Training ·
The Injury
So in my introduction I mentioned I was injured...since I won't be able to delve into my hardcore training for a few months it seems to be a good idea to really explore injuries and how they not only affect an athlete physically but also mentally and emotionally.
Being injured is...well....is horrible to say the very least. Prior to March 2010 I had never sustained a serious injury that has kept me out of the gym for more then 1-2 weeks. In high school I sprained my ankle and here and there I have tweaked my lower back or felt a little strain but with rest, massage and taking my training down a notch I have always made it through fine. To be honest I never thought it would happen to me.
How did it happen then? Well I had just arrived at the Arnold, it was Thursday afternoon and I wanted to get in a good workout before the expo opened in the morning. I head to the gym, alone, and upon arriving chat up the guys behind the desk. Matt, the manager, gives me a pre-workout I had never seen or tried...I am a sucker for a good pre-workout. My plan was heavy shoulders followed by some triceps. Even though I had been dieting I was still feeling great in the gym and the pre-workout really revved me up. Had I been thinking reasonably I may have toned this workout down...I was traveling so therefore probably a little dehydrated and tired and didn't have that much food in me. Plus I didn't have a spotter.
My workout started out great: Heavy Push-Presses, I hit 95 for 6 and finished with a drop set then went on to Rear Lats and Side Raises. With Shoulders done I went on to warm-up my Triceps with some Incline Close Grip Presses. I was only planning on doing one more heavy Tricep exercise, Skull-Crushers, but the benches were all taken so I decided on Overhead 2-Arm DB Extensions. My last set 3rd rep I was coming up with the 25 and the weight got away from my head. It was seriously like slow motion, I remember my arm giving out and feeling my shoulder muscles rip as the weight dropped from my hand. My shoulder had completely dislocated was sitting about 2 inches down on my arm. I have relived that moment, that set, hundreds of times...why....why me...but now I think why not me? I have constantly pushed the limits of my body, when I really start to think about it I am shocked I have not sustained any serious injury before this day in Ohio.
So as I sat on the ground beside this incredibly nice couple from Colorado kept me talking and had other notify the staff and wait for the Ambulance. In what seemed like an eternity the EMT finally came but could not offer any relief I had to be taken to the Emergency Room to have my shoulder put back in the socket.
We get to the ER, they have to put me out to put my shoulder back in, load me up with morphine and send me on my way...after getting an MRI a few days later I find out that I have a torn labrum along with some nerve damage and pulled shoulder muscles. My doctor, Dr. Romeo gave me my options and without surgery there was an 80% chance of re-injury plus my training would suffer. I decided surgery was the best option. The earliest the specialist can get me into surgery is April 20th so I schedule the surgery and wait...
Being injured is...well....is horrible to say the very least. Prior to March 2010 I had never sustained a serious injury that has kept me out of the gym for more then 1-2 weeks. In high school I sprained my ankle and here and there I have tweaked my lower back or felt a little strain but with rest, massage and taking my training down a notch I have always made it through fine. To be honest I never thought it would happen to me.
How did it happen then? Well I had just arrived at the Arnold, it was Thursday afternoon and I wanted to get in a good workout before the expo opened in the morning. I head to the gym, alone, and upon arriving chat up the guys behind the desk. Matt, the manager, gives me a pre-workout I had never seen or tried...I am a sucker for a good pre-workout. My plan was heavy shoulders followed by some triceps. Even though I had been dieting I was still feeling great in the gym and the pre-workout really revved me up. Had I been thinking reasonably I may have toned this workout down...I was traveling so therefore probably a little dehydrated and tired and didn't have that much food in me. Plus I didn't have a spotter.
My workout started out great: Heavy Push-Presses, I hit 95 for 6 and finished with a drop set then went on to Rear Lats and Side Raises. With Shoulders done I went on to warm-up my Triceps with some Incline Close Grip Presses. I was only planning on doing one more heavy Tricep exercise, Skull-Crushers, but the benches were all taken so I decided on Overhead 2-Arm DB Extensions. My last set 3rd rep I was coming up with the 25 and the weight got away from my head. It was seriously like slow motion, I remember my arm giving out and feeling my shoulder muscles rip as the weight dropped from my hand. My shoulder had completely dislocated was sitting about 2 inches down on my arm. I have relived that moment, that set, hundreds of times...why....why me...but now I think why not me? I have constantly pushed the limits of my body, when I really start to think about it I am shocked I have not sustained any serious injury before this day in Ohio.
So as I sat on the ground beside this incredibly nice couple from Colorado kept me talking and had other notify the staff and wait for the Ambulance. In what seemed like an eternity the EMT finally came but could not offer any relief I had to be taken to the Emergency Room to have my shoulder put back in the socket.
We get to the ER, they have to put me out to put my shoulder back in, load me up with morphine and send me on my way...after getting an MRI a few days later I find out that I have a torn labrum along with some nerve damage and pulled shoulder muscles. My doctor, Dr. Romeo gave me my options and without surgery there was an 80% chance of re-injury plus my training would suffer. I decided surgery was the best option. The earliest the specialist can get me into surgery is April 20th so I schedule the surgery and wait...