What is Strong?

So, you guys may be aware now that I was, for a time, coached by Clint Darden. Clint is a man of honor and duty. He is a father, a husband and an elite level athlete. He's been around the block and, to boot, is a great guy. I am not shamelessly plugging him, but...The story behind this series is something I wanted to explain and give full credit to Clint. He does a newsletter "The House of Biceps" and he's asked some of his readers to send him their ideas of "Strong" whether that be video, writing, stories, etc.

I stated a while back that I have had a long journey. This is the first part of a much longer story. This is one idea of what "Strong" to me, personally, is.

What is "strong"? Strong is having the courage to set boundaries, but to recognize that they change over time. I remember back in 2008 when I could do 10 pull ups like it wasn't any work. I forget how hard I worked to get there. Now, in 2013, at 29 years old, things have changed. I am slowly coming back from an injury, and am happy I can now do 1 pull up on any day. Why is that "strong" to me? Because, I didn't get hung up on what I used to be able to do. We used to shit our pants when we were babies. We may get back to that point. But we're not there yet.

Life has a funny way of coming back around. Our relationships are built on trust, and the gym is no different. Life, however, doesn't wait for you. If you don't get stronger, you have no one to blame but yourself. Strong doesn't just reflect how much weight you can lift, but how many times you keep coming back to lift it, even when people tell you you can't. You won't be able to ever touch a barbell again. That's what they told me. Then they gave me prescriptions for muscle relaxers, Ibuprofen and sent me on my way.

Let's go back a bit.

It was November, 2005. I was at work. I was checking the perimeter of our base (I was active Air Force at the time) and we got an emergency call. I sped off, didn't have my seat belt on, and to make a long story short, wrecked the truck. It flipped over 2 times. I was ejected from the seat along with my partner. I was due to deploy in less than a month for my first overseas deployment, Iraq. Somehow, I lived. I woke up, in shock, lying in the gravel, unsure as to what had just happened. I tried calling for help, but nothing came out. I couldn't move. I wondered if I was paralyzed.

I didn't break a single bone. I didn't lose a limb. I even still had all my teeth and now, carry some scars. I deployed on December 5th, 2005. I came back with all my fingers and toes, but as many of you may know, going to war changes you. It was in Iraq that I found solace in the barbell. So when the doctors, years later, told me I would never touch one again due to my back injury (un-related to the accident, maybe, but no one is 100% sure), I couldn't stand the thought.

I listened to them. For 2 years I didn't lift a thing. My pain got worse.

Then, I said "screw it" and got a surgery done. The day of the surgery, I touched a barbell for the first time. I lifted just the bar. I did curls and bench press.

All roads lead me here, with the barbell and the plates.

Sometimes, you must trust yourself. A PhD doesn't make you any smarter than a degree in life or knowing yourself. Only you know your true limits. If you let others tell you what your limits are, you might as well start digging your own damn grave. 

That is strong. I am a woman. But more than that, I am a strength athlete. I am strong in the gym, and I try to be strong outside of it.

Now, go lift something.

See you in THE DUNGEON