This pain.
It’s what I long for.
I need this pain in the way a junkie needs his next hit. The way a nymphomaniac needs her next ….tryst.
I yearn for this pain.
Am I a masochist?
mas·och·ist
/ˈmæsə
kɪst/ [mas-uh-kist]
noun 1. Psychiatry. a person who has masochism, the condition in which sexual or other gratification depends on one's suffering physical pain or humiliation. 2. a person who is gratified by pain, degradation, etc., that is self-imposed or imposed by others. 3. a person who finds pleasure in self-denial, submissiveness, etc.
I’m not really feeling the humiliation or degradation bits. Can’t say as I am yearning for either of those. So, no, I’m not a masochist.
And yet here I am, working hard at achieving the burn. At bringing the pain. And then revelling in the ache.
I do this willingly. Lovingly.
No, this isn’t about spanking, flogging, clamping or anything else boudoir-related, mes amis.
I’m talking about that delicious pain of muscle soreness.
DOMS.
It even sounds like the bi-product of some fetish behaviour. Not so.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is the kind of pain that tells you how hard you worked your body. The kind that proves how far you pushed yourself.
I feel that pain today. I feel it so strong that it makes me wince each time I move.
And I should dislike this pain. I should dislike it very much. Yet, against all reason, I embrace it.
I smile each time I inhale, and feel that hot knife slicing up my back.
Oh I am back! Disease and strife knocked me around the past couple of weeks, but now I am back, baby!
And I hurt in a way that is wholly unholy. Even for a glutton-for-punishment like me, this pain is exquisitely excessive.
If I had been doing my bench presses like this, then my pain might make more sense.
But as horrifyingly entertaining as this is, I can assure you I did not adopt his form. So I’m really quite puzzled as to why pain is radiating through my obliques, my lower back, my lats. I’m one big ball of pain.
Yes, I decided to lift heavier, with fewer reps, the past few days. And it would seem this is the reason my entire body is one throbbing sore muscle.
I blame Sam at Midsummer 365 Project for this. She had the gall to suggest that perhaps BodyPump (featuring many reps at lower weights) was something she [and therefore, by extension, I] had out grown. That it may be time [for both of us] to move to the big leagues and focus on lifting heavy. *Note: the inclusion of me in her plans was solely a figment of my own imagination.
Oh Sam. You feed my habit like a dealer feeds a crack-head. Bless your heart, you wicked, wicked woman.
And now, my friends, I leave you with the delightful John (will always be Cougar to me) Mellencamp. C’mon baby make it hurt so good!
Get moving!
xoxo nancy
Oh my goodness, that man is sooo bad at bench pressing? He’s really lucky the bar didn’t fall on him!
No kidding! I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry when I watch the video.
it is awesome though isn’t it?? 😀
DOMS aside (which I secretly love too) It is awesome!
I am very glad you didn’t adopt that man’s form
this post cheered me up immensely today 🙂 I am an exercise crack dealer *does a happy dance*
ok that sounds slightly wrong but you know what I mean!
😀
Makes perfect sense to me. 🙂
😀
I thought you were a little weird until I got to the phrase “muscle soreness.” Oh dear. I’m weird too. Muscle soreness tells you you’ve had a good workout. I’m not sure I’d want to be wincing every time I moved though!
It’s a bit better today. Yesterday was brutal! Today is that really lovely pain. 🙂
I’m reconsidering my “weird” comment.
🙂
DOMS fan here too 😉
We could start our own support group. 🙂
I don’t get DOMS too much anymore, even after I do a new workout. I think given I do such a variety of workouts each week, I work all my muscles in a pretty consistent fashion. Now watch, I’ve just jinxed myself, and tomorrow I’ll hurt like a banshee…
Hope you’re right. Unless, of course, you like the DOMS. In which case, I hope you’re wrong and that you find yourself in pain tomorrow.
Not a fan of DOMS. 🙂
Then I shall hope you are DOMS free tomorrow!
Yeah – from back in my days of hitting the weight-lifting a lot harder in the pre-kid times — that delicious soreness is indeed due to the heavier weights and fewer reps. Rips those muscles up! Make sure to increase rest between sets and days doing them obviously too. But its so true – when you’re in the zone of hitting the weights hard you don’t feel like you’ve accomplished anything if you don’t get that ache afterwards.
Yesterday’s pain was a bit much, even for me. I slept with Icy Hot patches all over my back. 🙂
Today it’s that nice achy pain. Much better!
(and totally on the rest day — yesterday I did Hatha Yoga for 60 mins and then a bunch of walking. no way I could even consider any form of weights. I would have ended up in traction!)
Glad you are 100%, Nancy. I don’t know why, but I always find that I get sore in weird places after I’ve been sick. It works itself out, but I always have to push through it.
I had 3 giant Icy Hot patches plastered on my back last night. It was t pretty.
I’m amazed at your tenacity. After being ill I’m sure I’d take the month off! The video is incredible! 🙂
Debra, I think at this point, with less than 30 days remaining in the challenge, it would take a severed limb to cause me to give up. 🙂 Let’s hope that doesn’t happen!
I almost spit my coffee all over my laptop watching that video! Haha! Bless that guy trying so hard but goodness someone should’ve run over to help him instead of videoing! lol, pretty darn entertaining though.
I have to say I love a good sore too. I was so surprised the first time I was really sore from yoga class. Just last week I had DOMS from a great class and I loved it because beyond all the centering and meditation, I am working my body and its awesome.
I love that so many people are fans of DOMS! I was hoping it didn’t sound too freakish! 🙂
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Love that song and that post exercise feeling! Totally get it!
So glad I’m not alone!
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