Day 21 & 22 & 23: Light at the End of the Tunnel

(covers sessions on 9/15, 9/17, and 9/22)
Hello, yes I have been bad in keeping up with my blog posts. Blame it on work. I've quite the busy bee lately. I only have one more session left on this prescription and it's just in time. Today was a good day. My physio cleared me to start practicing and scrimmaging! YAAAAAAY! I can't believe it. The last 3 sessions have been pretty much the same, but with more and more agility ladder. Since I seem to handle that without much pain and no swelling I am ready to get back out there to really test out my knee. Hopping on a little ladder is no substitute for the real thing. I am a bit nervous because my side steps are still not as strong as I want them to be, but the aide says to keep practicing them everyday so I get stronger.

My fitness is no where near game ready so some movement on the field will be great. I can't believe it's almost been 4 months since I put on my cleats and suited up for a game. I'm a bit anxious about getting out there. I remember when I came back from my last knee surgery I did not have pain, but it felt weird. Just a bit weak I suppose. I'll take weird over pain any day. There are no more mini-gols for me. It's time for the real GOL, which is getting out there and scoring one. So I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

My Routine:

• 5 minute warm up on spin bike -
  
• 5 30 sec sprints x 30 second rest -
  
• 5 30 sec sprints x 30 second rest -
  
• 15 minutes running on the treadmill - this has been tough lately, but today I upped the speed because my legs felt like they wanted to go faster. Good sign!
  
• 30 x 3 quad sets with 5 second hold -
  
• 30 pumps times 3 sets. Quad pumps on the table. Same position as quad set except heel is off the table. A lot more reps of this definitely worked my leg a good amount.
• 30 x 3 quad raises -
  
• Ham string bridges - 15 sec hold -15 pelvic pumps - 15 sec hold x 3 - These have been tiring lately.
  
• 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.
• 30 leg raises x 2 sets - really worked my quad out
• Shuttle holds x 3 sets - go through various holds.
  
• 20 heel raises x 2 - in between the shuttle holds. I was not getting rest at all with these
  
• Pyramids on the Leg Press with Left Leg - 20 reps at 40 lbs, 15 reps at 50 lbs, and then 10 reps at 60 lbs x 3 sets
  
• Shuttle Bounding- 10 single leg bounds, 10 on the right, 10 on the left, repeat, 10 double leg bounds x 3 sets -The trainer wanted me to do more single leg hops to really work them out.
  
• 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. 10 pumps up and down. Position 3 - reach through between legs, 20- reps. Then back to position 1 and 5 pumps, and hold 10 seconds while it burns! 3 sets of this. Of course these kicked my butt
  
• 20 x 3 - Standing calf raises . This was my break time from the squats.
• Agility Bridge - a series of exercises where I step in and out going side ways and then stepping straight through. Each exercise I did like 4 sets so I was really working hard. The last exercise was side stepping very quickly. I could do it really fast when going right to left, but going the other way was tough. My left leg was not firing as quickly as my right. This is what I need to practice on my own.
  
• Trainer did quad and hamstring stretches
  
• Ice to go