So, this week was chalk full of transitions...
We have finally hit that point in the year where reps and sets are hitting their maximum and it is time to increase the weight in the gym.
I don't increase weights carelessly. In fact, the greater the weight the more mindful I become.
There is no shame in confessing whatsoever when I increase the weight, I bring those reps and sets right back down to 3X10. This year since some of these increases are by 5 lbs, I will go so far as to make it 3X6 or 3X7 as was the case with my hammer curls where I'm going from a 15lb wt. to a 20lb weight or the kettle bell swing where I'm going from 26lbs to 30lbs.
The premise for doing this lay in one word.
adaptation.
adaptation.
adaptation.
...and of course, above all - Safety!
When one's Central Nervous System is impacted by lesions as is the case with MS, believe you me the body wants to find a work around. It's actually driven to carve out another neural pathway to get to its goal. In fact, our brains are fully equip to do this, but it takes A LOT of energy and it takes time. This is in part why folks with MS can have such bouts of neural fatigue.
The electrical impulses that navigate most if not all of our movement is trying to find another pathway to get the body to do what we want it to do. It can and will do it with practice, patience, lots of repetition, and consistency. But, it needs that time and energy to carve out the new path.
Case in point. I no longer deal with near the amount of neural fatigue I once did when first diagnosed with MS, because I have repeated consistently and continuously the actions this brain needed to learn how to do it in a different way.
In short, just like one does with their muscles in the gym - I conditioned the muscles in this brain if that makes sense, which in turn allowed these muscles and coordination to continue to adapt in the gym.
...but when one increases the weight - they are also changing the standard of conditioning.
When the weight increases, the Central Nervous System (CNS) says,
"woah, wait this isn't the same. We can still use this path, but you're demanding more energy and I've got to see if we even have that in the tank! Hold on a minute!"
LOL...
Never doubt, every muscle fiber in the body moves by electricity and never is this made so crystal clear as when one is managing Multiple Sclerosis.
Suffice it to say, when weights increase in the gym - it's not just the increase in exertion of energy that is demanded with MS, it's the coordination needed to even perform the movement. So, it must be done carefully and mindfully in order to avoid injury.
To that end, we did perty darn good this week.
We took the bicep curls from 15 lbs --> 20 lb for each arm.
We took bench presses, lying flys, hip thrusters from (2X12lbs)--->(2X15lbs)
Kettlebell swings went from 26lbs-->30lbs
Weighted inclined sit ups from 24lbs --> 30lbs
and...
we took the 2 minute plank with the weighted back pack all the way from 16lbs to 19 lbs and held her steady.
Just to top it off with a sweet cherry
we added 2 lbs more to the weighted backpack and did 3X20 push-ups taking it from 14 lbs --> 16 lbs in the backpack --> NO SPLIT SETS! :-)
And, yes I was literally down on my knees thanking the universe on all that is holy after I finished that last set of 20 pushups with 16 lbs in it.
Now for the impact of all of that...LOL
Because, believe me there was some impact. Friday night the neural fatigue hit so hard, I was barely able to think straight much less make complete sentences. I past out at 9:30 p.m and slept over 9 and a half hours. I don't think I've slept that long in over 3 years.
And, just to make clear I didn't increase all these weights in one workout. This was spread out over the week. But, needless to say by Friday this body was spent. The back up generator was out of juice and we were on empty.
However, the most important part of this report is that we were not injured. We recovered well, albeit still a little out of it and sore, but ready to adapt :-)
One of the most important things I've learned while exploring strength and managing MS is how to deal with transitions and change. I'm learning not to fear it so much. I'm learning there's virtually a work around for just about anything if I'm willing to be open and release my expectations about how I think it "should" be done or is "supposed" to be done. I'm learning there's more than one way to "transcend"
In fact, I'm kinda learning that a lot of cool stuff lay outside the "standard" and if I keep "non-harm" to myself or others as the premise, it's pretty dang fun to color outside the lines...dare I say it, even blissful at times :-)
Have a wonderful, blessed week everyone...take care and I'll catch you next weekend. Hopefully, a little less sore and more "adapted" LOL!
