Tag Archives: 3 easy steps to relieve hamsting tightness

Day 114. Listen to Your Body

Listen to Your Body

Off days are good days. RunKeeper gives me time off for good behavior on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Wow, never actually wrote it out this way. I have more “on-days” (4) than “off-days” (3).

Last night I started feeling some tightness in my right hammy. Since I’m an athlete now, I can call it a hammy. Once I have more “off-days” than “on-days” I’ll lose the right and will be required to start calling it a hamstring again.

Listening to your body is very important when you’re training for anything. It could be a role in the high school musical or a Spartan Race. Doesn’t matter. If your body is screaming “Hold Up, Wait a Minute” it’s best to listen. In my case, on a pain scale of 1-10, I was at about a 2.5, but considering that I’m on the back-9 of my marathon training plan, a 2.5 pain level on a hammy might as well be a 10.

How I reduced the tightness in my hamstring

Life lesson #114 — Whatever you do, be healthy enough to do it for as long as you want to do it. Maintain your health and wellness so that you can enjoy life to its fullest.

How to Handle Injuries While Training

The first thing we all must do is recognize the problem, but don’t go overboard. If you are training for the Reebok Crossfit Tour, you should expect a little bit of soreness. But activity soreness versus chronic soreness is a different story. This is what we must remain mindful of.

Chronic soreness is a significant sign of the beginning of an injury or an existing injury. Once recognized as “not-normal” act immediately. This could mean taking a few days off to see if the pain dissipates over time. If it does, great. If it does not, being proactive immediately will be key to returning to your training without risking a lifetime injury.

This is almost blasphemy for guys, but go to the doctor. Get checked out. I was once told that married men live longer than single men. Why? That’s what I said too. The person jokingly said because their wives nag them to go to the doctor.

Personally, it took my wife at least 3-months of “nagging” to go to the doctor for the stiffness in my left shoulder and tingling in my right arm. She planted the seed, but ultimately the chronic pain got me in the car to make that drive to the hospital. I’m certainly glad I did, but I did learn a lesson from this. Because I waited, my healing and recovery would take longer. So I say again, act immediately.

Morning weight = 171.5

Tuesday, 10-01-2013

Day 114. Hamstring Problem.

Hamstring Problem

hamstring marathon training plan

Improvised Massager

My right hamstring started acting up last night. Just cool to say that … makes me feel like a pro athlete. “So, Lebron. What happened out there in the second half? Seemed like you were hobbling a little up and down the court.” “I won’t use it as an excuse, but my hamstring started acting up.” Oh, there I go again. Dreaming about the spotlight.

This was an unscheduled run. RunKeeper has me on a tight schedule. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Don’t get me wrong. I would love an off-day right about now, but I also know my body pretty well. (Don’t get silly with that statement). I tried to massage out the tightness last night (again, take your mind out the gutter) and throughout today, but it wasn’t permanent relief. It could be that I was using an Herbalife Personalized Protein Canister as a massager, but at least MacGyver would be proud. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

The last time I had this same feeling, I did a light cardio session and a post-cardio stretch. Let’s try that again.

3 Easy Steps to Relieve Hamstring Tightness

STEP 1: Deep massage throughout the day. Be mindful of any progress.

STEP 2: If no progress after 8 hours, deep massage and go for a 15-20 minute hill run with an easy pace. I stress the word “easy.” No need to push. Your only goal is to move and loosen.

STEP 3: Deep massage.

Disclaimer. I’m not a doctor. I didn’t even Google this. I just know it works for me. Keep the easy pace and don’t push it. Just get moving and get that hammy warmed-up and get ready to answer those burning media questions on the sideline when you’re back to 100%!

Did It Work

Followed the steps to a T and yes, it did. Ready to roll for tomorrow’s 6-miler and I won’t worry another second about hindering my marathon training plan. Depending on the original severity of the tightness, you still may feel something, but in my case, I feel much looser and free to return to training.

hamstring marathon training plan

RunKeeper 10-01-2013

Tuesday, 10-01-2013