I know, I know. I said I’d pick up with adjusting your daily caloric intake around your BMR. And I’ll totally get there. But something came up that I want to share first. Maybe I’ll get a twofer in today. Pretty impressive at my age! But the draw of the pillow around 9:30 is so strong anymore!
Ok, so I’m doing some decline bench the other day to start my push workout. And as I’m working up through my weight progression, I’m getting a few business calls that I have to take.
I get up to my working weight and doing a few sets with the interruptions. On my last rep of my last set, I’m at the top of the motion about to rack the weight and my left pec seizes up. Didn’t drop the weight on my face or anything, but it was not good.
I get the weight racked up and get on my feet and I’m thinking, shit do I keep going and act like it didn’t happen – done that 100 times before – typically doesn’t end well. But figured no don’t be stupid, let’s stop for today and see how we feel.
First thought was I tore the pec, but it didn’t really feel like a tear. When a pec or a bicep tear, they literally roll up in your body like you snapped an old school shade shut. And it just didn’t feel like that. Also didn’t feel like guitar strings popping, which I’ve felt before in my abdomen a long time ago. You don’t want to feel that.
But, I’m panicked. Hate being sidelined! So I do my usual. I call my mommy. Nah, I would but she’s not around, so next best thing I text my healer – Rob Mahon.
Dude is amazing. Pure spiritual guru healer. I think I mentioned before I had a “bad” back for years and years – herniated discs and good stuff like that. Doctor after doctor. Oh take these pain killers (not my thing so I never did), don’t put any pressure on it, don’t do any torsion moves, don’t squat, don’t deadlift – yaddah yaddah. I tried all kinds of things, including flying to Chicago a couple of times to get what’s called prolotherapy.
If you haven’t tried it, you really should. You know it’s gonna be a good time when after they coat you in numbing cream they say here hold this stress ball, you’re gonna need it. Literally 100 injections up and down my spine. AWESOME! I suspect you’re feeling the sarcasm at this point.
Look, I love alternative medicine and I’m confident this type of treatment works for certain people on certain joints, but it didn’t do much for me.
I digress. Where was I? Right – Rob Mahon – movement therapist extraordinaire. So I see this piece in Philly Mag on this guy in the Bellevue who does amazing things for people in pain. I call him up and he’s like what would it be worth to you if I were to get you out of pain? And I’m like, it would be priceless. So he’s like how about $10,000? And fortunately before I could answer (because I would have said yes after some hemming and hawing), he says well my rate is blah blah blah, two hour session, come on in on whatever date it was.
Dude puts me on a table. Stretches me this way and that. Then a chair. Moves me this way and that. And after two hours, sends me home with a few movements to do when I wake up and before bed, and lo and behold, I’m healed! Years of back discomfort gone. Don’t get me wrong, the sessions are no walk in the park. You may cry, but it’s worth it.
So I text Rob after my pec debacle and explain what happened. He says sounds like a pec strain, man. Lay off movements that will hit the pec directly for a little while, but you can do anything else, just take it easy. Rob doesn’t usually give specific time frames because after working with him for a while, you learn to listen to your body. You know when stuff doesn’t feel right and you know when it does. You know when you can load it up, and when you have to take it slow.
Anyway, I took the next day off completely. Well not true, I rode for a bunch of miles, but no weights. The next day, I was deadlifting. Taking it slow to make sure nothing felt like it was gonna snap, and sure enough was pulling some decent weight for decent reps, and called it a day. Rode again the next day and squatted the next. All good so far, and the pec is feeling way better.
Point of my title – I’ve had to stop workouts a handful of times for certain pains, and the night or day after plenty of workouts thought oh man something is so wrong I’m never gonna lift again. BUT, the human body is an amazing machine. It is constantly healing. And if you treat it right, you will recover from anything, and faster than you think possible. If you sideline yourself, you’re gonna lock up and get worse.
The incident also gave me an excuse to try something I’ve wanted to try for a long time. I talked with my anti-aging doctor who had recommended a little sumtin special for me a while ago. I said yeah man I’m ready to give that a try now ’cause my body just can’t keep up with what I want to do. So I’ll be adding a little magic to my routine soon. I’ll keep a before and after measurement and photo log, so we can see if the effects are noticeable.
This will be the second phase of my self-experimentation. I’ll tell you what I’ve been doing for a few years up to this date in a future post. I know I keep promising stuff. I’ll get there, I swear. Oooo – a rhyme!
Back to Rob – I highly recommend him if you’ve been trying to get rid of pain for a while and had no success other than pain killers (which shouldn’t have to be the answer). He is a true professional and incredible healer, who has taught me a ton. Look him up – Rob Mahon – Movement Therapy – Bellevue, Philly, PA.
Cocktail of the day – Boulevardier. A variation of the classic Negroni and a personal favorite. Bitter and boozy, but delicious and packs a wallop. Use good ingredients – don’t cheap out! Lately, been lovin’ Few Bourbon, always love Campari but feel free to substitute Aperol, and Dolin makes a really nice Sweet Vermouth. Oh, and I add a few dashes of orange bitters, which the recipe below doesn’t mention.
Exercise song of the day – I Don’t Give a F#*k by Buck Cherry. Enjoy and be well until next time!