Training and Trials

Whoo! Well, I've started working out again, and its so hard...

Monday I had a long hip hop class that was crazy hard! I don't remember hip hop being that hard! I'm not sure I ever mentioned this, but I love dance classes. The rhythm really helps my more creative martial arts forms (especially the musical ones!) and it gets me so warm for my real work outs! So I took a class, then decided to just stretch my kicks and maybe do some light tumbling. Oh was it ever a failed attempt....

My right leg is almost perfect. I still have a great hook kick which is key, and I can still kick about 9 inches over my head when warm, so I was happy about that. Realistically, that's about as much as I could hope for for being out of the game this long. But my left leg...First of all, it's never been my strong leg. Second, that's the leg I have sciatica on, and it shows. I can't get my full range, it just hurts too much. What's so frustrating is that mentally I know its just a nerve, and even though it hurts it's not actually hindering my ability to do anything. But then it hurts and I forget all of that and just wimp out. Le sigh. But I have an appointment with an orthopedic soon, so hopefully he can handle it. I'm just so sick of spine doctors, I could scream. One says, work out, it'll be fine. Another says, just rest, it'll be fine. Well folks, I've done both and nothing has worked. I've been living in pain for a year, and I'm sick of it. I'm really not one to whine, but that's ridiculous. Just imagine having a pulled hamstring. Now have that pain go from your low back to your calf. Then picture living with that for a year. That's what I've gone through, and I'm done. Either someone gives me cortisone, some decent physical therapy, or I'm going to a surgeon. He can cut my piriformis in half and have done with it. He can even do both sides while he's at it! I don't care. Usually I balk at the idea of surgery, and it took like 3 months before I'd have shoulder surgery after I tore all the ligaments in my shoulder, but this I'm down for. I just have to weigh the odds. I only have maybe 10-12 good competition years left, and a ton of catching up to do that's probably going to take me 2 years. After that, I'll have another 4 before I'm really up to peak condition. And by then I'll be 26! Looking at getting married and having kids and graduate school! I do not have time to waste on a long-term condition!

On the bright side, I'm going running tomorrow! I would have gone tonight, but my brother needed math tutoring and since I conquered me some calculus (rocked the final!) I was up for the task and then some. Patiently explaining super easy problems made me wonder if that's how my tutors felt when they were explaining maximizing area problems to me though....Eep!

Overall, I'm keeping the faith alive. This orthopedic will work! Or I'm screwed, whichever! All I'm going to focus on is re-rocking week 3 part tres, and eating right. Speaking of, expect a food post soon! I've got some yummy healthy meals to share!