Forced To Slow Down

Two weeks ago, I wrote about my basketball experience at the gym.  In the post, I asked “Are You Fully Committed To Your Goals?”

My basketball experience was inspiring at first.

However, things turned a different corner the next day when I developed a pain in my lower left leg.  I can’t be 100% sure, but I’m fairly certain this pain was caused by my efforts on the basketball court.  After years of running for distance, my legs were not used to the running required on the basketball court.  On the court, you stop.  You jump.  You sprint.  You run backwards.  And you cut around other players on the court.  For some reason, my leg didn’t like this experience.

I tried to work through it for a few days by walking and biking, but the pain in my leg only became worse.

Instead of visiting the doctor, I did the thing that most guys would do.  I kept running, and I kept complaining about my leg pain.  This lasted until my daughter (who currently knows everything) looked up my symptoms online.

What did we ever do without the internet?

Within a few minutes, she determined that I might be dealing with some micro-tears in my lower calf muscles.  She prescribed rest and a few other tips based on her web findings.

To confirm her findings, I consulted a few friends who are part of the medical field.  Naturally, they recommended rest, ice, and some stretching.  They also suggested a gradual return to exercise along with some muscle-building exercises should I desire to return to the basketball court.

Up until this injury, I have been very consistent with my daily morning workouts.

The injury forced me to slow down.

Sometimes we need to take a break.  We need to give our minds and bodies the opportunity to recover, to rest, and to recharge.

Don’t wait until you face burnout or injury, decide today to build breaks into your schedule.  These breaks will help you become more effective when it comes to pursuing your passions and dreams.

My leg is finally starting to feel better.  Today, I will head back to the gym to restart my exercise routine.  I won’t be able to jump back in at full tilt.  I will have to slowly build back up to my pre-injury intensity.  I won’t get back on the basketball court today, but I’ll get back there sometime soon with proper training which will included opportunities to recover, rest, and recharge.

When were you forced to slow down?  How to you recover, rest, and recharge?  Tell me about it in the comments.