The Real Battle

Overcoming weakness

“The real battle is won in the mind. It’s won by guys who understand their areas of weakness, who sit and think about it, plotting and planning to improve. Attending to the detail. Work on their weaknesses and overcome them. Because they can.” 

- Marcus Luttrell

Reflecting

There’s always a way.  One of the few positives about a month of dealing with a health crisis that put me in the doctor’s office, hospital, or ER each day is that many of the many medical specialists are smart, impressive people.  A particular favorite who has helped me through it was telling me her origin story as an accomplished doctor.  She moved from another field and when she was trying to get her foot in the door, casually mentioned that she got exactly the position she wanted… from the seventeenth doctor she asked.  This was someone who was never going to lose because she was never going to quit.

Want to trail run in Mont-Blanc?  Dacia UTMB Mont-Blanc is the pinnacle of trail running.  But there’s always a way to get in.  Today, you can slip in the side door by getting a charity bib.  250 people who donate 2,200 EUR starting today will be able to participate in the Super Bowl of trail running.

Training

After a major injury, find the right physical therapist.  I tried one a few times but needed to change.  I just did a second session with a new one that is a far better fit for me.  Much more assertive at fixing the problems and much higher expectations for how much I can do.  Each time he’s helped me significantly increase my range of motion and with that restore some of my ability to walk normally.

I got back to a gym with a trainer for the first time in a month – only seated upper body but felt great to get underneath a barbell.  It is astonishing to me that anyone would ever voluntarily live an indoor sedentary life alone.  Today I got outside, pumped some iron, and had a few friends come over to visit.  Makes life worth living (had been pretty marginal).

Fueling

Find yourself a woman who will wake up at 3:30 AM to make you a coffee protein shake.  But even such women are happy to sleep in a bit beyond that once you can make it down the steps unassisted.  Made my own today.  Small victories.  A doctor friend came over this week to teach me how to use crutches.  I’ve never used them before and there is a skill (engage your core, use your arms, don’t rest the weight on your armpits, and standup straight).      

Supplementing

When I ease back into my full supplement stack, magnesium will be the first to come back.  It is one of the vanishingly few things that don’t seem to have an issue while taking blood thinners. 

Measuring

My trainer keeps track of all of my weights but for today I just picked up whatever he put on the barbell; I wanted to stay as focused as possible without letting myself get discouraged over a month of deconditioning.  Helped. 

Recovering

In the absence many other exercises, my office has become a grip strength laboratory.  The latest addition I’ve been working on is extra firm therapy putty – feels good and somewhat addictive.

Closing

This one is just pure fun -- I love Onnit’s mace.  Jocko Willink got me into mace swinging after I used his. Awesome workout. Feels good. Fun. Oh and also if you're in a non-permissive environment for firearms this would be a rather effective weapon in Jocko's hands or even in mine. Get one for yourself or someone you love.