Ouch...

I cannot straighten my arms without wincing. Or I guess I should say I couldn't. It's a little better today. Though it will probably be worse again tomorrow.

See I changed one thing in my workout on Monday. I added a different arm exercise. That on top of the others I do was challenging. Which is good. I've mentioned before I am vain about my arm and back muscles. I tend to be able to get good enough definition there that I feel fitter than I really am by working them out. Anyway, I added that one new exercise Monday. And then the garbage disposal fell off the sink Monday afternoon so I had to put that back together.

Why are those things related?

Well, I worked my arms hard Monday morning and then had to turn around and lift and hold the disposal while laying under the sink. It isn't that heavy normally but holy cow was I having issues by the time I was done. The angles were tricky. The weight of the thing seemed to be increasing by the second. Getting it lined up. Then realizing the pipes had moved too much so I was going to have to take it off and fix them again. By the time I was done I was shaking.

Which led to the the wincing when I straightened my arms yesterday.

They really would just like to stay bent and rested.

And then this morning as I did my workout I am pretty sure my right biceps said, "Oh no you don't!"at about rep 12 in my second set. It came out more as a whimper, but I think it was supposed to be sassy attitude. So I imagine tomorrow I will be super sore again. Ouch.

So why do it? Knowing that I will be sore. Knowing that Friday when I go to carry my bag on the plane and pop it in the overhead I will be thinking, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH MY ARMS?? And more to the point why will I be back at the gym Monday morning doing it again?

Because the only way to change the way my arms look is to work them. And the only work that will actually do any change is going to stress them. And the stress on the muscle is going to cause some pain while it repairs itself. But it's that repairing that is going to make all the difference in the world. A stressed muscle that has healed is stronger. Even if it hurts to go through the process.

No matter how much it hurts while we heal when we do heal we come out the other side stronger.

Yes, it's a metaphor. Doesn't make it less true.

Heal. Get stronger.

And remember while you are in the worst of it, it will get better. You will get stronger. Life is challenging but the challenges are what change us and what makes us better. Healthier.

Stronger.