Words from a Self-Proclaimed Fitness Junkie

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending the NCSF Workshop. Going there was well worth the money I paid; I feel that I’ve been preparing myself for the exam properly and I feel assured that I’ll be fine. Every once in a while, that little voice of doubt and fear was telling me that I was going to fail. I even pictured myself looking at the screen at the end of the exam that told me I was a huge failure.

Of course I quickly shifted my thoughts back to success, where they belong in the first place. We all know that was you think is what we become, and I’m definitely no failure, so why should I think like one?

I’ve also been on track with rehab for my hamstring. I’ve been running about a little over a mile at a time, except for this one long run I did last week with my best friend in the park (which was amazing).

I’ve given exceptional focus to strengthening my hamstring, and I can tell the difference in strength already. I’m up to deadlifting 105lbs, which will only get better as my hams get stronger. Hopefully I’ll be back to squatting 1.5x my bodyweight soon.

This injury has only sharpened my perspective on how important strengthening the hamstrings and hip extensors is. Those muscles, the “non-mirror” muscles (those you don’t see in the mirror when you’re working out), hold the balance between high-performance and injury.

So what can you do to strengthen this crucial area?

If you’re new at exercising, start with a bridge progression. Lay on your back and put your feet in a position as if you were doing a situp.  Instead of bringing your shoulders up, push up your hips and keep your shoulder on the ground. Squeeze your glutes as you come up and make sure when you push your hips down back to the starting position, do so in a controlled manner. Don’t let gravity take over and let your body flop down. You should look similar to a decline bench.

Once you get good at that, try doing that with one leg up. By decreasing the stability of the exercise, you will be able to recruit more muscles to stabilize you, which means more calories burned. And it’s great for building even more strength.

Also try doing this on a ball. Sit upright on a ball, and slowly step your feet out, one foot at a time, until your upper back and neck are supported by the ball, and nothing else. Dip your hips down, and bring them back up to make your body flat, like a table. The same principle applies: do all movement in a controlled manner!

I’ll talk about other hamstring and hip work later on this week. I’ve been up since 5am and I’m tired.

Stay tuned.

So, I have learned my lesson.

I will be back on the field this fall. Now I just need to find somewhere to play.