Injuries? Blessings!!

Yup, that is my hand.
It doesn't look like a big fracture but it kept me with a cast for three months and even today (four years later) hurts if I use the hand too much.
How did it happen? I punched a Russian guy on the hips. 
Did it hurt? Not at that time, although the hand felt like jelly. But I still managed to complete four more rounds of Kyokushin kumite. Oh you thought I went street fighting in Vladivostok...

So, what about the title of this post?
After that crappy punch I was left with a weak hand for too long time, but I didn't stop training. It made me a BETTER karateka and a better fighter. 

How?

Well, I had to mind a lot where I punched, and how. I had to mind a lot the timing and placement of my punches, and had to make sure that every punch had a purpose.
It even forced me to use other kind of hand strikes other than punches, what has expanded my arsenal considerably.

Sorry for this ugly picture of my foot.

Yes, the little toe is broken. It is the first time for him, but I had some more broken bones on both big toes and in the little ones of the other foot.
No, it also didn't stop me from finishing my sparring rounds.
No, it's not because I am super tough, I am sure that these "small" injuries will not stop most people when "on the heat of the moment".

I just want to say that you should mind your kicks too, even if this last one happened when the toe got caught between two mats...

Just a word of wisdom: let your injuries heal.

It may be difficult if you have a competition or grading coming up soon, but if you do not let them heal properly then they will NOT properly heal.

You can keep training while injured, but try to do some stuff that will not make your problems chronic.

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