Training with Endometriosis
I remember chanting to myself over and over “Get under the bar and just get it done.” Mind over matter, the brain is usually stronger and can make you forget about the pain temporarily. I stood there trying to amp myself up to squat. I remember gritting my teeth numerous times before I even got into position. I felt the pain start at my lower back and rush down my legs. I got into position and got the squat done but I remember the hardest part was fighting the tears away.
I have something called Endometriosis and 1 in 20 women in this country are faced with it. Endometriosis is a debilitating condition that is non curable. The exact cause of it remains unknown, doctors have a better understanding of it. How does that help me or the other women that are faced with this, well it doesn’t! There are numerous symptoms of Endo and some of them are worse then others.
I had my first surgery in February 2006 and the recovery was just as much fun as the symptoms before I had the surgery. I remember the surgery helped once I recovered and I was more then excited. I could function without pain. Months went by and slowly the symptoms came back. Vicodin was not even making a dent in the pain. I was determined to deal with the pain since I did not want to go for the surgery again. There are some women that have gone for 10 plus surgeries and still continue to be plagued by the Endo.
Fast forward to April of 2009, I started to get interested in working out. I have never done any serious working out other then some basic stuff over the years. I dabbled in some kettlebell work and then was introduced to the darker side of lifting by my husband, Jay. Shortly after seeing the heavier work outs and watching some strong women work out I was sold. I felt like a brand new woman and discovered a new side of myself by lifting. I also saw how much my condition prevented me from progress.
Over the course of time from April till November I lost a total of 3 months of training. That means a 3 month stall in progress. The condition got so worse that towards the end of October my tears during a work out became just as normal as sweat was during a work out.
I knew that I would have to go for another surgery. So I made an appointment with my doctor. He found another condition which is Cervical Stenosis. That coupled with the Endo made it almost impossible to even function, every move was painful.
I had the surgery in November and took 6 weeks to recover. Once I got back to the gym I retested all of my one rep maxes. I lost strength on my Deadlift but gained strength on my Squat. I was excited to move forward with out pain. Real progress can begin now, well at least for me. I then decided I wanted to start training to eventually compete in some amateur power lifting meets in 2011.
I started 5/3/1 and retested on the calendar year anniversary. I gained 140# to my total. My total in April 2010 was 600#. While that is a low total, the accomplishment I got from training pain free was more rewarding then having a 255# Deadlift.
The pain is creeping back slowly and I am not looking forward to stalling progress again. I am sure there are a lot of women that are involved in the darker side of lifting that deal with this condition. While I wish I had the magical solution to tell you all how to be pain free, I don’t. I have found a few mind tricks that help me get through each set.
What I have found to work are the following:
1. Make sure your belt is as tight as possible to provide some pressure on the lower back and stomach.
2. Schedule your rest days or de-load week on the week you know it will be worst based on your cycle.
3. If you can not schedule your days accordingly, take either ibuprofen or acetaminophen approximately 1 hour prior to the set.
4. Always make sure you have a spotter while squatting in case the pain gets worsens and you can not finish your set
In closing, ladies or men who have women in their life that are faced with this, I wish you all the best in fighting the pain away.
—
Nicole Ashman
http://nikki-2k.blogspot.com/
