workout: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100-150.
Calories burned: 600.
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