Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Training Troubles

I have a great trainer, at least I think I do. Of course I hate him at times - like in 5 minute intervals when he pushes me to do exercises I do not want to do. Monday's session involved me on the floor, a big exercise ball and some tremendous pelvic thrusts. Did not take a long time but it killed my hamstrings.

Do you ever get that tight, squinchy (is that a word? it is a feeling I have) muscle ache feeling? Like the muscles will never relax? That feeling has stuck with me and for today's training session he decided to do more foam rolling of my muscles and extra stretching.

For anyone who has not been foam rolled, it sucks. This super buff trainer takes a long circular piece of foam (I have graduated to what amounts to a metal bar) and he puts as much pressure/weight on it as he can and rolls it over your already sore and knotted muscles. I think this is where the term "no pain, no gain" came from.

So he did this for about 20 minutes today. He does this to me every chance he gets. Why? Because I am whiny and deserve to be punished and I have muscles that are a flexible as tire rubber.

His advice (and mine to avoid the roller) - STRETCH. Stretch til you feel it and hold it. Stretch at least once a day.

Off to stretch (again).....you should too!

1 comment:

Danielle said...

Yes! The foamrollythingy is a toy from hell! I used to do it for my issues with my knee on my upper leg muscles. It does feel better later but the process of using it is like a slow, painful death! Oh! POOR THING!