Challenges

Faced with a set back is always disheartening. Whether it is an injury or just a common cold, some guys try to push through these ‘adversities’ while others just take it day by day with hopes of a quick return. What I have found most difficult is building up strength in my legs. After my knee injury, I spent most of last season not doing any strength exercise on my legs, which caused most of the muscles to wither. Despite my specialist writing favourable comments about my muscle mass in my legs when I was going through physio, I still had to endure with losing speed and fitness.

Since then, like my last post indicates, I’ve been able to return to active training and I’m seeing some good results with building more strength in my legs and being able to execute the exercises and moves without any pain in my legs. The major challenge has been gaining confidence and fighting ‘the mental’ game. It is always a challenge when you’re about to squat 80kg and you realize how many reps you have to do. The same applies to ladder and skating drills. The minute you think about size of the task in front of you, you have invariably lost. When you focus on accomplishing one thing at a time (a rep, a drill, a shift) you are able to accomplish those small challenges.

My most recent challenges have been economical and health related. At the end of December 2008, I was teetering at a brink of a mental breakdown and being subsequently put on medication and having to make decisions on whether to continue ice or roller as I couldn’t afford both. Unfortunately roller lost, but thanks to my great team mates they have left the door open for me and I’m hoping that I’ll be able to get back to the swing of things sooner rather than later.

Other health issues I’ve dealt with have been fighting off Costochondritis, which is an infection of the joints that join your ribs to your sternum. I’m OK for most of the time, but when ever I’m in a cold or dusty environment, it gets the better of me. It is challenging to start back checking when it feels like you are going under intense acupuncture.

I feel confident that once the infection has healed and I’ve managed to resolve the personal issues that caused me to go a bit loopy, I’ll be able to dedicate more focus to sports and overcome challenges. It is not as if I am sitting on my backside doing nothing, it is just challenging to get out the door and get to the gym. So far I have not missed a session, but it all feels like a chore rather than having a clear goal.

Last night was an exception though. An amazingly intense work out (I’ll try and remember to post the programmes I’ve used for the past 3 months) which really boost my confidence. Now all I need to find is that same spark that I had in the 2006-2007 season and I am half way there.