Rest has done the best for me. If I work my legs out too hard doing squats and leg extension it swells up. I try to run on elliptical and lots of swimming to work legs out.

 

My shin splints are coming back already and I know it's from the power jumps. He keeps telling me to land softly. How the hell do you do that?

Aside from that, I did my 2nd fit test today (required every 2 weeks) and I can't believe the increases in such a short time.

 

you might be doing something wrong...
for some people squats are simply not good because of the ratio of their upper legs and lower legs..
If your knee caps go beyond the line of your toes when going down the knees are very likely to be fvcked up soon
plus leg extensions are killers if you already have problems with your knees.
Try to switch to leg press,lunges etc

oh and running and cardio is not exactly working out your legs...


KT,

your problems are very likely linked to your muscles,tendons etc being new to the extra stress of working out and they have to adapt to that first...they are overstressed for the moment and you should back down a bit and give them time to adapt..
It`s great that you have such a great success in short time!!!
Just don`t overstress your body

 

Swimming does work you legs when you have 4ft long free diving fins. Usually swim for about 4 hrs or so when we swim to Peanut Island. I have Chondromalacia to the patellae. Over work out the Orthopedic surgeon said is gonna really hurt me. I do lunges and squats still but not heavy weights. Doc said if I keep it up full replacement by 30... lol I have abused the knees to much.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chondromalacia_patellae

 

How are you landing/where are you transferring your weight? You may have bend your knees a bit more. I know when I do 30"+ box jumps over the box if I don't land softly it hurts like hell.

 

subtle I do 30"+ box jumps brag/tag

 

cstroked jumps high!

 

As I get older it becomes much more about long term health and working around injuries. For instance right now I've got a sore low back, tennis elbow on the left and a right knee clicking/pain on the back of the knee. Haha, what a mess.

But as a for instance deads and heavy squats aggravate my back, so I do KB swings and cleans (lighter weight, higher reps).

Pullups aggravate the tennis elbow, but cable rows and false grip pulldowns don't.

Earlier in the year my right shoulder was giving me hell on OHP so I quit that and went to bench variants, DB raises, etc... Now it's fine and I can OHP again no problem.

It is frustrating when some of your favs cause you pain, but watcha gonna do? Everyone gets old.

 

I also teach Zumba if you're interested

 

30" is pretty good. Ben, I know that you are doing those regularly, right? I like da box jumpz!!!