Power Pose...

Firm foundation. Feet are planted, with the left slightly in front. Good posture, with the right arm bent, as if to be doing a bicep curl. The left arm is straight, with an open palm.

Well, now that we have a description of the pose... What does it all mean? The first time I can remember striking this pose was in June of 2019. The first time I did, for some odd reason it felt so good. The more I did the pose, the more natural it felt for me.

Allow me to back up just a little. March 12, 2017 could have been my last day enjoying this thing we call life. I was an avid motorcycle rider for years. This particular Sunday afternoon I set out for a quick little ride to cap off the weekend. Maybe 15 minutes from the house, into my ride, was where it all went down... figuratively and literally.

As I was approaching an intersection on a back road, a man in his pickup truck saw me coming, but he thought he had enough time to make a left turn in front of me. News Flash: He didn't! According to the police report, since I don't remember anything due to a concussion, let me explain what happened.

I ran into the back left side of his pickup truck. In that accident, I had a compound fracture (bones piercing through the skin) in my tibia and fibula in my left leg. My pelvis was separated at the pubic symphysis, and the left side was dislocated and turned outwardly about 65 degrees. My left middle finger was broken in a spiral pattern, and there were lacerations all over my left hand. I had a non-operative fracture on my left radial head (my forearm). Along with all of that, there were scrapes and scratches in different places. It is a great thing I had on all my gear.

Three surgeries, two blood transfusions, six days, and a whole lot of atrophy later, I was on my way home with my beautiful wife to start a long road to recovery. About a year ago, in the Fall of 2018, is where things really took hold for me on that long road to recovery. It was then that I decided to stop looking at everyone else. It was then that I decided to stay in my own lane, and use my knowledge of health and fitness to empower my journey. It was then that I decided to make the best decision of my life... Stop chasing the "old me."

I started using the hashtag "the bounce back" on my social media posts. In that time I have lost over 50 pounds. In that time I have regained all, if not more of my muscle and strength that I lost. In that time I've come up with my power pose. Ok Mike... get to it already. So let's talk about what my pose means.

The firm foundation gives me the assurance that I'm going in the right direction with my progress. The left foot slightly in front is a sign of awareness, readiness, and power. The good posture reiterates my strength. My right arm being bent, as if I'm bicep curling my phone, signifies how much I had to rely on my right and dominate side during this bounce back. The left arm is straight with an open palm. Now this explanation deserves its own section.

My left arm is straight, because there was a time where I could not even straighten that arm. Also it shows how hard I have been working in the gym and in the kitchen. It is much harder to see muscle in a straightened arm. There was also a point where I could not open my palm all the way, and now I can. You can also notice my broken finger. I may one day go back for a 4th surgery on that finger to straighten it, but for now it is part of my testimony. With that open palm, you can also see the damage to the overall structure of that left hand.

There you have it people. Now you know why you may see this pose often. I have a question for you.

Do you have a power pose? I would love to know.