Heal Thyself

What's going on with me today?
Thanks for asking.  Today was a pretty good day all around.  Worked a couple of hours in the AM with my Saturday regulars, then came home to get ready for a golf day with my dad.  I haven't been able to play as much as I'd like to so it was great to get out.  Hot day but not too bad with a nice breeze most of the afternoon.  Shot a good score for me but we won't put that out into the ether just yet.  Let's just say that I know how to build a better golfer but a lesson or ten wouldn't hurt.  Below the national average for men though so take that!

Fit Topic of the Day
Been having a little trouble with some IT band syndrome recently.  Not a big deal but it's a creeping reminder for me to make sure I'm stretching regularly.  The IT band is a thick length of tendon-like tissue which runs down the outside of the thigh attaching at the top outside edge of the tibia in your lower leg.  It's generally involved in assisting larger muscles with knee flexion.

For a lot of runners, ITS can manifest as knee pain.  For me it is more connected with the outside of my left hip.  The band connects with the Tensor Fascia Latae muscle and is responsible for abduction thigh and flexion of the hip.  Experiencing pain at either location, however, can usually be treated using the same technique.

Grab that foam log that nobody uses at your local gym.  Lie on your side with the foam roller under the outside edge of your knee.  Press as much of your body weight as you can stand onto the roller bracing yourself on your elbow.  Slowly begin sliding your leg up the roller keeping as much pressure as you can onto the outside of the thigh.  If you feel a particularly painful spot on the way up, stay on it for 10 seconds before moving on.  In total it should take you about 30 seconds to go from the knee to the hip.

In my case it was sore enough to be painful to sleep on.  Rolled it out 2x day for 2 days and did a lot of stretching for my booty and was good to go for 18 holes.  Slept like a foam roller last night too.

Me and My Ipod:
18 holes of golf - no ipod
Dog walking and yardwork - Metalica, Iron Maiden, the Sword etc.

Ridiculously fit person of the day
Ronde Barber - Cornerback Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  14 years in the NFL?  You have to be in some ridiculous shape for that.  Seems like a much better guy than his twin brother Tiki also.