Intro to Ladders and dealing with a shoulder injury

Today was ladders, and they really made me feel out of shape. It can be frustrating to see how I have stayed or even gone backwards from where I was before the injury, but I try to take inspiration in seeing how others in team 5pm have progressed, and it gives me comfort to realize that I will improve as well.

Jump Squats: 17
Chin-Ups: 7
Burpees: 8
Ab mat sit-ups: 100

With the injury report, the shoulder is feeling much, much better. With my four-day weekend I did very little physical exertion, except on Saturday I worked out in a Chicago gym. I had two choices, physical therapy or crossfit. For the first time, in a long time, I wasn't feeling any pain in my shoulder. None at all, not even any discomfort. I decided to put down the barbell and pick up the power band. Performing the exercises was a little tedious, but in the end I felt good.

When coming back from an injury, you have to park your ego at the door. You can't push your self, because you will push your body past its breaking point. Now, how do you know the breaking point? Just start slow, and just add a little bit each day/week. When it hurts, just back off again and wait some more.

It can be maddening, but ask anyone who's had an injury: ignore it and it will only worsen. Push too hard and you'll be out longer. Everyone will tell you (and you to back me up here Forts), impatience will lead you to a possibly permanent injury.

I've noticed I talk a lot about "listening to the shoulder". I've realized I'm not even sure how to define what that means, but I'd like to try to explain. I've got a little bit of martial arts background, and my first style that I learned was wu-style tai chi at a very, very good school in Dallas back in high school. The style involves listening to the body, and really focusing on what goes on in the body. In about two months tai chi healed my carpal tunnel syndrome, so I highly recommend taking tai chi. It doesn't mesh well with the mentality of crossfit, but at least in my opinion, that's what makes it so beneficial. So that's what I am trying to do when I exercise, I focus on the shoulder and really, really try to hear what's going on in there.

Reality has set in...

My God I am out of shape. I got back into the gym and did three sets of 15 air squats, and I was sore the day of, the day after, the day after that, and the day after that. I can not believe how out of shape I am, so I'm really getting out of my "let myself heal" mentality to a "let myself kick some ass" mentality. I think I've allowed myself to slide so much because I don't really look any worse off than when I was working out (I like to think that's because I am doing a pretty damn good job of sticking to the zone diet) My shoulder is getting stronger everyday, but I still walk away from physical therapy with a little soreness in my shoulder. I think my body is now ready to get back into crossfit, I just have to be careful not to put my shoulder in pain, but if I do everything correctly, and I let pain be my guide, I should do fine.

I can't wait to get back to crossfit.

Well, I just read some of Adriene's blog, and it's inspiring to read about another crossfitter with a shoulder problem. Well, I shouldn't say "another crossfitter" since the six classes I've attended doesn't warrant that title. Regardless, I've decided that I am going to really start working out again, and simply "listen" to my shoulder for any pain or signs that I should stop, then I'll simply stop.