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<p>idad, I don’t understand why this would be true. I don’t think we have a finite number of arm flexions, do we? Or knee flexions? etc. </p>
<p>I agree one should be careful when doing crunches to make sure one is doing them correctly and effectively, but other than the normal aging process, I am skeptical that any particular joint has a finite number of flexions available.</p>
<p>You are obviously right in the sense that “x” number of flexes is different for each of us. You might have more than enough to last you your entire life without a hint of spinal disk problems. The next person may use up their genetic allotment and herniate a disc at age 40. There is clearly a wear and tear issue. We all get shorter as we age – the result of spinal discs wearing out and flattening.</p>
<p>Knees and hips wear out, too. Lots of knee and hip replacement surgeries are being done these days, usually after the protective layers (like the meniscus) have worn away from use, leaving bone on bone.</p>
<p>The spinal disc wear and tear is particularly troublesome because the resulting pain can be so debilitating. McGill’s concern isn’t that doing one sit up will rupture a disk, but rather the accumulated wear and tear. He sees exercise programs that call for hundreds of crunches a week. That’s a lot of wear and tear that could be avoided, especially when there are alternative exercises that provide similar, if not better, results. The other issue is that most of us already spend our lives flexing our backs forward – sitting at a computer, driving, and so forth. That’s the one movement that we probably don’t need extra work. Many of the problems and imbalances that trainers see are the result of too much forward movement that is not balanced by suffiicient strength and flexibility in other planes, for example weak glutes and back muscles.</p>
<p>We have an interesting abs machine at the new YMCA. It has a spot where you place your feet and you almost stand at about a 30 degree angle. There’s a tilted seat (your knees are bent between the foot and seat supports). There is a bar in front with two pegs. The bar is connected to weight plates. You hold the pegs with your hands and press and that give you your abs workout. You can push it back and forth to essentially get a situp-type workout. Or, you can just push, bring your back up and hold it.</p>
<p>Played an hour of tennis this morning. Started out okay but quickly lost energy - I didn’t have anything for breakfast as I awoke late. Also ran two miles yesterday, did farmers walk with 2x45 and a weight machines workout. My workouts have been crappy since the three hour tennis workout on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Sore today after yesterday’s workout.
I think the weighted lunges are the culprit. It seems that no matter how many lunges I do, I always get sore. Not complaining, just saying. Probably means glutes need more strengthening.</p>
<p>Weird pulled muscle, I think, in the upper abs. Just on the left side, hurts when I cough or bend over to pick things up. Going to lay off ab exercises today.</p>
<p>Reverse lunges (ValSlide) tore me up yesterday, too. I could barely walk last night. Actually, I think it was a combo deal. iPod nazi had me doing a lot of stuff with extended legs and the cumulative effect was a bit much. Seem to be fine today.</p>
3x10 TRX Squats
3x5 each TRX Single Leg Squats
3x10 TRX Push Ups (feet in straps)
Then I spent the next 90 minutes doing a whole variety of TRX movements. A co-worker and I got out the TRX demonstration DVD and learned some new stuff today. Fun ahead… 
<p>H loves to sleep in on Saturdays. Grrrr… We did not hit the trail until 10 am. By the time I finished my run, it was hot as <a href=“mailto:h@ll”>h@ll</a>. 16 miles, 2 hrs 13 min. Slow pace, but I did not hit the wall. I think I will not even try to mess with GU gels next time I run a longer distance. The measly 100 calories are not worth the troubles. :)</p>
<p>I like to sleep in on Saturday too. For couples? Perhaps it’s better to just go without him on Saturdays.</p>
<p>I just finished a three-hour nap. For some reason, I was wiped out this week. I feel a little better now and am headed to the YMCA, perhaps for a short run.</p>
<p>I just used the Concept 2 at the YMCA for a while. The interesting thing was that after using it for ten minutes, I had trouble walking. The Concept 2 aligns your legs to be straight and it apparently put my knees into an alignment that made it strange to walk. My guess is that a ligament or something was in an odd position. At any rate, it went away after about 30 minutes.</p>
<p>I think that my tennis issues this morning was the result of dieting and not getting enough calories beforehand. It’s easier at the office because I have a routine of getting in a certain number of calories before playing but I like to sleep late on Saturdays which makes it tough to get calories in before playing. So more planning is needed for tennis in general.</p>
<p>No workout for me today… well, other than the fact that I did chores outside in the heat all afternoon. Too damn hot for a hill walk/jog. I’m pretty content that I managed to get in three long workouts and a short burpee/fusion interval cardio workout in this heat. Last summer in a heat wave, I defaulted to no workouts, just walking after dinner. My heat tolerance is much improved. Probably has a lot to do with not being fat this summer.</p>
<p>Do you still need the Superfeet with all of the weight loss? I used to use the UltraArch Insoles in all of my shoes but now I just wear them to run or play tennis. I have even run without them for a mile or two with no issues. Losing weight means that stuff needed at higher weights may no longer be needed.</p>
<p>I didn’t wear my knee braces to play tennis today - they are a pain to put on and take off and it’s easy to forget them. I felt fine in that the amount of damage was comparable to playing with the braces. The knees are fine now so recovery is under a day which is great.</p>
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<p>I don’t know! I hardly ever wear a pair of shoes without Superfeet. I even got a pair of SuperFeet flip flops this week.</p>
<p>I did wear a pair of old sneakers without Superfeet this week – my “muddy” yardwork shoes. I didn’t wear them long enough to have sore feet, but they feel decidedly unsupportive.</p>
<p>I probably don’t need quite the same level of heavy duty support in my running/walking shoes with a lot less weight pounding on them. And, my feet have gotten a bit smaller.</p>
<p>New blog post talking about the TRX Suspension Trainer system… let me know what you think!</p>
<p>Good stuff hops. TRX is an interesting piece of equipment because it can be used to make exercises much easier for beginners and much harder for advanced workout warriors. I wish I had had it when I was 250 pounds trying to do a squat.</p>
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<p>We can match! I got those in May when I was in Dallas and I love them. I can’t stand the Superfeet in my shoes, though. Someone said the copper ones might be better for me because they are softer. The flip flops are awesome, though, but $$$$$. I bet you didn’t find THEM at TJMax!</p>
<p>Right after I (and my daughter) finished our hot, humid and hilly 10.3 mile training run, I got a facebook message that one of my dear PA running friends died last night of a massive heart attack. He was a noted marathoner and triathlete and was teaching at St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia. He was 64. He could NOT have been more healthy and fit. His girlfriend was cleaning up dinner and heard him cry out and fall. That was it.</p>
<p>I am beyond heartbroken, but it is very sobering. We do what we can, but sometimes it doesn’t even matter. Can you even imagine posting a picture of your awesome dinner on facebook and then an hour later you (or your significant other) are dead???</p>
<p>MOWC:</p>
<p>I’m so sorry to hear of your friend. It does go to show that there is a big role for the fickle hand of fate in all of this and that, despite the trappings of science, our predictive abilities aren’t that good.</p>
<p>Hard to find a silver lining, but your friend was healthy and fit every day of his life, which – considering some of the alternative end games – isn’t the worst way to go. I’d rather get struck down out of the blue than the retired General who also died yesterday, nine years after a massive stroke at age 64.</p>
<p>It is a horrible shock, though.</p>
<p>MOfWC, that is so sad. I’m so sorry. Cyberhugs. Sometimes, the cause can be something that goes undiagnosed for so long because the person seems so healthy and fit. My favorite figure skater died in 1995 (?) of a silent heart attack caused by an undiagnosed arterial blockage. He was just 28, and apparently, it was simply genetic. I just read that an apparently healthy, athletic 18-year-old West Point cadet died during training…</p>
<p>MOWC – I’m sorry. Given the serious runner population around here I’m still surprised at the number of seriously good runners who have heart attacks or other cardiac problems – but I do think that it is possible that the serious runner who has a heart attack at 55 might well have been the committed couch potato who had the heart attack at 45, and that the exercise and dietary regimen gave them ten more years. Still really sad.</p>
<p>Sorry to hear about your friend, MOWC. I think it’s so much harder to come to terms with the death of someone who dies suddenly and is healthy/fit and not that old (like your friend). As I-Dad said–he lived a healthy life and was able to be active for that time. Plus, it sounds like he was a real role model for people in his fitness community.</p>
<p>I’m bummed because my infected ankle (the one with a plate and pins) hasn’t healed. I finished 10 days of one antibiotic and 2 days letter, it was red and swollen. Went back to the ER where the doc cultured it again. This time the lab reported it was staph (not MRSA). I have a different (stronger) antibiotic. The doctor wanted me to use crutches–not because I can’t be weight-bearing but because crutches would force me to rest. I declined the crutches and promised to rest. I plan to rest for the next week and then limit myself to spinning and TRX and weight training. I figure that 60-90 minutes a day isn’t going to set me back. I’ll go to my GP and check with her as well.</p>