As regular readers of this blog know (are there actually any such people), a few months ago I tore the miniscus in my left knee. This is not a terribly serious injury as injuries to the knee go, but it will require surgery--arthoroscopic surgery, but surgery nonetheless.
This has put my pursuit of the dunk in neutral. In order that I might not slip into reverse, my Dunk Dreams trainer, Gil Thomas, has devised a workout to keep my legs strong without stressing my knees. (What stresses a knee? Traffic doesn't seem to bother it, so right there my knee is better adjusted than I am.)
For starters, I have done many exercises in my swimming pool. I have climbed into the damn thing on mornings so cold my breath was thick as smoke to stand and kick my legs straight from the hip, 50 reps with each leg; then another fifty kicking straight back; then 50 more kicking with a bent knee to strengthen the quads. I have wrapped straps around my ankles to do leg extensions on the Mini-Gym--a remarkable iso-kinetic contraption that gives an excellent workout without the next-day soreness one often gets from weightlifting.
This has put my pursuit of the dunk in neutral. In order that I might not slip into reverse, my Dunk Dreams trainer, Gil Thomas, has devised a workout to keep my legs strong without stressing my knees. (What stresses a knee? Traffic doesn't seem to bother it, so right there my knee is better adjusted than I am.)
For starters, I have done many exercises in my swimming pool. I have climbed into the damn thing on mornings so cold my breath was thick as smoke to stand and kick my legs straight from the hip, 50 reps with each leg; then another fifty kicking straight back; then 50 more kicking with a bent knee to strengthen the quads. I have wrapped straps around my ankles to do leg extensions on the Mini-Gym--a remarkable iso-kinetic contraption that gives an excellent workout without the next-day soreness one often gets from weightlifting.
That's not me, but
it is a mini-gym
I have lowered myself onto the Super Cat to do squats and jump-squats on one leg--the good leg, of course. I feared this would leave me with one Popeye-strong leg and one Wimpy-weak leg, but Gil assured me that wouldn't happen. Of course, if he's wrong he has nothing to fear--I won't be able to catch him because I'll only be able to run in circles.
The Super Cat
All of this is being done so that after my surgery I'll be able to recover quickly and soon resume my pursuit of the dunk. All of this--it's all about the dunk. Truth be told, I could live with my knee the way it is now. I'm not able to run or jump at anything near full speed, but what 51-year-old man needs to do such things? Only a 51-year-old man determined to dunk. I have stood freezing in a pool, jumped and squatted on one leg, and, finally, I have decided to undergo an operation--the first operation of my life, mind you--all so I can dunk. I ask you, dear reader--have I lost my mind?
All of this is being done so that after my surgery I'll be able to recover quickly and soon resume my pursuit of the dunk. All of this--it's all about the dunk. Truth be told, I could live with my knee the way it is now. I'm not able to run or jump at anything near full speed, but what 51-year-old man needs to do such things? Only a 51-year-old man determined to dunk. I have stood freezing in a pool, jumped and squatted on one leg, and, finally, I have decided to undergo an operation--the first operation of my life, mind you--all so I can dunk. I ask you, dear reader--have I lost my mind?
2 comments:
Best of Luck on the surgery and recovery Mike. Hope all goes well so you can get back to it.
No Mike you havn`t lost your mind ;)Don`t worry about just woking the good leg if it's so much stronger than the other one just jump from that leg.I'm one of the regular readers of your blog so there are such people I guess(if I`m not the only one) and I want to ask you can you keep it up a bit more chronologically organized because you leave the impression that you got injured just like a week ago and now you say that it`s been a few months.I hope that there wont be any complications and you`ll get better soon.You definitly deserve it after all the hard work you`ve put in.
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