When to move up in Warrior Wellness?

[HereBeADragon]

I received the Warrior Wellness series in late october and have been practicing Warrior Wellness Beginner/Recovery since then. I've seen a great improvement in my range of motion (which was already pretty impressive) and my balance has definitly improved. I have one area of fear reactivity that has been slow in improving and thats my left knee. This issue arrises in the leg swings somewhat but the biggest progress problem is in the 4 corner balance drill. When I balance on my left leg my leg and hips tens up to the point that my right hip cramps and that really starts to hurt. I've lowered my right leg to a point that does not scare my knee as much but progress is slow in coming, any suggestions on improving this would be of help. Aside from my fear reactivity in my left knee everything else is coming along great. I would like to move on to the next level but keep with the beginning level balance drill. Would this be advisable or would it be of more benefit to me to keep with the recovery phase until my knee catches up with the rest of me? Thanks

[Dan Chomycia]

Brian,

I'm not going to tell you what you should do, but I'll give you some guidelines.

It is to your benefit to remove that fear reactivity in your left knee, and doing anything more challenging with it will probably reinforce it.

I don't see anything inherently wrong with your self advice. I would just suggest that monitor your progress in that area when you move on to the next level of WW.

One part where you may find difficulty is in the leg movements so monitor those closely as well.

Good Luck and Keep us posted on your progress.

[rbibbs]

Brian,
Coach Dan knows what's best. I'm only chiming in because I had a lot of trouble with my knees in the flexed-loaded articulation.

Unlike most of WW, 4-corner balance is a loaded exercise. If your ROM is good elsewhere (you be the judge of how ready you are), you could move up in neurological sophistication in the unloaded parts of WW while you continue to work the loaded basics. IOW, just because your femur is unhappy with loads doesn't mean you have to hold your neck/shoulders/arms back.

If you have trouble/discomfort with a WW motion, don't push it to where it's a discomfort greater than 4 on a scale of 10. We tend to think of any 'exercise' as something that has to be 'gruelling' to push the envelope. WW ROM recovery is not that conventional stereotype of an exercise. Pushing as far as you can (to near where pain stops you) reinforces fear-reactivity. Go as far as is comfortable and that range will expand over time (assuming absence of limiting medical factors).

[Randell Waddell]

Rick,

It is so good to see you back as well - I have missed your unique perspectives, insight, and generous input greatly.

Cheers
Randell.
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[HereBeADragon]

Thank you all for your advice. I think I will move up to the intermediate phase but keep in the beginning 4 corner balance drill. After todays session I feel that would be best. I think I am ready to move further.

[sames]

Also I don't see any reason that "moving up" means you can't do the Beginner anymore. I do the beginner once/week (while watching the video not from memory) and am always suprised at what I've forgotten and have, so far, always managed to eek out a little more ROM.

-Steve