Dare I think beyond the incremental?

**Whidbey78** · 7th February 11, 12:00 AM

My Grandad used to say that a man can move a mountain, but only one shovelful at a time. I wish I had listened. I start my day with about 1200mg of ibuprofen, am awaiting another knee surgery, have had two surgeries on my shoulder, one hernia surgery, and have spent enough time in an MRI that I can't believe ferrous metals don't stick to me.

Patience is a virtue I lacked...now I'm left with little choice but to be patient with myself(physically at least) and try to take care of myself. Keep working at it. Focus on today and maybe tomorrow. Everything further down the road will sort itself out.

**Geoff Withnell** · 7th February 11, 07:15 AM

Advice from a 62 year old lifter. I can still work out 3-4 times a week, and only a snow related injury to show for it. Pain is NOT weakness leaving the body. Pain is the body saying "STOP THAT". Discomfort may be weakness leaving the body. Learn the difference.

Geoff Withnell

**Alan H** · 7th February 11, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by Whidbey78

My Grandad used to say that a man can move a mountain, but only one shovelful at a time. I wish I had listened. I start my day with about 1200mg of ibuprofen, am awaiting another knee surgery, have had two surgeries on my shoulder, one hernia surgery, and have spent enough time in an MRI that I can't believe ferrous metals don't stick to me.

Patience is a virtue I lacked...now I'm left with little choice but to be patient with myself(physically at least) and try to take care of myself. Keep working at it. Focus on today and maybe tomorrow. Everything further down the road will sort itself out.

I could show you a website where a number of the lads just ASSUME that they will have multiple joint surgeries before their early 50's. Their logic seems to be that their body is a machine and that surgery is just doing a repair, like fixing a stripped gear. There are guys on this website/board who wear the scars of multiple surgeries like a badge of honor. They brag on 'em.

"I've had six knees surgeries and I'm STILL deadlifting 600 pounds!"

I have a somewhat different perspective, rather more like yours. To each his own.

**Whidbey78** · 7th February 11, 04:08 PM

AKScot made a really good point about athletes not being the same after a serious injury. If I could do it all over again I wouldn't have pushed so hard. Or more correctly I wouldn't have pushed myself too far so often and would have been willing to admit my limits and actually work on getting past them instead of trying to "prove" something. All I proved was that I can hurt myself badly by doing things I'm not physically prepared for. Add inherently dangerous, rough and strenuous sports and, frankly, I did some really really stupid things that I'm still paying for. I never could understand the guys who brag about all the pain they go through because of old injuries. I hate it! I don't feel sorry for myself though. It's my own fault. I just wish I knew then what I know now.

I've never gotten into the heavy sports you do Alan, but my favorite thing for years was kayaking. I can't do it anymore--at least not at the level I did ten years ago. I can paddle, but high bracing can and sometimes does result in crippling pain. I could do lazy rivers and such, but after years of wild rapids that's just boring to me. Might as well plop down in a an innertube and float along with a six-pack. Being on the sidelines because you can't play anymore, in a word, sucks. At least I still have fishing and hunting and offroading. When I can't fish I'm done.

**Spartan Tartan** · 7th February 11, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by Whidbey78

Might as well plop down in a an innertube and float along with a six-pack.

What's wrong with that!?

But seriously, it sounds like you know your limits. Consistency applies to recovery as much as to training. Take care of yourself and you may find that you surpass your PR goals!