A Pain in the Neck

So, I’m back again, and something interesting finally happened…

This may sound like great news for a blog that recently admitted just how boring it is, but all this excitement comes at a cost.

I pulled a muscle in my neck/upper back last Saturday and I’ve been unable to train my upper body since. (not actually that interesting I’ll admit)

In spite of me finally realising the importance of rest and applying it to my workout routine, I pulled my left trap during a shoulder session and have been unable to hold my head up straight since, without looking a bit ridiculous that is.

Not only am I seeming a little strange when I crane my neck around to cross the road, but I’ve also felt terrible not being in the gym. I’ve only missed two scheduled sessions, but even that has had a noticeable effect on my energy levels and mental state. Once something becomes a staple in your every day routine, it's no surprise that being forced to miss it, will make a difference to how you feel.

Just a couple weeks ago, I started implementing regularly scheduled rest days into my workouts. It was doing great things for my recovery and I was even noticing the effect on my physique. (As we all know by now, recovery is when your body really builds muscle)

But there’s a big difference between the days you want to rest and the days you’re forced to res due to injury.

Now, I hate cardio, especially in the gym. I mean, I could run after a football or play countless sets of tennis till I collapse, but without competition motivating my efforts, I’ll jump off that treadmill before I even break a sweat. That’s really how bored I get. But I think there’s never been a more perfect time - until now - for me to really give cardio a try.

I’ve already replaced one back session with a leg day, which is a huge leap for me anyway. But I think it’s finally time to get into the lung-testing, heart rate-pushing and fat-burning fad of cardio.

Before now, I’ve only ever done a maximum of 15 minutes on the bike for gym cardio, which only happened because I used Netflix to distract myself. But this week, I’m going to try and push my cardio limits and see just how far I can get. Hopefully testing cardio fitness will help me realise just how important it is for a truly healthy body.

So, although I began complaining about how stupid I look with my current injury, I’m learning the importance of recovery once more. I’d rather wait til I’m back at 100%, instead of returning too soon and injuring myself all over again. And, in another way, it could be a blessing in disguise and force me to work on something I’ve been avoiding for a while. (as well as adding more leg days to the schedule, which will never be a bad thing).

I guess the key thing I’m taking from all this, is to see the silver lining and make the most of the situation - I absolutely hate feeling restricted by what I can do in the gym, but I’m going to use this time to increase my limits in another area.

There’s always an upside, you just have to find it.

Anyway, stay tuned to see if DisneyPlus can keep me on the treadmill for more than 10 minutes… (That’s right, I cancelled my Netflix and I’m never going back... and you should too)