I think I will check it out as well as Edgelow.
Thanks and heres to less pain in 2013!

Beginning club weight
 

When starting out using clubs, I would definitely start with 1 pounders, nothing bigger. Looking back now, I kind of wish I bought 2 pounders, instead of 5 pounders, for my second pair, but that's OK. It will just take me longer to grow into them. I'm making progress.

Another thing I use are 2 pound pilates balls to kind of change things up. You hold these with an open grip, vs. a closed grip for the club, so it works the muscles a little differently. Plus, they're a lot cheaper than clubs. About 10 bucks for the pair vs. 50 bucks for a pair of 1 pound clubs.

Most of the time when I'm using these things, I just work on one arm at a time. Two reasons. The first reason is, it's just easier to concentrate. Second reason is, my TOS is bilateral, so pulling on both arms at the same time can cause a flare easier.

Muscles are coming back to life
 

It's pretty cool to see muscles finally start to move, that haven't moved in about 25 years. I was tight for so long, I was used to it. I didn't even know some of these muscles were supposed to move, but it sure feels good when they do. I guess after having TOS for so many years, they just gradually got tighter, and tighter. It happens gradually, so you don't realize it. You just know that everything hurts.

I have to admit, when I first saw the Intu-flow exercises, I didn't think I'd ever be able to do it. I just started with one exercise, and it seemed to work, so overtime, I gradually added more, and more. By adding exercises gradually, it's kept my pain level tolerable.(Most of the time) This three dimensional movement is definitely the best thing I've ever done. I don't really waste my time with anything else.

I had a pain management doctor, about 20 years ago, that told me the muscles had to be moved, to be healthy. She was right, but she never helped me figure out a way to do that. She tried trigger point injections, IV vitamins, acupuncture, massage, and I forget what else, but it never got me anywhere. Simple, three dimensional movement, for every joint is the key. I wish I'd known about Intu-flow 20 years ago. I don't think it came out untill 2005. 20 years ago, there was no Internet, so I had no idea what I was dealing with.

I've been using the Thera Cane on my entire chest now. It hurts like heck, and it makes me feel like I'm going to puke after, but it's helping. Too much weight lifting when I was young made those muscles really tight. I'm trying to soften them up, so my shoulders can pull back easier.

Muscle Elasticity
 

The elasticity in my muscles seems to be getting better all the time. Scott Sonnon said this would happen, but I hadn't heard of anyone with TOS doing his mobility exercises, so I wasn't sure if it would work. So far, everything he explained on the beginning of the Intu-flow DVD, has been right on the money. There's a lot of ripoff stuff out there, but the stuff he teaches is working very well for me. I like to read his facebook page every morning while I'm having my coffee. He posts some pretty inspirational and informative stuff. He overcame a lot of disabilities himself, so he's pretty passionate about helping others. I just wish he wouldn't use so many words that I don't understand. He's obviously a very intelligent guy.

Cold hands again
 

This post was on 10-23-12. I was just thinking how good my hands had been feeling and today they're cold again.:mad: The fun never ends.

Myofascial Release and Functional Movement
 

"There's no one magic fix for anything in life, and it takes a lot of knowledge to know how to truly correct something". Naudi Aguilar-Functionalpatterns.com

I've learned a lot about myofascial release, correcting bad posture, and functional movement from Naudi Aguilar at Functionalpatterns.com. Some of his ideas have helped me a lot. It's become one of my favorite websites to check out. Here's the link http://www.youtube.com/user/function...uery=theracane

Pain is gain with the Thera Cane
 

I've been using the Thera Cane on trigger points for about three months now and I've made good progress. It really helps break up some of the really tight, bound up muscles, that mobility exercises don't seem to get. It's pretty painful, and I'm always all bruised up, but those muscles are getting softer and more pliable. My wife thinks I'm addicted to pain because of all the bruises, but I'm just willing to go through pain, to hopefully, get out of pain.

I'm 50 years old, so a lot of the stuff I'm working on has been there for a long time. Old football injuries, too much weight lifting when I was young, and getting knocked around by cows on the dairy. Plus, having TOS for more than 30 years.

Naudi Aguilar at Functionalpatterns.com says, "Everyone on the planet should have a Thera Cane". I can't say I disagree with that. It's definitely working well for me. I use it pretty much every day, and I'm working on my entire body with it.

A good month
 

This month was a good month. I bought a 54 inch martial arts stick that I've been using for some of my mobility exercises. It has a really nice feel to it. Much better than the piece of broomstick I had been using. That, along with using the Thera Cane everyday, for myofascial release, has been a good combination. I'm starting to see that myofascial release is a very important piece of the puzzle.

Tomorrow, it be one year exactly, since I had my heart valve, replaced with a pig valve, and I'm feeling pretty darn good. Now, this year, I can focus my energy on putting this TOS back in its cage. Improvements come slowly, but they're still coming. I think the older you are, the more time and work it takes. I try to put in 3 or 4 hours a day, working on mobility, and myofascial release. Sometimes more than that.

Tissue Extensibility
 

Tissue extensibility is a new term I just learned from a video. It means, "The ability to be stretched or extended." Muscles must be soft and pliable to stretch properly, so when I do myofascial release with the Thera Cane, that is my goal. I'm trying to soften up the muscles, and break up the fibers, so they have the ability to stretch without pain.

According to the video I watched, myofascial release should come before joint mobility, so I guess I'm doing things a little bit backwards, but I'm getting results. So who cares? There's more than one way to skin a cat. The end result is all that matters.