By Guest Writer: Sari Tuschman
Four years ago I had a freak surfing accident in which I suffered a cut all the way across my right thigh, down to the muscle. I went into shock and was dragged out of the water where a lifeguard and EMTs cut my wetsuit off of me while trying to keep me conscious. Soon an ambulance rushed me to the hospital where the doctor lost count somewhere after 50 stitches both inside and outside of my leg. A few days later, I got a severe infection that sent me back into the hospital for eight days and two surgeries. At one point, a doctor told me if I had waited one more day before returning to the hospital I would have been dead.
I relay this story now, some two years later, because while my recovery was long and painful and—at times—gross, it was all made more bearable thanks to the time I had spent at The Studio (MDR) and by the shape I was in thanks to it. My thigh was literally being held together by stitches for months, but my legs were strong and that ended up being the key to my recovery.
As a super active person I was devastated to be taken out of the workout game for months as my leg slowly healed. I could barely walk, let alone work out. I missed my early morning classes, my teachers and the feeling of pushing myself beyond my limits. More than one doctor pointed out that my recovery would have been far worse if I hadn’t been in such good shape, shape that I largely credit to my three-days-a-week (MDR) regime. Once I finally did make it back to my cherished classes and favorite teachers (who I was so happy to see), I couldn’t believe how quickly it all came back to me. And more than that, I couldn’t believe how quickly it came back to my muscles. Of course, I was weaker than I had been since my last class, some three months prior, but not as weak as I had expected. I made it through my first class with only the necessary modifications and felt surprisingly good afterward.
It was then I realized how important keeping your body strong is, how you can never take it for granted. It is a luxury to be able to move your body, to hold a plank, to do a lunge. I realized that all of the early wake-up calls, grueling classes and sore muscles are not only worth it, they are imperative to ensuring your body can withstand unexpected trauma. Those things are a luxury that I truly missed when I was unable to do them.
(MDR) isn’t just something I do to stay in shape, to feel better about myself and to be able to eat the occasional piece of pizza—it’s something I do to stay healthy, regardless of what life throws at me. It’s something that makes me feel sane and strong and—most importantly—lucky. It’s an honor to be able to get on that Megaformer, and it’s one I will never take for granted again.
