Slowly but surely, my strength is coming back! It happens so slowly that it’s hard to notice. But compared to a month ago, or 3 months ago, it’s like night and day!
Seven months ago I broke my knee. I ripped the ligaments apart and shattered my knee cap in a horrific ski accident on Togwotee Pass. Before the accident I had thought if I ever broke my leg it would still be useful to some capacity. I was very wrong!
All of the muscle of my quad, hamstring, calf atrophied. All of its strength was gone. I felt pathetically weak. I remember my goal of lifting my leg off of the bed. Something I’ve taken for granted my whole life. By itself, straight or bent. Without using my hands for help. It seemed like it was never going to happen. It took 2 long months.
I know this is an extreme case of loss of strength, but it really goes to show how patient you have to be to see results. Some days I feel puny. We all have those days. It’s hard to notice trend strength changes on a day to day basis. The key is to be persistent.
Persistence is easy and obvious when the ability to walk at stake. Other strength goals are not as glaring. A good way to stay on track is to write it down. It’s a great way to ingrain it into your mind. And then as you make progress towards that goal, you have a frame of reference. Something to persist towards.
When you’re training for strength, be patient! Keep a written log. It’s relative to where you started. You might notice some subtle changes in the first few weeks. Great! Keep it up. In a month’s time you will see a difference. Your hard work will pay off! It’s important to not feel down on yourself if you have a minor setback. In 3 months I’ll bet you start to see drastic changes. Progress is exciting!
Ideas for goals: I will make it to 1 (2,3) class (s) per week for one month. ~ By August 1st I will be able to run for 30 minutes without stopping. ~ By next winter, I will be able to ski bell to bell at JHMR because my legs will be strong. ~ I will reach a personal best at XXX this summer. ~ I will have a feeling of acceptance for my body, through all of its ups and down in training. ~ I will be able to back squat 170lbs in 2 months if I work on it twice per week … etc… Make your own!
Keep in mind, these are Goals and not Deadlines. Did you see progress in a positive direction? If you don’t accomplish your exact goal, extend the ‘time limit’ and keep working towards it!
