Injuries
The following post was originally posted by Freddy Camacho of CrossFit One World on July 18th, 2012. In it, Freddy talks about something that’s slightly taboo to talk about at times – getting injured. Bottom line is this – you’re going to experience pain, soreness, and *gasp* maybe even an injury doing CrossFit. The key is to learn how to deal with these things and keep getting into the gym.
Dealing With Injuries
By Freddy Camacho
During my last event at the 2012 CrossFit Games (max muscle-ups in 2 minutes), I injured one of the muscles in my upper back. My best guess is that I pulled/strained the teres major. It felt horrible at the time. I actually felt like someone shot me. There was no way I was able to get another muscle-up. My CrossFit Games were over in the blink of an eye. It’s a few days later and I can move my arm over my head again with little pain, but it still feels like someone smacked my lat with a baseball bat.
Freddy Camacho, doubled over in pain at the Games.
Injuries happen, especially if you are training hard. If someone tells you that CrossFit is totally safe and that injuries “from CrossFit” are rare, they are blowing smoke up your ass. You are pushing yourself hard on a day to day basis. Couple that with the fact that we are all trying to perfect our movement, but we simply aren’t always moving well. It is a recipe for injury. Plus, there are just those days when weird shit happens and the next thing you know, you are in the arena at the CrossFit Games doubled over in pain.
Let’s get past a simple truth. If you do CrossFit for any significant period of time, you are going to suffer from an injury at some point. It’s no different from any other training regimen. Introduce me to a powerlifter, an Olympic weightlifter, a gymnast, a martial artist, a football player, a marathon runner, ANY ATHLETE WHATSOVER, who has never been injured doing their thing, and I will tell them straight to their face that they don’t train hard.
So now you know the dirty truth. You are going to get injured at some point. It’s what you do after you get injured that matters. So many people use an injury as an excuse to give up training entirely. I can’t think of any worse road to travel…. If you are “The One,” an injury is nothing but a minor glitch in your training. You work around an injury. I had all kinds of injuries last year. I worked around each one. I made it to the CrossFit Games.
You may not be training for the CrossFit Games, but you are still in the same boat as I am. You are training because you want to live a healthier longer life. I’ll deal with small injuries now rather than spend my retirement years medicated and at the mercy of weekly doctor appointments.
If you have an injury, don’t stop training and don’t ignore it. Hit me up, and we will figure out the best path to keep you in the gym.
Workout of the Day 7/20/2012
Strength.
Snatch 4×3
Met-Con.
AMRAP 7:
7 Deadlift (315#/205#)
3 Burpees
14 Pistols (alternating legs)
21 Double Unders
3 Burpees
Great Article! Even though I am suffering from my lumbar muscle strain I continue to train hard and working around my injury everyday. Looking forward to go back to the BOX and train with my LAX family!!
So you calling me a pussy for not being in the box for two weeks? Lol the leg got a little worst. I’m going to post a video on the Facebook page.
WTH, Keenan!! Is your shin still not better?? Tell Nurse V to put in some OT and give it more TLC! Ha! Get well NOW!
PS- YAY PISTOLS & BURPEES!!
Keenan, you should definitely see a doctor, how about 1pm Saturday at Hennessy in Hermosa, there will be a ton of dr’s and nurses on hand.
Hahaha! Chris = COMEDIAN!!
nice one kiwi:)
I’m itching to get back. My shoulder and my foot…not so much.
Right to the point. If you aren’t training hard, you aren’t going to get hurt. People are always telling me it’s too crazy and someone will get hurt. I’ve surfed, played sports, run here and there… something will come up.
It’s how you mentally prepare yourself to overcome this obstacle and start to heal. Work on other areas too.
Functional movement is what it’s all about. Screw the term CrossFit for a moment. If you can get your grandma to step up on a 4 inch box, then bend down and grab a couple soup cans from the ground and then put over head like she’s going to put them on the top shelf… that’s functional. For a CFitter that’s a box jump and thruster. Will she get injured? Probably not but she’s not training to beat anyone, she’s training to live stronger and possibly prevent falling and injuring themselves.
Good coaches will help scale any workout for someone that can’t do Rx. And thankfully LAX has them. It’s like going to 24 Hour Fitness and asking a “personal trainer” for help. Can they really? I’ve met some Level 1 coaches while judging and I’m baffled why they ask questions about basic movements.
nice post but OMG! that sample picture on the main page for this blog looks horrible.
Can’t wait to get back in the box, back injury worse than I thought. Hopefully another week and I can get back to training.
http://whatshouldcrossfitterscallme.tumblr.com