What are you playing on your guitar? Sor? Piazzola?
Ah... You know of Sor so you must also know of Classical Guitar. Right now I am working on pieces that span the decades....
In the Baroque era I am studying the Cello Suite no. 1 from J.S. Bach. I have all but the Corrante and Gigue down for performance.
Romantic era, I study works mostly by Tarrega. I am working up Capricho Arabe right now and have Lagrima and Adelita up to performance level.
For the Classical period I have selected a work by Gulliani (Sor's buddy) I have memorized and am working up the Sonata Allegro from his Op15. This piece takes me 14 minutes to play through and is over 6 pages of music. There are 2 more pieces in this work.
I currently perform a slew of Italian Renascence pieces from Chilisote's collection. (a 20th century musicologist)
I have a collection of Pavannas from Early Baroque, Renascence that I perform.
Nice - though I'd think it'd be the Lute Suites you'd be studying (unless they're transcriptions of the Cello Suites that is). You've a good cross section of the periods, though I'm surprised Dowland's not listed (personal favorite there). Great video too by the way.
I'm revisiting the piano - have taken lessons a long time but practicing hasn't been my strong suit. My current project is also Bach - the first Two Part Invention (the C Major) - I'm very close with it, but not quite. And more seasonally, Christmastime is Here is coming along quite nicely. The Hanon book of exercises I bought should help with both as an improvement in technique would be most welcome.
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Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
Nice - though I'd think it'd be the Lute Suites you'd be studying (unless they're transcriptions of the Cello Suites that is). You've a good cross section of the periods, though I'm surprised Dowland's not listed (personal favorite there)....
Of course the Cello suite is transcribed for the guitar. And if I dare say I think it sounds better on the guitar too. I like Dowland okay but am more of a baroque person so I will probably not play Dowland until I've a few more years of study. I haven't been at the music thing for quite 5 years so with time I will hit the really good ones.
I can sympathize. I suffered a bad hamstring pull ending my high school sprinting career. It was literally years before I felt complete confidence to go all out in a sprint without re-injuring that hamstring. It sounds like you are on the right path though so you'll get there before you know it.
That's just awesome! You're colleagues will only think you're nuts until you end up in the best shape of your life. Then they'll just be jealous
My colleagues are definately watching me with green eyes. My friends are all starting to watch what they eat and increase their protein. The only thing lacking is all the exercise and the really strict diet that I do.
Thanks for dropping into this log and also for the encouragement on the hamstring... Wow... Years????? I am not prepared to hold back for years. That will kill me. I was running on the Nike Campus here recently and saw a guy running the other way. His t-shirt was Nike but it said, "Slow Sucks" I SO want to buy one of those.
I am sort of bummed out right now about this injury. It kicked my butt again today. I am going to go get massaged in the hot tub and then ice the hell out of it.
Tonight I boarded a plane in San Jose and flew back home to Portland. I did a one day whirlwind trip down there to do a presentation. My hamstring sort of hurt on this plane ride and I knew I had to work it and stretch it a bit. So I started to get myself up for going for a little jog at the gym on the way home.
I got to the gym at almost 10:00PM. I am somewhat of a night person so I figure it wouldn't matter. I dress down and do some light warm ups. I did a couple of ab workouts and stretches and my hamstring therapy exercises. I then started a nice slow 35 min jog on the treadmill. I had been looking forward to this for the past 2 days. About 1/2 way into the run my hamstring started to pull. I slowed down and raised the incline thinking I might be able to get a good workout in that way. Nope.... Too much pulling. It wasn't pain mind you but I know now that if there is even a bit of pulling that probably is bad. So I backed off and walked and got bummed out.
I still did 2 miles and then went over to the weights. I did a few more ab exercises (hanging leg lifts 3x15) and incline sit ups (3x15). I then went to the pull up bar and gave myself a 50 pound assist. I could only pull out 3x3 for that one. Finally I did some leg presses 3x15 at 90 pounds.
Thath was pretty much all I could handle. I am such as wussy....
We all have bad workouts. That workout was still a lot more than most people can even do.
It sucks to be injured (shoulder, here).
I'm not sure when and where your injury started, but some quad dominance could be playing a part here. I don't know why, but it's said that many women are quad dominant and have weaker and tighter hamstrings, leading to an imbalance that could cause all sorts of issues.
I'm not qualified to tell you how to determine if this is even an issue. But, at least make sure (once the strain has healed) that your program includes plenty of hip extension exercises for the posterior chain. RDLs, pullthroughs, and glute ham raises, for instance.
When you get back into sprinting again, start with hill sprints. The angle, when sprinting up a hill, makes the sprint a lot safer for the hamstrings.
Thanks Roland. I am trying to be positive but this has been going on for nearly a year. I injured it (they say) from overuse. It started as just a slight little blip on my radar. Then it got worse and it pissed me off so I ran harder (Marine remember) I did this for 7 months until it got so bad that I could hardly walk. My injured leg was only a fraction of the side of my healthy leg due to athrophy. 5 months of Physical Therapy later and the therapists says I am at 90%. Now I am in the hands of a strength trainer to help me figure out how to stay strong and not keep injuring myself. But still I do...
My main problem is that I do not feel pain like normal people. At least that is what the Therapist says and my trainer agrees. My trainer says that is why I am not muscle sore. Since I cannot feel pain I have nothing to tell me that I am on the edge of injury. By the time I am feeling pain a strain has already occured.
You are 100% correct in the stronger quad thing. When I say that I am doing my hamstring PT exercises, it consists of hip extensions, abductors and glut ham raises. I find these very boring.... I only do them 1-2 times a week and I am supposed to do them 3 times. I do them pretty regularly when I have a bit of pain but as soon as I feel good again I just run and lift and the fun stuff.
Of course the Cello suite is transcribed for the guitar. And if I dare say I think it sounds better on the guitar too. I like Dowland okay but am more of a baroque person so I will probably not play Dowland until I've a few more years of study. I haven't been at the music thing for quite 5 years so with time I will hit the really good ones.
What I meant was I can't quite remember if the Lute Suites (BWV 995-998) were transcriptions of the Cello Suites (BWV 1001-1006), or if they're altogether different compositions, composed for the lute. I think the latter, but not 100% confident that's the case. (Yes, it's been a while since I've listened to the Lute Suites, though I just picked up a great version of the Cello Suites played by Ralph Kirschbaum.)
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Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
Be careful there. If you end up with land these beautiful creatures end up multiplying somehow. I swear I started with just one. Actually, I did eventing for a little while with my Arab and my TB but once I started the Classial Guitar I had to give up riding and training. Either that or my day job.... There just were not enough hours in the day. My crew of 11 equines are all rescues and each one has a very special story and personality. Several of them are in their 30s. I do have a few youn'uns though. They are amazing creatures and my goal is to keep the farm until the last one dies. After that I will likely move into my condo in the city.
Land out here when I bought this farm was really reasonable. I bought in 1996 and the entire piece with home cost 215,000 US dollars. The 40-acre farm next to me just sold for almost 700K so I don't think it is that reasonable anymore. Even so I think it is still cheaper here than on the East coast.
Yes, I do much of that stuff every day. At least 30 minutes of it. You would think with all that, that I would not need to go to the gym or that I might have less than 31% body fat.
Precisely the point! We'd take in each and every one if we could. Careing for rescues and giving them a better life than they once had is very noble, indeed! Thank you for doing that.
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On Krista mistressing the chin-up, "It's amazing", said one gym source, "considering that for months she just hung there like a dead fish."
Thanks Roland. I am trying to be positive but this has been going on for nearly a year. I injured it (they say) from overuse. It started as just a slight little blip on my radar. Then it got worse and it pissed me off so I ran harder (Marine remember) I did this for 7 months until it got so bad that I could hardly walk. My injured leg was only a fraction of the side of my healthy leg due to athrophy. 5 months of Physical Therapy later and the therapists says I am at 90%. Now I am in the hands of a strength trainer to help me figure out how to stay strong and not keep injuring myself. But still I do...
My main problem is that I do not feel pain like normal people. At least that is what the Therapist says and my trainer agrees. My trainer says that is why I am not muscle sore. Since I cannot feel pain I have nothing to tell me that I am on the edge of injury. By the time I am feeling pain a strain has already occured.
You are 100% correct in the stronger quad thing. When I say that I am doing my hamstring PT exercises, it consists of hip extensions, abductors and glut ham raises. I find these very boring.... I only do them 1-2 times a week and I am supposed to do them 3 times. I do them pretty regularly when I have a bit of pain but as soon as I feel good again I just run and lift and the fun stuff.
I know.... I am an idiot....
You don't feel pain? That's weird. Like if I pinch you, it won't hurt? Or, is it just that you have a high threshold?
Are you seeing a therapist who deals with athletes? Maybe the exercises are too basic (e.g., aimed at "normal" people). There are lots of non-boring lifts to do (unless these are light rehab things. But GHRs aren't really very light, huh?).
It's not the same as a hands on, but if you post in the injury sub-forum, there are some sports minded Docs and PTs that come around to dole out solid advice. Somewhere in there, there's a questionnaire to fill out to give all the background info that they want to see. You might check it out.
Oh, I see that you travel for work some. If you ever stop in Indianapolis, get an appt with Bill Hartman. He's a genius. The Muscle Whisperer.
You don't feel pain? That's weird. Like if I pinch you, it won't hurt? Or, is it just that you have a high threshold?
Are you seeing a therapist who deals with athletes? Maybe the exercises are too basic (e.g., aimed at "normal" people). There are lots of non-boring lifts to do (unless these are light rehab things. But GHRs aren't really very light, huh?).
It's not the same as a hands on, but if you post in the injury sub-forum, there are some sports minded Docs and PTs that come around to dole out solid advice. Somewhere in there, there's a questionnaire to fill out to give all the background info that they want to see. You might check it out.
Oh, I see that you travel for work some. If you ever stop in Indianapolis, get an appt with Bill Hartman. He's a genius. The Muscle Whisperer.
Roland.... I think it is the fact that I have a high threshold. I certainly do feel it if someone pinches me but it is the case that you have to draw blood before I complain about it.
I don't know what a GHR is. I have to look that one up to respond. But with that I will share with you about my PT. He does deal with athletes but mostly golfers and baseball players. He doesn't know a thing about runners. I had no clue when I went in there anything about Physical Therapy nor did I have a clue how badly I was hurt. If I had any clue at all I would have insisted on seeing a Therapist who specialized in runners.
I thought that I would go in and get some exercises to do at home and that would be that. Instead it took 5 months of bi-weekly appointments for my injured leg to have the same (within 90%) measurements as my non-injured leg. That whole while he had to hold me down and keep me from running and doing too much cardio work. I felt like he was babying me and that we were going too slowly. We fought a lot.
When I finally measured within 90% with my injured leg I announced to him that I was getting a personal trainer and that I would use this program to continue my rehab. The Physical Therapist said I could do that but he wanted to talk to the Trainer. So I connected the two. I did not hear the conversation but the Trainer told me that he was told I was that rare pateint who you never had to push rather you had to hold back so she doesn't hurt herself. So my trainer is being careful now too. He thinks I need to back off the hamstring injury and give myself room to heal. He keeps holding me back too. I am TIRED of giving this room to heal and I want to work the bloody thing. It is ridiculous that I cannot run on it after all this time. (sigh...)
Who is this Bob Hartman? Is this a person who is a Physical Therapist or is he very well versed in Rehab of these sorts of injuries? I would be happy to fly wherever to have a consult with anyone who can help me with this. I have a daughter in Indy so I could easily justify that flight.
Today was ab day with the trainer. At least we started with ab workouts. The first exercise was on one of those half ball things. I had to sit on it and extend my arms and legs all the way out and lay back and then come together and touch my shoes. I did this 20 times the first time. Then he had me to V-ups. They are like situps but you have to move your legs in the air too and the hands and legs meet in the middle up in the sky. I alternated these two exercieses and did 1x20, 2x15 on the first one and 3x15 on the second one. I had some really crappy form going on for many of these so I don't know how many of those really count. The good news on this is that when I first started with this guy 3 weeks ago I could not do even 1 v-up.
After the ab work I did mountain climbers until forever. I had to use the 1/2 ball upside down to hang onto. I did 3x40 of these.
Then he grabbed a medicine ball and we went to the long deck and I did lunges all the way across and back while holding out that medicine ball and twisting my torso. Once I completed that he had me run the stairs (1 flight) up and down 5 times doing doubles on the up. Once that was done I went back to the lunges all the way up and down the floor. When I was done he looked at the stairs again and I got smart with him and commented that I would only do it if I could carry my friend (the medicine ball) with me. He replied that I could do it but I had to hold it up over my head. I laughed and put it down on the table but alas he was serious. I had to go up and down those stairs while holding the medicine ball above my head and if I started to let it down even a little he was all over me. So I did those 2 more times and 2 more lunges back and forth. He told me that it is not a very wise thing to give him those sorts of ideas. I told him that I realize this but am a Marine so will likely never stop being a smart ass. I can feel my shoulders right now man.
Bill Hartman is a PT and ART practitioner. Here's his web site.
He's helped a few people here get all fixed up. Galya, for instance, is following Bill's programs to help with some imbalances. Cappuccino had some issues that Bill helped her with, as well. I know there are others, too. Bill helped me to touch my toes (yay), and his advice is what has enabled me to to actually squat now.
Bill was a presenter at the JP Fitness Summit two years ago, too (that's where I met him and learned to touch the toes). He and Mike Robertson created the Inside Out DVD that a lot of us use around here. He's also a Men's Health and Men's Fitness magazine contributer (workouts, preventative maintenance, injury q&a, etc.)
I know that Bill had both Cappy and Galya back off on some things, too. But, neither one seemed too concerned about it, since the programs were good and the were seeing progress (and end in site).
Bill seems to have a way of finding the hidden causes behind a problem. It's not always what we think it is. So many of our "parts" are connected. You can have a shoulder issue that actually a problem in your hip, for instance. Compensations can cause seemingly unrelated areas to have issues, and Bill is good at rooting them out. Of course, not all issues are complex, but you never know.
He's very respected around here and a nice guy, to boot.
Of course... I simply had to spend 2 seconds looking didn't I? Okay now that I have this information I have a lot of reading to do... Sigh... The learning curve is SO steep!!
Of course... I simply had to spend 2 seconds looking didn't I? Okay now that I have this information I have a lot of reading to do... Sigh... The learning curve is SO steep!!
I did not feel like hanging for a long while at the gym today but I also knew that I had to go in order to do my pull ups if I ever want to eventually do one. So I split my workout. I went to the gym and did not change out... I just did 3x5 assisted pulls with 60 pounds. I then did bicep curls and barbell raises front and sides 3x15. I did these with 12.5 pounds. My shoulders were sore from yesterday's training and running around with a medicine ball abvoe my head. It was easy to wear my arms out. I pushed until I gave myself this head rush that felt like when I am in the zone in a run only more intense. My arms were shaking at the end and veins where popping out everywhere. It was so cool.
I then got in the car and went home for my cardio work. I just climbed off my racing bike in the trainer. I did a 1.5 hour ride and sweated buckets. The hammie feels good because I am not running on it. I will finish the night doing my hamstring physical therapy exercises and then figure out what I will do tomorrow in the gym with my buddies.
I started riding bikes after I got the hamstring injury this past year. It was something that my Physical Therapist said I could do that would be cardio and not as harmful to my injury. It was a great thing for me because I found I really liked it. Since my first ride I have logged hundreds of miles. I discovered a 42 mile trail nearby that goes on and off-road so I had to buy a cyclo-cross bike and do it. I then found many other nice long trails and purchased a very nice carbon components road bike so that I could go faster on the country roads around my house. That was how I was able to continue to loose wait and keep my sanity even thouh I could not run.
I run and ride for no reason except that I love to do them. I am considering doing a few smaller races this year 10K and such but I am not fast so I will not do times rather just to finish. I also hope to do my first marathon this year if my leg will only let me. (crossing fingers) Again I am not fast so it will be just a race to finish rather than for me to brag about a PR. I love to run and now to ride because when I do these things I get into a zone that is good for my sanity. It distances my troubles at work from me for the time that I am on the road pounding my feet and my mind gets this amazing clarity. Then once I am finished a good run or ride I have no problems settling down and relaxing like normal peopl. All good type A people should run or ride.
Thanks for dropping into this log and also for the encouragement on the hamstring... Wow... Years????? I am not prepared to hold back for years. That will kill me.
Ooops. Just to be clear: It didn't takes years to heal, rather it took me years to get over the fear that I would re-injure myself. After the first pull (severe), I ended up pulling it (mildly) over and over again by trying to go to fast too soon for a six months -- not smart but I was also still a teenager. That experience made me very gun shy to run all out for a long time.
Pulling it mildly over and over again sounds so familiar. In fact I strained it again last Friday night and am on a 4 week ban from running until it gets better... I am not even a teenager so no excuse for my "not smart" status.
Yesterday I was in the gym again but this time I did strength training first. This is significant in that I always do what I like to do first which is cardio, but yesterday I felt like doing other stuff. See, you can teach old dogs new tricks.
Hamstring exercises:
Glute Ham Raises with 20 pound dumbell - 3x15
Prone leg curls 50 lb - 3x15
Hip abductor machine #1 100lb 3x15
Hip abductor machine #2 100lb 3x15
Pulling it mildly over and over again sounds so familiar. In fact I strained it again last Friday night and am on a 4 week ban from running until it gets better... I am not even a teenager so no excuse for my "not smart" status.
Yesterday I was in the gym again but this time I did strength training first. This is significant in that I always do what I like to do first which is cardio, but yesterday I felt like doing other stuff. See, you can teach old dogs new tricks.
Hamstring exercises:
Glute Ham Raises with 20 pound dumbell - 3x15
Prone leg curls 50 lb - 3x15
Hip abductor machine #1 100lb 3x15
Hip abductor machine #2 100lb 3x15
Ab
Captain Chair hanging leg raises 3x15
On half ball, stretch out and then come in to touch heels 3x15 (I have bad form with these)
Cardio
Eliptical = 5.5 miles
Damn, Karla... I feel for you on the running ban! Sorry for being lazy--if this is mentioned earlier--but have you looked into a good masseur or ART guy/gal for your running woes?
Hey ladies thanks for stopping by and the input. I have been through 5 months of Physical Therapy for this injury. It was a tendon tear and a muscle belly tear so I got it in two places. I had multiple weakness in different muscles in the injured leg including gluts and hips. As of 3 weeks ago I tested at 90% the same on both sides on all the muscle groups. Obviously since I am still injuring myself I still have imbalances. I am very specifically working gluts and hips and hamstring muscle in my right leg right now to continue to build it up. I do the left leg too but more on the right.
In addition to this work I am receiving accupuncture which really helps me to maintain relaxed muscles and healing.
I can run but I have to short stride still. I can't seem to do anything that resembles sprinting or really stretching out. I don't know how long it should take for this to get better but my internet research shows that a bad or chronic (mine was very chonic) hamstring injury can take a very long time to heal. (in the order of a year) That said it doesn't make sense to me that it should take that long to heal. It seems to me that it should not be much different than a tear in any other part of the body. It should take 4 weeks or so. I do wish that I could find one definitive source of information on this injury.
have you looked at changing your stride up - ala POSE or CHI running - there are some threads on it in the running sub-forum and some of the guys there have tried it out - (for when you are OK'd to run again of course )
Hey ladies thanks for stopping by and the input. I have been through 5 months of Physical Therapy for this injury. It was a tendon tear and a muscle belly tear so I got it in two places. I had multiple weakness in different muscles in the injured leg including gluts and hips. As of 3 weeks ago I tested at 90% the same on both sides on all the muscle groups. Obviously since I am still injuring myself I still have imbalances. I am very specifically working gluts and hips and hamstring muscle in my right leg right now to continue to build it up. I do the left leg too but more on the right.
In addition to this work I am receiving accupuncture which really helps me to maintain relaxed muscles and healing.
I can run but I have to short stride still. I can't seem to do anything that resembles sprinting or really stretching out. I don't know how long it should take for this to get better but my internet research shows that a bad or chronic (mine was very chonic) hamstring injury can take a very long time to heal. (in the order of a year) That said it doesn't make sense to me that it should take that long to heal. It seems to me that it should not be much different than a tear in any other part of the body. It should take 4 weeks or so. I do wish that I could find one definitive source of information on this injury.
I would agree with the year statement ... that is what I have found with many of my patients anyways.
The reason it takes so long is that the muscle(s) are large and somewhat complex in their muscle fiber orientation. It is very difficult to truly let them rest so that they can fully heal. Nearly every functional movement we do involves the hamstrings, so they never really get to rest.
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Life's a Journey ... Enjoy the Ride!
I would agree with the year statement ... that is what I have found with many of my patients anyways.
The reason it takes so long is that the muscle(s) are large and somewhat complex in their muscle fiber orientation. It is very difficult to truly let them rest so that they can fully heal. Nearly every functional movement we do involves the hamstrings, so they never really get to rest.
Sigh... You sound just like my Physical Therapist... That is exactly what he told me. Still I struggle to find a quicker answer. He struggled greatly with me during our 5 months together. We saw each other 2 times a week during that time. I am a horrible client in that I hate to be restricted. Our sessions together were painful and painfully boring. I just wanted to get up and go not push around 4 pound weights or lay around for modalities or manual therapy (boring). I felt like he was babying me, he claimed I needed to be monitored during exercise. Eventually we figured out how to work together (mostly with him yelling at me until I got it) and I made progress. As soon as I was at 90% I informed him that I was going to start with a Personal Trainer because I wanted to speed things up. He agreed but only if he could talk to the CPT first. Once they talked I was released to the care of the CPT. Now I am fighting with him to make it go faster and harder because the Physical Therapist warned the CPT about how I will push too hard. My CPT worked in Physical Therapy so that was a good fit for me. Anyway when I hurt myself sprinting I got put on immediate restriction from running until the strain has time to heal. I really hate this stuff. I just want to GO DAMN IT!!!!!!!
Good news is that I am learning to do strength training now and I picked up biking. I haven't thought about racing in a bike event but that might be a good thing to do... Hmmmm...
I am not prepared to hold back for years. That will kill me. I was running on the Nike Campus here recently and saw a guy running the other way. His t-shirt was Nike but it said, "Slow Sucks" I SO want to buy one of those. 
I am going to go get massaged in the hot tub and then ice the hell out of it.
I really hate this stuff. I just want to GO DAMN IT!!!!!!! 
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