That back pain!

For the past few years I've had back pain which I understand is the most common thing that drives people to go see their doctors.

If I sat for a bit, I'd be stiff and walk a few steps stooped until I could straighten up. It was worse every morning when I got up. I had resigned myself to the thought that this was 

how it would be for the rest of my life. 

The doctors confirmed the arthritic issues in my low back and described bone spurs and such. With their diagnosis, I felt...well this is it...as good as it gets. 

Most days, things would feel better by mid morning and I'd forget about it until I sat down for a bit again. Or...I worked in the garden and would feel as if I were locked up and couldn't straighten.

I had taken a break from the gym because of the diagnosis of osteoporosis and mainly because I wasn't sure of where to go next. After the medication reactions, I decided to get back into the gym and join the Mobility Class. 

I decided to do some personal training to see if I couldn't combat the bone thing. If nothing else, would it make me feel better?

Could I have done this exercise at home? Sure I could have tried. But I know that if I do it on my own, it gets pushed back until the day is done and exercises go undone. I know myself. I used to be very disciplined while training for running. But doing a whole body workout is not that easy. 
Nor is doing it properly. I needed a supervisor!

The fact is, I stink at home exercise programs. Hey, there is always a nap to take, a book to read, or time to do it later! [Not]

So I went to Mobility Class twice a week during the summer and added one day of personal training. My coach, Angie has worked very hard on setting up the training sessions just for me personally and geared for aging bones and spines.

In September, I switched from two Mobility classes to one and went to two personal sessions per week.

I woke up last Friday morning and a thought came to me as I made coffee and gazed out the window. 

Wait.
Wait.
How many days have I been getting out of bed and my back isn't hurting?  Those muscles weren't stiff and cramped up. 

I thought to myself that the muscle pain has slowly dissipated.  How can that even be? I've had it for so long ... surely it was permanent. 

Each time I get ready to go to the gym in the back of my mind I think...Nah, I really don't have the time. Or, gosh I could just forget it today. Or, I don't feel like sweating today.

I get dressed and go. I am not kidding you, it takes dedication and it is not easy. The results are not immediate. And somehow, twice a week Angie makes it interesting and challenging. 

We work on making those muscles that protect my 'frail' low back stronger so they can protect my whole body. We work on all of the muscles and let me tell you, it is hard work!
But afterwards I feel great.

Trying to keep yourself mobile and strong enough to do regular everyday things is difficult. Even more so as a person ages.

What a bonus for me to have coaches and people I can trust to guide me in exercise and my journey in keeping up my strength, balance, and stamina. [Not to mention the release of endorphins which make the mental attitude much rosier.]

This video is a fun one she made of me on Friday...

One last note. 
Some of the members of our CrossFit Viroqua gym are as follows:
Aged from youngsters to those in their 80's. We have knee replacements, metal joints, replaced hips, old hips, and those who have or are recovering from cancer, stroke, ... you name it, we make up the gym just like we make up those in our society.

Our gym is not comprised of jocks and body builders. We are normal everyday people.

How I did it... & Snow Storm

Some of the most entertaining things I've done is take non selfie selfies. I hate getting in front of the camera, but don't mind getting my back side photographed.

For my CrossFit coach I had to work out a way to show him that I was still doing my workouts. So I devised a way of doing it.

I discovered that my Red Tough TG6 Olympus pocket camera had a similar setting on it like the Oly OMD EM5 III. There is a setting that allows the user to either connect to a smart phone...~~ hey, I'm not as Smart as my Phone ~~so I usually don't bother with that.... or use a delay setting. This delay setting lets the user pick a delay time, how many shots, and how long in between shots. 

Most of the time this is used for timed exposures and fun things like lightening storms or Astrophotography.

CrossFit Burpees in the snow...

CrossFit Box Jumps

Cooling off after the last round of Burpees

The set up is not too hard but takes a bit of experimenting.

My cheap bendy tripod.

A view of the settings chosen...10 second delay, 5 shots, one second between shots.

In my case with the sledding I set it to 10 shots with .5 seconds in between and got the shots I wanted pretty easily. It doesn't always work out that way.

One of the other reasons I picked this camera after I wore out my other pocket camera is that the TG 6 is weather sealed and can take the snow and rain. It can be submerged though I have not done that.

Today was a perfect day to have a weather proof camera as the sleet/snow/freezing fog has been absolutely wicked. The winds are picking up now and I've read that we are in for a flash freeze.

I hope everyone fairs well that is in this storm's path.

Back to ... the new normal

I'm not even quite sure what a new normal is. Maybe it is just silence, no schedule, and farm life. The difference is I have no schedule like I had before. 5 days a week I planned things around going to the gym and the store and Rich's VA appointments which included PT. 

Now I plan less trips into the public and it feels like I have no place to be...and that I belong no...where.

We do have an appointment at the VA next week which will be a long drive. Labs, ENT, and Oncology. 

I am also going to pop up to Mental Health and ask why Rich hasn't had a new doctor assigned to him since Dr. Schiffman had retired. I hate getting a 'new' doctor but I think 6 months is an awful long time without having a mental health checkup for Rich. Maybe I am poking the bear, but we are getting into that time of the year when things get tough for Rich.

--------------------------------------

That said, I am still doing CrossFit at home. It is the one regular challenge per day that I can look forward to on my own. Yesterday's work out was actually pretty fun for me. It was Box Jumps and modified Handstand Pushups. Since I cannot do a Handstand Push up, I do a much lower one. 

When I started CrossFit I could barely do a push-up at all because my shoulders and arms were so weak. Box Jumps were a bit beyond me. I went with a small box and did mostly step ups. 
It will be two years in October. All this movement has helped my arthritis significantly as well as blood pressure and mental well being. 
Staying mobile is a big deal for me. I'll be 65 next year and I want to continue to stay mobile as long as nothing strikes me down. 
Anyway, that is my goal.

Every once in a while my coach asks for a photo of what I am doing or using for a specific movement. So I usually set a camera on a timer and put together a small collage.

Box Jumps and Elevated Push ups

Burpees with Charlie

Sumo Lift

and Wall Balls

Modified Pull ups with a rope

Front Squat 

Back Squat

with car axle

My daily routine this month has circled all around canning tomatoes, freezing sauces and finishing up the garden goodies.

September has rushed right on in along with very cold weather! It is 42 degrees out there this morning. We may have to turn the heat on today. I'm hoping arrange things so I can take a few longer hikes this month as the colors begin to change in the leaves.

The hay is ordered and will be delivered, the garden is just about done, and I am figuring out how to winter the pony and goat together as they are now best friends, except when Little Richard has enough of Sven's shenanigans.

Fall prep for the long winter.

It seems we are always preparing for something doesn't it?

In that sense, the new Normal is the Old Normal.

Regarding Covid-19, the numbers in our county are jumping quickly more people are hospitalized. Schools are open with in person classes, but as more positives come from the schools, I imagine it won't stay that way?

Carry on. 

Be well.

Surprises

Good Morning on

the Ridge

Good Morning

from the

Creek!

I'm never exactly sure what each day will bring. But yesterday was full of one surprise after another.

There was a beautiful sunrise. 

I admit it. I can rarely sleep past sunrise in the summer. Then it is a struggle to stay up past dark in the evening!

It takes about an hour or so for the sun to shine into the valley. I'm always amazed at how I can watch the sun arrive on the ridge and then walk leisurely to the creek and watch it arrive in the valley.

After I settled Lil' Richard and Sven into their grazing areas for the day and moved the mules to their next rotation, I came in and called our hay guy. When the pastures get short and there isn't much browsing left, I feed some hay to supplement their diets. The mules will eat berry briars and do a fair job of cleaning the woods, but I don't want the two hard keepers to lose weight.

I texted the farrier to see if I could schedule a trimming then set out the clippers for doing manes and ears.

Rich surprised me while I was finishing up my work out.

I'd just finished up the WOD or work out of the day. Pictured are my pine cones that I use to mark off how many rounds I'd done. 

70 jump ropes and 10 Rt arm power snatches and 10 Lt arm power snatches.

I'm handicapped by not having those wonderful dumb bells to use like we do in the gym. So my coach has helped me figure out what items I can use around the farm as weights.

This was a 10 lb sledgehammer.

The reason I mention this is not because I want anyone to be impressed that I work out. 

I want to mention that Rich has taken an interest in finding items that I can substitute as weights.

[Working out has helped me regain strength in my shoulders and it actually makes me feel better. I think it is important for me to do this for my physical and mental health. Doing Virtual WOD's has been a bonus for me. If I don't have time to do the work out first thing in the morning, I do it later in the day. I've missed less workouts this way! But I DO miss the gym and the camaraderie.]

Yesterday he found a 12 lb anchor and a 15 lb anchor for me to use as 'Kettle Bells' for weighted squats.

Rich walked over to his skid steer and fired it up.

He decided to work on those old ruts between the busted up garage and the large shed. I did the shovel work and he gave me directions.

That may sound a bit lopsided, but with his lung issues, he gets out of breath quickly. We've always been fairly good at working together.

I shoveled and he directed. When I got the deep holes filled in he was able to drop the dirt and smooth it out.

I'll plant grass seed when he is finished and the 'lane' will be repaired.

For the afternoon I grabbed my kindergarten pad and Charlie's pillow. I sat on the porch with him while Rich slept. I decided to listen to the birds and read a book.

Charlie seems to be the 

King of Relaxation Techniques.

I don't know if I can attribute my home work outs to Rich's increase in activity, but since I ask him to help 'time' me or find items for me to use, it seems he has more interest in life. 

Last night when the hay man came, Rich walked out and talked with him a bit [distanced of course]. Rich hasn't walked out to talk to the hay guy in two years.

Daryl remarked how wonderful it was to see Rich engaged and even more impressive was that he just got in the skid steer and unloaded the hay with no apparent effort.

Since 2017 he has struggled with everything.

Life may suck out there beyond the borders of our farm but I get to see a different kind of hope.

I get to see my husband again. 

Virtual CrossFit Viroqua

When the gym closed due to the Covid-19 outbreak I was pretty bummed.

At first I was all ready to work out at home. I even went around and found things like post drivers, an anchor, and a carriage horse weight as substitute weights and a stall mat.
Then I hit a wall. I couldn't get motivated. I'd walk past my jump rope and think, "Gosh I should work out."
Then I'd move on to something else.
Always something else.

My CrossFit shoes gave me a sad look the other day. Can shoes do that? No, I don't suppose they can. But there they were  ~~ sad shoes and a lonely jump rope.

70 days had passed since I'd been in a gym. For the first week I was frantic. How was I going to maintain everything I'd gained for the past year and a half? Gradually I stopped feeling guilty about it and tried to put it out of my mind.

I grew even more miserable as I noted my gym mates posting photos of their workouts. They were motivated, I wasn't. I.
Just.
Wasn't.

Then I got an email notice from Josh Brown of CrossFit Viroqua. He was reaching out to see how I was doing. Our State was opening up yet I wasn't sure I could deal with being in a gym setting quite yet.

We met on Tuesday via Zoom [I'm pretty sure I stink at some of the tech stuff, Josh could only hear me.]

We talked about my goals and expectations. He asked what I had around the farm that we could make into substitute items for weights.
Post drivers
Tire Rims
Hay bale spears
Anchors

You get the idea.

This morning I got a message:
Beyond the Whiteboard
It was Josh explaining the WOD [workout of the day] and how I could modify it to work for my situation at home.

The first thing I did was sit there and hold onto my cup of coffee and do nothing.Then I reminded myself that I was the only person who could take myself to the Virtual Gym or in my case, my side yard.
And besides that, I heard Josh's voice telling me quietly, "You can do this Val."

Charlie was curious as I dragged out the mat and set a timer for a 5 minute jump rope warm up.

I started the clock and did the 15-12-9-6-3 reps for time:
Kettle Bell Goblet Squat
Kettle Bell Swing
400 meter run

I admit it felt weird and during the first 400 meters of running I had to chase the dog down and call him back after he took after a squirrel. But it all felt good.
I could have gone with a heavier weight, like the anchor, however I wasn't sure how my body would do after such a long leave.

[From the mat to mid hill on the driveway is about 100 meters I think. I will actually measure it out today but I didn't want to put off my first workout any longer.]

Josh's message this morning asked me to let him know how it went.

It went well. In fact doing it in an open air atmosphere was rather nice. Being held accountable was even better.

I feel invigorated, hopeful, and encouraged. I have some things to sort out. Like how to work out when it rains but I'll get there.

Most of all?
I feel inspired again. My shoes were happy. My jump rope was no longer lonely.

And I am back to working out with CrossFit thanks to a great coach.

So why do you CrossFit?

So the title is not really proper. I know that CrossFit is not a verb, but it has changed so much for me.

Let me be frank. Last year on my 62nd birthday I started to feel a bit fluffy around the middle. Others might not have noticed it, but I did.

The idea of 'going to the gym' was already in my head but ... that was for later, when I had time.

Sure. When does one get that time?? I certainly was too busy for that time. I struggled through replacing some fencing that had to be re-done after the Bulldozer guy came through and knocked down two dead ash trees.

I only had 5 posts to pound back into the ground, but I struggled after each one and had to rest. After two posts were driven into the ground I had to quit for another day. It took me 3 days to pound 5 posts into the ground. I was surely a super wimp.

The post pounder that my husband made doesn't have handles. It is a heavy metal tube with an end on it. He made two of them. Last summer I used the lighter one because it was almost too difficult to lift the pounder over the T-post.

Last week I pulled 10 t-posts out of the ground and reset them.
Bam
Bam
Bam

I literally pounded my way across the top of the creek. 10 posts in no time flat and I wasn't out of breath nor was I fatigued.
I couldn't have done that a year ago.


My hand strength....

My osteoarthritis in my thumb joints and fingers had rendered my hands weak and tender. Some mornings it was hard just to make coffee.

I had some concern with this when I started doing CrossFit.

I told the coaches about my hand issues and they found some modifications for me to do.


I've done modified push ups, pull ups, I've lifted weighted bars and sometimes my hands ache after a work out. However not too long ago, I accomplished a hand stand against the wall. I hadn't been able to do anything like that in years!

I went from not being able to turn a door knob easily to...

Being able to repair a barbed wire fence by cutting it and making loops with MY hands.
Something else I couldn't do a year ago.
As I bent the wire and twisted it ...with nice thick gloves ... I thought about how many times I'd grabbed something and grimaced. I know I am hesitant about my hands but the our coach looks at me, smiles and says *Lubricate those joints!*

I have to say I was pretty damned pleased with myself.

Am I happy?
You bet I am.
Oh these hands still ache like crazy some days. But I'm no quitter.

For *CrossFit-ing* has made a huge difference in this 'ol' lady's life.

I'm thinking about getting that post hole digger out and finally putting up ta new tie rail for the mules next to the outhouse.

I thank all my coaches and workout friends for all of their encouragement.
And my son for his encouragement.

Still Doing CrossFit

I took some time off with the wicked weather and the non stop bad weather.

I considered taking March off and maybe just starting back up in mid-April. When I talked to my oldest son he told me I shouldn't do that. It would be too darned easy just to not sign up again.
We talked a bit and two things happened.

The weather got a bit better and I decided to switch to the 8:30 class. I get my chores done and coffee made for Rich before I leave. Generally he wakes up and goes back to be by the time I leave. He generally is just getting up when I get back so I consider that a really perfect time for me.
[Bonus! This past week he has experienced a slight improvement in his knee and has less pain!]

Today we did something called AMRAP. As many reps as possible in a set time.
I was pretty happy with what I did today. I didn't think about it until I got home and added up what I did in that AMRAP 25 minutes.
I won't bore you...
Oh yes I will.
I had 3 sets of 50 Air Squats, 3 sets of 200 jumps with the jump rope, 3 sets of Dead Lifts with a personal record of 45 lbs. That doesn't include the other items we did as the rest of the program. How did I feel afterwards?

It didn't bother me to haul a 50 lb bag of dog food to the shed. I felt good and refreshed ... well, I did need a shower too!

I'm glad my son said something to me and gave me that bump of encouragement when I really needed it.
The magic number right now seems to be 3. I've been going 3 times a week as long as things are working out.
I hope to catch one day a week this month to go to the Kickapoo Valley Reserve.

I hiked there last Friday and took a short drive to check out some trail heads and ice formation.


I feel things are on a more even keel right now. And that is good.

If you haven't guessed by now, I am a firm advocate for moving and doing. I met a gent who I work out with now that has an incredible story to tell about what courage and determination has done for him. Let me say that he told me that two years ago when he joined CrossFit, he just gone from a walker to a cane.
He no longer uses a cane and each day I work out with him and others I am reminded what exercise can do for the body and the mind.