Lipedema Fitness: Rope Flow

WHAT IS ROPE FLOW?

Rope Flow is a low impact movement using a weighted rope (looks like a jump rope). But instead of jumping the rope like we did as kids, you swing the rope in various ways (from side to side, and back to front) around your body in an infinity symbol pattern (like a sideways figure eight if you are unfamiliar with the infinity symbol reference). 

It engages your body and your mind at the same time, as you follow various swing patterns around your body. It feels like dancing, and is a lot of fun. 

HOW DID I LEARN ABOUT ROPE FLOW?

In early November of 2023 I stumbled upon a YouTube video by Strength Side called How Rope Flow Changed my Body - The Strength Side channel is a favorite of both Coach and I, so it just popped up in my feed one day.

In the video Josh introduces Tim Shieff from Way of the Rope who teaches you the two most basic Rope Flow patterns, Underhand-8 and Overhand-8. You also learn you don't need a specific rope to get started, you can use any rope, or even resistance bands (which is what we used, first with the thinner red band, then as the weeks went on I moved into the purple and black bands, and ultimately Coach started making us weighted ropes - you can also buy them ready made). The ropes come in different weights and thicknesses. Later in the video Josh encourages you to check out David Weck from the WeckMethod as the creator of Rope Flow.

What you learn about the overhand and the underhand patterns, are that they feel completely different from each other. Overhand feels more powerful (like throwing a ball, or a punch), and the Underhand feels more bouncy, more like dancing, which transitions into the locomotion of you guessed it, improved walking. 

Here is one of the first videos I shared with my Lipedema Fitness support group that shows the Overhand-8 in both a standing and a seated option. This video was added to the Lipedema Fitness YouTube channel to introduce Rope Flow and show how we can modify it for all abilities...

The third pattern shared is the Dragon Roll (some call it the Drag and Roll). This is where you move the rope front to back, and back to front, and it feels pretty flippin' cool when you are able to get it right (and it looks pretty cool to watch it, especially if you are listening to some harder hitting tunes, like Dragula by Rob Zombie)... that's a video for another day, or check out a recent video here with a seated version side by side with the standing version. 

You can tell I'm a fan, and last weekend we got back to outside workouts again with the nicer weather, and while working out with Rope Flow is fun at the Dojo, it is epic outside in the park, what a way to go explore and move in nature - it is a healing mindful movement.

TABATA: Finding Time to Move

Busy day at work and no time to move? 

#tabata is always my go-to when I’m short on time, and even when I’m not.

The format is easy: (8) Rounds = 4 Minutes, and if you have more time you can do multiple sets.

Each round is:

20 seconds of max effort / 10 sec. Rest

And there are free Tabata timer apps online (that you can download to your phone) to help keep you on track of when to work, and when to rest.

Typically a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout, but you can use the same format for any movement at any pace. 

The graphic shares some of my top five (with and without equipment) options. Like Kettle Bell Swings, Slam Ball, Wall Ball Sit-ups (with equipment) and no worries if you don’t have access to equipment, it can be modified to any movement… sit-ups, push-ups, squats, etc.

Great when work is busy, when traveling, or just because you like the format, like I do.

I feel I can do anything for 20 seconds knowing I have that short rest before jumping back in. 

Everything is modifiable  #allorsomething 

Are you a Tabata fan? What are your go-to options when short on time?

Thinking Outside the Plyo Box

My first thought when I began writing this post was that you would think I’ve lost my mind (insane in the membrane). 

Why would someone who can’t jump, due to late stage #lipedema & #hypermobility suggest a #plyobox - the equipment used for #boxjumps ?

Here is where I’m asking you to think outside the proverbial box (see what I did there).

For starters, they are traditionally used for more than box jumps; step ups, dips, glute bridges, hip thrusters, etc. 

But what I’m referring to in this post are three obvious reasons members in my support group might consider one…

1. Plyo boxes are strong AF, they are made to support major impact, and as such have a higher weight limit, upwards of 500lbs, which is great for seated workouts (especially if you are doing seated weight lifting), but also a safe seat option for taking a break between sets.
2. They are stable, they do not tip over easily. Great when you are doing things like modified push-ups leaning against one (for even more stability push it up against a wall). Having balance issues can be challenging, this can help put you at ease.
3. They are great for MODs, as they have 3 different heights, this one has a 16”, 18”, and 24” side to choose from. You can use for things like sit to stand squats, lowering the height as you get stronger. Same for those modified push-ups, the lower you go the more challenging the movement. Also great for tire flip prep! It obviously doesn’t weigh as much as the tractor tires (think the box is about 25lbs), but walking behind it and rolling it from one height to the next gets you varying your depth. 

I use one at the dojo and coach just got me one for at home. I’m a fan and highly recommend one for home use. I’m actually thinking of sewing a quick slip cover for it and using it as an ottoman when not being used for workouts - that way it is always ready when I am and takes up no extra space in the house.

What is your favorite use of a Plyo box?

Fight or Flight: Is Not Meant to be a Lifestyle

I’m sure by now you have heard the term Fight or Flight - if not, it is the body’s automatic response to stressful situations, it is our nervous system’s way to keep us safe. Think caveman days, do I stay and fight, or do I run away?

There are two sides to our autonomic nervous system: Sympathetic (fight or flight) and Parasympathetic (rest and digest).

Harvard Med has a great article describing the sympathetic state being like the gas pedal of a car, and the parasympathetic state is like the break.

Being in the sympathetic state is supposed to be for urgent situations - as in you see a threat, you react - did you know your nervous system starts reacting before your brain fully recognizes the threat? 

It sends hormones out like adrenaline and cortisol to get us fired up and ready. Then after the threat passes, our parasympathetic state kicks in to help us rest & digest (recover).

Living with chronic pain and/or in fear of falling (like so many with Lipedema, and other chronic illnesses do) means you are living in the fight or flight state.

Our bodies are not made to live like that.  So it becomes really important to seek ways to get our bodies into a parasympathetic state. 

Did you know humming is a great way to do this? It is wonderful for vagus nerve stimulation.

Other things to try are moving (leisurely walking in nature, restorative yoga, stretching, etc.), yawning, laughing, singing, deep breathing, even hugging - think about it, doing relaxing things is going to send signals to your body that you are safe. 

AND if you are in a parasympathetic state your body produces less inflammation! Always a goal when living with chronic illnesses.

Lipedema & Hair Loss

Next Wednesday (12/20) is the December Lipedema Patient Roundtable, hosted by @lympha_press and we always have amazing conversations and ask you for any questions you may have.

Today I received a really great question about lipedema and hair loss, and if there is any connection.

Over the years many of us in the #lipedemacommunity have shared a reduced need to shave our legs, due to less hair, but this question was in regard to the hair on our heads.

We now know lipedema can be found anywhere in our bodies, including in our heads, and we have begun to see the term #glymphaticsystem popping up more and more lately (lymphatics in the central nervous system) - so it would seem that yes, there is a possible connection.

Do you have lipedema in your head, and if so, have you noticed any hair loss? We would love to have you tune in next week, and share your experience with us in the chat.

Registration is required to participate/watch live. If you can’t join us live, we would love your input in the comments, and I will share it live.

I did some initial research and found a condition called #lipedematous scalp - a rare disorder characterized by increased thickness of subcutaneous tissue of the scalp, which can cause hair loss. The terminology is quite similar and has me asking so many other questions. 

Hope you can tune in. Thank you!

#lipedemapatientroundtable #lipedemafitness #lipedemahairloss #hairloss #lipoedema #lipolymohedema #lymphedema 

WHAT’S ALL THE BUZZZ W/ ZEPBOUND: and can it help Lipedema?

Zepbound is all the buzz, because the FDA just approved it to be used for obesity. 

The name is new but the medication is the same as #mounjaro - which was approved in 2022 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. 

This may sound familiar, back in 2017 the FDA approved #ozempic for type 2 diabetes, and then created #wegovy which was FDA approved in 2021 for obesity.

But why are we talking about these weight loss drugs on a #lipedema page, when we have been told (and many have tried everything under the sun) and found weight loss medications do not typically work for lipedema. 

Because many lipedema patients who are taking these meds are finding they get pain reduction and shrinking of their fibrotic areas. 

Like everything else we have found, it doesn’t seem to work the same for everyone. But this step opens up options and competition - these medications are rarely covered by insurance for obesity diagnoses, and the out of pocket cost is over $1000 per month. Competition is a good thing.

I have not taken these meds personally, so I have no personal insight but I am very curious on the #antiinflammatory and #antifibrotic properties you may be experiencing. I will be addressing with my doctor at my next annual physical.

I also hope it inspires research on these medications and their effects on lipedema bodies.

DIY Halloween Costume: Rhythm Nation

I love Halloween, always have, always will.

I remember the cheap plastic costumes we had as kids, not just the mask was plastic, but the costume itself was also plastic, I still remember sweating buckets walking around trick or treating.

And when we had no money for those costumes, we (or our parents) made them, a.k.a. DIY (do it yourself).

Pillowcase or old sheet ghost, fortune teller with mom’s scarves and hoop earrings, or a cat face drawn on with black eyeliner, after I blew a whopper of a bubble gum bubble through said cheap plastic cat mask mouth opening one year, making the mask totally unusable.

That love of DIYing a great costume has never left me, which is why I am so grateful for the monthly LIPEDEMA PATIENT ROUNDTABLES, where we log onto zoom in costume every October.

This year’s costume was inspired after a Peloton Artist Series ride featuring none other than THE Janet Jackson (highly recommend this ride from 9/28/23 with trainer Emma Lovewell).

Growing up I wanted so bad to be one of Janet’s RHYTHM NATION backup dancers, practicing alongside the video whenever it came on MTV. Well this year, that dream (somewhat) came true.

Here is how it was done for around $80, and several hours (and it could be made for a lot less, depending on what you find in your closet and/or around the house)…

• Baseball hat embroidered with the 1814 emblem - from Rockatee here for $24.99.
• Black mock neck tunic - I lucked out and found one on clearance at Torrid for $15.94.
• Black leather dog leash from Amazon for $9.90 - old handbag straps or ribbon would work.
• Stainless steel chain from Amazon for $3.99 - I should have looked in my jewelry box.
• Metal buckles for $8.99 - could have repurposed but was happy to find a pack of 5 under $10.
• Leather gloves for $11.99 - I need new gloves this winter, so went with ones I would wear after.
• Small sheet of metal for $6.47 - swapped out for cardboard.
• Hoop earring and old silver work key I already owned - no cost.
• Art supplies I already owned - no cost.

Notes: 

The metal I tried cutting into the 1814 emblem did not work. It was really hard to cut with my husband’s tin shears, and the cut edges were way too sharp. This is when I repurposed the cardboard from a small box that had come in the mail. Not only did I use it to create the 1814 emblem on my chest, but also the “riveted” pieces on my gloves (the rivets were painted hot glue dots in each corner).

Instead of sewing the buckles on the tunic, to more resemble Janet’s jacket, I added them to the right side chest embellishments - on zoom you wouldn’t have seen them if I sewed them on the sides of the tunic, so I modified the look, and really like how it came out. The piece was heavy with the metal buckles, so I attached the leather straps to the shoulder seam of the tunic, and in the back. I did the same for the 1814 chest emblem, as instead of cutting the silver chain, I left it intact and just taped it to the back, which added weight to that side as well. The stitching in both places held up during the zoom call. But if I wear this out on Halloween, I’ll tack it down even more.

These buckles and 1814 embellishments could also be added to any black top, jacket, dress, etc. that you already own, to save some money. I really liked the tunic and planned to remove the embellishments and then wear it after, so I was fine with buying it, and it was on clearance. The leather straps might be harder to source around the house, I was initially going to see if I had a broken handbag I could repurpose the straps from, but I think even black ribbon or marker could be used.

The baseball cap I really love and plan on wearing that outside of the costume, too. But you could make a second 1814 embellishment and attach to any black baseball cap you own to save even more money.

Initially I was trying to find the iconic key earring, and they do still make them, but they were $50+, so I just used a small silver key on one of my silver hoop earrings and it worked great. I thought if the key opening doesn’t fit the hoop, I could just wire wrap it, but the opening worked on the earring no problem.

It would be fun to try making this costume with only supplies on hand, like we did as a kid.