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Confession time. I have spent the last two months sitting on my bottom for 8 hours at work and than 4 hours of lecture and than coming home to sleep before doing it all again. No activity at all really.

I am closing in on the end (Aug 5th) and trying to decide how to get back in to the necessity of activity. During this period I developed joint pain that was so bad I saw a doctor. I have a family history of somatic depression so she suggested Cymbalta. I gave it a try and it worked like magic! Wonderful thing to use but I want to get off of it ASAP and that means being active.

I want to go back to fundamentals practice for roller derby, but that is two hours on skates and I am not sure I can do it. I can go to free skates twice a week to build up endurance first. I am trying to decide if I should just go or try not to suck first. I am leaning toward just going because I miss the girls.

I am also playing with the idea of adding something else. There is a local cross fit gym and I was thinking of doing the introductory class on the moves, but I wasn't sure if I should just jump in or wait until I have built up a little more strength and endurance.

Another option is a local yoga studio I like and respect.

So if you were me what would you do to ramp back up without overwhelming a body that is already pretty stress out?

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1 
 I'm sure you know this, but ween off the Cymbalta very gradually. There's been at least a couple cases I've read where people start having less pain, forget to get another bottle of Cymbalta, then have brain zaps and nausea for several days because of withdrawal. – Kamal♦ Jul 13 2011 at 17:42
nod I am on a minimal dose, but I talked about getting off before I started taking. – Vrimj Jul 13 2011 at 18:48

4 Answers

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Yay Roller Derby! Hi.... Derby girl from Denver :)

If it were me I would start with putting one foot in front of the other. Go on a walk before bed, stretch afterwards and then after a week or so start yoga and making getting out to the park on my skates on the weekend. CrossFit is awesome, but be prepared to have your butt kicked. It's intense, far more than 2 hours on skates.

After a week or so, I'd do some muscle building stuff, without too much stress to the body. Wall sits, lunges, that kind of thing -- then maybe hop into the CrossFit pool.

Good luck!

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giggles The idea of skating in the park is funny because it is a Florida summer, but I think I will try free skates and walking first. And maybe yoga, it will probably be the most direct impact on keeping my joints from getting tight. – Vrimj Jul 13 2011 at 19:11
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 And BTW love the way your team skates! – Vrimj Jul 13 2011 at 19:11
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Hi! More derby girls!

Seconding the "one foot first" approach. Get back on skates! You've got a supportive, friendly group of people to exercise with, and sometimes the social aspect can make all the difference in staying motivated when everything hurts. Having folks who can hold you accountable is never a bad plan, either.

Is your fundamentals practice one where you've got the leeway to go at your own pace? If not, using the yoga classes and free skates to build some endurance first sounds like a good option.

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Our fundamentals is a wide skill base, we take anyone :) so I can fall back if I have to and have in the past. You are right, getting back involved with the people I miss is a get incentive to get exercising again. :) The girls are so aweome – Vrimj Jul 13 2011 at 18:50
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If you have spent 8 weeks sedentary I would definitely recommend rebuilding your cardiovascular base by walking 15-20 minutes three times a week (gradually increasing the distance traveled during each walk).

Rollerderby "Free Skate" sessions to fulfill your desire for social/emotional connection and yoga for flexibility/core strength also seem like good ideas.

After you have built up a base of fitness, then I would think about checking out a Crossfit class since even the beginners classes are demanding and high intensity.

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 That sounds like a good plan. I don't want to not be able to learn the movements because I am too weak. – Vrimj Jul 13 2011 at 18:51
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Can't say enough positive about CrossFit -- check out your local boxes, and see what you think. It is intense, but the true strength of the CF approach is scalability -- everything we do can and should be scaled to individual levels of fitness, agility and strength. It's a great way to build up to anything, because you'll be building with each workout.

I started in January -- after more like 3 YEARS of doing nothing (and I'm guessing that at 49 I have a few more years on you...) -- and tomorrow will mark my 6 mo point. I've lost 6 inches around my waist, close to 30 pounds (I haven't been weighing), and I feel better than I can remember feeling since I was 20.

Another bid draw for me is having trainers around for all workouts -- I don't need to know anything, or try to piece together effective workouts. It's all planned, and I just have to show up and put in the work. And I've never experienced a better group of people -- it really is a community more than it is a gym. Give it a try!

Good luck!

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Good idea to check out my boxes. I worry that they will all be way over my head with the University and so many super athletic people in town. – Vrimj Jul 13 2011 at 19:12

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