Injured on Stage 1 Workout 1...

[Allwittynamestaken]

...before the first rep! What!?

I was setting up the weights I needed for my first workout of NROL4W. Somehow I managed to pull my quad, vastus lateralis?, before I even started the workout. My kids have had the flu and I'm under the weather myself. So, I must be out of my mind as well as off my game.

I thought about posting this in the injury area, but I'm pretty sure it's just a tear and should be fine in a week. I'm posting here because I'm curious to see if there's something I can do while I wait until next week to start the program. I do not want to lose my conditioning.

Right after the tear I did the parts of the workout I could do: pushups, rows and prone jack-knives. I felt like I didn't do enough (and was SO bummed out about my tear) so I did overhead presses and calf raises. Then I worried that maybe I shouldn't do the exercises in the first week before I officially start the program. That's what made me post here.

What kind of workout would you do if you were me? Should I just do the upperbody portion of NROL4W week 1, then repeat the week when my leg is better? Or should I skip weights (noooo) this week? Make up my own upperbody and core program?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

[UConnJulie]

First off, ice it (freeze water in paper cups and then you can ice massage ... just tear away the top of the cup and use the rest to hold the ice while you rub it up and down over the sore areas) don't do any lifting type exercise for it, but you can walk or bike with no resistance. Start to stretch it in a few days. Start on all fours and try to sit back on your heels. When that is fine, you can/should start foam rolling.

Regarding workouts until you can hit NROL4W, stick to the bike or walking for your lower body ... push ups, rows, chins, core/ab stuff, presses, etc for upper body are fine too. Even RDLs (single leg or regular) might be good as would SHELC and any bridging variations. That will keep your posterior chain working but would allow your quad to just stabilize or rest.

[Aoife]

Wow, a tear.... and you think it'll be ok in a week. Cool, cuz hubby's tears have had him laid up for a month.


Heh, I had one workout one day in which I injured myself before the workout. Hit my head on the bar three times before the first squat. Should have taken it as a sign...



Hope ya get better soon.

[Allwittynamestaken]

Wow Julie! Thank you so much for such a thorough and helpful reply! I LOVE the ice massage idea!! Especially the part about how you can tear the paper cup away as the ice melts. Brilliant! Thank you for your exercise suggestions. I never considered deadlifts or leg curls! Yay! I can get some lower body work done this week, while giving that muscle a chance to rest. You made my day!

Hey Aoife! Well, I think it's a tear? I've always thought tears and pulls were the synonymous. I'm a total n00b and hack in this exercise world, I'm probably all mixed up. Whatever it is, it better not take a month to heal, I don't know what I'd do. Thanks for sharing your story of your pre-workout injury! It's comforting to know I'm not the only one. Like I said before I'm so green to dedicated exercise that I thought it was a sign for me too!

Today it's feeling much better and there's a little bruise where most of the pain is/was. I'm taking that as a good sign that healing's happening and that I'll be squating with the best of them next Monday.

Thanks for your help!!