Sunday, October 13, 2013

Listen to your body... take care of it... and it will be good to you!

Wow, it's been a long time since I've blogged!  Exactly 2 months and 3 weeks to be exact!  And in case you don't know what I last blogged about... it was about my horrible car accident and how grateful I was for my amazing support system (you guys) who helped me recover and bounce back!  Thank you again!!!
By the looks of this car, it's amazing I walked away the way I did!
 Well, one reason it's been so long since my last post... I've been boring... I fell out of my routine of inspiring and motivating on the fitness side... mainly because I took a little hiatus from working out.  If you're an athlete and have had an injury, I'm sure you can relate.  Injuries are depressing!!!  Enough said, right?!?!  Last you read from my blog, I walked away from that car accident with just a few cuts, scratches, burns, and abrasions... no big deal.  No broken bones... thank god!  It wasn't until weeks later did I realize my shoulder and neck took quite a big hit.  I had headaches almost every day, multiple times a day for a few weeks.  I couldn't lift my right arm without pain.  Every day tasks like getting dressed were so difficult.  My shoulder would hurt even when I was doing nothing.  I would feel shooting pain down my arm even if I was just sitting.  Don't get me wrong... I'm still grateful that that was the worst of it!
So grateful, everyday!!!
Imagine this girl who works out for a living!  CrossFit everyday... Olympic lifting twice a week... 4 Krav Maga Bag Classes a week!  I'm constantly punching, kicking, squatting, pressing, etc.  This routine went down the drain.  I had no idea how much I loved teaching until I was forced to not do so... I mean I always knew I loved it... but seriously, teaching brings me so much joy and it didn't help my depression when I couldn't feed off the positive energy of my class during this time.  I remember my first class back from the accident.  I couldn't even demo yet... but just being in the room and running the show was so invigorating.  My class was so excited and pumped and just happy for me to be there!  To all my students, you do wonders for me!  I mean that.
Maxing on my split jerk!
Heavy OH Squats
Oly Lifting Class... always a fun time (OMG haven't been to Oly class in 3 months)
Gotta love DB Thrusters!

Okay, back to my injuries... the MRI results showed a partial tear in my biceps tendon and a grade 3 down slope of my AC joint.  The first doctor said my career of doing anything overhead was over.  "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!" was what went through my mind!  I literally cried.  I know, ridiculous, right?!?!  Don't laugh!  This was beyond depressing news for me.  No handstand pushups?!?! No clean and jerks?!?! No thrusters?!?! Aaaahhhhhh I couldn't handle it.  This is something so foreign to me.  You mean I can't lift weights over head??  Say what?!!!  You mean I can't double up my fish oil supplements and solve this problem?

You know me... let's stay positive!  If this is what I have to deal with in order to come out of that accident alive then let it be.  I also had this huge red gash on my neck from the seat belt burn and I remember trying to be okay with it and embracing it (preparing myself for the small chance that it might be permanent).  People will love me for me, regardless if my neck looked weird LOL.  Thank god, it healed up nicely and pretty much goes unnoticed now. 

My nasty seat belt burn.  I looked like I was straight out of a horror movie.
As for my shoulder, this injury was something I was really not used to.  My favorite exercises in CrossFit were anything overhead.... snatches, OH squats, HSPUs.  I always got compliments on my snatch.  Sounds wrong, but it's true!  My shoulders have always been so open and strong to hold weight overhead with little effort.  The arm position for OH squats felt so comfortable for me and when people would say how inflexible their shoulders were and how difficult it was for them to be in that position, I had no idea what they were talking about... until NOW!  First time in my life did I have a shoulder issue.  Uggghhh I hated it but I managed to start working out and modifying to overcome this issue. 

After a few more weeks of inactivity and pain all the time, I decided to get a second opinion.  I chose not to believe that I wasn't going to be able to go overhead for the rest of my life.  This doctor made my day.  She said it might take 6 months but I will be back to normal.  HOORAY!  Most people hearing 6 months would be sad and think "OMG half a year!"  Instead, I was ecstatic and jumping for joy... "YAAAAAY 6 months!  I can live with that!" LOL  The doctor said since I was so fit, it might take me as little as 3 months!  Even better!

So I slowly started to get back into it... I started with 15lb dumbells... then 20s... then just the barbell (35lbs).  My max clean and jerk was 130lbs to give you an idea of what I was lifting before the accident.  So my workouts were so wussy to what I was used to.  There's no point in rushing and getting re-injured!  I had to be smart.  Given my Sports Medicine background, I knew how to take care of this.  I started to enjoy my baby WODs and got back into my routine.  Every workout was scaled but hey it's better than no workout.
Having fun at Reebok CrossFit BCN.

Now for some exciting news!  I believe so much in doing good and good will come back to you.  You're probably reading this and wondering where the hell I'm going with this story.  Keep following, I promise you'll understand why I had such a long lead up to the point of this blog.  Last week I booked a Reebok CrossFit gig.  Super duper exciting and I'm still in awe that I had the opportunity to shoot with REEBOK!  I went to an open casting call last Sunday for Reebok CrossFit.  They were specifically looking for non-bulky girls.  The look they were going for was the everyday CrossFit girl who is small yet super strong for her size!  They wanted toned females with a size small top and size small bottom.  Based on the size alone, I instantly thought... duhhh pick me! LOL  I kid, I kid!  No really... if it wasn't for my amazing friend telling me to go to the audition, I really don't think I would've went.  My friend told me I was perfect for it and I should just try.  The worst that could happen is they say no.  I really have nothing to lose.  I show up and see all these cute girls in sports bras and short shorts doing their thang... uuuhhh... I walked straight out back into my car.  Who am I?  Totally intimidated... thinking "why would they pick me?"  I sat in my car for a good 10 minutes, then convinced myself to go back in.  I already drove all the way there.  I knew my friend would've killed me if I said I drove there and didn't even try.  I now owe him dinner by the way!  So, I go back in and go for it.  They asked me to perform KB swings, thrusters, OH squats, and HSPUs.  Keep in mind I have not done HSPUs in over 2 and a half months!  I'm thinking "oh crap! I wish I could test out to see if I can even still do these" LOL... When I demoed the exercises, everything was flawless.  I felt good, looked good, and felt stronger than ever!  So weird!  Maybe 2 1/2 months rest was all I needed.  Either that or I just willed my mind and body to believe I was okay and that's just what happened.  I felt great!

Later that night, I get a call from the producer saying Reebok chose me and wants me back for 3 days of shooting!!!  I was in shock!  I actually booked it!  I couldn't believe it.  Little did I know, I was actually going to be working out 12 hours a day for 3 days!  I'm talking about 6 WODs a day.  It was insane!  Looking back, I loved every bit of it and wouldn't trade it for the world.  It was an amazing experience that I got to share with so many real, down to earth, cool people.  The friendships and bonds I made in those 3 days are unreal.  CrossFit really breaks down barriers.  I worked out HARD with a few other athletes and because of that, I really feel we got so much closer.

The amazing athletes who did the Reebok shoot with me.  We endured the torture together... then celebrated with burgers and alcohol! LOL
I honestly feel like I worked out more in those 3 days than I did in the last 3 months.  I was lifting more than my body was used to but at the same time it felt good to be back at it.  This shoot took place last week and that was the first week since the accident that I lifted anything over 65lbs.  It was my first week doing chest to bar pullups... it was my first week OH squatting triple digits.  It was my first week going for one rep max snatches.  OMG after the first day, I've never been so sore.  I woke up on Day 2 of the shoot as if a truck had hit my body!  Entire body so sore, my hands ripped, bruises all over... but at the same time I never felt so AMAZING.  It's seriously so unbelievable what the body is capable of.  This just shows that all my training of CrossFit for the past year and a half stayed with me.  Eventhough I took a good 2 1/2 month hiatus from lifting heavy, my strength was still there.  I could've sworn that I was getting weaker but really this proved that I really didn't lose much.  I've always read in training articles that strength is the hardest to gain, yet the hardest to lose and I'm completely understanding this now.  Cardiovascular endurance is the easiest to gain and the easiest to lose.  I'm sure you have all taken a few days off and noticed your cardio drop, but then find it easy to get it back.  I'm sure my Bag students can relate.  Compare your fitness level when you take Bag consistently to when you take 2 weeks off and get back to it.  However, strength is a whole different animal.  I've been slowly building my strength over the last year and a half.  Trying to hit a PR every week was kinda my thing about 6 months ago.  Even if it was a PR by 5 lbs I was happy.  Jumping from a 125# clean and jerk to a 130# clean and jerk was HUUUUUUGE for me!  Those strength gains are enormous and do wonders for the body.  Anyone that lifts for max knows what I'm talking about.  Just one pound can make such a difference.  Imagine lifting for max all the time, then being forced to only lift 50% of that!  It was torture for me.  I felt like I was losing muscle (which I did) but all of the training I put it in did not disappear.  The nervous system (mine and any athlete's) is enhanced with coordination training, structural work, speed drills, and power lifting techniques.  What I'm saying is that all your hard work is going somewhere.  For those of you dealing with an injury, don't rush to go back and risk getting injured again.  If you're scared of losing your skills... don't worry.  It will come back... actually it may never even leave you!  This blog is dedicated to any of you dealing with an injury right now.  You know who you are!  Be smart and come back strong. 

It looks like time was what I needed.  Rest does wonders!!!  A partial tear in my biceps tendon just needed time to heal.  After 2 1/2 months rest... then being pushed to go back at it at full force, I performed as if I never even hurt my shoulder.  I'm not saying this to brag whatsoever.  If you know me, I'm here to inspire and motivate only.  I'd like to think of myself as superwoman or baby wolverine but truth is I'm just like you.  I'm a normal human being... I just have a good head on my shoulders and try to be smart and take care of my body!  Even if you're not injured, don't let your ego get to you.  So many people doing CrossFit let this happen and this is how injuries start.  Please please please be smart.  I'm scaling down for my WODs at the moment and it's okay.  I remember being so embarrassed to have to scale down... but you know what?... I have one body... it's mine... and I love it... and I want to take care of it and keep it happy.  Please remember that!  In the end, it will be good to you.  When it came down to performing for Reebok, my body pulled through!  This goes for anything in life.  Give out positivity and it will come back to you.  If you're a nasty awful human being, you can guess what will be in store for you.  Okay, I think I'm finishing up here.  Moral of the story.  Do good and it will come back.  Whether you're being good to your body or just being good in life.  I did both and it paid off! :)  Anyone dealing with an injury right now, be smart and take this in! :)