The State of Me

I've been dealing with a bout of tendinitis in the elbow area for quite awhile now. Some refer to it as tennis elbow, or the newer more encompassing term: tendinopathy. For however lame the injury sounds, it sure does pack a punch. If I'm to guess the cause I'd say it's because I've pushed myself harder than what my body could handle.

Tendonitis is an overuse injury. This condition arises when the volume of the workouts exceed your body’s ability to recover. Since our muscles have better blood supplies than our connective tissue (tendons, ligaments, cartilage) and bones, they often are able to adapt to the stressors of exercise placed on them faster. This leaves our connective tissues and bones vulnerable to overuse since they cannot heal as fast. If excessive stress is placed on them, they start to break down and subsequently become inflamed and painful.

Well, isn't that super. I admittedly rushed my training along 2 years ago. My body just simply was not ready. I had weak extremities (wrists, neck, ankles), and not even a basic mastery of my own bodyweight.  All of that constant heavy lifting did a number on my shoulders, elbows, wrists, and ankles. I've thankfully always had good knees. I'm sure they'll go out now.

I am now mostly healed from the other injuries. Partly due to time, and partly since I'm training smarter with a stronger emphasis on bodyweight training and isometrics. Will get into that later. I probably could have been healed from this injury much sooner, but it's been persistent and I haven't given it any rest. Well now it's getting that rest. I'm doing what I can. I've tripled my fish oil intake (been meaning to try this for other reasons), taken NSAIDs only when it's annoying me (although it's questionable as to whether this actually works), and massage it constantly. That's always awesome. Someone please figure out 

So, while I continue to do nothing let me blow your minds with some comparison pictures of me. I really hope you're standing because you'll be so underwhelmed you will sit down. Jokes aside, the first picture is from April of 2009. The second is actually from the beginning of July 2011 prior to me training with Elite Kettlebell Club. I know it's August, but my MS paint skills are all used up for the quarter. Or...yeah. 

Shockingly enough I only weigh a few pounds more now (187) than I did then (185). I am, of course, capable of doing far more. I'm a lot stronger, my conditioning is much better, I'm more explosive, etc. Over the last two years I've ballooned up to 200lbs, but at that point I was doing nothing for conditioning. I obviously have a long way to go, and I'm looking forward to the challenge.