My leg is hurt pretty badly and I trained anyway, it got a lot worse and the doctor thinks it is a bakers cyst. Is there something I can do besides take pills and wait for it to get better? I want to go and train but all my friends are complaining about it.
Use the down time wisely. Your body needs time to heal, or you can actually make it worse. Some injuries, if ignored, can lead to permanent problems.
When I had my knee surgery right before I tested for black belt, I had to sit on the sidelines a lot. When I was unable to train at all, literally sitting on a bench watching, I took lots of notes, observed what others were doing, and asked tons of questions. I credit this period for a lot of my growth as an instructor.
During the next phase, I could go on the mats, but couldn't take falls or move very fast. This was time for me to dissect techniques and body mechanics. I credit this period of time for my much improved patience and my growth in understanding how the techniques really work.
During the next phase, I could take falls and move okay, but had to take it a bit easy. I worked a lot with students far below my experience level. I credit this for another boost in my growth as an instructor, because I was paying a lot of attention to what they had problems with, and learned to explain the techniques better. I also learned to be smoother, since I couldn't rush it (a common flaw among brown belts).
When I was fully recovered, I was a MUCH better martial artist (and instructor) than I had been before the surgery. Use the down time to your advantage.
