The title of this post may be a bit melodramatic, but I do feel that I'm at a crossroads in terms of fitness and working out. I already reached, and took, a cross-road several months ago (about the time I started this blog) when I started to pursue a more wide-reaching definition of fitness, including lifting, power-based training, and yoga. Now, three more or less simultaneous injuries later (knee, wrist, and neck) the crossroads I am at relates to how to pursue these activities in a balanced and sustainable way. Although some may disagree, it seems no use going for a personal pull-up record if I'm going to sprain my neck and be essentially out of condition for heavy upper body work for months and months; similarly with the wrist and yoga poses that are too advanced. The knee is different; I've recovered from so many inflammatory running injuries that I am not too worried about this one.
So part of my nature has become to try and push my limits, to delight in exhaustion, and, yes, even to embrace some pain. How to modulate this to avoid injuries, or at least multiple injuries? No easy answer here. Food for thought as I (again) take an easy week.
Yesterday: yoga 20 minutes, 45 situps
Today: 50 situps
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I'm sure you must have but I'll ask anyway: have you tried tweaking your diet? When I get the sense that my body is trying to bully my brain into taking a few steps back I like to double down on the ol' raw vegetables and take a vacation from libation! This ~ ehhh? ~ usually works. Now how much of it is actually nutrition based vs. the psychosomatic act? Hard to say, but when I feel the ol' bone machine might be protesting too much, I like to push back.
ReplyDeletecheers
joe
Joe,
ReplyDeleteDiet has probably been better over the last six months than in a long time (though not perfect by any means) though I could vary the content and double the veggies etc. Good question on the "psychosomatic" angle as well, we are about to move, start a new job, etc. Since I wrote this post I've been chilling out and feeling better in at least 2 of 3 injuries, but I am still wondering how to bring about lasting change to bust out of the "feeling good - pushing hard - lingering injury" cycle. Talk to you more about this soon I'm sure. Before too long I won't be able to stand chilling out anymore and I'll be forced to crush some workout or other.