rebuilding core muscles & integration of movement

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Shana Moore
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rebuilding core muscles & integration of movement

Post by Shana Moore »

I'm assuming this is a mostly female issue due to pregnancy and c-section, but I know there are other types of abdominal/back surgery/issues that can affect men, so please feel free, all, to respond.

Having just spent the last few months stretching out and abusing my core muscles (abs &back)with pregnancy...and the last few weeks discovering just how often you use your core for the simplest things (ow) due to c-section.....

I am looking to rebuild and, hopefully, improve my core strength & integration of movement...both bs, back, hips, and glutes.

Besides basic crunches, ball bridges, and planks; any suggestions/cautions?

Any Uechi specific training ideas?

I'm sure others have been in my place, and I'd appreciate any voice of experience you might have. Thank you!
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chef
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Post by chef »

Hey, Shana, Sue and I are looking forward to working out with you (and Todd) once again.

My suggestion is maybe some Pilates to work that core. I always work my abs every single time I go to the gym. I work both upper and lower stomach muscles...crunches and such for the upper ones and leg lifts with variations for the lower muscles.

I also always do some balance to the muscles, including back workout with stomach workout.

I saw I good one I want to start using recently. A girl had the workout ball between her thighs and was bring the ball up to various degree, up to 90 degrees, while holding the ball firmily with thighs....great stomach and leg workout at the same time.

I will try to think of some other ones for you. The most important thing is do go back gradually but consistently.

Keep up the good work.

Always,
Vicki
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Chris McKaskell
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Post by Chris McKaskell »

Here's one excercise that I always thought was from Uechi, but as I travel around I'm finding not that many people know about it -- so this might be old hat redundant, or it might be entirely new. Either way....

Standing in sanchin push your fingers into your dantien (just beneath your belly button) then force them out again with a hiss. 18 reps.

If it's too easy simply increase the resistance you apply with your fingers. Or you can also push in with your fists if you're really tender and find the fingers too poky.

You can also do this with a partner and a bow or kali stick -- each of you resisting the other with the ends of the sticks pushed into different parts of your abdoman. You can also do it alone this way with the stick against a wall.

And you can work different areas - I do dantein, solar plexus, sides (under the ribs, but above the love handles), and light fists into the kidney region.

It's a tough recovery, Shana, hang in there and I hope this helps!
Chris
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Shana Moore
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Post by Shana Moore »

thank you both for some good suggestions. Chris, I've not heard of this specific drill, but it does sound like a good way to condition for blows and connect breathing...can't wait to try this!

Vickie, yup...guess it's time to pull out the balance and medicine balls...ouch. I've started doing modified crunches & planks...hoping doc doesn't yell at me Monday for pushing too soon...grin..me?stubborn? naaaaaaa...
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Rick Wilson

Post by Rick Wilson »

Hi Shana:

My favourite drill for core development comes from (no one should be surprised by now) Coach Scott Sonnon. :D

His FlowFit 1 is a series six exercises and the concept is to work the six degrees of freedom:

• Heaving: moving up and down;
• Swaying: moving left and right;
• Surging: moving forward and back;
• Pitching: tilting up and down;
• Yawing: turning left and right;
• Rolling: tilting side to side.

As always Scott Sonnon builds a progression of complexity into the drill. FlowFit is a series of six exercises and has four levels of performance for each of these.

Between each exercise is a flat footed squat.

For example at level 2 you do (my terms for the actions):

Squat down, Quad press, rise, squat down, sit leg out both side, rise, squat down, run both legs, rise, squat down roll back both sides, rise, squat down, up dog, rise, squat down, spinal rock , and rise.

You then repeat and repeat the series for 14 to 18 minutes.

At level 2 the moves are doable by most people and they think this is going to be easy. Until they begin to repeat the drill. Then around the fifth minute they know they are in a compact set of movements that works everything.

Here is Coach Steer demonstrating some of the progression in complexity of the individual exercises.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7USlu1jfAno

On this clip from 1:47 to 3:10 you see Coach doing the drills and it shows some of Level 1 using a chair so you do not have to do a complete flat foot aquat between the moves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weshm_17 ... re=related

Here is a fellow doing some level 3 / 4 FlowFit for one round.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfaeV5gWyxM

Again you repeat these for 14 to 18 minutes.

Right now I am doing Level 2 for 15 minutes.


Taking FlowFit into ground engagement Coach has another series under FlowFit 2 which is just a lot of fun. I can do all the moves now except that one leg squat but I am working on it. :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdOjvwLOsDk
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Shana Moore
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Post by Shana Moore »

Rick,
I like that no equipment is required and yet you appear to gain strength, flexibility, etc. The clubbells & intuflow are on my current wishlist!

My biggest concern is that some of these moves wouldn't be good for my healing incisions...would take some working into..but the blood flow to healing areas would be robust!
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Post by fivedragons »

Hey Shana, didn't you just have major surgery? As someone who has consistently abused their body and compounded injuries in the name of "fitness", I hope you can at least give yourself some time for healing. :)

Just playing the devil's advocate, and I'm the last person who should be talking about it, but a funny thing has happened with me over the last few months. I've been exercising progressively less, and getting progressively stronger. :lol:

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Dana Sheets
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Post by Dana Sheets »

Also you're rebuilding much more than muscle. Nerves and several layers of fascia and adipose tissue also need time to reconnect. The goal is to heal with as little internal scarring as possible.

I strongly urge visualization. Hold both hands over your incision, imagine the area warming up and then and imagine the muscles and fascia using all of that wonderful new blood and fluids to knit themselves back together.

Then, if there's an area that still feels cool or slow to respond, you can slowly move your hands over that area and bring your focus there as well.

The same is true for the pelvic floor muscles. They too have been stretched to their limit so imagine them warming up, getting lots of fresh blood and fluids, and slowly contracting back to a healthy and useful length which is also known as performing kegel exercises or "kegels" for short. This article does a good job of describing a basic kegel:
http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/Kudiseases/ ... nsertC.htm

As a martial artist you'll want to work toward being able to do three part kegels to isolate the muscles in the front, middle, and back. Kegeling will also help renew those connections between your pelvic floor and your abdomen. These two areas are usually highly interconnected and some of that connection was disrupted by the surgery.

Again, start lightly, go slowly, and use lots of visualization.
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Shana Moore
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Post by Shana Moore »

Thanks for the words of caution, and a great visualization. With my outer incision healing so nicely, I tend to forget underlying layers until they remind me...oops.

Guess it's AFLE (Another friggin...er...fantastic learning experience) for patience...ugh!

I'm trying to go slowly, just anxious to get back to training! Fort's physical/mental benefits, and because I just wanna...grin!

Dana, learned the 3 part kegel in a prenatal yoga video I was doing, but should do more often...thanks for the nudge!
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Chris McKaskell
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silver lining

Post by Chris McKaskell »

I don't want to sound didactic or presumptuous but I think this is worth mentioning --- even if it is obvious it's not always crystal clear....

Injuries and periods of recovery can be valuable gifts in disguise.

Your body is not what it was -- I'd like to suggest you take this opportunity to learn new ways to use it. Allow yourself to become something different and accept that you're going to have to learn afresh how to inhabit and work with this new body you have.

You might be pleasantly surprized by how much better a MArtist you become because of this necessary period of 'forced underperformance'

Physical recovery is an excellent time to explore the soft side of things. 8)
Chris
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Shana Moore
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Post by Shana Moore »

Chris,
no offense taken...especially when good points are made. I am certainly learning lessons on patience, observation, and accepting flow...not always with grace...but 2x4s are hard to ignore...:)

Seriously, I intend to work hard toward my goals, but perspective has changed a bit...thank you for good thoughts to ponder as I consider my path ahead!
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Rick Wilson

Post by Rick Wilson »

"some of these moves wouldn't be good for my healing incisions"

Definitely not good for that -- go slow and careful. :D
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