Another muscle torn

Flying Crane

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This is how my cat sleeps. I wish I had that kind of flexibility in my spine.
 

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Sifu Ken of 8 Tigers

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That's a very broad statement. All stretching doesn't prevent All injuries, but stretching does help to prevent some injuries. Stretching improves flexibility and improves strength. Yoga is the ultimate evidence of that. IMO

People say stretching doesn't matter, yet all of your top performance athletes do it.

And a very broadly TRUE statement.

(Or Google yourself silly with other studies for further corroboration.)

And no one is saying stretching doesn't matter. Yoga or anything else improving flexibility and strength is NOT reducing risk of injury.
 
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JowGaWolf

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From watching your videos, you should be using at least up to 50 or even 60lbs dumbbells, how can 30lbs be enough?
I used to workout with that but the workout that I do with 30 is more than enough. I'm either lifting for endurance or lifting weights slowly. I also mix sets. 10 curls and immediately do 10 push ups then 10 triceps exercise forces my muscles to go in one direction and then suddenly go in another direction.
 

Alan0354

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And a very broadly TRUE statement.

(Or Google yourself silly with other studies for further corroboration.)

And no one is saying stretching doesn't matter. Yoga or anything else improving flexibility and strength is NOT reducing risk of injury.
It is everything, stretching, weight training, and MA in slower motion and lighter weight and work through the injuries. One cannot miss one no matter which one. I don't think anyone is more important than the other.
 
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JowGaWolf

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It is everything, stretching, weight training, and MA in slower motion and lighter weight and work through the injuries. One cannot miss one no matter which one. I don't think anyone is more important than the other.
Westerners get into a habit of trying isolate one thing that is good instead of thinking of things working together.
 

Alan0354

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Westerners get into a habit of trying isolate one thing that is good instead of thinking of things working together.
People need to have an open mind, like you said, you observe what helps and what's not. Don't hang onto believes and what people said. Just try different ideas and see whether it works or not, if not, move on.

The latest back problem is very different. Whatever worked before doesn't this time. I was in pain for over 2 weeks. I know whatever I use did not work, so I kept trying new stuffs. It's been 3 days and I feel better. This time, it's just moving the spine like rotating the body around the spine, bending side to side, no even have to stretch, arch and slouch the back just to simple move the lumbar joints. It helps. It is strange.

My knee problem just disappeared by walking on low horse stance 7 1/2 minutes non stop twice a week. That's good aerobic exercise also. You tell me why!!! It just is. Things don't have to make sense, just can't argue with the result.

I think people have to do all 3, strength, stretch and aerobics(MA). Then observe, have an open mind and think out of the box and try. I hope I can survive this current back issue without surgery.

Open mind, persistence is the key to me. No retreat and no surrender!!!
 

Alan0354

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I just got my MRI result back:
MRI result.jpg


Doesn't sound as bad as I thought. I had to look up the words online!!

I do feel better the last few days after I do the spine moving and rotating as described before. I actually kick with a little more force on the heavy bag today and I am still in one piece.

My appointment is next Thursday, hopefully the doctor say the same thing and I can get away without much interventions.
 

Alan0354

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I am doing better. Today, I did 2 sets, one set of punching and kicking in air, one set of stick fight. I pretty much going back to the intensity before the injury. Yesterday, I did 2 sets of punching and kicking on heavy bags, one set of stick on heavy bag almost back to pre-injury. I feel fine.

I just stop taking the Advile today, we'll see what happen. I feel good so far.

It takes so long to get a doctor's appointment, I am almost back to normal and the appointment is this Friday!!! I am going anyway and let him tell me about my MRI.
 

isshinryuronin

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I may be odd, but I have only done a little basic stretching throughout my MA career. I used to be able to easily throw a head kick but have lost that ability over the years. Don't miss it since IMO it's mostly good only for tournaments. Original Okinawan pre-sport karate (what I practice) almost exclusively relied on low kicks.

In fact, the worse MA muscle injury I sustained happened during a stretch. Not saying stretching is bad and it may be very helpful for others, but I don't put a lot of emphasis on it. A little bit of it for warmup works for me.
 

Alan0354

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I may be odd, but I have only done a little basic stretching throughout my MA career. I used to be able to easily throw a head kick but have lost that ability over the years. Don't miss it since IMO it's mostly good only for tournaments. Original Okinawan pre-sport karate (what I practice) almost exclusively relied on low kicks.

In fact, the worse MA muscle injury I sustained happened during a stretch. Not saying stretching is bad and it may be very helpful for others, but I don't put a lot of emphasis on it. A little bit of it for warmup works for me.
You must be one of the very few that is naturally flexible. Most of us are not!!! 😂

I don't spend a lot of time stretching, just consistently. Only about 3 to 4 minutes, 4 times a week.

To me, it's like I am flexible to a certain point and I don't want to lose it. I don't do high kicks either. My mistake was picking TKD. No matter what other people said that they don't require high kicks. BUT TKD is famous for high kicks, the peer pressure will make people keep trying to kick higher. I injured my back practicing spin kicks. If I know what I know, I would not pick TKD if I were to do it again. I would pick Muy Thai instead that doesn't require one to chamber the knee high and pivot to kick. That is so hard on the back in the long run.
 
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JowGaWolf

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So last night I hit the bag with some mma gloves and tore the skin off my knuckle. 7 months of bare knuckles with no issues. Put gloves on and now this lol. I did better with gloves off.
 

Alan0354

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So last night I hit the bag with some mma gloves and tore the skin off my knuckle. 7 months of bare knuckles with no issues. Put gloves on and now this lol. I did better with gloves off.
The inside of the gloves must be more abrasive than the bags in the gym you used in the video. I know those bags, they are very smooth, nothing abrasive like the canvas at all. They seems to be rubber that is stretchable. Even more gentle than leather bags. We have those in the gym also. I don't like them at all, it's so soft like punching air. You can easily penetrate 5 to 6" punching harder.
 

Pokitren

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You must be one of the very few that is naturally flexible. Most of us are not!!! 😂

I don't spend a lot of time stretching, just consistently. Only about 3 to 4 minutes, 4 times a week.

To me, it's like I am flexible to a certain point and I don't want to lose it. I don't do high kicks either. My mistake was picking TKD. No matter what other people said that they don't require high kicks. BUT TKD is famous for high kicks, the peer pressure will make people keep trying to kick higher. I injured my back practicing spin kicks. If I know what I know, I would not pick TKD if I were to do it again. I would pick Muy Thai instead that doesn't require one to chamber the knee high and pivot to kick. That is so hard on the back in the long run.
I similarly do 3 to 4 minutes of stretching, but 5 times a week. And I noticed a long time ago that my level of stretching has a normal limit that hasn't changed in 20 years. You can stretch more, but it's painful and traumatic, and is it necessary?
My mate knows how to apply mawashi, but I don't. And it doesn't bother me :) Not everyone can do mawashi, especially not everyone can do it correctly.
 

Alan0354

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I similarly do 3 to 4 minutes of stretching, but 5 times a week. And I noticed a long time ago that my level of stretching has a normal limit that hasn't changed in 20 years. You can stretch more, but it's painful and traumatic, and is it necessary?
My mate knows how to apply mawashi, but I don't. And it doesn't bother me :) Not everyone can do mawashi, especially not everyone can do it correctly.
I really am not trying that hard, I don't push to get deeper and deeper. I just want to keep what I have only. That's why it's short and sweet. Ha ha, forget mawashi, I only do round kick to the knee, front kick to solarplexius and WC step front kick to the knee. I really don't need the flexibility.
 

Pokitren

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I really am not trying that hard, I don't push to get deeper and deeper. I just want to keep what I have only. That's why it's short and sweet. Ha ha, forget mawashi, I only do round kick to the knee, front kick to solarplexius and WC step front kick to the knee. I really don't need the flexibility.
It seems like a pretty good set of tricks.
 

Alan0354

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I finally went to see the doctor on Thursday. Didn't sound like it's too bad. He suggested me to go to PT. If still having pain, he suggest a cortizone shot.

I still can feel it on and off, but I am getting close to doing normal exercise. Of all things, I still cannot do sit-ups!!! SIT-UPS!!! I used to hold a 25lbs dumbbell on my upper chest to do 30 sit ups with no swinging of the dumbbell to help, now I only do 20 with no weights and I had to take an Advil after that!!!
 

Monkey Turned Wolf

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I finally went to see the doctor on Thursday. Didn't sound like it's too bad. He suggested me to go to PT. If still having pain, he suggest a cortizone shot.

I still can feel it on and off, but I am getting close to doing normal exercise. Of all things, I still cannot do sit-ups!!! SIT-UPS!!! I used to hold a 25lbs dumbbell on my upper chest to do 30 sit ups with no swinging of the dumbbell to help, now I only do 20 with no weights and I had to take an Advil after that!!!
Is it your back that's hurting you when you do them, or is it not having strong enough abs?

If your back is causing you pain with them, using a yoga mat or switching to something like leg lifts/variations may help you get the same type of ab workout without having to worry about your back.
 

Alan0354

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Is it your back that's hurting you when you do them, or is it not having strong enough abs?

If your back is causing you pain with them, using a yoga mat or switching to something like leg lifts/variations may help you get the same type of ab workout without having to worry about your back.
It's definitely the back. I have strong enough core, before that, I do 30 sit-up holding a 25lbs dumbbell on my upper chest and I make sure I don't use the weight to swing to get momentum to make it easier. I don't even need anything to hold my foot.

I have been doing just siting up till my back is about 5" off the floor and hold it for 1min instead of situps, but it's not the same.
 
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Monkey Turned Wolf

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It's definitely the back. I have strong enough core, before that, I do 30 sit-up holding a 25lbs dumbbell on my upper chest and I make sure I don't use the weight to swing to get momentum to make it easier. I don't even need anything to hold my foot.

I have been doing just sit up till my back is about 5" off the floor and hold it for 1min instead of situps, but it's not the same.
Then give leg lifts, or if you can, hanging leg raises/knee raises a try. Also if you don't have an issue with holding the 45' angle, try russian twists with a medicine ball or dumbell. I don't think any of those should give your back issues.
 

Alan0354

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Then give leg lifts, or if you can, hanging leg raises/knee raises a try. Also if you don't have an issue with holding the 45' angle, try russian twists with a medicine ball or dumbell. I don't think any of those should give your back issues.
What is that?
 

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