Working Legs in Harness
Friday, 29 February 2008
In this one I'm (again) trying to pull the leg back using muscles from the back, connecting through my bum and into my legs. After a time of doing this and making an effort, it would amaze me how I would feel certain muscles come up, especially those in my bum. Because I have more tension in my left leg and greater flexibility in my right, often I would feel the muscles on the left in my bum more, and more quickly. The idea is not to just swing the leg, but control it and push back as far as possible, feeling the muscle pull in at the furthest extension.
Hratch makes me change the way I move my leg, from forwards and backwards to pulling my knee towards my face. This change shows an element of control. Here I am to keep tension in the leg on the way down as well as the way up, and the moment I feel my leg pulling with the harness, I hold the knee up and then start the push afresh.
All the while I am doing this exercise I am also mentally going into the muscles that are working to try to feel them more. The more I feel, the more control I have, the more I feel, etc. Hratch gives instructions which serve to make me do other things and also to bring awareness of what muscles I should be working. Instructions are clear cut. This is easy for my brain to react to and make the adjustments and corrections.
The hoist is assisting me, but not doing all the work. I am still paralysed and my muscles are still not strong enough to carry all the weight of my legs. However, I must learn control, and through this I can also increase their mass. Little by little.
Notice the kick of the lower limb - towards the end - which cannot be done by using muscles above injury site, but from muscles in legs.
Hratch always likes to see suffering and effort! Just with working out in any gym, the final push and effort gets the greatest results.