We hosted the Murph Challenge on Memorial Day this year. For those who don’t know what that is, it is a workout in honor of Lt. Michael Murphy of the US Navy Seals. The functional fitness industry runs workouts like these to honor fallen soldiers and pay homage to the sacrifices they made for us.
This workout included:
1 Mile run
100 Pullups
200 Pushups
300 Air Squats
1 mile run
I’ve done this workout in the past, but this year I was not in the best shape for it (I was experimenting with a different training program that didn’t prepare me for this type of work). However, I was headstrong and finished the workout. I was sore just like everyone else in the group, but something else happened to me. My arms swelled up like sausages. Not just a little swelling, but so major that it made me look like an ex bodybuilder who retired and ate oreos on a daily basis.
This was a sign that I developed a condition called rhabdomyolysis. What that means is that your muscles get worked so intensely that the muscles break down, resulting swelling, muscle weakness and possible kidney issues (there is a lot of free floating pieces in your blood). Luckily I was ok and eventually was medically managed.
For some time, I was in denial. I was thinking, this couldn’t have happened to me. But I was wrong. In fact, this condition can affect even the most experience of exercisers and trainers. Upon researching the recovery process, it included not exercising or lifting for at least 4 weeks. I was really concerned about how I would be able to keep up with my activity levels as exercise brought me joy, but like most people, exercise helped out with my aesthetics as well.
This was the first real injury in my life that stopped me from exercising.
The next few emails will share with you my experience on the recovery process and what you can do while injured.
What injury or injuries stopped you from working out?
Ashley
