Since the cold has taken the offensive I have postponed my outdoor Parkour training. Even though I train and lift weights in the comfort of my home (which ironically is as cold as the outside since I never have the heat on) and at the small recreational facility seven and a half minutes away from my home, I still manage to acquire injuries. Ah, injuries — the most valuable reminders we can be given.
When I first became a Traceur, the only injuries I got were a sprained something-or-other and some nasty scratches. Although, there was a time I almost lost my man-hood when jumping over a goal post in Frisbee Golf. I should have checked to see how stable the post was before I decided to jump over it.
Regardless, when you are performing such an intense sport, you are bound to get injured. It may be slight scratches, a large gash, a dislocated shoulder or concussion. Than again, they are the same risks I take when working out at the gym or at home, if not more risky because of the lack of space. I can pull a muscle from lifting too much weight, scratch myself when trying to use the machines, roll an ankle running on the treadmill, etc.
Do I let these annoyances stop me from doing what I love? Of course not… Last week I pulled a muscle in my arm after maxing out on 50 push ups. The next day you could have found me doing P90X in the apartment. –bad idea– Injuries need rest but you get the idea. I am motivated and working out and Parkour training is a necessity in my life.
It’s all the same in life isn’t it? We have passions, goals, tasks that we have to accomplish and we all risk getting injured in one way or another. Christopher Paolini puts it perfectly in his book Inheritance, “Its impossible to go through life unscathed. Nor should you want to. By the hurts we accumulate, we measure both our follies and our accomplishments”
Stay Positive and Proud Of Your Scars
Garth E. Beyer
