How can you NOT injure yourself?

Stoshew71

Just a thought I wanted to share, and it is a lesson on boundaries or more specifically, learning our boundaries.

As part of my fitness, I run and lift weights. I will share my personal experiences with running but it probably can be said about any kind of training whether lifting or running or swimming or biking, ect.

As a runner, I did a lot of research on ways to train for my new love of running. As part of my research, I read all the cautions about how I should train. I am fully aware of running plans designed to get me from where I am to where I want to be, safely and injury free. I heard many people telling me to be careful not to over train or even flat out telling me that I am gonna do something to myself because I am doing too much. But I refused and I pushed the envolope and eventually got to the point where my shins started bothering me which led to hamstring injuries.

Up to that point, my legs felt fine. I was somewhat cautious about how many miles I was adding each week with my running and I did have one day a week where I rested. My 6 straight days of running, plus leg strength training, converting all my treadmill work to soley outdoor running, eventually it did so much at once that it caught up to me (despite all the warnings). But was this really a bad bad thing?

Many serious athletes are taught to try and understand the difference between "hurts" and "injuries", and sometimes a "hurt" is no reason to stop what you are doing. Not that I am advocating this, but just stating this fact. I remember my wrestling coach even telling us this. Many serious athletes even try to continue as normal with a "hurt". You read about professional athletes continuing their efforts with a real bonefied injury. We even worship these athletes that make a great play in that big game while a limb or appendage is bareling hanging off.

But for those who are highly motivated during their training, can you really talk them out of taking it easy because "they MAY get hurt?". Especially if they feel fine at the moment? Sometimes we get that gnawling voice in our head that says keep going until something really negative happens. This is what I mean by defining our real boundaries. How can a serious athlete not injure themselves by over training? Won't he or she continue to test the waters and test the boundaries until they know first hand what their own bodies are really capable of doing?

To illustrate, I remember a story that my parents told about my older brother when he was a baby. My mom would always say, stay away from the stove because it is hot. My little brother knew of the word "hot" and supposedly the "stove" was "hot". But yet he has a great interest in the stove. One day my dad came into the kitchen while my mom was cooking and saw my brother become interested with the stove. My father showed concern. "Watch it, he is about to touch the stove." With my mom replied, "Oh he knows the stove is hot, right?" With my brother repeating, "HOT!" but still reaching out. Well one day my mom had her backed turn for a quick moment and my brother snuck away and reached out to the stove. Then all of a sudden a loud cry and screach came out. My mom turned around and my dad came rushing into the kitchen. My brother was on the floor sitting with tears in his eyes and pointing at the stove. "HOT HOT HOT". My dad replied, "I guess he knows what the word hot means now.".

I am not advocating people overtraining their bodies or ignore words of wisdom. Just stating the fact that those that are highly motivated will ignore caution just because they want to truly understand what their own bodies are capable of doing. Just curious on what other people think or personal experiences with this.

PrairieRunner2015

I agree finding true boundaries is one of the things many people do. Perhaps not on purpose, but they do get there.

With me, I'm just driven to push myself to constantly improve In regards to running, if I wasn't doing a longer distance, and at a faster pace, than last week..........well I just wasn't putting in a good effort. I eventually wound up with runners knee, twice.

I try to be cautious about pushing too hard, but it's a beast which is hard for me to tame. I'm slowly learning tools of the trade, as well as purchasing tools (running watch is a must for me), as well as actively seeking out advice from those who I wish to emulate. I am trying to do things smarter than I had in the past. I am sure I will stumble and fall a few more times, but so long as I don't do so as a result of doing something I already know does not work, I am somewhat ok with it (Although I'd rather avoid it in the first place.).

This is a good and timely post for me, as I am in need of throttling myself back on my runs (pace) at the moment.

dbmata

Sometimes though, it's good to remember a hurt is just a hurt.

Descending a local mountain yesterday I heel stomped into what I thought was a layer of ice covering snow, turned out it was some rock. I had locked my knee and ended up hurting it somewhat. I kept going because there was still a ton of elevation to drop off and I wasn't going to glissade down. About an hour of work more, and my knee felt fine. Today, knee still feels fine. Sometimes a hurt is just a hurt, and you have to work through it. Sometimes it's a legit injury and you need to consult with pros. The real question is, whether you can or cannot identify the difference between the two.

That's the real challenge.

WakkoW

I wrap my entire body in bubble wrap every morning.

It can be warm in the summer, and make it difficult to squat, but at least I'm injury free.

essjay76

I don't know, I'm one of those who believes that haste makes waste. Yes, it's good to push your boundaries and see what your body is capable of, but it's just plain smart to listen to your body and rest when you need it.

It's that whole idea of just jumping in and going hard... people want results yesterday. It's usually pride, ego, and stubborness that causes one to push through an activity, knowing very well they're injured and not at 100%.

I tried ignoring an injury and all the common sense advice about not doing too much too soon. It completely backfired on me. Got a nasty ITBS injury that not only caused me to DNF a race, but also put me out of running for 3 whole months. For someone who has been running consistently several times a week, for years, the three months felt like an eternity.

I'd rather be injury free and running for life vs. ignoring a nagging injury and half-assing a race just because I want to say that I did it. No race is ever worth it. I found that out the hard way, and that's probably the best way people will learn, just like with the example of your brother.

I may not be the fastest or fastest improving, but I have been injury free for years, can recover fairly quickly from hard/long runs, and have been improving as a runner by listening to my body. My love for running is stronger than my pride and ego. It doesn't have to be a race everyday and there's no one I need to impress out there but me.

cms721

I usually believe that when you are hurting, it is your body getting stronger and not weaker. I guess I can expect some mild pain and discomfort after I exercise and that does not bother me. Then there are sometimes when my **** hurts big time and It effects the everyday things I do. So I take it easy because I dont want to really hurt myself if that makes any sense? This winter has been a roller coaster like that for me but I still plan on running my HM in April even if it kills me (or I have to take like a whole week off from running before my race - Bring the pain!!)

gmallan

Just like the kid with the hot plate, I think for some people it takes being injured to learn that training smarter not harder is the way to go. I definitely train a lot differently now in my late 20s than I did in my early 20s. I've had a couple over use injuries that taught me the value of cross training and having adequate recovery strategies in place. I know now that I can't train hard 7 days a week (sometimes twice a day) if I want to still be playing sport for the next 5-10 years. I guess my view of training now is more long term and not as short sighted as it was 5 years ago.

Also I think once you've been training for a solid period of time you learn the difference between pain you can and should push through and pain that requires rest or intervention. Not so much for someone just starting out

ElliottTN

My personal experience thus far is:

If it is a muscle cramp or I slightly pulled a muscle either running or in the gym = Stop being a baby, these things happen. Work around it. Don't be a huge puss.

If it feels more like connective tissue = Treat it like a sore d%ck and don't F_ with it.

Also, call mom. She enjoys when you call her and tell her about these things. She might even bring leftovers and ice cream to your house.

rybo

Interesting topic. I've been fortunate to have spent a lifetime of sports and exercise without suffering a major over use injury. Call it luck, coaching or intuition but you can work hard an push your body without wrecking it. Getting a minor set back here and there is normal, and that's where the big sense of stopping before it turns into a major problem is critical. Take care of little things before they turn into big things. There's also a huge difference between training hard & smart and training hard and stupid.