Fate beats Statistics
I had a significant setback this weekend, giving me an opportunity to think about the big picture and put all of my hard work into perspective.
All of my programming (and hard work) has been based on three simple principles:
I want to live pain-free for the next few decades.
My body was pretty beat up; between 47-52 years old I had chronic lower back pain, right elbow pain, and a shoulder subluxation with partial tears in multiple rotator cuff tendons. Now that I’ve fixed these issues, I wake up each day feeling 20 years younger than I did a few years ago. I love that feeling, and I want to share what I’ve learned with others.
I think about every exercise I do, every video I watch, and every experience I encounter with an eye towards whether, and how, this will impact my long-term health span. I don’t expect to live forever, but I do want to live through my 70s, 80s, and even 90s with the least amount of pain and the most amount of mobility and flexibility possible. I try to incorporate exercises and movement patterns which will impact my long-term functional well being.
I work hard, consistently, and diligently. I want my body to function better than most others’ in my golden years, and I’m willing to invest in that future with hard work today.
And then this happened…
My left knee wobbled and then buckled while I was dancing with my wife. Nothing fancy, nothing excessive - just enjoying some live music and moving to the beat. One second I was smiling and upright; the next I was sitting on my butt and my knee was filled with fiery pain.
Even though I play tennis (singles) for 2-3 hours per week, and even though I incorporate rotational movements into my fitness program, I was down without warning.
I don’t know for sure yet how serious the injury is, but it’s significant enough that I am going to see an orthopedic specialist this week. In the meantime it’s a good reminder that no matter how much you stack the percentages in your favor, fate can intervene at any random moment.
Better get out there and enjoy this life we’re trying to make the most of.
- Chris Butterworth