Rehab Day 8: Ahhhh

So I've had a chance to feel the effects of yesterday's workout.  I had a chance to do DEEP squats with just a plate on each side.  It felt great and I was tempted to move up to my warm up weight of 225.  I did not.  One of the keys to rehab is the ability to NOT push too hard.  It takes some serious discipline because the first thing your ego does -- when you start feeling better -- is the psychological equivalent of the following dialogue:

Psssst!  Hey buddy ... that felt OK.  You must have healed up over night.  I knew you were a quick healer, but this is ridiculous.  Put a little more weight on the bar.  You are fine.  You don't want people to think you are a puss or something, do ya?  That's right!  Put a little more weight on the bar!  Yeah!  Go BOY!!! Now we're cookin'!  Hell!  You are 100%.  You haven't felt this good in years.  I THINK IT'S TIME FOR A NEW PERSONAL RECORD!!! LET'S SEE THE BAR BEND!!!!  

Then you mentally scream something that sounds just like Howard Dean in his Iowa speech back in the 2004 elections.  Then you re-injure yourself.  

The right thing to do is to stick to your plan and adjust the weight the next workout.  It's a safer bet and allows you to feel the effects of your decision for a few days.  

The bottom line is that I should be pushing real weight again soon because I've learned that injuries require patience.