I am no newbie to working out in the gym, in fact I have been hitting it since I was 16, albeit irregularly, that was until this year when I started being consistent. I would hit the gym at least twice a week, or if I am able to ignore the muscle aches, thrice. Never in my 5 years did I suffer an injury while working out.

I was performing my usual bench press exercise. Everything was going as per normal on the first two sets, on the third, something went terribly wrong. After completing my repetitions, I attempted to return the barbell to rest, but for some reason, I had no strength in my right pectoralis muscle to make the lift, I felt numb.

Examples of dangerous injuries being inflicted on oneself while working with the barbell immediately came to mind. Using whatever strength was left in my left pectoralis muscle, I removed the barbell, though using a somewhat unorthodox and incorrect form. Whatever fears of the weights crushing down on my chest were flagged away. However in the process, my left wrist was badly sprained.

I have never had the habit of getting someone to do the spotting while performing bench presses. The sole reason being that that I do not attempt to lift weights which I am not confident of succeeding. And all along, I have never encountered a situation in which I lost my strength and was unable to return the barbell to rest.

Lesson learnt: Regardless of how confident you are while performing any form of weight training, always get a spotter because there is no telling when something peculiar happens and you lose your strength at the crucial moment.

Due to this injury, whatever plans to head down to Climb Asia to climb on Labor Day were shattered. And any future gym sessions would have to be put on hold until my wrist recovers.