after taking it easy in the gym the past 2 weeks my back feels better. i’ve held back a bit in my weights (wanted to raise them some) but i haven’t stopped working out. in order to reduce the stress on my back i did a few things differently:

  • during upper body weights instead of doing back exercises i did some of the stretches that i learned in the spin class. yes, the same one that threw my back out. that which hurts you can also make you stronger.
  • on running days instead of doing intervals of walking a lap and running a lap, i instead modified it to run every 2nd lap instead. during the running laps i focused on steady strides and less of a bouncy motion that might put stress on my back. during the walking laps i walk very fast to keep my heart rate as high as possible.
  • when doing all other exercises i focused more on keeping more core stable and my back well positioned. i know i should do this all the time, and i do often, but this time i really tried to stay aware of my form throughout all of the reps and sets. form over reps at all cost.

i’m hoping to see some good losses this week and if all goes well i’m planning on hitting the range this weekend. i’ve been dying to get out there and play some golf. rather than push it though i decided to give my back a rest. besides, it gives me time to review dave pelz’s short game bible and the plane truth for golfers. i’m planning on starting the season with a new one plane swing and continuing to refine short game under 100 yards.