Need recs for recovery from injury

[geojill]

After two weeks of a tight calf muscle, it tore on July 4 and I’m now on crutches for the time being. I’m going to give it the time it needs to fully heal so it doesn’t get worse, but am interested in some seated upper body work and then maybe some good lower body work to ease into when my leg is ready.

My biggest issue is that I’m not a beginner mentally, but I need to treat my body as a beginner so that I don’t re-injure myself. I can modify if I need to, but don’t want a workout that will treat me as if I’ve never lifted a dumbbell before. Any suggestions?

[MsThistlebottom]

I'm so sorry about your injury and hope it heals fast. I'm also sidelined by an injury (PF) and started making a list. In my case, I'm focusing on seated upper body strength training and am just starting to incorporate CS/Ess. For lower body, Pilates floor work, some yoga, and my PT exercises.

Margaret Richard, Getting Better
Karen Voight, Great Weighted Workout, floor segment
Jessica Smith has some great chair workouts on YouTube
KCM, Your Best Body, 33 min of upper body work, can be done seated
KCM, Split Sessions, 27 min of upper body work
Denise Beatty, Fitness Fix Intermediate, upper body work
Ellen Barrett, Fusion Floor
Ellen Barrett, 15-minute Zen Stretch from her 7-day workout series
Nadia Narain has a wonderful floor yoga segment on her Chair Yoga DVD
Winsor Buns & Thighs
The Firm, Sculpted Buns, Hips & Thighs
Original Buns of Steel (floor work)

[geojill]

Thanks Joan!! I hope you heal quickly too.

[dutchgirl]

I'm coming off of foot surgery. I'm basically doing any weight workout I want and am modifying as needed. I'm doing all the upper body stuff either seated or laying down and am using dumbbells as opposed to a bar. For lower body I'm subbing in exercises that work the same muscle, just done either seated or laying down. For example, if Cathe is squatting I'm doing seated leg extensions with ankle weights. For hamstrings I'll do leg bridges or prone butterfly lifts. So I'm still following along with the workout, just doing what I can do post surgery.