We Did It!

Well, I survived! After Wednesday's session, I didn't know if I could do it...but it's Thursday night and I'm feeling pretty good! I'm tired, no doubt, but I killed today's workout...and did an hour of PT afterwards! ;)

DAY 3: We started out at the TRX and hanging resistance band. I lined my chair up, directly underneath them, and leaned my chair back...not all the way back, but pretty far! I began with chest pull-downs. Nicole made sure I did enough of those to make the following exercise look easy! I did pull-ups on the TRX. Nicole, of course, made sure I did pull-ups a variety of different ways! I turned my wrists & elbows in, placed my hands facing away from me & pulled my elbows out, did one-arm pull-ups, and holding that last pull-up for each set. I have to say that my arms and the front of my shoulders burned!

Then, I wheeled over and had my back to the pole (the one that's standing in the BZ). Nicole wrapped another resistance band around the pole, and had me grab the handles with each hand. Then, with my arms straight, I pulled my arms out in front of me. This proved to be quite a bit more challenging for my right arm than my left. I focussed more on my right arm for a while, trying to "teach it" the motion. I especially struggled with the release/letting the band back slowly. Again, this was mainly a struggle for my right arm.

After I was thoroughly frustrated with my right arm, Nicole told me to "think positively" for the following exercise! With my back still turned away from the pole, I punched the band forward with both arms. I struggled a little with the right arm, but I kept quiet about it!

Lastly, we worked on my legs. We started on the left, stronger, leg. I  lifted my knee up as high as it would go, which isn't very high. I thought it should be better. But Nicole says EVERYONE'S EVERYTHING could/should be better, so I should stop being so negative! I lifted my left knee over and over, then I switched to the right side. Then, I did an exercise where I kinda simulated walking. I stayed sitting, but I took "steps" with ach leg, one right after the other. It was actually really exciting to make my legs "walk" again...lifting up my knees one after the other. Of course my legs weren't doing the "walking" perfectly yet, but this wwas only the first try! Next, Nicole sat on a wooden block in front of me, and placed her feet up & out in front of her. She placed my feet up against her feet and we tried bending and straightening our legs back and forwarth. Suprise! Suprise! My right leg wasn't quite strong enough to put sufficiant pressure on her foot. So, we bent and straightened my knees one leg at a time. The right leg was held by Nicole's hands, rather than her foot. We also held each knee up by my chest for a few minutes each. And we wrapped up our session with me lifting each leg, individually, out straight. Lemme just clarify, I can't lift my legs all the way up to my hips...or 90 degrees! Right now I'm only able to do half that...a little lower with the right leg!

 

And with that, I survived our new back-to-back-to-back workout schedual! Aren't you proud of me!?!