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Overcoming Adversity

Overcoming Adversity

by | Sep 9, 2019 | Breathing, Conditioning, Injury, Injury Prevention, Recovery, Running, strength training, Stressrelief, Stretching, Uncategorized, working with injury

The definition of adversity via Webster’s Dictionary:

 

“Difficulties, misfortune, ill luck, back luck, trouble, difficulty, hardship, distress, disaster, misadvantage, suffering, affliction, sorrow, misery, heartbreak, heartache, wretchedness, tribulation, woe, pain, trauma, torment, torture.” The list goes on.

 

Adversity can be defined as any of the above. Everyone goes through some sort of adversity. It’s not about what type you deal with, but about how you respond to it. 

 

Do you ever feel alone when you’re dealing with something like this? I am sure of it, we all do. But guess what, you aren’t alone. The feeling of being alone EASILY gets more believable in a world where social media is constantly in our faces. Old friends, co-workers, gym buddies, cousins, acquaintances, celebrities… they all look SO happy on the screen of your phone. But guess what, they probably have shit going on. Don’t forget that. 

 

So… How do you overcome adversity? You can’t just make it go away, you can’t just run and hide and let someone else deal with it, you can’t just forget about it because it absolutely will resurface at some point. 

 

Adversity can be overcome by the way you react to it. 

 

This can be applied to matters BIG and SMALL. 

 

Small example…

Someone is going 40 MPH in the passing lane and you are LATE for work? 

Option A: Tailgate them like a MASShole, honk and give them the finger? 

 

OR

 

Option B: Remain calm and let them realize they are being slow where they will eventually speed up or switch lanes. 

 

Big example…

Someone does something extremely unjust, unreasonable and unfair?

Option A: scream and yell, accuse and verbally abuse?

 

OR

 

Option B: Remain calm with them. Do you best to not let your emotions drive your words. Take your feelings to a conversation with a friend where you can say what you want and get some advice.

 

Take home… We all deal with shit on any given day. The sun still rises in the morning no matter what was dealt the day before. Get up, shake the dust off and keep moving. Use adversity to learn, grow and become stronger. Get your reps in, practice makes perfect so keep working on overcoming those small hardships because when the big ones roll around, you will be ready.

Just Breathe

Just Breathe

by | May 6, 2019 | Abdominals, Breathing, Diaphragm, Stressrelief, Uncategorized

 

By Anna Burns, PT, DPT

Infinite Potential Physical Therapist

 

One of the simplest things you can do for your core, your pain, and your stress level is to breathe.  When working out or concentrating, it’s always the first thing to go. Our diaphragm is directly connected with our nervous system.  When our nervous system is on high alert with pain, stress, anxiety, or fear, engaging our diaphragm can switch the nervous system from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest,” decreasing pain and stress levels.  It’s one of our best tools to manage pain.

 

We have adopted a couple of different ways of breathing that “get around” the diaphragm.  One is breathing with the upper chest; this breath is “emergency” breathing, a very shallow pattern that we perform when we are stressed or scared. Click HERE for an example of Emergency Breathing

 

Another way is “belly breathing,” in which we distend our bellies outward on purpose.  While the belly rising is normal with inhalation, it should not be consciously distended. Click HERE for an example of Belly Breathing

 

Optimal breath engages our diaphragm, a large muscle that sits under our lungs and over our stomach.  By breathing into this area that touches all aspects of the rib cage, the diaphragm contracts to expand the surface area for oxygen intake in our lungs.  When we exhale completely, the diaphragm relaxes to push out the stale air. To activate your diaphragm, breathe in through your nose (CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO).  Visualize a balloon in that area expanding as you inhale.  Exhale slowly through your mouth, deflating the balloon, as far as you can until you have no air left.  Pause a second, and then inhale again through your nose. Try not to bulge out your belly on purpose or move your back.  In fact, I love practicing this laying on my back. So take a mindful moment (or several!) throughout your day to breathe.  As one of our clients likes to say, “Breathing is NOT optional!”