Gym Workout

This is a typical gym workout. It changes every few months. I work with Lenny Parracino who works out of Breathru Fitness and is associated with The National Academy of Sports Medicine. This is for what ails me, not you. If you want to do this kind of thing, see a trainer who knows what they’re doing. The NASM has a very good program to educate trainers. That would be a good place to start.

Stretches

  1. Self-Myofascial-Release: self-myofascial-release (SMR) means that you roll around on a foam roller, lacrosse ball or other hard rolling object so you can free up the fascia that covers muscles. It can be immensely painful, like rolfing yourself, and you will hate it for the first few weeks but it is very effective.
    • SMR on back and side of calves; back, side and front of the thighs; buttocks and inner thighs.
    • SMR on the spine with twist: with knees up, lie on top of a foam roller and roll from between the shoulder blades up to the neck. Do the same thing again but this time stop at various places along the spine and drop your knees to one side then the other to get a spinal twist.
  2. Neck stretch
    • stand straight, tuck chin a bit and rotate right shoulder blade back and down.
    • Put the left hand on the back of the head and rotate the head so it is looking down at your left pocket.
  3. Twisting shoulder stretch
  4. Latissimus dorsi stretch on ball
  5. Forearm stretches
  6. Downward facing dog calf stretch
  7. Three step seated hamstring stretch
    • sit on the side of a table with one leg on the table and the other foot flat on the ground. Put a rope around the foot on the table.
    • Straighten the back, lean forward and push the knee down to the table.
    • Turn the foot inward and pull on the rope. This is a stretch for the outside of the calf.
  8. Kneeling hip stretch

Strength work

  1. Arm raises
  2. Abdominal twist on ball
  3. Side stance lunge with rotation
  4. Front lunge and reach: this mimics the movement of bending and reaching for a tennis ball. It teaches you to stay in a stable position as you reach and works your trunk and legs.
    • With a weight in your right hand, step forward with your left foot to a comfortable distance.
    • Bend your knees and go straight down. At the same time twist to the left and reach out with your right hand while your left hand moves back and to the right.
    • Do the same exercise on the other side of the body.
  5. Backward lunge and twist
  6. Forearm curls
  7. Stretch cord rows