Monday, June 12, 2017

2017/06/12 - Sit-ups

Have you ever had an injury that was totally unexplainable?

About two years ago I suffered a severe back injury, involving my sciatic nerve. The funny thing was that it happened during a period where I was getting back into my best physical condition. I was at my college weight, and cycling 100-150 miles a week without much effort.

So why an unexpected back injury during this period? This has been puzzling me for two years now, but I think I've finally figured it out.

Nowadays I'm back at my ideal weigh, back to 100+ miles per week and back to the same mindset I had right before the back injury.

You see, whenever I get back to my ideal weight, I start dreaming of a return of the washboard stomach that I had as a teenager, and I start a sit-up routine.

I'm also stupid and stubborn and I still do sit-ups the way they showed us in the 1950's, which is totally incorrect by today's standards (probably because it caused lower back injuries). Without any foot support, I clasp my hands behind my neck and alternate touching me elbows to the opposite knee, without bending my knees.

So being in the same mindset now, I rememberd that the last time I had started a sit-up routine was shortly before my injury. Doah... Then one morning while bending down to pick up a 3 gallon pail of water, BANG, it felt like someone shot me in the right side of my lower back, sending a tidel wave of pain shooting down my right leg.

I could not walk for a week, and ride for over a month. 

So I'm convinced that there was indeed a connection between the back injury and sit-ups, and have decided to forgo any future sit-up routines.

That's my story and I'm sticken to it.

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