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Monday, November 26, 2012

Holy Back Craziness

I don't mean to keep going on about this, but I really need to share.

I am utterly amazed at how well my back held up this weekend.  Like I mentioned in my previous blog, I spent a decent amount of time hacking away at some trees with both an ax and a hand saw.  Most of the axing was done to branches that were overhead, and a bunch of the swinging motions were awkward, simply because of all the branches that were hanging everywhere.  During most of the hand sawing, I was hunched over, trying to figure out the best way to balance the logs I was cutting through.

Not the best situation for someone who randomly has crazy back problems that freeze up my neck and make it impossible to turn my head.

I thought for certain I was going to wake up this morning, laying face down, unable to move.  Seriously.  I thought I wouldn't even be able to lift an arm if I had to call out of work.  Remember, I'm the chick who took batting practice at softball about a year ago, and after ten swings, threw my back out and had to go to the chiro for an adjustment.

So, imagine my surprise when I got up this morning and had no problems.  None. At. All.  In fact, the sorest part of my body were my hands!  I have a weak grip, and apparently did a great deal to help strengthen it this weekend!

Obviously, my point in this blog is not to gloat.  (Okay, maybe it isn't obvious.  I just hope I don't sound like I'm gloating.)  My point is this.....if you would have asked me a year ago to go out and chop wood and swing an ax and use a hand saw for several hours, I would have laughed in your face.

Now, I feel strong.  I had no clue how much my back/shoulders/arms have been changing.  I know that since my hobbling I've been focusing much more on the upper body lifting-wise, but didn't realize what a difference all that lifting has done.  I have to admit, while I was swinging that ax, I was much more aware of my body....tightening my core, planting my feet, my shoulders helping control the swing.  With the hand saw, well, I could feel my lats and traps pushing and pulling to help with each swipe of the blade.  Plus, it helps that I'm semi-ambidextrous; I could switch which hand I used with both the ax and the hand saw so I got a fairly even workout.

Anyways....don't doubt yourself.  And don't ever give up.  I could have curled up in a ball, holed myself away, and done nothing since July.  And where would that have gotten me?  Certainly not chopping wood for a couple hours.  I may not have been able to kick as cardio-wise, and I definitely put on a bunch of poundage, but I've noticeably made gains elsewhere.  And now that I can slowly be more diligent about adding in the cardio and running, I can work on decreasing that poundage.

This isn't an all or nothing deal.  This is life, with ups and downs.  And although they past couple of months have definitely had their downs, I'm now realizing that some good have definitely come from being hobbled.

Oh, and by the way, I'm released from physical therapy!  I still have to take things slowly, and I won't be able to run outside for a while yet, but I'm making progress on all fronts.  Yay!

1 comment:

  1. You are strong. That is all I gots to say about that. Bobifer

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