Wednesday, July 14, 2010

When life gives your lemons, put on some Slayer and smash something...

First I want to say, I appreciate all the well wishes regarding my torn bicep.  At the same time, I want to say I'm not depressed about it, or down about it.  It doesn't even bother me.

I know a lot of guys that would be down about it, that live their lives through the iron.  I used to be that way.  A long committed and wonderful marriage along with three of the most beautiful kids I could have ever been blessed with have a way of changing that.  

Yeah it sucks that I won't get to go to Ohio and total 1740ish (I'm pretty sure 635-455-650 beltless was in the bag) but life goes on and I will regroup.  I will use this time and focus on a goal I can sink my teeth into for a while, like getting even leaner and in better condition.  I will squat a lot, do a ton of neck work, and run my legs off.  So I will refocus for now.  

I don't live in the moment of these things for very long anymore.  You accept the hazards and risks that come with the things you partake in.  And you shouldn't bitch and moan about them when they happen.  Can you imagine a fighter being depressed that he got hit, or had a black eye after a fight?  It is an accepted part of that sport.  If you lift heavy weights for enough years or play sports, you are going to get injured.  It's not about if, but when.  I have two torn biceps, a permanently separated shoulders, a torn adductor, a torn pec-minor, constant elbow pain, and two torn calves.  These came from fighting, football, lifting and host of other things.  I have always thought that injuries were just as much a part of doing these things are succeeding in the goals associated with them.  I'm not saying I ever tried to get injured on purpose, just that I knew it came with the territory.  

And each time that has happened I have sat down and figured out what it was I could do during that time to make myself better in some way, shape, or form.  For now I think that means dropping even more bodyfat, getting my conditioning top notch, and working the areas I can.  I look forward to this and will start my new "diet" Friday, the day of my surgery.  This way I am focused on a goal, not on what I can't do, but what I CAN do.  

If you were driving across the country and decided you would take highway-whatever the entire way, then came across a washed out bridge during your travels, would you shut it down right there, and wait on someone to repair the bridge?  No.  You would turn around and find a new way, a new path.  A new adventure.  You should look at your lifting "life" no different.  Every time you hit a road block, reroute.  Find a new purpose and a new goal.  I'm excited about my new goal.  I'm already working on my plan of action.

So it's time to download the Slayer and break my foot off in a new goals ass.  

11 comments:

  1. Best of luck with the surgery and new goals

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  2. Love this attitude. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  3. I wish You the best, and I hope You write a lot more kick ass articles now :-)

    Wood

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  4. Awesome resolve and attitude! All the best for your surgery, and I'm looking forward to seeing your progress on one-armed squats.

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  5. I subscribe to a total of 23 blogs and most are fitness related - I can easily say this is my favourite. Every post is something different, interesting, educational, inspiring or funny; and although I looked forward to hearing how you were going to do in your meet, the fact that your bicep tear made you write a such a motivational post is the reason I always look forward to reading your blog.

    Probably sound like a kiss-ass but just being honest.

    Keep doing what you're doing and hope you heal up promptly mate!

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  6. Good luck Paul!

    Positive attitude, and 635-455-650 would be really sick, especially with no wraps, no belt.

    What you are doing right now, is what I should've done when I fucked up my rotator cuff in my right shoulder. Instead I just tried to bench, every week with more pain, and less weight. So frustrated that I decided to focus on my squat and deadlift, only to aggrevate my shoulder even more, because I was squating low bar at the time.

    You've grown wise through experience, not knowledge.. and that makes you so much smarter than all the gurus that are actually making a lot of money. Seems unfair right?

    Mark From Holland

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  7. Thanks fellow meatheads. Appreciate the responses.

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  8. I wouldn't expect anything less. This is just what awesome people do, they keep being fucking awesome.

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  9. Paul Carter = Badass

    Your an inspiration. I never got that poo stain out but when life gives you poo stains, stop wearing underwear.

    Haha jk but your awesome. I'm always excited to reading whatever you blog about.

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