I pulled a muscle !!!!!

I can't believe it, but it shows you cannot take your fitness and flexibility for granted. It is the first time I pulled a muscle in about 3 decades, maybe more.

My day goes like this: I usually get up, walk the dog for a half hour, do 30 to 60 min tai chi (whatever my schedule permits) then go to work. My job as a chiropractor is pretty physical, so I am up and down all day. At lunch, I go out for a bike ride of 15 to 25 miles, which is my cardiovascular workout. At night, if energy permits, I will stretch. Sometimes I stretch while watching TV or reading. This is what I do seven days a week (the tai chi, cycling, stretching). I used to lift weights once or twice a week but stopped when I broke my arm. I tried it once after my surgery, way too soon, and it hurt the plate/screws, so I stopped. I have not tried it since, I am sure I can easily do the weight routine I used to do.

I do take my stretching for granted. One of my goals when I first began serious flexibility training as a teen was to have all my flexibility available at any time. Why? I grew up in NY, and often got in situations where I might have had to use my martial arts to defend myself. I couldn't exactly say to a few guys that wanted to kick my butt, "Excuse me, could you wait a second while I stretch out?"

I achieved my goal, and it has worked for me for decades. I lengthened my muscles to the point where being stretched was my default physical condition.

About a month ago, I started running with my dog. He needed more exercise, so running has become our daily routine. One and a half to one and 3/4 miles a day, every day for the past month. I have not been stretching before we go out, and that is where I have been taking my flexibility for granted. I pulled a deep groin muscle on my right leg (between adductor magnus and gracillus, for the anatomically inclined). I can get into all kinds of stretches EXCEPT splits.

I will detail how I will fix this issue and do a short video on the topic.

You just never know :0)