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cardio with an injured hip?
drinkinstout
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Alright, so I got on a nicely adjusted diet and exercise routine in which I was steadily losing fat, maintaining my muscle (I've already got a ton of muscle mass) and was able to start wearing older clothes that I had grown out of. About 2 weeks ago I aggravated an old high school hip injury (football - defensive line) with a combination of things. It's slowly getting better and I haven't been to a doctor because I simply don't have the time to take off work and money is super tight right now.
The injury consisted of
The thing is, I was jogging 2-4 times per week and noticing marked improvement on my times, health and ability. I can't right now and don't really want to get back into it until my hip is back 100%. I want to exercise because I feel better about myself and in general and I was seeing results so I don't want to stop.
My question is bascially this: is there any good cardio out there that doesn't really involve my legs? I have a heavy bag and speed bag but even working out with them puts a lot of strain on my legs (unless I just stand there but that doesn't do as much in terms of a workout) and thought about joining a gym near my house and swimming. I guess some strokes could work but I really don't know.
Any suggestions? Or should I just wait until I am healthy to start back up?
For more details,
The injury consisted of
Me twisting my entire leg while playing raquetball. My hip, knee and ankle were all sore but the adrenaline kept me from caring. I continued playing on my leg and afterwards drove out to my parents place where I've been landscaping their yard for the better part of the last year and a half (good weather pemitting) We had 2 truckloads of rock to move and I was the manual labor. So I unloaded my truck, wheelbarrowed it all into place, loaded my truck back up with rock for my house, then I drove home and unloaded it into where it was going. The next day (Sat) I did nothing and my hip was sore. Sunday I was back out at my parents place for a party and pretty much walked around all day long. Monday came and my hip was still sore but it was my running day so I went for my usual jog and shaved a minute and a half off of my time. My leg was killing me when I got home and I could barely walk on it Tuesday 
That was 2 weeks ago...
That was 2 weeks ago...The thing is, I was jogging 2-4 times per week and noticing marked improvement on my times, health and ability. I can't right now and don't really want to get back into it until my hip is back 100%. I want to exercise because I feel better about myself and in general and I was seeing results so I don't want to stop.
My question is bascially this: is there any good cardio out there that doesn't really involve my legs? I have a heavy bag and speed bag but even working out with them puts a lot of strain on my legs (unless I just stand there but that doesn't do as much in terms of a workout) and thought about joining a gym near my house and swimming. I guess some strokes could work but I really don't know.
Any suggestions? Or should I just wait until I am healthy to start back up?
For more details,
After about 2 1/2 years of playing wow and not doing anything active, I had gained a decent amount of weight and gotten up to a size 40 waist. I've always been "thick" you might say but it's mostly because I have a super wide frame and a lot of muscle mass. In high school I played on the line and afterwards I continued to do a lot of heavy lifting in college. While in high school I dislocated both of my hips and a shoulder (family with weak ligaments) although only my left hip was bad. It kept me out of half of my senior year of football and has bothered me since.
Anyway, this spring I decided that enough was enough. I started hanging out with my friends, quit wow and decided that I was going to lose all the weight I've put on. My initial motivation in all this was a girl of course but since that turned out less-than-stellar, I've started doing this 100% for myself and am very happy with the results so far.
My "adjustments" only consisted of a few things really...
I stopped drinking beer for the most part - I was putting away 12-18 Guiness' a week and then more drinking was had on the weekends. I now only drink about every other weekend and even then it is fairly light as I always drive wherever we go.
I stopped eating fried foods for the most part and replaced my cafeteria fries at work with veggies. I still eat some bad stuff on the weekends but I'd say I cut out 90% of the fried food I was eating.
I stopped eating sugary foods. I used to have snacks every afternoon and regularly grabbed candy bars at checkout stands. That all stopped although I still enjoy a little treat every now and then.
I started eating a bigger breakfast, a post-lunch healthy snack and cut dinner out of my day except when with my parents or out with friends.
And last but not least I started jogging. It started out with a 1 1/2 to 2 mile walk and has now reached almost a steady 3 mile jog although I still walk roughly 3/4 mile sporadically throughout the latter half of my route. I also started using my bags regularly and lifting enough of my free weights to maintain the mass I have and to give myself some excecise on my non-running days.
Most weekends were spent doing landscaping work and I know that helped a lot too but a majority of that work (for my parents) has been completed.
I can now fit into my 36" jeans that I wore coming out of high school (I kept them because I vowed that I would wear them once again) but they aren't comfortable yet so I'm still wearing my 37 and 38 inchers.
Anyway, this spring I decided that enough was enough. I started hanging out with my friends, quit wow and decided that I was going to lose all the weight I've put on. My initial motivation in all this was a girl of course but since that turned out less-than-stellar, I've started doing this 100% for myself and am very happy with the results so far.
My "adjustments" only consisted of a few things really...
I stopped drinking beer for the most part - I was putting away 12-18 Guiness' a week and then more drinking was had on the weekends. I now only drink about every other weekend and even then it is fairly light as I always drive wherever we go.
I stopped eating fried foods for the most part and replaced my cafeteria fries at work with veggies. I still eat some bad stuff on the weekends but I'd say I cut out 90% of the fried food I was eating.
I stopped eating sugary foods. I used to have snacks every afternoon and regularly grabbed candy bars at checkout stands. That all stopped although I still enjoy a little treat every now and then.
I started eating a bigger breakfast, a post-lunch healthy snack and cut dinner out of my day except when with my parents or out with friends.
And last but not least I started jogging. It started out with a 1 1/2 to 2 mile walk and has now reached almost a steady 3 mile jog although I still walk roughly 3/4 mile sporadically throughout the latter half of my route. I also started using my bags regularly and lifting enough of my free weights to maintain the mass I have and to give myself some excecise on my non-running days.
Most weekends were spent doing landscaping work and I know that helped a lot too but a majority of that work (for my parents) has been completed.
I can now fit into my 36" jeans that I wore coming out of high school (I kept them because I vowed that I would wear them once again) but they aren't comfortable yet so I'm still wearing my 37 and 38 inchers.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
stout's Amazon Wishlist | my lastFM
stout's Amazon Wishlist | my lastFM
drinkinstout on
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As for the cardio without using your hip, that's a tough one. I haven't seen one outside of a physical therapy joint, but there's something called an arm bike. It's exactly what it sounds like - there are two handles you rotate with your arms just as you would rotate pedals with your legs on a bike. It's the only cardio workout I can think of without using your hip (albeit not as good as the orthodox leg bike).
Also, once your hip is recovered, make sure to build up the muscle around it so this doesn't happen again. Ice your hip 2-4 times a day, 15 minutes per session until it's better. I know that sounds ridiculous but it's what therapists recommend for the injury you're describing.
Anaerobic activity (weightlifting) can get you out of breath, but it isn't 'cardio', which is aerobic activity (running, cycling, swimming and so on).
Drinkinstout, if you don't need to train through an injury (ie upcoming races, job-required fitness, etc), then don't. It will only prolong, probably aggravate, and worst case turn it into a chronic injury. Whatever you do, do not go running again. Avoid cycling too, it uses the pelvic area & abdominals a lot more than people think.
From what you describe, it's possible that swimming with an arms-only stroke (ie front / back crawl without moving your legs) will be okay. However, the best & fastest way to heal is to rest completely, and don't take my advice without consulting a physio or sports doc first.
Either that, or just cut out the cardio for a week and rest up. It sucks taking breaks from working out, but when the body needs to heal, the body needs to heal man.
I have a torn ligament in my foot. I tore it about a month ago, and saw one of the top 50 sports medicine doctors in the nation; he says to still ice it.. but I agree with you, it doesn't make any sense to me.