Monday, January 01, 2007

Walking and Working.

As I start the new year and reminded of how far I have come, both physically, and mentally in the last year.My flexibility,mobility, work capacity and time-spent-in-pain have all gotten so much better ,that, as usual,I tend to forget where I was just a short while ago, and want to focus all my efforts on doing more and having more.Especially strength and the ability to do more exercises and use more weight.

I have had this "if you can do it push even harder" mentality for so long it is encoded in my genes by now, it seems. By far the hardest thing I have done in recent memory is to give up training for competition,of any kind, and be satisfied with the movements and work levels I can do that make me better the next day,not worse.

I had accepted for so many years the muscle and joint pain and limited mobility that followed the heavy intense sessions I did regularly to prepare thoroughly for competition that I forgot what it was like NOT to be wrecked after training.I took the pain as just the price of admission to the Elite Club I wanted to play in.Character building if you will. If it didnt kill me,it made me stronger, the saying goes. ANd it did, at least mentally.

I have had my share of internet battles with morons over the years although I have been much better about wasting my time trying to talk to people who don't want to discuss or debate training concept and experiences ,but just ridicule ,insult and deride your efforts to make up for their lack of accomplishment or effort on their own part.

And truth be told I let myself get pulled into another of those sinkholes of energy the last week. It got me so fired up and so frustrated at my "one foot on the gas and the other on the brake" training that I was seriously contemplating taking my foot off the brake and training for real again.
For so many years, starting with my knee injury at 17, my body has let me down and not been able to do what my mind and spirit has wanted it to.So much of my training, and my study and research into training, has been about figuring out ways around these huge boulders in the path of my desires and goals.
I am thankful for the many insights and secrets this has led me to and that it is has been relevant to my non injured clients and students as well.But so much of what I do, and have to do, is so individualized that it has little carryover to the functionally healthy person, except in a general sense.

So as soon as I started devising my little "plan" to regain a semblance of my former strength so I could properly challenge these keyboard warriors I realized what the true test of my strength and manhood is these days: Walking and Working.

AS I have said before, the problem isnt DOING the workouts but recovering from them.That is the reason I dont squat anymore, as much as I LOVE the exercise. The problem is gimping around for the next week and the interminable hours wasted having to beat the extra tension out of my leg so I can walk somewhat normally.

Doing a movement to make you stronger for "life" that cripples you for life is crazy and I finally get that now.Same with heavy presses for my shoulder.I rely on my arms and shoulders so much in my bodywork and training that I do for clients that it is counterproductive to the Nth degree to waste myself in my workouts and not be able to work properly.

At this stage in my life those two attributes; walking and working,have to be the litmus test as to how well my "gym" training is working.If it is making me better for those qualities then it is on track.If not,then,it is not. A tough pill to swallow,especially as I feel so much better from doing it right! How ironic.

Don't be sissy.Man up and do what you need to do, not just what you want.Even if it means doing less. This is tough and I dont suspect it's going to get easier. Getting old isnt for the weak.

6 comments:

Christian D. said...

Nice post.

Last week I was in what I'd call a similar situation. I'd been challenged by an online friend. Who could squat the most. We are both making progress and relatively weak, but it was a challenge none the less. As I headed into it I shifted my focus from lifting the weight to a number that I had to get (300lbs in this case). Then I took a step back and told myself it's not me against the friend...it's me against the iron. I ended up at 295 and my friend ended up at 275...so I won both ways.

Royce said...

Great post once again Rif.
Makes me twinge too though for you and me.
You because I can't imagine what it is like to drive with one foot on the brake and one on the gas as you put it once.
Me because I can train and I just freakin' wasted so much time.

Peace dude.

Royce said...

Oh yeah,
Not to disclose too much about myself but I have done a couple of 2 or 3 week stretches in jail ( really not proud of that but need to say it to make a point )
Alot of times when the lights go out and it's bed time someone will start screaming and yelling.
The sole purpose of this activity is to wake everyone else up and controll everyone elses sleep schedule.
They are called "cell warriors" they suck.
If they get found out they get a little cellhouse justice too.

There are a lot of people that will hide behind a keyboard, or badge, or cell or whatever security blanket they choose and just be flat assholes just because they can.

You on the other hand have been one of the nicest, most sincere, and most helpful persons I have met ( in real life or over the internet. ).

Anyone with any integrity or knowledge on the board pretty much shares my view, as well as many others I'm sure.

Mark Reifkind said...

thanks chris.things can get crazy over the net so fast because without facial clues and tones in voice it is SO hard to discern true intent.

and you are so right, it is ALWAYS you against the iron- AND yourself. thats it.you have to beat yourself before you beat the iron.

Mark Reifkind said...

royce DONT waste that time man, appreciate what you can do without pain and DEVELOP it! man I miss being able to really push myself so much it makes me crazy!
the only thing that makes me nuttier is to see those who can that DONT!

Mark Reifkind said...

thanks so much for the kind words royce, it is greatly appreciated. I know that the people who know me know how I am and they are the ones that really matter. I just get a bit insane on these boards sometimes. people just like to talk shit cause they can.
most of the internet bullies are usually ok in real life but something happens when they get behind a keyboard. I'm not taking is seriously as I have before.Just sharpening my debating skills,lol!

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