Rest

Today is a defacto rest day for me, I'm going home.  Hoping for a less bumpy flight out of PHL, probably wont get home till after 10, I have some errands to run... I digress.  With rest comes a lot of things, soreness chief among them.  If you haven't started taking some form of supplement now, you might reconsider.  I'm in that boat myself.  The 'silver bullet' I've always used to knock down soreness are amino acids.  You're body simply can not make enough on it's on to combat the effects of weight training, and taking these will help you in recover, and more importantly (to me), take away some of that soreness.  It's not a cure-all, but it really helps in the beginning. 

Other things you might consider taking (and again, I'm no doc, check with them and ask a coach at your box):  Fish Oil/Omega 3's, something for your joints (Glut-amine), a multivitamin, and some form of protein.  As for what you should buy EXACTLY, I'm not that guy, still figuring out myself.  There are certain proteins for certain things, and you will likely get better results taking one at a certain time, and another at another time...this is me trying to sheepishly explain that I've heard this before, and can't remember it well enough to tell you. 

If you're still going today, fighting the good fight, my hats off to ya.  I didn't want to go last night, and I should have shared this story then....I got in the rental, didn't wan't to go.  Got to the highway, was feeling sleepy and sore, was really not wanting it.  Get to the stoplight (on the highway...strange, I know), and I'm having more downer thoughts, being all whiny and stuff... then the song came on.  That cheesy rise up and take on the world song.  Everyone's got one, for a lot of people this song is the song.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4   Suddenly, chills.  I sit up a little straighter.  I turn up the volume.  Lights green, I hit the gas.  It's go time!  Forgotten were all the little naggies that wanted me to stay at the hotel, all replaced by the eye of the tiger.  Got to the box in a great mood, had a good workout. 

I say all that to say this.  Your box brethren (and siteren...sisters...idk), will always encourage you, try to motivate you, try to pump you up.  Sometimes though, we need to motivate ourselves.  Rocky Balboa (06) is one of my favorites in the series.  There is a scene in there (here comes another YouTube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucrjFirXW_s) where Rocky is talking to his kid about how hard life hits, and how winning is done.  It's something I find myself thinking about as I'm lifting something particularly heavy, or doing a workout that is really killing me.  This is a bit out of context, and I invite you to watch the vid if you haven't already, but this has kept me going a few times in my brief career already. 

"But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

Parting Thought:
There is no growth without struggle, without change.  You can't get better by doing the same things you've been doing, cause that's how you got where you are now.  Embrace the struggle, make the change.  I believe you can do it, and so can I. 

Keep Moving Forward,
TCN