Non-standing lift routine

[chasely]

Hey all,

I injured my ankle nearly a month ago. I was in crutches until about a week ago, and am walking okay now with my sports brace. Now I feel like I can get back into the gym, but I found that my weightlifting routine puts a lot of weight on my ankle/leg (squats, deadlifts, standing lifts).

I have always done a full-body workout, and am wondering if anyone has suggestions for a routine (3x a week) that I could do until I get the go ahead from the physical therapist (who I won't see again for another three weeks).

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[cline]

GAH! sorry to hear it!! Hope you are healing well and glad to hear you are off crutches (although there goes your awesome core workout!).

I have lots and lots of experience w being in a boot cast at the gym. So here's my best advice:

1. don't try to stand and do lifts - you'll be off with balance, form, etc. Sucks, I know, but best to not do it in a brace. Wait until you can go without the brace.

2. Call your doc and PT to ask what is okay. Explain you are in good shape, used to working out, etc and explain your plan in detail - get a specific yes/no to each item. Both my surgeon and my PT were awesome about this because it helps w rehab in the long run and they knew I was being careful to do everything right so I didn't cause damage.

3. Find out from them if you can:

* bike for cardio (be sure to ask about hills and resistance). If you can, hold dumbbells or a kettlebell while you do it! HA! farmer's carry style (try using towels around the dumbbells too) or kettlebells in rack position. Good upper body.

* seated lat pull downs, seated cable extension work

* seated bent over rows (NOTE: not on the seated rowing machine as it's probably too much push through your ankle).

* seated overhead press and I know but here it is bicep curls or tricep kickbacks

* oodles of core stuff - do it with your feet on a bench (not bridging - don't push down through the ankle). Put those feet up on a bench, knees to 90 deg and do full situps - all the way to your knees. Do the scorpion thing - lay on a bench, grab behind your head and lift legs

* reminds me - skull crushers (note: don't crush skull)

* and I know you'll hate this and ASK before you do it but I did it a lot and it made a HUGE difference for me in preventing atrophy - leg extension and leg curl machines. I know... but when you're stuck, do what you got. There are a lot of machines you can probably use where you sit and put no pressure on the legs.

* swimming - but ASK FIRST b/c swimming is really really hard on the ankle. I was actually not allowed to do it for a long time.

Does this help? I can keep thinking.

[chasely]

Thanks, that good advice!

As it turns out my gym is closed this week for renovations. What are the chances? So I've been doing pushups and am putting together a gimpy ankle workout routine.