Image via WikipediaMy main goal is to trim my waist line while at the same time increasing flexibility, muscle mass and bone density.
Some of the most common injuries that are sustained by the average soldier are centered around the shoulders, back, hips, knees and ankles. These injuries are caused by a number of different things. The first being the incredible amounts of weight that troops carry into battle. The second cause for these injuries is the mental state and attitude of the soldier and the culture the army is built on. For the individual soldier it is that they must ignore the pain to carry on to complete the mission. In the much larger picture, it is the fear that weakness will result in letting the rest of the section, platoon or company down.
There is also something I call the "invincibility factor". Young soldiers believe that they can not be hurt or injured. There youth makes them believe that they can do anything. I am quick to point out to them that they can and will be injured if they do not listen to what their body is telling them. I am very quick to point out that there is a time and place for toughing things out. I tell them not to become a cripple for the army on a training exercise. The time for sucking up the pain is when you are in a firefight.
So having said all that. When I do my workouts I try to strike a balance. That balance is to train hard but not to the point of injury. I try to listen to what my body is telling me. So the moral of this story is to train hard and often, but safely and to reserve those times when injury is unavoidable for the time it really matters and only as a last resort.
Hi Jack,
ReplyDeleteYou are so correct when you said 'train hard but not to the point of injury.' I cannot stress the importance of this phrase. Most people, when they first begin on their path to 'new body' they are so eager and anxious to begin working out/dieting, etc., that they fail to listen to the warning signs their body gives them when it has had enough (or too much). The 'no pain no gain' motto is so inaccurate, especially for beginner exercisers. Hardcore, trained athletes have built up their strength, and stamina over a course of years, putting in thousands and thousands of hours and reps in the gym so that their bodies (and minds) can withstand extreme physical and mental challenges. For everyday people, who just want to stay healthy and fit, balance is key. If you can't finish off the last 2 reps of a set of lunges or squats because your knee is starting to ache, then it's ok to stop. Listen to your body and take a rest. Strive to do more reps the next time you are in the gym. Don't beat yourself up because you couldn't finish the set. Be sure to give yourself a pat on the back for exercising on a regular basis! However, if you stop doing an exercise simply because you don't WANT to finish doing it, then ask yourself these questions...why are you exercising? why are you making the effort to lose weight? why are you even at the gym? That's why many people hire a trainer....hint hint...to keep them on track, push them a little harder then they would push themselves, and also most importantly, to make sure that every exercise performed is done so in the strictest form to PREVENT injuries....
Jack, thanks for the update on the journey to a happier and healthier you. I am very happy that you are sharing your story with everyone. Keep up the great work.
I can only imagine what it would be like to be in battle. Not something I look forward to, ever. But what you said about the long days and the immense amount of weight they carry with them for long periods of time? I never thought of that. Sounds like pure torture. You men and women of the forces are the bravest. Thanks for this insight!
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