NO PAIN, NO PAIN, NO PAIN!!!

And no that's not a mantra I'm just telling myself to make it so. :)

I've been on and off the mat, trying to get back into training the last 3 months following my initial post-surgery rehab. I've been on a strict weight lifting regimen and unable to train much because just lifting would exhaust my hip/shoulder to the point of often being unable to train (or train long) that day or sometimes 1-2 days following hard lifts. And even when I did train, I wasn't able to do more than a few rounds and was very nervous about tweaking my hip or shoulder and had to move carefully to avoid many positions...BUT...not today!

For the first time in over A WHOLE YEAR I trained 100% pain free today! It probably helped that I didn't do any physical activity on Saturday and only rolled for 10 minutes with my favorite training partner on Sunday, so my body was feeling great when I went in this morning to train with Megan for the Mundials. I'm not going, but one of our female blue belts is and I wanted to help her get some work in at the special Mundial Memorial Day practice. After drilling and warming up, Seph asked me if I was going to train. My response was, "yes, but I don't know how many rounds my body will hold up for". But my body did GREAT! It didn't betray me today. Not at all.

I trained hard, and without thinking about my hip or shoulder at all the whole time! I know my strength still isn't 100% but this is the first time I've been able to really train without worrying about the angle my arm or leg was at in literally over one year since I first tore the hip and shoulder. Okay, during the last positional sparring round I felt my hip starting to tighten up but I actually lasted all the way to the end. And once during rounds I had to break the order and take an extra 3 minute round out because my asthma was acting up from my cardio lacking after almost 8 months off real training (holy crap, it's really been that long!) but otherwise I couldn't be happier!

Jiu-Jitsu is fun again!

After being injured for so long, between the initial injuries and the months of ignoring what I knew to be true, then finally getting both surgeries and doing the rehab, to getting back into jiu-jitsu (probably a little too early), I actually forgot how much fun jiu-jitsu was. I can't wait to get back into actual shape and get back into competition! I will be a different grappler. New and improved!

It is a little frustrating that this moment of bliss finally arrived the week of the Mundial...if only it had been 3-4 weeks sooner, then I could have competed. But at least I'm healed! My doctors rock!

Soo...yeah...I need to go ice my hip because after training earlier, it is tight and achy. But I made it! It's all uphill from here! Woohoo!!!!