How Starting off 2018 with an Injury Makes this My Best Year

Torn tendons feel pretty damn awful. I hope I never have a repeat of this injury, or of the broken fingers before it, or of the hernia before that. My life is a litany of ouchies, but I'm not here to complain. My clumsiness has taught me not only to be cautious, but how to overcome. That's why 2018 is going to my fittest year.

But let me back up a minute and share a bit about said injury. Basically, I haven't been able to straighten and raise my left arm up with full mobility since November. My shoulder has been aching and keeping me up at night. And no wonder. There is a tear in the tendon near my elbow, and again near my wrist. See the video below to check out the contraptions I'm wearing to stabilize my arm and prevent re-injury. But all watch to see what I can do.

Seriously, look what I can do! (And maybe keep it muted because a guy shouts $*** in the background. LOL.)

For the first time in four months I was able to achieve full range of motion in both arms. Tendon still torn? Yes. Shoulder still hurt? Yep. Was the motion easy? No way. But it wasn't bad painful. And the reason I could complete it is hard work.

I showed up at my gym early this morning to start rolling out my quads. I used a 45# barbell for 15 minutes. I would have liked to roll it over my muscles longer, but my goal this morning was to release some of the tension from around my shoulder. I took care of my quads to take care of my knees. Then I lay on a double lacrosse ball (two lacrosse balls taped together) and rolled it up and down my spine and into the muscles around my ribcage.

Class cut short my mobility session, but I could already feel the benefits of the little bit of arm work I'd done. After class, I went straight back to the mobility corner and began to work more aggressively on my left shoulder. I used a bumpy foam roller, went up and down my back and then rolled side to side on it as well as up and down and around my armpit.

I tested my range of motion prior to mashing (aka mobility exercises). I could raise my left arm to shoulder height. After mashing is what you see in the video. I actually squealed loud enough to interrupt the class in session, but they were all happy to celebrate with me because they've watched me progress through my injuries.

I am willing to put in the time to feel my best physically. I am willing to challenge myself mentally to set and reach new goals. But what really, truly lets me know that 2018 will be the year of goals achieved is the persistence I've shown myself. I never knew I could or would keep going, but I can and I have in the face of enormous pain. This is growth.

A little note to end this celebratory ramble: I have been very worried about what I'm missing and losing while I slowly wade through this recovery. Yesterday, because I couldn't lift heavy and my body wasn't tired, I followed some friends over to the GHD machines. There, I surprised myself by doing sit-ups and hip extensions with no struggle and no soreness. The sit-ups look like this:

This movement has never, even for a second, been on my radar. I came back to CrossFit a year ago after healing from having a major hernia repair. I couldn't even do a bent-leg sit-up let alone a fully extended sit-up. I certainly couldn't do the hollow holds and cherry pickers I can do now. I was afraid to make any of those movements a goal in case I tore again.

Maybe unassisted pull-ups aren't in my near future. That is disappointing but okay. I will get there in time. Meanwhile, because I chose not to give up when my body was hurt, I am now achieving goals I never even set. It's an amazing feeling.

How Starting off 2018 with an Injury Makes this My Best Year

What goals have you been afraid to set for yourself?

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