Wowza.... the things I could go on and on here from the last 2 weeks... but I shall remain focused! So, my new commitment! Working with a personal trainer, getting into shape and kicking butt right?! Well, there's been a minor setback... a bump in the road. One of my favorite all time quotes is "A bump in the road is either an obstacle to be avoided or an opportunity to be enjoyed; it's all up to you!" So, this bump in the road - it's not an obstacle, I want it to be an opportunity. An opportunity to get creative in my workouts, to stay focused and driven even IF I have to hold back, to learn restraint, self-discipline and other areas where I can work on that aren't so physically challenging right now. OH!! My bump in the road! Helps if you know what it is doesn't it?! Well... it's kinda a funny story. I got through my fitness assessment in week 1 - good news, I'm not in awful shape, but I'm not in the best shape. Week 2 kicked my rear! It was Chest and Core week, so we were doing triceps kickbacks, sit ups while passing an 8lb ball back and forth, push ups on the bosu ball (if you've never done this and push ups aren't much of a challenge for you anymore... I dare you to try it! It's a great workout!) and more. It was definitely a work out and definitely pushed me, which was AWESOME!!!
So, as you can imagine, I was PUMPED for week 3, which was leg week. We started our warm up and I go into the plank position for a push up... I drop down and before I could come back up I would've sworn someone had taken a knife and stabbed me in the stomach! I pulled a core muscle; to be specific, I pulled the "rectus abdominis" muscle - lovingly referred to as "the keg" by many though the goal here for me is to reach the "four pack" or "six pack" status! Yeah, it's that muscle. OUCH! Now, my trainer is a smart guy, and so we backed off and he wouldn't let me do anything that engaged my core while we finished our work out. We wrap up and I'm still pretty tender, but manageable. I get through the night, which some modifications to my sleep style as stretching out that muscle wasn't feeling so great, and am feeling much better the next day. Sure, it's still a little tender and it hurts to stretch out... or sit up.... or jump... or sneeze... but yeah, I'm doing better! So guess what I do that night! I go out dancing with friends. All is going well, enjoying dancing the night away (even though my legs were screamin at me time to time from the workout the day before) when the brilliant idea pops up in the group... the mechanical bull!!! I'm ALL for it! I did fairly well, no problems, but then... the bull threw me... and my brain went "Oh yeah!!! We got hurt in the ab's yesterday... here, remember what this felt like?!?!" and YOUCH! It wasn't anywhere near as bad as it'd felt the prior day, but it was painful enough to remind me that the mechanical bull was a bad idea and to take it easy.
Now... I know, this is a bump in the road, but if we're going to enjoy the bump in the road you might as well know how this all transpired. Here we are, a week from when the injury occurred and I'm still not better, so my trainer says he needs a release from my doctor before we can train again, just to be safe. I figure cool, it's not THAT big of a deal... apparently, the doc thought differently. I'm out, 2-6 weeks, on any exercises that engage my core (which is basically all of them AND was my main goal in personal training). It was explained to me that a level 1 is a pulled muscle, no tear, no separation; a level 2 is a torn/strained muscle but with no separation and a level 3 is a torn and separated muscle. I came in at a 2 and I sure as heck don't want to meet level 3! I looked at my doctor and asked "REALLY?! C'mon, really?! I was doing a danged push-up?? You're kidding, right?" and he came right back with a response that I should have expected from him (GREAT doctor, known him for years!!). He looks at my chart, looks at me and says "well, you did turn 30 this year..." HAHAHA!!! I remember turning 30... I told 30 to BRING IT! And I promised I wasn't going to let it hold me back or get me down, and so it won't!
The sessions will continue though! It's important, and I know me well enough to know that if I sit out a week or two until this starts getting better, I'm not going to go back. This is important to me, not only the physical challenges presented, but the mental and emotional challenges that will come with it. I refuse to give up, I can't... I've given up too many times in the past, it's time to stick this one out and see it through!
Wish me luck and as you tackle your next bump in the road, consider it an opportunity and not an obstacle!
So, as you can imagine, I was PUMPED for week 3, which was leg week. We started our warm up and I go into the plank position for a push up... I drop down and before I could come back up I would've sworn someone had taken a knife and stabbed me in the stomach! I pulled a core muscle; to be specific, I pulled the "rectus abdominis" muscle - lovingly referred to as "the keg" by many though the goal here for me is to reach the "four pack" or "six pack" status! Yeah, it's that muscle. OUCH! Now, my trainer is a smart guy, and so we backed off and he wouldn't let me do anything that engaged my core while we finished our work out. We wrap up and I'm still pretty tender, but manageable. I get through the night, which some modifications to my sleep style as stretching out that muscle wasn't feeling so great, and am feeling much better the next day. Sure, it's still a little tender and it hurts to stretch out... or sit up.... or jump... or sneeze... but yeah, I'm doing better! So guess what I do that night! I go out dancing with friends. All is going well, enjoying dancing the night away (even though my legs were screamin at me time to time from the workout the day before) when the brilliant idea pops up in the group... the mechanical bull!!! I'm ALL for it! I did fairly well, no problems, but then... the bull threw me... and my brain went "Oh yeah!!! We got hurt in the ab's yesterday... here, remember what this felt like?!?!" and YOUCH! It wasn't anywhere near as bad as it'd felt the prior day, but it was painful enough to remind me that the mechanical bull was a bad idea and to take it easy.
Now... I know, this is a bump in the road, but if we're going to enjoy the bump in the road you might as well know how this all transpired. Here we are, a week from when the injury occurred and I'm still not better, so my trainer says he needs a release from my doctor before we can train again, just to be safe. I figure cool, it's not THAT big of a deal... apparently, the doc thought differently. I'm out, 2-6 weeks, on any exercises that engage my core (which is basically all of them AND was my main goal in personal training). It was explained to me that a level 1 is a pulled muscle, no tear, no separation; a level 2 is a torn/strained muscle but with no separation and a level 3 is a torn and separated muscle. I came in at a 2 and I sure as heck don't want to meet level 3! I looked at my doctor and asked "REALLY?! C'mon, really?! I was doing a danged push-up?? You're kidding, right?" and he came right back with a response that I should have expected from him (GREAT doctor, known him for years!!). He looks at my chart, looks at me and says "well, you did turn 30 this year..." HAHAHA!!! I remember turning 30... I told 30 to BRING IT! And I promised I wasn't going to let it hold me back or get me down, and so it won't!
The sessions will continue though! It's important, and I know me well enough to know that if I sit out a week or two until this starts getting better, I'm not going to go back. This is important to me, not only the physical challenges presented, but the mental and emotional challenges that will come with it. I refuse to give up, I can't... I've given up too many times in the past, it's time to stick this one out and see it through!
Wish me luck and as you tackle your next bump in the road, consider it an opportunity and not an obstacle!
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