I can start squatting again!!!

So it’s been a couple of weeks and up until yesterday it felt like we had stalled again.  When the discovery was made that my upper body is affecting my hip mobility, I made the suggestion that doing some graston on the knots in my left shoulder/back might help my left hip finally pass the Obers test (and thus indicating the femur is in the correct spot of the hip socket).  Mike just kind of grunted while looking across the room. Clearly he didn’t think that would help.

Anyways, I’ve been doing the PT and have been trying to keep good posture (keep the ribs locked down) but I still find myself arching my back, like even when I lie down.  I think the more I arch my back, the more my groin/psoas hurts. I’m not exactly sure where the pain is coming from, it’s very vague and ghost like.  Sometimes I think that I’m just too sensitive right now, I’m too in tune with my body so that any little thing that is off I feel.  Honestly nowadays I would describe it more as slight discomfort than pain.  I try doing some self-release and it does help, but I think I’m going to have to cave and see another massage therapist and get some help.  Someone who has no problem working the psoas and the pectineus, possibly the hamstring. For some reason I register knots in my hamstring as pain in my groin. At least, I think it’s my hamstring, it’s right where the glute and hammie meet, right under my sit bones.

Regardless, the last two weeks have felt like I’ve been in a holding pattern, trying to figure out what causes the pain in my hip (I THINK it’s my posture, but I’m not sure) as well as trying to figure out how I can pass my damned Obers test.

Well I saw Mike yesterday, and we had a re-assessment of goals and what I wanted to get out of this.  I told him I wanted him to work on releasing my shoulder a bit and see how it affects my hip. I also said it would be great to get back to lower body work.  …I think he’s been thinking about it a lot because he said he trusts me because I understand the underlying principles that explain why we do what we’re doing, and gave me the green light to start squatting again.

I can start squatting again!!!!

Of course certain rules apply: Has to be with super light weight and until I can consistently get correct pelvis positioning I can’t go up in weight. Also, I need to do hundreds, if not thousands, of reps.  So I’m thinking I’ll do 5 sets of 10 reps of squats every day I’m at the gym.  I can also do leg press, and the step ups.  I’ll do the step ups as progression for doing pistol squats.  Another prerequisite of mine is that I should be able to pistol squat with both legs (never could do it on the left side and its relaxed adductors) before I start squatting with any real weight.  So I have some new goals and I can start squatting again!!! Halelujah!!!

Also, I convinced Mike to work on my back and sure enough lo and behold after releasing my back some my right hip pretty much passed the Obers test.  So it looks like the issues I’ve had in my back/shoulder are connected to the issues I’ve had with my hip.  Who would have thought?  I did! I was the guy who thought they were connected!

Feel very proud of myself, as well as hopeful. I’m also excited to get back to squatting, and looking forward to finding a good massage therapist.  All in all, an excellent week.