Train to Train Another Day: Mindset after Injury

Written by Sianna Decarli

When we lead an active lifestyle, our goals are to better our health, improve our performance, and enjoy ourselves in the process. Using the body as a vessel to achieve these things can sometimes put us at risk: risk of failure, exhaustion, and even injury. This year I had a brutal knee injury happen while doing one of the things I love – playing volleyball. 

Injuries bring their own set of challenges. Some are physical, while others are emotional. My knee injury led to an extensive surgery with an unpleasant recovery. In a mildly dramatic way, this injury has changed my view on fitness and sports in its entirety. 

What brings me joy?

While being immobile, I realized so much of my life’s happiness revolves around moving my body. Being a personal trainer, I find an enormous amount of joy in teaching others how to get stronger and use their body as a vessel to attain their goals. I find just as much joy in being active myself. 

When faced with the tragic loss of a mobile body, many people challenged me to find other things that make me happy or bring me joy aside from lifting, walking, playing sports or being active. I was at an ultimate loss. 

While I could have taken the great advice to spend time pursuing other avenues of enjoyment, I ended up relishing in the importance of physical activity in my life and why so much of my heart is tied to it. How my view on physical activity has forever been changed came from this reflection.

Train to train another day

I now see the importance in training to train another day. Training to train another day means, to me, to push yourself within your limits so you’re healthy to train again tomorrow. Not being short sighted by the goals of one day, but rather the goals of years of consistent training coming to fruition. I move my body to feel whole, healthy, and happy. I lift weights to be strong so I can be strong in my old age. I will run to keep up with my kids one day. And I will use my body to be whole and not injured. I now prioritize the longevity of my physical health. 

Now after a few months of rehab and physical therapy, you may not know I had knee surgery in passing, but the effects are still lasting. As I return to physical activity in various ways, I’m able to appreciate my body for the work it’s doing for me. I can remind myself the most important thing is to be healthy and able for as long as possible. So, in closing, this is your reminder to train to train another day, treat your body with love and appreciation, and stay healthy! 

 

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