Getting hurt sucks—anyone telling you otherwise hasn’t dealt with it—but injuries happen, and what you take from the experience can have more to do with your long-term success than just about anything else.
Here We Go Again
It hurts to write this. That’s not a figure of speech; it’s the result of what seems to be a ruptured bicep tendon. Who knew you needed your biceps to type? The physical pain is bad enough, but it’s accompanied by fears and worries about what comes next.
This isn’t my first injury—I still have memories (and more) of a separated a/c joint, a ruptured achilles tendon, and a torn meniscus—but as much as experience helps, it also hurts. I know just how hard recovery can be.
Protein Shaker Half Full
Still, there’s gotta be an upside, right? I’m writing this while the wound is literally still fresh, but I've done my best to find few positives. In no particular order, here’s where my head’s at:
You Learn More From Failure Than From Success
I wasn’t really in the mood to learn a lesson—I was just trying to get better—but if one’s being taught, I’ll try to take it in. It’s amazing; I’ve got more than 20 years of experience with this stuff, but there’s always more to learn. In this case, it probably has something to do with load management. I'll use the downtime to reflect and learn from this.
Lead by Example
Nothing certifies authority quite like experience; there’s a reason so many people see out trainers who have walked the same path. While I’d gladly trade the slings and crutches of my particular fortune for some inexperience, that’s not an option. What is an option is to kick ass rehabbing this injury, and to lean on that experience in helping others. While I wish it weren’t true, it’s sure to come in handy as clients inevitably deal with injuries of their own.
Nothing certifies authority quite like experience.
Weakness Leaving the Body
This particular injury takes a lot of exercises off of the proverbial table, but there’s still plenty that can be done. What’s more, it’s pretty likely that some of the things I can continue to do represent an opportunity to train something that hasn’t been getting as much attention lately.
Champing at the Bit
Trying to find an upside to not being able to train the way I want to is tough. It's been three days and I'm already itching to get back under the bar. I'll do what I can to make the best of this, but I will spend every minute wanting to get back at it. To say I'll come back motivated is an understatement.