With all the hideous medical
problems George has been having of late, it got me wondering about what we can do to prevent such debilitating pain from potentially making our chops impossible to ride and some old-guy road couch suddenly look attractive. Personally, I can’t see one of those plastic-encrusted baggers ever looking like a viable option (and I don’t need to hear a bunch of defensive riders telling me they do 100000000000000000 miles a year on one because basically, I don’t care). So how does one avoid such an ignominious fate? Well, obviously I’m no doctor (I do have Google, however) but a lot of this stuff has to be fairly simple. Anyone that’s ever worked in a factory must have seen those posters everywhere about the correct way to pick up heavy objects. Back straight and lift with the legs, right? Similarly, just about everyone who has read that poster a thousand times (life gets boring in factories) has (at one time or another) absent-mindedly bent over to pick something up that was heavier than they thought and POP, put themselves in agony for a few days. Hell, once I sneezed unexpectedly and put my back out for two weeks. That shit HURT!
Some of George’s problems have to be attributed to his propensity for falling off the bike. This last time was captured on tape and is visible on the Smoke Out 10 DVD as the bikes all nonchalantly ride up the drag strip, only to notice it gets pretty damn slippery up at the other end. By the way, we have a boatload of those DVD’s left, so if you don’t have one, you really need to buy one.
Anyway, I look forward to the reports of pieces of plastic being scattered far and wide when George dumps whatever road la-z-boy he ends up with (if I were in his shoes I’d just revamp the Shovelhead with advanced suspension and electrics), but I digress.
Since Fabricator Kevin hardtailed my stock four speed swingarm frame, I’ve traversed I-40 twice and generally put a boatload of miles on the bike, but so far I haven’t experienced any significant back pain. How can this be? Well, although it may not be readily apparent when you look at me, I do exercise on a regular basis.
I’m a big believer in at least keeping the upper body flexible and I think it’s paid off. When I’m lifting weights, I’m very conscious that it would be REALLY easy to pop my back out just by moving the plates around haphazardly. There are certain exercises I avoid because I can feel them ‘tweaking’ my lower back.
It’s also important to maintain good posture. Some people, such as Fab Kevin and Steve Broyles II, are quick to point out I look silly riding down the road because I tend to sit straight up, no matter which bike I’m riding. The truth is; slouching is hard on your back. I know it looks cooler going down the road hunched over the tank Jesse James style, but it’s not for me.
It’s always a good idea not to let the old beer belly get out of hand also, although I’m obviously not the best person for handing out this particular lecture. It has merit by taking the forward strain off your back.
And we can obviously see that the beer belly scenario wasn’t part of George’s risk factor, but if he hadn’t have had that layer of skin holding his bones together he’d have just shattered when he hit the ground!
Far be it for me to tell anyone how to live their life, but the very thought of being condemned to a Geezer Glide for the duration should be enough to scare anyone into the gym!
problems George has been having of late, it got me wondering about what we can do to prevent such debilitating pain from potentially making our chops impossible to ride and some old-guy road couch suddenly look attractive. Personally, I can’t see one of those plastic-encrusted baggers ever looking like a viable option (and I don’t need to hear a bunch of defensive riders telling me they do 100000000000000000 miles a year on one because basically, I don’t care). So how does one avoid such an ignominious fate? Well, obviously I’m no doctor (I do have Google, however) but a lot of this stuff has to be fairly simple. Anyone that’s ever worked in a factory must have seen those posters everywhere about the correct way to pick up heavy objects. Back straight and lift with the legs, right? Similarly, just about everyone who has read that poster a thousand times (life gets boring in factories) has (at one time or another) absent-mindedly bent over to pick something up that was heavier than they thought and POP, put themselves in agony for a few days. Hell, once I sneezed unexpectedly and put my back out for two weeks. That shit HURT!
Some of George’s problems have to be attributed to his propensity for falling off the bike. This last time was captured on tape and is visible on the Smoke Out 10 DVD as the bikes all nonchalantly ride up the drag strip, only to notice it gets pretty damn slippery up at the other end. By the way, we have a boatload of those DVD’s left, so if you don’t have one, you really need to buy one.
Anyway, I look forward to the reports of pieces of plastic being scattered far and wide when George dumps whatever road la-z-boy he ends up with (if I were in his shoes I’d just revamp the Shovelhead with advanced suspension and electrics), but I digress.
Since Fabricator Kevin hardtailed my stock four speed swingarm frame, I’ve traversed I-40 twice and generally put a boatload of miles on the bike, but so far I haven’t experienced any significant back pain. How can this be? Well, although it may not be readily apparent when you look at me, I do exercise on a regular basis.
I’m a big believer in at least keeping the upper body flexible and I think it’s paid off. When I’m lifting weights, I’m very conscious that it would be REALLY easy to pop my back out just by moving the plates around haphazardly. There are certain exercises I avoid because I can feel them ‘tweaking’ my lower back.
It’s also important to maintain good posture. Some people, such as Fab Kevin and Steve Broyles II, are quick to point out I look silly riding down the road because I tend to sit straight up, no matter which bike I’m riding. The truth is; slouching is hard on your back. I know it looks cooler going down the road hunched over the tank Jesse James style, but it’s not for me.
It’s always a good idea not to let the old beer belly get out of hand also, although I’m obviously not the best person for handing out this particular lecture. It has merit by taking the forward strain off your back.
And we can obviously see that the beer belly scenario wasn’t part of George’s risk factor, but if he hadn’t have had that layer of skin holding his bones together he’d have just shattered when he hit the ground!
Far be it for me to tell anyone how to live their life, but the very thought of being condemned to a Geezer Glide for the duration should be enough to scare anyone into the gym!
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