I really need your advice ladies...

[luvmylbb]

Ok, if you have read my last post about Slim series it kinda explains it. I am nursing a baby and am recovering from an ED, I have 3 kids under 6 and my DH travels for work leaving me alone quite a bit. I not only exercise to look good but the endorphins really keep me off meds(anti depressants). THe thing is I gotinto a car accident in May and have a herniated disk in my neck, I have continued to work out but it is not getting any better, so my doctoer told me to lay of working out. I just cannot do that and stay sane! Can anyone please reccomend something that might be effective but not use heavy weights for the upper body? I was thinking about Freestyle or Slim series but I really don't want to do furher damage. Sorry this is so long. THank you so much for your wonderful advice!!!!
Sheri

 

[kathryn]

Maybe some resistance work in a pool? The water would support your body/neck, and you get resistance from using foam weights or empty gallon milk/water jugs, or special webbed gloves.

I don't know much about it beyond that, but A-Jock is the resident water workout specialist, and she could give you more ideas.

ETA: have you been to a physical therapist? They could possibly set up a routine of exercises that you could do that wouldn't stress the neck area. I'd check that out.

 

[Aquajock]

Hi, Sheri! A couple of suggestions:

1: Get a referral from your doctor to a physical therapist with personal trainer credentials who can better advise you to what you CAN do. It could very well be that there are many land and water workout protocols you can do, but with skilled, licensed supervision.

#2: IF, and only IF, your physical therapist gives you clearance for water work, consider standing in water that is at a depth right underneath the collarbone, and do low-impact running drills, low-height long-leg front kick and back kick drills, and (GENTLY AND SLOWLY AT FIRST) perform upper body movements that mimic the many weight-lifting movements you've learned from Cathe, with your hands in a fisted or cupped position. Add in resistance mitts (Speedo and Keifer sell many models of this) as desired. Be careful about hand buoys (they look like styrofoam dumbbells) and styrofoam noodles - make sure your neck is comfortable with the downward push of these.

#3: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU USE EMPTY MILK JUGS AS RESISTANCE EQUIPMENT. Milk jugs were never designed for that kind of work, the torque is totally off-balance, and you could do far more damage WITH them than by doing nothing.

#4: Consider investing in an aqua jogger, a cummerbund-like device that buckles around the trunk, keeps your head above water and enables deep-water, zero-impact running and long-lever skiing and leg-jacking motions. See #2 for suggestions about bringing in upper body work to an aqua jogging workout.

#5: Please see #1. You need professional physical-therapeutic guidance here.

HTH - good luck!

A-Jock

 

[luvmylbb]

Thank you very much for the suggestions!! I really appreciate it