Invincibility?

[Skeptic 2004]

I'm feeling whimsical this evening:

I was playing basketball today when I jumped for a rebound, got hit in the air and came down hard on my ankle. Luckily, I didn't break it but needless to say, it hurt a lot. After a few winced breaths and some mokuso, I got up, shook it off, rolled my ankle for a minute, and continued playing to the disbelief of the other players. While my jump was a little weaker, I still played them hard as if nothing had happened, and my ankle felt better in about 10 minutes. I'm pretty sure I sprained it, but it doesn't bother me.

Upon reflection, I noticed that things that normally put people out of commission don't bother me that much. I'm pretty sure it's because of my training, but maybe I just have a high pain threshold. Anyone else ever notice the invicibility phenomenon? Is it a result of training? Or perhaps is it because of a naturally high pain threshold? Or both?

[Sam]

well since in MA trainign you may [depending on art /style] use muscles and joints more often than not, you may get used to awkward landings and used to enduring pain...... its probably just that.

[cheeks]

you are so lucky... i was playing tennis last week, leapt up to hit the ball and landed on the edge of my foot, my ankle swelled up to three times the size - it turns out i have sprained the ligaments in my ankle which means i cant train or run for 3 weeks...

i understand what you are talking about, and i think that it proberbly links to the way you train. if you are determind to keep going through the pain of 250 press ups or whatever, that will follow through to other areas in your life, including injuries. you have that "i will finish this" atitude.

[Sam]

although that isnt always a good thing.... as u can cause damage by ignorming the pain - but i do agree, you start to brush off the minor injuries more lightly.

[Sabumnim]

Pain shouldn't be ignored, but training definitely helps manage it

[jarrettmeyer]

There is something to be said for training and your body's ability to recover from minor injury.

When I started MA and working out, I had to take at least two days off in between. On the third day, my body was still sore, but I worked out anyway. A couple Aleve would see me through.

That was 10 months ago. (Wow, I can't believe I've been at this for 10 months!!! I'm eligible for yellow belt in September!!!)

Now, I've changed my eating. I get a lot more protein and fiber into my diet. I've switched to organic milk/beef/eggs. When I eat fast food, I have a salad, instead of cheeseburger & fries.

I workout cardio & light weights daily. I still get winded more easily than I'd like, I still sweat like a horse, and the next morning my muscles are just fine, ready to do it all over again.

My wife points out bruises on me that I didn't even know were there. My pain management has improved.

All of that anecdotal evidence is to support my conclusion that working out regularly definitely helps for pain and physical recovery.

(At our dojo, we had a 49-year old nidan get surgery recently to repair a bone spur in his knee. He was told by his ortho that he would be down for 12 weeks after surgery, and light workouts for another 12. He was back in the dojo after 2 weeks, and going all-out 6 weeks after surgery.)

[Shorin Ryuu]

I think you and I are a bit more well-equipped to handle these injuries. I've noticed especially how my ankles have grown much stronger. Rolls and sprains specifically, while painful, have not affected me much. A month or so ago I was running 4 miles and at the end of the first mile, my foot made a funny landing off of some crumbly ground and was rolled terribly (we're talking a 90 degree angle here). I didn't even stop but kept going at the same pace (pretty fast). It hurt at first, but the continual action and loose running helped it loosen up a bit and I was totally fine, even the next day.

Of course, I tried using the invincibility phenomenon in trying to defeat my ACL tear. You saw how well that worked out...I had to resort to my physical therapy phenomenon...

At any rate, I'm a strong believer in the notion of continual physical training will leave you less vulnerable to injuries. I think repeated training while barefoot (i.e. karate) forces your body to become stronger as it does not rely on the support provided by a shoe.

I've always had a pretty high pain tolerance. Like I've always said, it's simply a matter of recognizing pain for what it is and not letting it dictate your response if it is merely pain. If it is serious injury, of course your body is trying to tell you something. If it is telling you your body is not supposed to move in a certain way, then you should listen. But if it is really only just pain then you shouldn't pay too much attention to those pesky nerve impulses.

P.S. You ever notice how often it is people like us get injured OUTSIDE of martial arts rather than because of it? Consequently, it is never a cool story when someone asks you how you got injured...

[tufrthanu]

Cheeks I had a similar experience coming off of a jump spin kick. I weigh 280 pounds and I didnt get completely airborne. When I twisted around the foot twisted underneath me and then I landed on the edge. The foot rolled over and the outside of my ankle hit the floor. Something inside my ankle made a loud pop that was heard by everyone in the dojo. Like you it swelled way up and I was out for quite a few weeks...could hardly walk for awhile. Just wondered if yours popped when it bent over?

[Sam]

yeah sometimes there are obviously going to be injuries that you can use the invincibility phenomenom on..... but its weird seeing how easily some people get injured

[shotochem]

P.S. You ever notice how often it is people like us get injured OUTSIDE of martial arts rather than because of it? Consequently, it is never a cool story when someone asks you how you got injured...

I resemble that statement .

In the past few years I have been injured more outside of the dojo than in

the dojo.

Sprained wrist while tripping over a garden hose. My hand got slammed in the front door (2 broken fingers(again)) Threw out back for a week moving sofa.

These are not the injuries of a warrior, the karate gods are laughing at me as I speak.......