It Doesn't Make the Climb Any Easier
This past weekend was mountain filled. It started with climbing Mount Sherman, number 16 for Jess and I for 14er summits. Followed by backpacking off of Tennessee Pass to the Continental Divide Hut where we made the conscious decision to pack in 50lbs worth of water. When Sunday finally hit, we were tired to say the least and couldn’t wait to go to sleep that night. While the weekend was action packed, summit number 16 was special.
Summiting any new mountain is always fun in its own way, but this one hit different. I had the privilege of standing on top with one of my patients, friends, and now climbing partners. This wasn’t her first 14er, but it had been some time since her last one and she absolutely killed it. It couldn’t have started the weekend off any better.
In preparation for the trip, we were discussing logistics and planning it all out. In conversation about which mountain to climb we were comparing different routes and the pros and cons of each. At the end of the day, the same phrase kept reappearing in discussion, they're all still 14ers and still difficult in their own way. In other words, no matter the situation, it doesn’t make the climb any easier.
This is a common reminder I use with many patients as they return to form in physical therapy and lifting heavier again. As the weight increases, the importance behind proper technique and cueing elevates, but doesn’t necessarily change the difficulty of the weight we’re trying to lift.
For example, when deadlifting, after someone really starts dialing in how to move weight again, we start leaning into certain cues harder. Such as “big breath” for bracing and “push through the ground” to drive through our glutes. By doing so, we put ourselves in a better position to lift the weight and reduce our risk of injury. However, no matter the cue, while the lift itself should feel “better,” it doesn’t make the weight any lighter.
Returning from any injury can be a difficult journey and we can prepare and learn everything about our situation that we want but when push comes to shove, it's still a challenge. Psychological framing is pivotal to our success and while understanding it doesn’t make the weights any lighter, or the mountains we climb any easier, it puts us in a better position to achieve our goals!
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