Getting Stronger

​Getting stronger occurs over time. We don’t wake up one day, and feel our bicep muscle, and think, “Whoa, that sure sculpted itself over night.”
 
It’s easy to think you can build yourself up quickly, improve your stamina, develop your lung capacity. Reality intervenes after your first workout.
 
I’ve listened to way too many people who’ve started exercising with the intention of turning it into a routine. After day one, perhaps (or probably) overdoing it, and their muscles burning the next day, they complain, “I can’t believe how much my calf muscles are throbbing. I need to take a few days off.” The will dies there.
 
Despite KNOWING how one’s body reacts to a new physical regime, it is still hard to wrap your mind around it, and understand that you will feel pain or fatigue. The push will hurt, at least to a certain extent. Expect it. Mentally prepare for it.
 
I recently got a pull/push golf cart from my kids as a gift. The point was to walk the golf course more rather than ride in a cart. Get some exercise. Save a few bucks by not renting a gas or electric golf cart.
 
Having not played a round yet this year, when I took the cart out for the first time two weeks ago, I fully recognized I would be sore the next day. But, even preparing myself mentally for the physical response the day after did not do reality justice.
 
I made it through the round, fatigued, my legs tired, but, generally speaking, feeling pretty good. Didn’t have any panting issues going up hills. Slogged around 18 holes and slowed down bit by bit as the round wore on, trudging up the 18th pretty darn tired.
 
Not thinking about what I’d done, I went to sleep that evening without adequately considering how the next day would turn out. When you haven’t walked six miles for over three months, your body needs to adjust. If you have not swung a golf club for three months, a lot of new muscles will react the next day. Put age in as another factor, and you have a recipe for agony.
 
In retrospect, there was one silly thing I didn’t consider before that round or afterwards: taking Advil. Advil gels serve as a miracle drug for me in these types of athletic endeavors, both as a preventive measure regarding strains and as an anti-inflammatory after finishing.
 
But, I didn’t go down the route, and suffered. And suffered. Man. Who knows how much was advancing age, how much was the first round of the year, or how much as due to pulling and pushing the golf cart for four hours. Regardless, my body rejected me the next day.
 
I complained far too much. One week later, I played again.  The course was hillier. I had that one round under my belt, so my body had some prep. Getting smarter every day, I took three Advil.
 
Miraculously, though I was still drained after round two of the year, I felt IMMENSELY better. The muscle soreness did not re-emerge.

We get used to many new endeavors in life. We get stronger if we work at it. The second round, I could tell my legs were more ready to go. After that second round, during our morning dog walks, my legs felt energized.

We don’t get stronger by doing nothing. We get stronger by preparing and taking action and staying after it. I’ll keep walking. Need to conquer some bigger hills.