Did legs this morning, although by any objective account this leg workout was a shadow of anything I would have previously called a workout.
Heraclitus is quoted as saying "you can't step in the same river twice", but in this sport of waxing and waning physique, of injury and recovery, sometimes it does feel like I'm revisiting the same physique, and always a year older. And I feel a year older sometimes; my back is sore and tight, my injuries don't heal as quickly, peeling off the fat takes more creative dietary acrobatics.
This is why I love that I sculpt my body, that I build my delts and lats, that I chase that teardrop quad. My body is definitely different than it was in the winter, before the hamstring year that seemed to shatter my competition prep... Seemed... I have been laid up but I'm working hard, ladies, bringing up some stubborn body parts, getting stronger and more flexible. Can I sprint on a step mill for an hour without batting an eyelash... Only if I'm allowed to get off and puke on my Nikes every 4 minutes. I'm deconditioned, I'm still nursing this hammy (these things take freaking forever to heal!) and taking 2 steps forward with a step back to recover. It ain't pretty, but I'm doing it every damn day and you'll see me on stage in 2012 and again in 2013 and thereafter.
I've been called a lotta things...but never a quitter. This bish doesn't quit. I'm training smarter, making an investment in the body God gave me, molding it, letting it grow... When I give it back to Him it's gonna be the best I could make it.
So how do I stay positive while I wait out this "softer" period (who knew I had a softer side?!)? Well, I stay on my meal plan, I keep doing my workouts, and in between I focus on the rest of my life.
Fuck, it's hard getting back into cardio. This shit is brutal. Right? Yeah, I suppose, but now I'm focusing on the fact that I can walk on an incline without agony. Grateful for that. Grateful for the healing capacity of my body. Can I keep it healed while I train? That's quite a responsibility. No shortcuts. Stay focused. Perfect form. Know when to push and when to stop. You can't step in the same river twice. I'm smarter, more experienced, and I know what I have to lose and how much time I have left in this sport.
Train hard. Train smart. Happy Friday!!!
xo, C