Hm....

[helwen]

Lately I'd been getting somewhat discouraged about kungfu and things that require me to use my body in hard ways -- this includes gardening and haying of course, but kungfu had my attention in particular because after all, it isn't as necessary as work on the farm. I'd seen some improvements but continually having to use anti-inflammatories in order to get through the classes wasn't helping me to look at this activity favorably. And although pain is a part of the reason for taking them, the major reason is to keep various muscles from going into full spasm. And I don't have to take them the day after like I did when we first started, except when things go wrong. Like last week for instance. The weekend before, we'd had kungfu class Friday, kungfu plus walking in the parade on July 4, and then haying on Sunday. By Monday I had a headache that wouldn't quit because my shoulders were messed up, and my right arm was weak (which had already been a problem on Friday).

Sat and watched class Monday. Wednesday we didn't make it to class because of falling trees from the storms up here and in Sunderland. L did some serious leaning into those muscles so by Thursday I was headache-free. Friday was crazy at the farm so we stayed home.

Then on Sunday we had study group, and as an addendum to some readings I'd been doing for myself, when I was talking to M and D at their car (after the meeting), I got the rather clear message from 'upstairs' to "Suck it up." Um yeah, that was the wording. And of course not just referring to physical activities but life in general. Yay. Time and more than time to get on with things as best one can.

So, class on Monday went okay. Also did weeding Monday, Tuesday and yesterday, and even managed to plant some more parsnip seeds. Did not help with the haying, as I figured weeding, digging, hacking with a hoe, and planting were enough. I've also been trying to keep the tighter shoulder and upper back muscles in line with a self-massage device called The Answer (looks like a question mark), especially since L has been getting wiped out with all the haying.

Class Wednesday went alright. Then off to SCA rattan fighter practice because our authorizations had lapsed the previous month and at least one of us needs to be authorized for Pennsic (that inspirational leadership bit :D ).

I'd been debating whether or not to even try given how my shoulders/traps have been the past few years, but I had this beautiful new helmet that Sir Geoff had made for me.... *sigh* So Wednesday afternoon I moved the padding from the old helmet to the new one and tried it on, and it was pretty decent. So I packed everything I could find, borrowed knee pads from L because I couldn't find mine -- and borrowed gauntlets at the practice for trying out spear because mine still need finishing (another project pre-Pennsic project).

And now as of last night I'm re-authed in sword & shield, and also in spear. Two weapon forms, whoot! And, the shoulders are mostly behaving.

Oh, and I finished the two chitons for L this morning.

So, I guess, here's to sucking it up?

Comments

[druidharper.livejournal.com]

Funny how those little 'adjustments' work so well, isn't it? Look at it this way; at least it wasn't a slap.

Good going on the reauth. :)

[helwen.livejournal.com]

LOL. Yeah, I'm not big into pain -- and usually if something happens to you first, I take that as a heads up to check things out, as it were ;)

Thx (reauth) :)

Of course now the pre-Pennsic to-do list just got longer :D

[flidaisairmid.livejournal.com]

It sounds as if( if I am reading this correctly) , you have reached one of those points of frustration with long term deep healing. The kind where it hurts, it feels pointless, you debate giving it all up, but it almost always heralds a turn in a corner where real visible improvement is just on the horizon. One of the greatest truths in the world is that healing sucks . I bet if you suck up the pain and push yourself to keep at it for just a little longer, you will begin to see a world of improvement.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's essentially what this week has been, seeing a turning point. I've been pushing for a few years now, just the hardest push has been since we started kungfu. Being able to walk a couple of miles yesterday morning (forgot that part), weed for a while, then do kungfu and armored combat and still be able to do something today, that's a definitely turning point.

I still have a long row to hoe of course! And I have to remain watchful and try to recognize when enough is enough and not injure myself -- badly, that is. Skinned a couple of knuckles in class last night :D

[druidharper.livejournal.com]

Yah. Try to learn from my mistake. O-o Poster child for pushing too hard here.

Lesson well..and hard...learned.

Mindful Training, that's the ticket.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

*nods* There are many ways to teach ;)

I'm interested that the knee brace seems to be helping. I'll have to give one L has a try again and see if I can make it work.

[druidharper.livejournal.com]

My knee, while fairly strong, is also slightly unstable due to the way the chip anchoring the tendon from the calf healed and the damage, small as it is, to the ACL. So it can twist a bit more than it ought to.

The knee brace is a neoprene sleeve with open patella which encourages circulation and yet exerts pressure on the patellar tendon and restrains the knee somewhat. Wouldn't stop a serious misstep from doing bad things, but it means I don't have to be as careful in what I'm doing.

I measured around my knee and consulted their size to get the right one. Jen was using one last night.

Hopefully I won't need the one with hinges.

[hyperbard.livejournal.com]

Good on you for pushing through and keeping the fight going, in whatever way you could*G* ... is it possible Tai Chi could be easier on your knees, since I know you already do Qigung? A thought... either that or maybe make sure and do some to stretch out and prepare your mind/body before kungfu. After all, warriors prepare for battle in all sorts of ways! Best of luck...

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Tai Chi is a bit easier (no jumping anyway), but doesn't have the same sorts of fitness benefits. They each have their place though. And yes, I stretch out some before class and the instructors are good about doing warm-ups and stuff. I have flat feet (not quite as flat as they used to be), which now that I'm older has led to some challenges with the knees and back -- this is in addition to the shoulder stuff -- guess I'm kind of a wreck in some ways :D

Overall, there have been a lot of positives to taking the classes; it's just hard to figure out the safe things to do sometimes. And then there are the times my body decides it doesn't like something no matter how careful I am, or even if I was able to do it fine before.

One thing I've been trying to do in the past week or so is get up and move around often, even if it's just for a few minutes. Trying to avoid sitting at the computer for more than an hour seems to help with the rt. knee and rt. hip (yeah, the right side is taking most of the hits from dealing with the shoulder problem for so many years).

I think having some half decent weather this week has also been a help...

Thanks for the luck -- I'll take what I can get :)