Not a pretty sight

[Tom Ryan]

Not a pretty sight

[Al Myers]

I agree – that is a pretty disturbing sight in that picture. Something I don’t want to cross my mind during a squat training session.

I know the risks I take everytime I train or compete. I used not to think of these things at all, and went about training with an invincible attitude. Now (after a couple of bicep ruptures) I think about things differently, and at times back off when things aren’t feeling quite right, and save it for another day.

I once had a training partner who quit training after witnessing back to back injuries. The first weekend I blew out a bicep, and the next weekend someone else blew out his ACL. This guy was a steady workout partner up till this, but after seeing these two serious injuries he has not trained since. Probably felt like he was going to be next!!

Makes ya wonder – is he the smart one here???

[Thom Van Vleck]

Easily the worst one I ever saw was a guy squatting and prolapsed his colon.

I did counseling with a guy that attempted suicide by shoving a shotgun under his chin. Evidently, as he reached down for the trigger his head tilted back causing the gun to blow off his lower jaw and nose. They did reconstruction but it was disturbing to just look at him. I have a good poker face as he told me when we were done (he had to write his responses) that I had treated him more “normally” than anyone since the injury. I never mentioned it, I never looked at him other than right in the eye or away, and I tried to treat him with respect. I still have that image pop up in my mind. I can only imagine what soldiers go thru seeing stuff worse than that and more of it. Puts it in perspective.

Thom Van Vleck
Jackson Weightlifting Club
Highland Games athlete and sometimes All-Rounder

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