PT Home Plan

I can't believe we are approaching a year of COVID! We were sent home from work on Friday the 13th of March last year with instructions not to come back. For sure no one expected that a year later we would still be working from home. It's still two weeks until the one-year anniversary, but what a year it's been. There have been some positives, like the lack of a commute, outdoor parkour through the winter and the new community there, slowing down and realizing the things that are important in life, and all the books I've read, things I've sewed and meals I've made. And, some good friend/family time on zoom. But also, a lot of real crappiness, especially losing my mom. I guess we'll all be thinking about this a lot over the next two weeks.

In the meantime, one happy thing that happened was that I discharged from PT today! I think the physical therapist was getting tired of my sour looks, and sent me home with a home plan. So, here are the exercises:

Bridge: using abs and glutes, with a yoga block between the knees. 10 times, 3 sets. Progression = alternate knee extension.

Prone Hip Extension: lie face down, lift one leg, knee straight, hip stays on floor. 10 times, 3 sets. Band at ankles if it's too easy.

Prone Whale Tail: lie on stomach, knees out, feet together. Lift knees using butt muscles. 10 times, 3 sets.

Hip Abduction: band at ankles, lift leg slowly to side to strengthen hip dip area. 10 times each leg, up to 3 sets each side.

Monster Walk: band on ankles, knees bent, step forward at a diagonal 10 times, then back at a diagonal 10 times. Feet point forward, use butt to control movement, pull forward (back) with the landing foot, don't push off the second foot to step. 3 sets. 

Squat: 5 normal squats, 4 squats down on two legs, up on one, 3 one legged squats on each leg. 3 sets.

Balance: Balance on one foot on an unstable surface for 30 seconds, switch feet. 2 sets.

Hamstring Stretch: foot on step, with straight leg, lean forward, each leg separately, 30 seconds, 2 sets

Calf Stretch: stand on step, knees slightly bent, stretch foot over the edge. Each leg separately, 30 seconds, 2 sets.

Boom!

This weekend in parkour I did a speed vault over a cement wall that's a little over knee hight! I was super excited about it - I've been working on them for forever. That was the fourth place I've done one. I feel like each new place is a little easier. We also did running step vaults which we practiced at a low height which was really hard. And, we balanced at height on banisters, which I need to get back into practicing. For a conditioning drill at the end we did a route where you climbed the wall from lower to upper playground levels, did 5 vaults, ran to the playground and touched the fence, and then QMed down the stairs. It was tough! I did about 5 rounds in 12 minutes. Definitely a good HIIT routine.