Barring accidents and sudden, impact based injuries or other congenital issues, the average athlete houses one or many chronic pains and limitations.
This phenomenon is so common that it has made its way into the "norm"
And thus exist widespread myths such as ...
"That's an athlete's life", "No pain, no gain", "An athlete is always in some pain", ...
... and other such silly statements.
But what is, in reality, the truth behind the persistence of such issues?
It is that these issues exist because one allows them to exist.
And one is content with them.
So that, every time a new issue pops up, one can begin a new "cycle".
The cycle of modifying training program, consulting a therapist or specialist, searching for a mobility drill to "fix" it, increasing "recovery work" ...
... and other such time sinks
Such a cycle not only keeps one busy outside training (or what they consider training anyways),
but also feeds other industries around Physical Therapy, Supplementation, Recovery, Online Programs...
... you name it.
And as one's training paraphernalia grows in number,
their training duffel grows in size and weight,
so does their ego of advancing to an elite level
When in reality, they are getting farther away from real elitism.
Because whatever is the issue, they fail to dig deep enough.
They never ever look for a cure and always settle for a fix.
They never ever ask why and always settle for a how.
And in doing so ...
They fail to understand the source.
Almost all chronic issues and limitations, be it shoulder, wrist, elbow, chest, knee, ankle or shin related, emanate from a single source.
What is this source from which such problems arise?
What is this single most vulnerable point of failure, which is also the source of one's true strength?
It is the lower-back/deep-core/hip region.
(In other words, the muscle tissues and fascia in the region around the pelvis.)
Something as little as a nerve being pushed a bit out of place
or something as unusual as visceral misalignment
or something as "simple-sounding" as not having the perception of a deep muscle,
has the ability to wreak havoc on one's motor control through compensation patterns.
Maybe, some of you already know this.
Maybe, you have heard it before
But this "lack of understanding" doesn't stop making one's life miserable ...
Getting to know this "reason" (in your head) isn't enough.
And before you go scouring for a lower back or "core" specialist ...
I must tell you (or depending on your lack of sincerity, warn you) ...
That there is another layer of understanding that is requisite.
And that is ...
All of one's lower back/deep core/hip problems exist because one does not understand them.
However ...
The understanding I speak of isn't a cause or a result or a surface issue.
(e.g. "My right hip flexor is always tight")
The understanding I speak of isn't just an "intellectual reasoning" provided by your physio.
(e.g. "Your psoas muscle is weak/tight and it pulls on your hip flexor")
The understanding I speak of isn't born out of a "third party observation".
(e.g. "You have a slight disc protrusion at L4/L5")
The understanding I am speaking of is ...
One's own internal, deep and visceral level FEEL of their condition.
Such an understanding is very, very different than being told intellectually.
A visceral understand like that emanates from combining senses of
Feel
Sight
Visualization
Awareness & Surrender
The quest for such an understanding usually begins with a strong desire to really know one's issues.
It cannot just be a "How can I get a feel for it?" or "I would like to understand"...
It has to be much, much more than mere curiosity.
It must be a desperate and soul-searching "I must understand what's going on!" realization.
When one is hit with such desperation, they finally begin to SEE
And thus, they begin a journey, inwards.
A journey for the search of the truth within themselves.
A journey, away from who they are, towards who they really are.