This year has had its share of ups and downs. I've been in the best shape of my life, and right now, I'm drowning a little bit. I've fought for a title, competed in kettlebells, got my Muay Thai Instructor test out of the way, and now I'm injured and can barely squat.
I fought in February for a regional WKA amateur title. I trained my ass off, 2-a-days for 6 days a week, for 4 months. I normally walk around at 112-115lbs, and I weighed in at 102 for a 105lb fight. I think I did really well in my fight, came away with barely any bruises, which is surprising because it was shinguard-less and had no headgear. I can say that WKA politics are CRAP, and I'll more than likely NEVER fight for their organization again. I will also NEVER wear any gear other than gloves and a mouthguard to fight ever again. I've actually been loathe to fight again, I've gotten a bad taste of the politics, and honestly don't know if I'll ever fight stateside. I still love to watch fights, but man, politics come into play too often in the US. If I go to Thailand, absolutely I'd fight, but probably not again in the US.
I've also competed in 2 kettlebell competitions. I loved them both. You meet great people, you lift heavy things repeatedly and there are almost no politics (no politics at the meets, but between organizations, yes). You don't get punched in the head or risk serious injury either, win win. I placed second at the first one in Charlotte, with a 14kg bell. I had no idea what to expect at this one. My form was also crap, and having never made it through 10 minutes on any weight, I had no idea what to expect and was honestly surprised at myself. I took training for the one in Atlanta much more seriously. I moved up to a 16kg bell, and it was like starting over. I could muscle the 14kg for 10 minutes, but not the 16kg. So we made a trip down to Atlanta to see Scott Shetler before the competition to dial in our form and training plans. I made 70 reps on the 16kg, whereas I had only gotten 31 at the first comp on a smaller bell! Yay for first place in my weight division and kettlebell weight category!
One week after the competition I tested for my instructor test. Training for that is almost as bad as fight training, except you don't have to diet, but it's all kicks and knees, no hands. The test is in front of Grandmaster Chai, who brought Thai Boxing to the US, and who founded the Thai Boxing Association of the USA (TBA). You have to demonstrate form, your Wai Kru/Ram Muay (fancy dance to honor your parents, school/instructor, and whichever God you choose), plus go through two 3 minute rounds where you have to get 60 kicks and 35 knees while your feeder punches and kicks you back. There are other things in life which are more fun...going to the dentist, the "icky" doctor...you know, things where you don't get kicked in the head and can't hit the person who kick you. It was rough, but I passed and had my Wai Kru recorded to send out to other schools...whoa!
The next week (Labor Day weekend), Doug and I went to Tybee Island to rest and eat terrible food...much needed terrible food. Key lime pie, pancakes, white potatoes (GASP!), etc. It was glorious. We did bring kettlebells, but only worked out maybe 15 minutes and spent the rest of the time doing nothing.
The week after was level testing at the DHMA (Muay Thai school). There are 3 levels in the TBA, 1 is you know basic form, 2 sis improved form and a basic understanding and ability to perform the Wai Kru/Ram Muay, and 3 is instructor which in turn has several levels of seniority within that level (apprentice, associate, full, senior, ajarn). I was holding for a tester, and tried to cut kick him, my favorite thing to do (you kick their support leg while they are kicking which hurts really bad because all their weight is on it), and got kicked in the side of the knee. Not pleasant. But I thought, well, it kinda felt like I hit my funny bone really hard, it was all tingly, so I tried to "walk it off" because that's what us fighters do, and proceeded to try and hold for the second tester...bad idea. I couldn't put weight on it to punch properly, I could only kick with one leg, I couldn't circle or side shuffle, none of that. Luckily, because I am small, I was holding their first round, so my shitty feeding was more than made up for by the second holder. So, home I went, and iced and ibuprofened myself. I had my leg elevated, and we have "man" sofas which have built in recliners, and I couldn't push the recliner down, so whenever I had to get up, I had to swing myself off to the side and get off the couch on the middle cushion. I knew it was bad when I could barely shuffle to the bathroom, a whole 20 feet away, and standing up from sitting down while putting ANY weight on my left leg was tear inducing. I has somehow still able to prep dinner and get it in the oven, but when the timer went off, and I tried to get up, I moved the exact opposite way that my knee wanted to and unleashed a blood curdling scream. I've never been in this much pain. I scared the shit out of Doug and his mother. The rest of the night was uneventful, other than I had to scooch up the stairs like a little kid. I had fully planned on going to work the next day...when Doug got up to go to work the next morning, I tried to roll over to reposition myself, again moving in a way that produced the same effing scream...I still got up and got dressed for work, and my mother-in-law came downstairs and would possibly have used force to make me stay at home...see, she's a nurse and retired military. I stayed home, tried to get ahold of my doctor, but ended up going to urgent care after the receptionist was incredibly rude to me. X-rays showed nothing, so pain meds and more rest it is.
I ended up going to an ortho, who did more X-rays and tests, bones look fine, and ligaments and tendons did fine on the stress/bending tests to see if your LCL or MCL are torn (I swore my LCL was torn, but apparently not). Diagnosis: incredible inflammation due to the kick shifting and bruising my knee cap, and if anything is torn, it's my cartilage. On to physical therapy.
Had my first session of PT last Monday. I regained some mobility, I can bend it past 90 degrees now and get it within 1-2 degrees of being as straight as my right leg. Still can't squat or lunge without it feeling like it's going to explode. I go again today, at 11. Good news is, not wearing my knee brace except when sleeping or down at Thai class because I'm barefoot, and the TBA Camp Test isn't kidding, soft canvas makes you tire faster (at least my knee does).
So, what to my workouts look like right now? Seeing as I can't do any leg work, and am limited with my kettlebell work, they are BORING. Basic and simple. Lots of chest, back, shoulder, arm and ab work. I can do kettlebell snatches relatively well, with low weight that is, but I need to be careful not to snap my left leg straight. I can hold mitts and pads for my kickboxing class, but still can't punch and definitely can't kick. I can't really do any cardio, so while I was in the best shape of my life at the beginning of the year, I'm now in the worst shape I've been in in years. So, it's boring and monotonous, but so is sitting at home on the couch - I still do the boring workouts, otherwise the rehab and comeback work will be even harder.
Until next time...
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| L-R: snatching the 20kg, side by side comparison of left v. right knee (left is slightly more swollen under and to the outside of knee cap), finally being able to bend left knee past 90 degrees. |
