I've come to realize that not all pain is bad. The most important thing is being able to differentiate between bad pain and the pain that comes from growth. It might start out with something negative, but more often than not it is a sign that we are evolving as a person.
That idea applies to both emotional and physical pain. When we are focused on attaining a life that has more positive moments than any other kind, the pain we once may have lamented endlessly about becomes a catalyst for something better. But tonight I'm fixated on physical pain, as in delayed onset muscle soreness; better known to fitness buffs as DOMS.
I must have caught myself groaning each time I got up out of my chair, or hefted myself to standing from the driver's seat of my car, at least, a dozen times today. Which means that I have likely been non-stop muttering about how sore my back and legs are. I have to laugh a little every time I hear the exasperation exhaled from my lungs. I love experiencing DOMS, despite any griping to the contrary. The pain and soreness, not of the I-injured-myself variety, is a reminder that I pushed my body hard. I succeeded at challenging myself and my limits. Mini-goal wins!
At 44, working out has become an activity that I never want to miss. I wouldn't say I'm obsessive, but when 'rest day' rolls around you can bet your ass it's an active one. I feel like I'm cheating if I don't do something on rest day. It's crazy when I think back to how difficult it was to get to the gym even three days a week a few years ago.
Sure, working out from home makes a big difference. Not just in commitment to routine, but also in my level of determination to push myself to failure. In a gym, I was too pre-occupied with whether or not I looked ridiculous to struggle for that last rep, gritting my teeth. Now when I work out with someone around, I'm only thinking about what I'm working towards.
Today I pushed through yesterday's soreness, even challenging myself by upping my weights. Since my foot surgery eleven weeks ago, I've been easing into certain things. Today, my biggest accomplishment was full on burpees with dumbbell rows. I hate burpees; I always want to yack after a set of them. I believe being able to finally jump my feet back and forth gave me a slightly new appreciation for a) how intense this exercise is, and b) for how amazing my surgeon is at what he does.
Yes, the dull, aching pain radiating through my lats right now is something I love. Next to the near fire I've felt in my quads and hamstrings, this is my second favorite area to work to failure. Tomorrow morning's workout is going to be epic, and I'm looking forward to breaking down and building up muscles I didn't even realize I had.
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