Monday, April 8th
This was the wildest day I've had in years. I walked into today, ridden with the same fear that's held me back over the past ten years--the fear of injury and instability. After doing some more research on connective tissue disorders in the morning, I decided to visit my outside mentor at the Sweatshop and do some physical therapy.
I'm going to Spain for 10 days on Wednesday and have been very nervous over the past several weeks. What will I do if there are no elevators? How will I get around? What if my knee gives out while walking? How will I get my bag in the overhead compartment? How will I sit on a plane for that long without spasms? How will I sustain 10 days of continuous walking? Walking out of the Sweatshop, many of these concerns were put to rest.
First, I warmed up with some stretches and went on the elliptical for five minutes. This machine is safe for me, as it ensures my legs stay in place, creating a sense of security and preventing immediate injury.
Robin and I then talked about how if I'm gonna survive this trip and life beyond, I need to build endurance and gain confidence in my own ability. So, I decided to do some physical therapy activities that mimic activities I may be doing. First, I decided to work with five-pound weights, bringing them up to my chest, bending my elbows in the process to ensure my joints do not lock or feel overworked (video attached below). This was done to mimic the activity of picking up bags/suitcases from under a bus or from the ground.
Later, I expressed my worry regarding walking up hills and long flights of stairs. So, I determined to test myself. Call me crazy, but me, the kid who gets winded after walking up the stairs to math, walked twelve flights (once up, once down = one flight). And, I did six of these by skipping a step. By the end of this, I was pink and panting -- a good look.
Tuesday, April 9th
Last week, I was sitting in a classroom, taking a math quiz. This week, I wake up and go to either the library or the gym. The beauty of the senior project is that you can do/study what you love on school time. I've found that I've been enjoying my AP classes more and have found them more exciting since the start of my project, as I don't have the same, constant worry of receiving perfect grades. Now, thanks to the senior project, I can show up and let the information sink in, rather than quickly spitting it out into my notebook.
Today, rather than sitting in Spanish or math, I got to look up more information regarding connective tissue disorders. Then, I looked up information regarding endurance, as I will need a lot of that on the Spain trip and in general. I looked up more exercises to prepare me for this (stairs, treadmill at a brisk pace for a long time, elliptical, swimming, biking) and thought of ways I might be able to incorporate more of these into my daily routines.
Further, I looked up breathing techniques, as one thing I struggle with a lot is catching my breath after being even slightly active; if I can't get enough oxygen, my heart rate will only increase, making it so I get less oxygen--a positive feedback loop. When I went to the gym later that day, I ensured I focused on taking two deep breaths after each exercise, making sure to watch for my heart rate slowing. Because my hip flexors were very sore from the previous day, I decided to let them relax and not do hip flexor-heavy activities.
Wednesday, April 10th
Today is the day--Spain! As I will be leaving during the school day, I will have less time to work on my project. Aware of the long flight that soon approaches, I started my day at the gym. I again went on the treadmill for a total of thirty minutes, and then checked my breathing. Following this, I did some more work with the resistance band, performing aforementioned monster walks, side steps, and clamshells, all using the yellow (low resistance) band.
Following this, I worked on my core muscles. I layed on my back and had my legs in the air, together, making a 90 degree angle between my core and legs. Then, I brought them down as far as I could, and held for a count of eight. Now, my body hates me, but in a good way.
If someone told me last week I would be doing the exercises I am doing, I would have told them they are crazy. But now, seeing where I am only several days after the start of the project, I really am beginning to see the light.
This is me trying the elipticall. Notice how my feet are in place; the machine provides greater stability to my leg, preventing injury.
This is one of the activities I did to mimmic the action of picking up luggage. It activated my biceps, which I will need to carry bags.
Title: Me walking up the stairs for the first time before internally dying and doing it 12 more times
This was my first flight of stairs. Later on, I would go to skip a step on my way up, waking my quads up.