Back to the Basics

As much as I'd love to be snatching, squatting, and crushing heavy clean and jerks right now, even I know that my body isn't prepared for it.  Between my knee being less than three weeks out from having two surgeries, and an IV running through my right bicep and through a major vein into my chest, I realize that I still have some time ahead of me before I can truly get back to doing what I love.

That being said, there is ALWAYS a way to train, and ALWAYS a way to improve ones self.  I have to laugh when people say they can't work out because of bruised ribs, (saw that one on Facebook) knee problems, back problems, hurt fingers...  The list truly gets ridiculous.  The fact is, if you have a pulse, and aren't paralyzed, you can find a way to train if it's a priority for you.  Even without full use of my right arm, (it bleeds profusely if I use it too much) and with a slowly recovering knee, I've been getting after it everyday.  Just as I always have in the face of injury, or in this case, a serious illness that somehow resulted in two more knee surgeries to fix the problem, I've gone back to the basics.

Today was the final day of my first week back to any real training, and it's been a good one.  At the beginning of the week my knee caused me intense pain whenever I taxed it, and still had a very limited range of motion.  After my first day of dragging a 200 pound sled around, I had serious pain in the back of my knee and wondered if I was pushing too hard.  However, I found that the more sled dragging and strength work I've done, the better and stronger my knee has felt.

While I'm under orders to take it easy, I know from experience that allowing a surgically repaired limb to languish is exactly what you don't want to do.  The faster you get full range of motion back and being to rebuild the strength and muscle lost due to surgery and the following atrophy, the better.  My sled has proved to be an invaluable tool.  My workouts are short and intense.  My tools are limited to only my bodyweight, the weight I have laying around, stones, kettlebells, and a sled.  It's bare bones and basic, but it gets the job done.

I've always found that getting back to the basics has helped me train around injuries, while still building muscle and strength in a way that satisfies me as a meathead.  Here's an example of one simple workout I used today.

Circuit #1--5 Rounds
Kettlebell Swings (70 pounds)--15
Sled Drags (226 pounds)--20 yards backwards, 20 yards forwards
Band Pull Aparts--20

Supsert #1
Stone RDLs (100 pounds)--10 (4 Rounds)
Bodyweight Reverse Lunges--10 each leg (3 Rounds)

Ab and therapy work all day throughout the day

As you can see I'm being careful not to push too hard yet.  But each day I'm increasing the intensity and the volume of my workouts, preparing myself to get back to regular training within a couple weeks.  I really like the feel of the stone RDLs and will use them much more in the coming weeks.

The point to take away is that no matter what, if you are passionate enough about something, you'll find a way to get it done, no matter what stands in your way, and if you feel like your training is stale or you may be doing exercises that seem overcomplicated with no gains, get back to the basics!

The Struggle

I've been thinking about this post for well over a month now.  At that time, my mindset was very different.  I was going through spring football lifts, spring practice, and training on my own in Olympic lifting.  I wanted to write an article that would capture the mental game that is training.  It's not just about waking up everyday to the grind and finding it inside yourself to make it through football practice on a cold Saturday morning when your peers are asleep.  It's not just about walking off the field after practice knowing your not going to eat or put your head to the pillow, you're heading to the gym and max out in the snatch and clean and jerk.  At the time, I defined the struggle as having the mental fortitude to step back up to the bar even after it has literally knocked you down.  When the body aches, hands and neck bleeding, chalk splattered all over your clothes; can you find the balls to walk back up to the bar after 300+ pounds just crushed you in the clean in and jerk?  This was my struggle.  Each and everyday, finding it in myself to step up to the bar time and again, no matter what stood in my way.

That is, until two weeks ago.  Two days after coming home from school I woke up with a fever and aches all over my body.  Figuring I had the flu, I just pounded as much Motrin as I could and tried to ride it out.  By the next morning, nothing was improving, so I headed to the doctor's.  After being examined, he sent me to the Emergency Room.  To expedite a long story, after being in the hospital for four days, being starved for over 40 straight hours, and having a hospital full of doctors unable to diagnose what was wrong with me, it was finally discovered that I had a massive Staph infection in my knee, which I have a history of injuries and surgeries in.

Two surgeries later, my knee was cleaned out, and my health was improving.  In order to make sure the infection didn't return, a Picc line was inserted into my arm so that I can give myself IV antibiotics for the next month at home.  While I was excited to finally leave the hospital after 10 days, and to finally not have a 103+ degree fever, I recognized that there are still a number of obstacles to overcome.

Right before I got sick, I had joined a weightlifting club at home, and was excited to continue training.  I was the strongest I've ever been, having recently back squatted 315 lbs for 3 sets of 10, and hit snatch, clean and jerk, and clean personal records, (the snatch re-broke the FDU Oline snatch record for the 4th time).  Now, after having two surgeries in the span of 48 hours, I knew I would have a tough road ahead.  Then, I found out that I wouldn't be able to use my right arm for a month, or as long as the Picc line is in there.  Faced with another round of physical therapy for my knee, no use of my right arm, and no high intensity training for at least a month, I couldn't help but feel depressed.  All my hard work, the commitment, the struggle...all for nothing.  In my mind I had lost everything.

But, I quickly snapped out of it and started looking at the situation differently.  With the encouragement and help from my family and some supportive texts from my teammates and friends, I realized I needed to approach this like any other challenge I've had in my life.  The illness, the surgeries, the Picc line...all obstacles that I need to overcome. 

There are ALWAYS ways to train around injuries.  Without the use of my right arm and with my knee not anywhere near full strength or mobility, my options are limited, but I can still find things to do.  I began by doing various leg raises and quad activation exercises for my knee and abdominal or core work throughout the day.  As tolerated, I've begun to add in single leg RDLs with only my bodyweight, and some split squats to try to build strength and mobility in the muscles around my knee.  Is it the training I'd like to be doing?  Absolutely not.  But am I sitting on my ass all day moping about what I can't do?  Hell no.  I'm working on programming for my teammates and friends and working my ass off to rehab my knee and do everything I can to stay active and in shape during the time that I have to recover.

The point is no matter what it is in life, if it's worthwhile, you will have to struggle to get it.  I love training, and I love football.  Both have changed my life and helped make me the man I am today, but both have forced me to struggle for everything I've achieved.  Regardless of what it is you are passionate about, there will always be obstacles and challenges that stand in your way.  When you fail or get knocked down, you can succumb to the struggle, or you can will yourself to dominate it.  The struggle will show your true colors, it will strengthen you or break you, it will lift you above your competition, whether that be other athletes, other people in the workforce, or even just yourself.  Embrace the struggle, because I've come to realize that no matter how many times you get knocked down, you will ALWAYS have the opportunity to get back up.  Whether or not you seize that opportunity is entirely up to you.  In my case, I know I'll be back, stronger and more motivated than ever.