Schooled!!

After much torment and a million scattered thoughts I have a plan and thus have decided to continue.  My first instinct was to just slowly regroup and stop posting here.  Then it occurred to me that there are lessons to be learned.  So dammit if I'm going to suffer you're going to feel it too.  So here we go.

Long story short, I let my leg heal but I did nothing to further strengthen it by way of consistent rehab.  My belief was that I needed to leave it alone and let it heal.  The problem with that is that I come back with all of my body stronger except for my weakest link.  Not this time.

Yesterday I "ran" some easy little strides down the hallway and did this same this morning.  I've even done some walking and baby jogging and planting take offs on the ground.  When I get home I will blast that mother every day for the next 12 weeks until it is bullet proof.  I will stop short of feeling a grab but I will challenge my leg to respond every single day.  It's time to pay some dues again burthas and sistas!!

The report card this morning is that the leg is not injured in the same place nor nearly as bad - maybe 60%.  It's 4-6" higher, closer to the center than the outside, and away from the tendon it hit the last time.  I believe the cause is twofold. 

The first as said is that my body got stronger while I babied my leg.  Bad move.  The other is that I forgot my knee brace that I always wear.  I left it in my other gym bag.  My knee is somewhat loose so without the brace it can go into a slight hyperextension at take off, thus sending a message to my lower hamstring that it is going to strain.  Apparently without the brace that is exactly what happened.  There is good and bad news about this type of strain from the hyperextension.  Bad - it will always happen whenever I jump.  Good - if I build up slowly beginning with tiny poles it will let me do a little more each day without the chance of strain.

My goal is to be able to do jogging plants, no matter how slow, on the football field by Thursday and build from there.  Hopefully a week later I can do a two step walk up and take off into the pit.  And from there I will get back to some predictable progress.

So between this enthusiastic plan and revelation my spirit and emotions were dragged through some very low places.  Technically I have not vaulted better than I have this year but have not stayed healthy, after prolonged periods of sound body.  During the drive back to my hotel Sunday and through the evening I could have burst into tears at any moment.  Then in the middle of the night it hit me; "You healed it but you didn't rehab and condition it.  Why would you ever think it could hold up to the improved strength in the rest of my body if I neglected the weakest point?"  And that's all I needed to get my plan going.  What's my plan?

Rotate Sets/Reps Primary 8,8,6,6 - Secondary 12,8 with 8,6,4 - 10,6 on the next rotation.

Thursday – Sleds, Gym, Lift, Bars

Friday – Lift legs
Saturday – 8X100m Strides, Bars, Garage Lift 1
Sunday – Garage Lift 2

REPEAT for 12 weeks

 

Have a great day and thanks for hanging in there with me!  Bubba

The Who - "Won't Get Fooled Again" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp6-wG5LLqE