Day 12: Bootylicious

Wow, did my booty get a work out today. :) My physio was out on vacation, but he left my aide with my torture instructions. There were not as many people in the clinic this morning so the aide has me to himself which definitely increased the intensity. I didn't get much time to rest. It showed in the shorter time of my session, but the increased amount of calories I burned. I wear my heart rate monitor during my sessions to keep track of calories burned. Without soccer or my usual gym routines I still track this to make sure I am exercising a certain amount.

Oh so why the bootylicious? Well, ever since I hurt my knee I lost the ability to do exercises and activities that used to work out that bum. You know soccer players are known to have them. And in the beginning I lost some weight, probably from losing muscle, so essentially some of my curves were getting smoothed out. Now that I've gained some muscle back and have been able to do more exercises I am able to work on my glutes again. Today I walked out of my session sore all over my lower half. The squats and the jumping worked me. Just another step to getting back to GOL. Next mini-gol is to do my out of seat bike sprints gracefully. :)

My Routine:

• 7 minute warm up on spin bike
• 7 30 sec sprints x 30 second rest
• NEW: 30 second out of seat sprints x 5 - The correct position is to just lift your bum out of the seat but still sit back as if you were in it. Oh man my knee was feeling this. I could only hold it for 20 seconds at a time. I thought I was going to puke because I'd already done the other warm up stuff. I got off the bike really naucious. Next time I need to eat a litle earlier so that I'm not digesting and sprinting at the same time.
  
• 20 x 3 quad sets with 5 second hold - Got through these pretty easily
  
• 15 x 3 quad set with 3 second leg raise -again lost count because the aide was talking to me.
  
• 40x10x30x10x20x10 times 3. Quad pumps on the table. Same position as quad set except heel is off the table. Hold 10 then pump 40 then hold, then pump.... All the while keeping your biofeedback reading at maximum activation. Aide talking to me again so I think I counted right. Told ya there was not that many people there.
  
• Side leg lifts - On my side, position 1 is my left leg out straight and I push up on aide's hand for 15 second count then do 15 pumps with the weight of his hand on my leg giving resistance. Position 2, same thing except leg is bent 90 degrees but knees still aligned. Position 3, bring knee into my chest and do leg lifts. Do this for 3 sets. This was burning a lot. I did not get the breaks I usually get so I was really trying hard.
  
• Ham string bridges - 15 sec hold -15 pelvic pumps - 15 sec hold x 3 - I usually do 5, but the aide wanted me on the shuttle.
• Shuttle work - on my back with leg up on vertical platform doing holds near 90 degrees. Did a few full range pumps. Holds were tough to maintain. The aide was on me for these with no real rest. I noticed my legs got tired quicker.
  
• 20 x 2 - Calf raises on the shuttle. This was my break time from the holds.
• 20 x 3 - bounding on the shuttle. Meaning I do jumps. I'm horizontal on the shuttle so I'm not landing with 100% of my weight. As you jump you have to hold your legs horizontally and absorb the impact as you land. This worked my abs more.They were engaging to help stabalize me during this exercise.
  
• Standing calf raises - 15 x 3 sets. My legs, especially quads and glutes, were a bit tired from the jumping.
  
• Squats - position 1 - squat arms crossed but pointing outwards from my chest. Hold here and then 15 pumps up and down. Position 2 - Deeper squat, stick that booty out and put arms out superman style, but still keep the back straight. 5 pumps up and down. Position 3 - reach through between legs, 15- reps. Position 3 got easier. Whooo hoo! Back to position 1 and hold and/or 5 more pumps x 3 sets. This is getting less hard. I can get back to position 1 at the end and hold it for longer. I've adjusted my stance a bit to really push through my left leg and work it. At the end of each set it still feels like my legs are going to give out, but my recovery time is shortening which means I'm getting stronger and gaining some endurance.
  
• Ice to go