New Obsession – 10 September 2018

So…. writing less a bit more often didn’t really work, did it…?

That’s what going back to work does to you after the best part of 2 months off . Shock to the system doesn’t even come close! That said, it has reminded me how much I enjoy the classroom element of my job. It really can be a lot of fun. Shame about all the rest of it.

Anyway, enough of all that. I have a new obsession. I am seeing a personal trainer for an initial chat about some targeted and focused weight training and he is definitely going to sort out all my problems, right?

This has come from an article I read in the Saturday Telegraph a couple of weeks ago.  I have to say that the timing was perfect as I was all out of magical solutions to fix myself. The article was titled ‘OMG, Mum, you’ve got a six pack!‘. Terrible headline and it is for that exact reason that I did not initially read it as it smacked of all kinds of cheesiness and other things that I don’t particularly enjoy. However, I was hanging around waiting for something or other to happen one day and the paper was just there, open at that page so I started reading.

Long and short of it is that some late 40-something female journo who was suffering with various ailments including lower back pain started on a 3 month course of very targeted weight training twice a week and has seen huge improvements in her body condition generally. Including a massive decrease in general aches and pains – particularly in the lower back. All of which were being caused by muscle weakness in key areas. This is that case for many people and is a result of sitting around too much causing weakness in the glutes and shortening of key muscles like hamstrings. Those of us who are (or were, in my case) doing lots of cardio regularly are not necessarily going to be free of such issues either. There were also improvements in posture and bone health.

This is EXACTLY what I need. We know that I have muscle weakness issues in my right glute in particular and that can apparently be the root of many back issues. All previous attempts to strengthen it have generally lead to even more problems but this is presumably because it was not targeted in the right way.

I mentioned this new theory to my sister who told me that my brother in law has been seeing a PT for months now and after a lifetime of back problems is feeling much improvement. Why did I not know this?? So I am going to see the same personal trainer on Wednesday. I’ve got good feelings about this. I don’t quite have the financial resources for the fancy-pants £100/hour PT that was featured in the article but this one does some with a good personal recommendation and that’s enough for me.

And yes I am keeping up with all the other things too; reformer Pilates, physio every other week, physio exercises daily, dental detox supplements, hyperbaric oxygen therapy etc and I will pick up with Ron the acupuncturist again when he is back on October. Not sure how I am going to fit it all in now that I am back at work….