Drink the Ben-Gay or apply it?

Danilynn1975

So I have had this gym membership for a while.

I decided since I have had absolutely no weightloss since Halloween. Not one single pound lost, just flat lined. That I would use said gym membership.

So yesterday was day 1 of this madness.

I made a few observations after deciding that I really know nothing of reading pictograph instructions and am incredibly clumsy.

I decided that since I was once upon a time a Navy sailor that I would see if I could still do the PFT. I found out a few things about myself in this yesterday.

Yes, I could and did do a mile and a half run/limp/jog/walk in 15:24 on the treadmill, which is one second from failing it. Congrats to me if I were still Navy, I'd be in the fatboy program.

Yes, I can still do sit-ups. Those were laughably low, but at minimum.

I can no longer even do minimum push-ups. Wow!

So from there I figured another 15 minutes of treadmill would be okay. So I did, I did not puke, but it was close.

From there I figured out how to operate the leg press machine and proceeded to do 3 sets of those, wandered (ok dragged myself) to the bicep thingamabobbie. That didn't feel to bad, So I proceeded to do a lot of those.

Got home had a great lunch, I was starving, I came close to wiping out a whole head of lettuce plus other assorted innocent produce hanging out in the fridge.

Fast forward to this morning....

I woke to a charlie horse from hades. It was bad. I run my bathwater, and climb in. (the shower isn't functional yet)

While washing my hair and rinsing it went downhill rather quickly. I tried to sit up and a muscle spasm cramp locked into my stomach. I flinched, and fell backwards thawping my skull off the tub. Proceeded to slide under and swallow massive amounts of soapy bathwater. Panic flew through my head. I could envision the obituary while flailing blindly in the soapy water. "Fat woman dies in bathtub accident, 9 paramedics needed to remove the bloated corpse from the sunken tub. Details to follow."

I manage to throw myself up and out onto the rug, which is about 3 feet or so from the occupied litter box. Jack, the cat in question just looked at me like I was interupting his private time.

I got dressed with as much dignity as you can dredge up after all that and looked at my shoes. All I could think was damn, I have to tie those bad boys. I didn't cry, close but didn't. I was intensely proud of that.

Get lunch and go to climb in my car and another charlie horse hit the other leg. I did cry.

My coffee cup kicked my butt, co-workers asked if I was okay repeatedly.
I improvised a redneck heating pad at work using duct tape and hot hands self heating packets taped to my abs ( ok blobby abs). It works don't laugh.

And then my insane self went back and repeated slower the things that hurt me still from yesterday.

So which would be quicker to help with the unending pain I now feel,( so I can walk tomorrow. maybe write in a normal handwriting, one that doesn't resemble a 90 year old stroke victim.)

Drink The Ben-Gay or apply massive amounts topically?

zyxst

Hot bath and/or shower, try stretching while under/in the water.

georgie_lou

I'm really sorry about this....but my abs are hurting right now from laughter!! Loved your post. I feel bad for laughing though...I know the pain well. I find a hot shower followed by a burst of freezing water seems to help. AND KEEP MOVING!!!

All the best

EDIT: Spelling error was driving me maaaaaad lol

dunlunicor

Stretch everything. For a long time. Pop in a movie and sit in your stretches for several minutes each, taking slow, full breaths and going a little deeper into the stretch with each breath. Bonus points if you can do it in front of a heater, which will warm your muscles and make it easier to stretch. Then give yourself a massage in all the sore places or get someone to do it for you.

sarahrbraun

Hot tub DAILY after workouts.

Last week I pulled a calf muscle BAD...like ER for xrays and heavy pain killers BAD. The day after the injury, I hauled my butt to the gym to do an upper body workout, on crutches. Then I went and leg the injured limb in the hot tub--5 minutes was HEAVEN. Yesterday and today I went and spent 15-30 minutes in the hot tub doing ankle circles and calf raises, and it felt AMAZING. Friday I am going back to cardio and lifting heavy before I have to hurt someone....

ETA: ask someone if there is a chart of stretches...and stretch after EVERY workout. I about died after every time I did barbell stretches until the trainer told me to stretch before I left. Within days I stopped having ANY pain afterwards...

Sleepynita

Only because I know you through MFP I would say DRINK IT.

Danilynn1975

for what ever it is worth I now know how to cure constipation. herbal essence laced bathwater.

I think I saw a soap bubble at one point today....

I am trying the hot baths.

My best friends are currently Dr. Teal's epsom salt, Alieve (all day strong, my butt, they lie like a bad Donald Trump toupee. and as soon as my handwriting goes back to normal they will get a letter about that slogan), Ben-Gay, and my non pull over nightgowns.

Duck_Puddle

Funniest thing I have read in a very long time. If/when I stop laughing at your pain (I mean that in the nicest way possible), I may offer sympathy or condolences-whichever is more appropriate.

lachesissss

I would advise against drinking it. I also would advise reading the package directions and following them explicitly. People have died from over-application of Ben Gay. Hope that helps!

freindsofmine

Wow all I can say is a for effort warm up befor stretching..replenishe your electrolights with something like gadorade ..eating a banana always helped me with the Charlie hoarse.and keep up.the work outs lots of water .good luck it will get better one day at a time