Meg
02-23-2006, 08:40 PM
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you stopped working out? I’ve had the opportunity to find out over the last seven weeks and it ain’t pretty, let me tell you. :p But it’s been a fascinating object lesson in why we lift weights (and will never ever quit!) so I want to share it with all of you.
Here’s what’s been going on …
Right Side: I had surgery seven weeks ago on my right shoulder and wasn’t allowed to do anything to fire the muscles on the right side for six weeks. My arm was completely immobilized 24/7 in a sling (except for passive stretching in physical therapy three times a week) (ow). I’ve been allowed to take the sling off at home for the past week, but still can’t use the right arm at all.
Left Side: Good old Lefty developed problems once I was forced to rely on it exclusively and I ended up in physical therapy for it too. These are the only exercises that I’ve been allowed to do on the left for the past seven weeks (I do them everyday):
Three sets each:
Front and side raises – 5#
Scaption (thumb up) – 4#
Scaption (thumb down) – 3#
Rotator cuff exercises with resistance bands
DB curls – 10#
Kickbacks – 8#
The weight is a small fraction of what I had been doing – it’s barely maintenance.
OK, so this makes me a little lab, comparing maintenance exercise on one side with absolutely none on the other. Keep in mind that every other factor is the same on both sides – nutrition, sleep, vitamins, working out legs, amount of cardio etc. The only difference between L and R is lifting weights.
What’s the result?
My left side looks about the same as always. I still have arm definition and a pretty nice shoulder (if I do say so myself :o ). Fortunately, I've maintained what I had.
The right side didn’t fare as well. My muscles have atrophied to an absolutely amazing extent. :eek: There’s no shoulder cut, no arm definition. My arm looks straight, flabby, and skinny, with no curves or tightness. If you put your hand on my shoulder, all you feel is bone -- my shoulder bones are bumps and knobs sticking out. From the neck to shoulder on the R and L sides, I’m visibly asymmetrical, even with clothes on. My shoulder blade is jutting out of my back and it hurts when I lean on it. And there’s a nice blob of flab hanging over the side of my bra that isn’t there on the other side.
It might be my imagination, but I can FEEL the difference between the two sides, between having muscle and not having muscle. My left side feels as strong and powerful as ever – my right side feels like a wet noodle.
The good news is that it will all come back, according to the phycial therapists ... in six months to a year.
What’s the lesson here? Wow, do we lose it FAST! All that hard-earned muscle will disappear in a few short weeks if we don’t keep working just to maintain it. It’s not often that you can compare the two sides of your body and see what NOT working out will do to you! When I can so dramatically see the side-to-side comparison of working out vs. not working out, it makes the reason why we go to the gym day after day crystal clear.
Don’t let this happen to you!! :D
Here’s what’s been going on …
Right Side: I had surgery seven weeks ago on my right shoulder and wasn’t allowed to do anything to fire the muscles on the right side for six weeks. My arm was completely immobilized 24/7 in a sling (except for passive stretching in physical therapy three times a week) (ow). I’ve been allowed to take the sling off at home for the past week, but still can’t use the right arm at all.
Left Side: Good old Lefty developed problems once I was forced to rely on it exclusively and I ended up in physical therapy for it too. These are the only exercises that I’ve been allowed to do on the left for the past seven weeks (I do them everyday):
Three sets each:
Front and side raises – 5#
Scaption (thumb up) – 4#
Scaption (thumb down) – 3#
Rotator cuff exercises with resistance bands
DB curls – 10#
Kickbacks – 8#
The weight is a small fraction of what I had been doing – it’s barely maintenance.
OK, so this makes me a little lab, comparing maintenance exercise on one side with absolutely none on the other. Keep in mind that every other factor is the same on both sides – nutrition, sleep, vitamins, working out legs, amount of cardio etc. The only difference between L and R is lifting weights.
What’s the result?
My left side looks about the same as always. I still have arm definition and a pretty nice shoulder (if I do say so myself :o ). Fortunately, I've maintained what I had.
The right side didn’t fare as well. My muscles have atrophied to an absolutely amazing extent. :eek: There’s no shoulder cut, no arm definition. My arm looks straight, flabby, and skinny, with no curves or tightness. If you put your hand on my shoulder, all you feel is bone -- my shoulder bones are bumps and knobs sticking out. From the neck to shoulder on the R and L sides, I’m visibly asymmetrical, even with clothes on. My shoulder blade is jutting out of my back and it hurts when I lean on it. And there’s a nice blob of flab hanging over the side of my bra that isn’t there on the other side.
It might be my imagination, but I can FEEL the difference between the two sides, between having muscle and not having muscle. My left side feels as strong and powerful as ever – my right side feels like a wet noodle.
The good news is that it will all come back, according to the phycial therapists ... in six months to a year.
What’s the lesson here? Wow, do we lose it FAST! All that hard-earned muscle will disappear in a few short weeks if we don’t keep working just to maintain it. It’s not often that you can compare the two sides of your body and see what NOT working out will do to you! When I can so dramatically see the side-to-side comparison of working out vs. not working out, it makes the reason why we go to the gym day after day crystal clear.
Don’t let this happen to you!! :D