I think it’s safe to assume that Tuesdays are going to be the absolute worst. That was the case last week, and it held true today. In related news, I am getting better at jumping rope. Also, my shins feel shredded. Any advice, fitness experts?
Related posts:
Posted in Advice Needed, Boot Camp, Health. on Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Freakgirl is a freelance writer/instructional designer/editor who's always looking for gigs. When she's not slaving over online training or writing articles that explain how stuff works, she's baking cupcakes — or wishing for kittens — or uncorking a bottle of red.
more →
15 Responses
Stay in touch with the conversation, subscribe to the RSS feed for comments on this post.
I’m going to a boot camp next week on “bring a friend to boot camp day.”
Oy.
Please videotape it, okay?
Is it an early-morning one as well?
There are stretches you can do for the shins, but unfortunately I don’t remember what they are. When I did my early morning torture camp, my trainer explained how the muscles that run across your shins are connected to something else so you have to stretch that to relieve the pain in the shins. I wish I could remember what it was though. Have you asked the boot camp trainer?
Tuesdays = bad.
Beth, I couldn’t agree more.
Heather, I read that lifting my toes up and down while I’m sitting at my desk will provide a little stretch. I’ll ask the trainer tomorrow about other stretches.
5:30.
Oh, ew!
Well, it’s only one day. I can do anything once (and have).
shin splits blow
My friend taught me this one: http://walking.about.com/od/st.....tretch.htm
also check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv6ycmOWnq0
Chuck, yeah, that’s how I get through the more awful workouts — the class is only an hour long, so it’s usually over before I know it.
Soosan, thanks!
Jumping rope is a killer for shins, and it uses tiny long edges of your muscles that almost nothing else does. Your new to this, and you don’t want to derail your whole boot camp fun by becoming too crippled to attend.
Drop the rope, literally. Hold and swing your hands in the spot you would normally, and jump as if you have a rope, but barely clear the ground. Once the pressure is off of trying not to stop the rope, you can focus on the real work, which is rapid jumping just off the ground with the least amount off shock to the shins and the body.
I use to take a half hour jump rope class (I’d die now) and many people took the first bunch of classes without a rope to build the muscles and the skills to get the most out of the workout with the least amount of damage.
True form (with a rope) should show no movement in the upper arm, barely any movement in the lower arm, momentum from the wrists, which sit a few inches out from the hips, and very little height off the floor. Involving a rope bfore you are ready usually means you are double jumping (meaning two jumps per rope rotation,) excessive arm and shoulder movement, and a lot of unnecessary jarring of the body.
Check out youtube for some boxing videos of jump rope training to see how little the body should come off the floor. You can always add in the rope later (I’ll play proper jumprope any day if we can get one more person to play!)
Sorry I didn’t spell grammar check that one!
I’m doing fine with the little movement on the arms. I think my issue is that I’m hopping on my tippy-toes too much, with jumping rope AND the other activities we’re doing.
I’m used to jogging on a treadmill and I think switching to a gymnasium floor last week was a problem. I’m thinking I might need to go and drop $$$$ on a really good pair of shoes. Or at least get some shock absorbing insoles until I get more used to this.
Those are great shin stretches. Also, don’t forget ice. Those muscles are trapped in layers of fascia and don’t have much room. I think that makes them especially prone to soreness. Stretch and ice and hot baths.
Thanks, Liz!
Unfortunately our bathtub is currently occupied by kittens.