Got past my junk food craving thing (by, um, having one of those Snickers ice cream cones [xx(]) but now have more griping to do.

I jacked up what, according to my untrained poking around and my copy of Gray's Anatomy, is probably my serratus muscles. About two weeks ago now. And I've been blowing off the pain and continuing my routines anyway. I'm *finally* giving in to logic - and the now-constant sharp/burning pain wrapping under my pec & into my armpit/shoulder blades - and laying off the torso for at least the rest of the week. I'll still do legs, arms and lower abs, dammit, and cardio too... even though anything over a brisk jog hurts, um, a little.

It just pisses me off because I always seem to get into a good groove, then injure myself and lose what little I've gained and have to start over. It's not like I'm a paragon of self-control to begin with, I hate having to stop working out after finally getting off my butt!

So... are most of you smart enough to listen to your bodies or do you do the "It'll go away sooner or later" routine like me?

You learn to "listen" to what your body is "telling" you.

Be patient. This too will pass.

My wife got a case of those (something like 144 of them!) for free last summer.  I was seriously addicted to them before they ran-out.  They were so good, and I can understand how hard they are to resist.

The serratus is a strange muscle to injure.  I used to do heavy pullovers in an attempt to try to make them sore, and I never could.  I'd stay away from any movements that add to the pain.  I know it's frustratingly unclear when people say "you just have to know if it's good pain or bad pain," but that is the best advice.  If you feel like you make the problem worse by jogging or any other exercise, then lay-off for a while.  You'll miss less time by doing the right thing than by hurting yourself worse.  I know it's frustrating to stop your progress, but you've got plenty of time to make it up.z

Thanks guys. Did my 3.25 miles this morning and feel not-so bad. Haven't done any resistance stuff today... yet... so we'll see.

Zoom, I know what you mean re: strange muscle. I wasn't even doing anything in particular to hit it and I'm just guesstimating based on where the pain is. I might have initially tweaked it peripherally doing side crunches, then aggravated it with a new chest/back routine. Since I don't know what pissed it off, I'm just being cautious in my other workouts.

And 144 Snickers cones?!? Those things are frigging evil, man.

I tend to lay off as soon as I feel that I might significantly injure myself. I don't need all that hard work going to waste when I cant use a body part for three months.

Pinch a nerve, pull a trap, sore shoulder, Lat pulled, I cant stop, I just move to another body part while the injured one re-coups. It takes alot longer when your over 45 though,it SUCKS! [b] I'M ADDICTED [/b] I've been doing this since I was 14.......I'm ADDICTED!!!!!!! [;)]maybe someone here can help me w/a intervention[;)]