The one about injuries…
As you may have guessed the main reason I’ve been absent from the site is because I’m a lazy person who seldom finishes anything he starts. Beyond this small but very important detail is the fact I’ve been injured. And this time it wasn’t just my ego.
It was between ten and eleven weeks ago—I don’t remember the exact week it happened—when I took a hit during a soccer match right in the side of my rib cage. Everything from breathing to laying down was painful for the next little while and it actually took me an extra week and a scary run-in with the bench press to decide to stay out of the gym and let this mess heal up. The main reason for staying out of the gym was so I could continue to play soccer each week; my working theory was as long as I got enough active rest after each game, I ought to be in good enough condition to play the next match. So don’t worry—Vince didn’t go and become “responsible” while he was away.
I decided it was important for me to take this seriously because of just how uncomfortable the simple everyday tasks had become. Not serious enough to stay off the soccer field where I would continuously be hit by other players and potentially worsen the situation, but still. Whatever—let’s glass over those details and find the takeaway points. Being injured sucks but it’s an opportunity to focus on your weaknesses (apart from whatever injury you’re dealing with).
My biggest weakness is probably pizza and a good Star Wars reference but a close third is knowing when to stop and rest. I famously ruptured my pubic symphysis years ago after pulling my groin and continuing to play twelve matches in eight days of an indoor soccer tournament. I did not enjoy the following six weeks of recovery. Before that lovely little number I fractured my scaphoid and went snowboarding in the mountains for a week because it was in a cast and honestly what better protection is there than a fiberglass cast? These are but examples in the long journey to learning my lesson and grappling with simply staying in one spot. And to be fair, playing soccer week in and week out while running and hoping my ribs would feel “good enough” to play isn’t the lesson learned…
“I cannot teach him… the boy has no patience.” Jedi Master, Yoda.
So here’s the important thing to take home after an injury happens (outside of seeking any necessary immediate medical attention, of course): take your time. The world is going to continue to turn; there’s another game next week; appreciate the down time and find your weakness to come back better. Be patient.
In the last few weeks I’ve been running and making sure not to continue the “gains train” meal plan. I’m feeling pretty alright and while my ribs still bother me here and there, I’m down about nine or ten pounds and I’ve got new bright green running shoes. The strength will come back quickly and I nearly matched my “pull day” workout tonight from the last time I did it. See? It’s not all bad.
Take it easy, boys and girls—until next time,
-v
