Courting the obesity epidemic in America is our addiction to Pain Medication. Opioids have been pushed for many years as the Pain Management Plans for most patients has been to treat symptoms instead of treating the cause. Tonight I was listening to an interesting interview with the CEO of NeuroMetrix. This company is challenging the way pain is managed and using the brains natural (dare I say PRIMAL) pain management center. So I bear the Question, Is Pain Real?
Thousands of years ago mankind was not sipping Mai Tai's on the beach. We were hunting and gathering. Survival was our goal and our physiology adapted to this. Life was certainly not easy. A great analogy I heard the CEO make was this; "If you are Paleolitic man fighting for cave space with a sabertooth tiger, you will most likely bear some major pain during the struggle. The brain must be able to adapt to the pain for survival purposes" (ibid).
The cool thing that the body has the capability of producing are hormones that actually shut down or block the pain pathway throughout the spinal cord. Rad Huh?
Now it must be said that a great argument for PAIN is that the body is always concerned with self preservation so our 'pain' mechanism lights up when we are pictured, bruised, broken, or twisted. But... what if the 'pain' is self inflicted. What if you want to push the body beyond the limits of what the mind deems necessary. Wouldn't it be cool to 'take the brakes off' if you will????
The technology that the NeuroMetrix company has created does just that. This is a wearable technology that send stimulation signals to the brain which in turn sends equal signals to the spinal cord to block the pain altering mechanisms. For Chronic pain patients this is heaven sent. Pain management without the pills and drugs!! Yeah!!!!
For me as a masochistic CrossFit athlete, I want to go harder, longer. And if my Pain mechanism can be turned off naturally, then I can keep pushing my body farther than it thinks is necessary. Oh Yeah baby.
But let's circle back...
So if pain is just a switch that can be turned on and off then how real is it. Yes, we see the self preservation aspect but so often it is the fear of pain or general mild discomfort that stops people from actually living their lives tot the fullest. Pain drives our fear, a viscous cycle. I challenge you too take this information and make your own judgement when you begin to feel the pain during a workout.
Is the pain real, or is it just your mind stimulating your fear mechanism?
I encourage you all to check out this great technology. HERE is a link. Anything that gets us away from our dependence on drugs and our addiction to pain, can only be good for our species. Chronic pain sufferers like my wife are more than happy about this. (We are actually thinking of buying one now!!)
Challenge Pain. Challenge Limits. Be Bold. Live your life to the fullest. SCIENCE RULES!!
Baseline:
:60 @ Each Lat band Stretch/Tricep Band Mobility
3X
20m Duck WALK W/ Overhead Plate Carry 15#
20 M Bear Crawl
15 Scapulae Push Up
Skill Development:
Pistol Progression
-Reverse Lunge
-Reverse Lunge W/ Foot Raise
-Partner Assist
*Primary goal is the mechanics of the movement . Knee tracks inline with foot, torso follows knee.
WOD:
EMOM 8
Odd: 20 Wall Ball Shots
Even: 9 Strict handstand Push Ups/ 9 Strict Press 95/65
EMOM 8
Odd: 12 Alternating Pistol Squat
Even: 12 Ring Dips/ 12 Reverse hand Push Ups
