Thursday, October 15, 2009

Totoy Batak Chronicles Three: Palaban

Coach Blakedaddy said that I should take a three-day rest for my sprained wrist to recover. My left hand could barely carry a 25-pound iron plate without twitching from the pain. My grip suffers and if not for some tricky finger positioning to transfer the pressure to other parts of my hand, the workout would end in failure.

This has been my condition for the past three weeks. I tried to ignore the discomfort but the stinging sensation would not allow me to gain momentum needed for lift. I could not tell coach my hesitation. Not only am I gaining mass after being assigned to different shifts, my appetite gets more difficult to manage the longer I stay awake because of job demands.

The situation presented a dilemma. I had to push myself do extra work outs to counter the unrestrained food intake. I could not stop doing Bench Presses, Front Squats and Deadlifts because they are the core exercises that will keep me in shape. Take away the program out of my routine and I am left with nothing to spend my free time with.






Returning to the gym after being told to take a break, I turned my back against moderation and did my program the way it was written on my folder. Coach Blake was there. He was busy showing the Cardio Machines, Iron Plates and Kettle Bells to a bunch of yuppies interested to sign up with the gym.

Meanwhile, I twitched - when my left hand had to slide heavy iron plates into the barbell pole end;

And groaned - when I had to raise my legs while a 130 lbs Olympic Bar rests on my biceps.

---

Willpower drives people to change, and had I not found mine many years ago, I would remain this pot-bellied, plus-sized fatso who feared to muse his own fate. I remember him well. When in doubt about my goal, I would still read the struggles that he wrote. He had come along way - vowing - never to return to his past state no matter what life throws at him. It was a long journey and the destination remains unseen. And when his attempt at perfection gets challenged by the new order of things, only one thought echoes in his head:

And no matter how many times it would take before I may become successful in taming my own frame. I would never stop nor surrender. For I'm beginning to get tired hiding behind my own shadow. And I'm getting weary thinking about if I would last a decade with the abuses I'm giving to my deteriorating body. Lastly, I'm beginning to get tired of ogling at some buff bodies when I can develop mine. I guess, it's time to claim my own place.

We remember, with much solemnity, how it all began.


---

One day after sounding the alarm. I was able to control my appetite, and learned that I had shed a pound when I weighted myself before working out earlier. The sprained wrist would still pose some discomfort but I know better what to do in case I couldn't use my left hand anymore.

...
..
.

Indeed. Victory comes with determination - even when struggles have to be won, one battle at a time.


8 comments:

Iurico said...

hahaha - I know what you mean. But my dilemma was that if I dont hit the gym, pumapayat ako lalo. pero minsan talaga pag pagod sa opisina, the gym wouldnt even cross my mind. Pero pagkakagising ko at tinitingnan ko college and highschool id with my pic on it, 4 hours ako sa gym the next day. hehehe

Anonymous said...

EMAIL ko sa iyo yung food program na ibinigay sa akin ng instructor ko nuon simula nang tumigil ako sa pagworkout...

and since then (about a month ago), hindi tumaas ang timbang ko at sa halip ay nabawasan pa ng 10lbs.

(bakit ko ise-share?para huwag mong puwersahin ang sarili mo na magbuhat kapag mayruon pang injury..for once, sana hindi mo ako mabembang dahil dito)

sa email na lang ulit.

(alam mo na kuya joms kung sino ako)

Anonymous said...

haay ako hindi pa din nakahanap at nakapag deside ng gym na tutuluyan. kase nahiya ako bumalik sa dati ko gym.

sana gumaling na 'yan knox.

Mugen said...

Iurico: Kapag hindi ako nagwork out ng dalawang linggo, for sure, 10 lbs kaagad ang bigat ko.

Hehe. Buti ka pa, payatin.

Xtian: Bakit ka naman nahihiya bumalik sa dati mong gym parekoy?

Period: Salamat, babasahin ko yan.

Anonymous said...

sabi nga ng trainer ko, "di papasok ang pagkain sa katawan mo kung di mo ibubuka ang bibig mo."

control + motivation = success.

i'm still working on the control part, haha.

hinay hinay lang galenbro, better safe than sorry ika nga. wawa naman ang wrist.

Mugen said...

Maxxbro: Medyo nagdedeteriorate nga condition ng wrist ko. Pero ayos lang, baka makaya pa rin. Matakaw pa rin ako eh. Hehehe.

Anonymous said...

kase pre ako ang most improve noon, then pagbabalik ako doon at sobrang laki ng tinaba ko e ano na lang sasabihin ko sa mga taong na inspire ko? wala na ako mukhang ihaharap doon pre :(

Anonymous said...

BTW, how's your wrist?