Raise your hand if you hate the assault bike? How about the rower? Running? Power snatches? (I think EVERYONE hates those!) What about just going to the gym in general?
Yep. I’m with ya. I could make the longest list of things I absolutely dreaded doing at the gym. Here’s how I got past all of that.
First things first, and I have said this before, DO NOT CHERRY PICK YOUR WORKOUTS. In other words, and this is especially for my new member friends out there, do not pick when you’re working out based on the WOD. Pick your days, set them on your schedule, your calendar, your phone, your work alarm… and make the commitment to go no matter what the WOD is. When we sit down with Leighton and Joleen for our No Sweat Intro they ask us if we can commit to at the very least 3 days a week at 13 Stripes. If you joined, you can do that for yourself. 3 days out of 7 is NOT a lot to practice some self care. I’m a stickler about this, can’t you tell? If you need someone to hold you accountable for getting to the gym, I’m your girl.
Secondly: Work on what you dread. If you’re struggling to jump rope (Story of my life!) then practice every chance you can. Coach Nelle always says that the best way to practice double unders (or any unders, for that matter) is in a WOD. After the WOD is over, I continue working on my single unders so that I can eventually get a double under. It takes practice and patience. If you’re struggling with a power clean or a push jerk or.. the most dreaded and hardest movement… a power snatch; keep working on it. Do not put weight on your bar unless you’ve got the movement down. No one judges you. No one cares how heavy you lift. What they care about is that you have the technique down so that when you’re ready to add weight you don’t injure yourself. Watch other athletes who have the movement. Our long time 13 Stripes Members have mastered these movements. It’s ok to get tips from them. It’s BEST to get tips from the coaches but sometimes we need to ask another athlete and that’s ok.
Thirdly and probably most importantly: It is totally ok to fail. To falter. To not get it on the 1st or 50th try. One must be comfortable with failing in order to be courageous. The gym is the safest place to be vulnerable. We let it all out there. We cry. We scream. We curse. We throw down jump ropes or wrist wraps out of anger and frustration. We drop weights when we can’t get ourselves out of a squat. It happens. How many times you FALL is not important. It’s how many times you GET UP. Beat yourself up for 5 seconds. Shake your head. Growl. Tear up. Whatever you need to do to shake off that moment, do it. Then I want you to pick that bar back up. I want you to pick your jump rope back up. I want you to get back on that assault bike and beat your previous time. Kick yourself back up on that wall and hold yourself there.
I believe in YOU. I am living proof that if you do the work the results will come. All you need to do is meet me at the mat! I’m waiting for you!
#fromcouchtofitness #mystandardsmyway #practicemakesperfect #falldownsevengetupeight #youcandothis