Handful of misc questions

[Joseph Amburgey]

This is a lot, I know. Anybody that takes the time to take a look is greatly appreciated.

1. HS - PE4 - Supine Floor Handstand Flexion with Weighted Bar: What weight should I be aiming for here? I am looking to purchase one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079CZZYPN/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_7?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Perhaps there is another place I could obtain them more cheaply?

2. I've got a knot or something going on in my abs. I do not believe it is on my rectus, I believe it is either the transverse or obliques. I'm pointing to it below, maybe an inch below my rib cage and pushed into the side of my rectus abdominals. It's been there for months. I've had an ultrasound. Internal organs are doing great. Doctors went with a torn muscle. Now the fact that there is no pain and it just tingles sometimes and muscle spasms on and off during the day, I don't think it is a torn muscle. When I do ab exercises it is the first spot to fatigue.
So how on earth do I message my ab effectively? I can't figure out how to apply any real pressure without flexing.

( I am not looking for medical advice, just how do I massage it, if that doesn't do the trick, then I guess it's something else.)

Pushing on it with my fingers doesn't seem to work. I can't roll that spot.
This wonderful device doesn't work. As soon as I get any pressure on the spot, it just pushes in and I have to flex. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PJ3LSBI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

2.

3. I was reading that deload weeks start in foundation 2. I've for the first time decided to do a deload week with all my foundation 1 movements because many of them have stalled. Any comment on that? I assume it's fine. I do each F1 area twice a week.

On another note; I think I'd have most of them if I wasn't carrying what I estimate to be an extra 15 pounds, maybe more.

 

4. Which brings me to Thrive. I'm interested. Does it come with GB Unlimited? I can always stand to learn more about nutrition, even if I'm 90% of the way there and Thrive gives me the last 10%. I've read it's not heavy on the science, which I enjoy but that's fine. Does it teach me the benefit of what I'm eating and the ideal timing? Will I learn what I need to know in order to adapt my intake accordingly to suit the needs for a particular day?

I work concrete construction, so I do a lot of heavy lifting, lots of repetitive motions(shovel, pickaxe) throughout my day. The energy expenditure can be a lot. I've had more trouble loosing BF than in the past because I have to eat more in order to have energy for work. Put on more than a few after getting carpel tunnel release surgery on both hands; long story short, jackhammers are not my friend; and it took me out of the exercise game for almost 7 months.

Will Thrive help me to figure out my calorie, macro, micro, vegetable, etc timing and intake to have energy at work and still be able to bang out a full effort workout after work? All while ideally gaining strength, CNS control and dropping the unwanted fat?

 

5. Does GB Unlimited give me access to everything on the site? Maybe it would be easier to say what is not included?

[Nick Murray]

#2, the odd tingling.

See a good physiotherapist who does hands-on work, preferably someone who works with gymnasts or circus performers.

Without having examined you, and without knowing the history, this MIGHT be a cutaneous nerve trapped between layers of tissue. Cutaneous means the parts of the nerve that branch off and innervate the skin. If it's the first part of your abs/obliques to fatigue, and the nerve driving that part of the muscle is not functioning completely, it's another pointer towards it being a nerve. This is not conclusive, though which is why you need to get checked out by a good physio.

It could be anywhere from where you are pressing, right around your rib cage to your spine. MAYBE, it could be spine-related; the nerves of the trunk exit the spine and travel around the inside of the rib cage. This picture, from Dianne Jacobs "Dermoneuromodulation, third edition", shows cutaneous/superficial nerves of the trunk. There are a couple of points where nerves travel through different layers of tissue, and this MAY be where the problem is. The thing about nerves is that if a nerve is stuck (or damaged, or whatever), you can feel symptoms at any point along that nerve, (from the spine, right around to where the nerve terminates).

People often think this is the same as a "pinched nerve". It isn't. When you hit your "funny bone", that's not even half of pinching a nerve!

 

 

 

[Joseph Amburgey]

Nick Murray, I really appreciate the response. I googled "trapped cutaneous nerve" and the symptoms fit. Then all of a sudden this spot on my back perked up (that I forgot about) that has been hypersensitive to clothing rubbing it for years and has felt like a tired unstretched muscle as well. It comes and goes and presents most strongly when I am limiting carbs. So, only a thought I have, is that both spots are around the same vertical height of my ribcage and could be the same nerve.

I will find an experienced physiotherapist and schedule an examination. Thank you for giving me something to look into.

[Joseph Amburgey]

#4. I was not able to find these pages through the site. I did a google search to find them. (Whether that means I'm incapable of finding them or it is information that is not easily enough accessed, idk) I post them in case anybody else was wondering the same thing as myself.
https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/gb-courses/gb-thrive/

https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/thrive-nutritional-pyramid/