Returning to training?

**Zeddy** · Posted On: 1/22/2009 5:28pm

I have not trained for about 7 months now. Around last August I was doing takedowns, my left foot caught in the mat, and my knee rotated on the way down.

So many months later and one knee reconstruction/meniscectomy later, I am looking at returning to training mid May of this year. The problem is I have not trained at all or kept my fitness level up beyond rehabilitation.

I've started to slowly introduce the following into my daily rehab to prepare me for training:

Upper body weights
Light shadowboxing (not pivoting on hooks)
Light stretching (especially of lower limbs)
Bridging
Shrimping
Ab work
Neck exercises

Rehab consists of:
Light jogging
100 m "fast" running (physio warns me off sprinting)
Weighted leg exercises

Anything I've missed and should add on? I am very wary of sideways movements still, it has been around 4 months since surgery.

**1point2** · Posted On: 1/22/2009 5:32pm

Ask your trainer how to step up the cardio without "fast" running. My ex-gf did elliptical and stationary bike (spinning class?) after her ACL reconstruction. Remember, the worst (and most common) time to injure yourself is...right after you healed from the same injury. Take it real easy on that knee. Err on the side of caution and listen to it.

Don't overstretch.

Swimming?

**Zeddy** · Posted On: 1/22/2009 5:44pm

You are quite correct, I forgot to mention - cycling is done for rehab purposes. I'll hit that harder now. After cycling every day on the same goddam bike for nearly two and a half months in the same room, I was losing motivation.

I actually want to ramp up the stretching. After going for so long without stretching, I feel like my glutes and hamstrings are like rock and in need of serious work.

I'll definitely add swimming to my list.