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Thread: Calf injuries - what I am doing wrong or what I am not doing enough of?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Posts
    2

    Default Calf injuries - what I am doing wrong or what I am not doing enough of?

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    Background: I am 47. I finished my NLP about a year ago. I have been doing 5 3 1 with no assistance lifts since summer. That is I just do the four main lifts. I move up only very nominal amounts of weight each month (2 to 5 pounds per lift). I weigh around 200.

    Two months ago, I was taking Hap Ki Do (similar to Tae Kwan Do) and I tore a calf muscle. On the day, I tore it was a light / recovery squat day. My teacher had us jump rope - not something I ever do. The tore actually occurred when we were playing a game chasing each other later (There are a lot of 12 to 16 year olds in class so this was quite normal). On a quick side to side change movement I felt the rip. I stopped going to class scared I'd injure myself again. I had been Hap Ki Do training for about 4 months. I may not have been getting optimal sleep in that time period, but I was definitely getting at least 7 to 1/2 and half hours a night.

    I recovered within a week or two and I was back to 5 3 1 with no issues.

    Today, I was taking another self defense class. We started the class with basic dynamic warmups - jumping jacks, high knees, front kicks etc. Then we did quarter and half effort sprints. On the three quarters sprint, I felt my other calf tear. Not as bad as the first injury, but bad enough. Yesterday was a heavy overhead press day and I slept pretty good last night. My calves felt a little tight after the jumping jacks.

    What I am doing wrong to get these calf tears. I love martial arts and would love to continue, but unless I change something, it looks like a bad idea.

    Do I need to be stretching more? I rarely stretch ever. What else could it be?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    232

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    Quote Originally Posted by rbrian View Post
    Two months ago, I was taking Hap Ki Do (similar to Tae Kwan Do) and I tore a calf muscle. On the day, I tore it was a light / recovery squat day. My teacher had us jump rope - not something I ever do.
    ...
    Today...I felt my other calf tear...My calves felt a little tight after the jumping jacks.
    ...What else could it be?
    Jumping

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Posts
    2

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    Agreed. Aside from avoiding jumping and then running, is there anything I could do so that when faced with jumping and then running I could avoid tears?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    Broomfield, Colorado
    Posts
    252

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    Quote Originally Posted by rbrian View Post
    Agreed. Aside from avoiding jumping and then running, is there anything I could do so that when faced with jumping and then running I could avoid tears?
    I suppose it is like barbell training. Don't jump right in! NLP it!

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