Thursday, February 26, 2009

Ow, OW, OWIE!!!!!!!

My left arm, just below the shoulder, is hurting. REALLY hurting. 'Cause I overdid it.
On Monday I started a new round of P90X. This is the third time I've attempted it. I've never finished the full 3-month program.
Because I ALWAYS overdo it!
I first started last summer. However, at the time, I was also teaching something like 9 pilates classes a week, subbing for other instructors who wisely went on vacation. Then my elbow started hurting, to the point where I couldn't lift weights. So I stopped.
I started again a few months later, but I was still teaching a lot, and couldn't figure out a way to do the program and my teaching without hurting myself again.
This time I had it all figured out: I teach 2 private sessions, so I'm not working out with my clients. I also teach 2 classes, so I scheduled the P90X workouts around those. Only problem was, yesterday my arm started hurting again. And last night, in my class, I think I either over-stretched or pulled a muscle in my OTHER arm. Of course, we've also been crazy busy with the kids, going on field trips, running errands, and doing all the regular, everyday stuff in addition to the workouts.
The thing is, I have workshops this week. Tonight I'm doing a voiceover workshop, which probably won't be too physically taxing. But Saturday is a day-long personal trainer certification. I have no idea if we're going to be practicing on each other, or sitting in a chair learning anatomy, or both. I'm hoping it will be an easygoing day. On the other hand (no pun intended), I guess I could be the guinea pig for working with a client who, um, doesn't always know what's best for them and sustains very minor but painful injuries.
You know, the person who needs to realize that she is turning 40 in a few months and, while she's certainly not OLD, she's not as pliable as she was when she was 20. That those aches and pains take a little longer to go away. That MAYBE doing intense workouts, 1+ hours a day, six days a week, should NOT be followed by 3 hours carrying a 5 year-old around an aquarium and staying up until midnight, when she has to get up the next morning and put said 5 year-old on a bus at 7 AM, get a 7 year-old to school by 8:30, then teach a 9 AM class, followed by a field trip to Chuck E. Cheese.
Yeah. That person.
So, I'm going to play it by ear. I figure this is God's way of telling me to ease up a bit. Slow down. Relax. Smell the flowers that are just beginning to bloom, thanks to all the rain we've had. I'm so used to feeling anxious and stressed that I barely notice it anymore. For all of my adult life, I've rushed from one thing to another, never having enough hours in a day. At first, it was because of external forces: work, school, a packed schedule, literally running from one end of campus to another to get to class on time, or running up a hill from the theater to get to the parking lot so I could send a VERY IMPORTANT PACKAGE by express mail before the post office closed (in the days before email). But I don't have to do that anymore! I think I'd gotten so used to living in a state of high alert that I forgot how to deal with down time. So I found things to stress myself out over. Like filling in the blanks with working out. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to work out, but not to the point of pain, and not to the point where everything else suffers because I HAVEN'T DONE MY CARDIO YET! AND IT CAN'T BE JUST ANY CARDIO, IT HAS TO BE WHAT'S ON THE SCHEDULE, 'CAUSE IF I DON'T DO IT EXACTLY AS SCHEDULED I'M GONNA FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah. Not helpful.
So, I'm taking today off from working out. (Except for walking the dog, 'cause she shouldn't have to hold it.) I'm going to study for Saturday, take a nice warm shower, read, maybe medidtate a bit, and relax.
I'm bringin' it down to Defcon 5, people!!!!!!!!

3 comments:

Charlotte said...

Oh Alyssa! It's like you live in my brain:) I'm so glad you have the good sense to take a rest day! And good luck with your certification!

Anonymous said...

what are we doing to celebrate your 40-and-fabulous birthday?!?!

azusmom said...

Ahhhh...feeling SO much better!!!!! Thanks, guys!

I have no idea what I'll do for my birthday. I have until the end of July, though, lol!