Embrace the Tear / by Alexander Lyadov

I'm glad my meniscus tore.

I know it sounds strange, but don't rush to think I've lost my mind.

Today, my coach marveled at my pressure during a jiu-jitsu match. It's not a fluke - my legs are stronger now than they were 20 years ago.

It's been 12 weeks since my knee surgery. The sports rehab specialist pushed me to do a massive amount of work. Some exercises I would have been too embarrassed to do, and others I wouldn't even dare to do.

I squat with two 16 kg weights 300 times, wall sit for 15 minutes, balance like a circus performer on one leg, jump on a trampoline, and endure maximum quad stimulation with electrical currents.

As a result, even my gait has changed. I stand stronger on my legs, not symbolically, but literally. Progress had to show in my jiu-jitsu.

Renowned coach John Danaher explains that the strongest part of the body is the thighs. Even if you're smaller and weaker than your opponent, your legs are likely stronger than his arms. So, in jiu-jitsu, your arms are only needed for contact with the opponent. The main power should come from your thighs and hips. Now I have a proof.

A torn meniscus is lousy news. It took a while, but I accepted this fact. Only then did the question arise: "How to get back to normal faster?" In search of an answer, I found a ton of insights. And most importantly, this process changed me.

It would be cool to transform any bad news the same way. That way circumstances lose their power over us.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander


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