Last Thursday was my second PT session for the IT band. It contained the previously mentioned exercises (I wish I knew the real names):
- 10:30 raises w/4 lbs. 3 sets of 15
- 3:30 raises w/4 lbs. 3 sets of 15
- Quad flexor stretch (3 x 30 sec sets)
- Foam roller (5 minutes)
There were also a couple new things. Again, I don't know the real names, but the first one I'll call the heels together knee spread. Lie on your side, with your legs bent - about halfway between totally straight and a full fetal position. With a resistance band looped around the knees, keep the feet together and raise the top knee. Repeat for the other side, 3 sets of 15. I'm not sure whether the muscle worked here is the same muscle as the 3:30 raises - it feels to be in the same general area.
The last new exercise was dips. Standing with the left leg on an aerobic step, dip down and lower the right leg to the ground. The knee should be kept from buckling inward during the dip - so roughly in line with the 2nd toe. Once again, three sets of 15. This one was surprising to me, as my ankle was pretty unstable. Having to balance and stabilize on one ankle while moving around is tough at first. By the end of the third set, my ankle was definately feeling it.
I had a realization over the past couple days. Initially, my thinking was along the lines of 'Hey - so these exercises are supposed to help stabilize my knee, but were talking about 45 iterations of an exercise per day. When I go out and run for an hour and I'm running with a cadence of 90 steps/minute - thats 5400 iterations. How would 45 iterations make any bit of a difference?'
Then I realized that if I'm doing 5400 iterations, and I'm feeling the burn (and in the case of the knee spreads on the right side, feeling sore the next couple days) after 3 sets of 15 of an isolation exercise - then I'm not getting a good workout for that muscle during that run. Plain and simple.
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