Step One
So here we are at that time of the year again. The interim space after the failed New Year’s resolution of getting healthy and the planning of bathing suit season. You feel like you still have time to NOT start your exercise and diet regime with enough chronological wiggle room to lose a few pounds before it gets warmer outside. Maybe you’ll start going to the gym, but only after you figure out how to get into enough shape to not embarrass yourself at the gym. And there continues the cycle of failure.
Why do people think they should get into shape to get into shape? This makes no rational sense, yet I hear it close to every day. This is the opposite of a good idea my dear friends. Not having adequate strength and endurance is not a productive reason to put off a training program. Who’s to say what level you should be at to begin? You go to a training program to GAIN strength, endurance, mobility, and stability; not to show how much you already have. Going to a fitness class isn’t about the physical calibre of the people around you; it’s about supporting those people in their goals and them supporting you in yours. Most of the time I am fixing poor movement patterns on people, I’m not putting them on display to prove anything, ever. I am looking for your progress, not perfection.
The intimidation people feel towards group training is unfortunate. I love seeing the camaraderie of perfect strangers when they are in a physically challenging environment. If you feel like you are in a competition you didn’t sign up for and you just want to get healthy and feel great about yourself, then that’s exactly what you should look for. I believe that competition has no place in a training environment. That’s not to say we can’t work for specific strength goals to later put to the test in a fun and family style competition, but the daily practice of strength is no place for competition. You should never feel like you failed a workout. A workout or training session is about moving your body through space in all ranges of motion, on all planes, both loaded and unloaded. You need to figure out if you have any dysfunctional movement patterns. If so, address them and then begin to add complexity and load to these movements. There is nothing like the feeling of getting both mentally and physically stronger and more fit.
When you walk into a fitness center, studio or gym, you should feel welcome, not like an outsider. Go to the gym to create your goals with a qualified professional or instructor. It should not hurt to go to the gym. Find a program where you can lift heavy to prevent injury instead of inducing it. Where you can test your limits without testing your good sense. Make sure if you have questions, you ask them. If something doesn't feel right, speak up. As health, strength and fitness professionals, we work for you, the client. It is our job to make sure you move towards and hopefully accomplish YOUR goals – not put you into a workout that is one size fits all. Chances are, you will feel like the exception of that one size. Make sure that whatever you decide to do, you believe in it!
There are many reasons to start a fitness program. You want to lose weight, you want to get stronger, you want to feel better, you want to look better, you might be depressed, lonely or tired. The reasons are endless. Don’t be afraid to start, be afraid not to. In order for your life to change, you have to change your life. Don’t wait for a feeling, an opportunity or a sign. This is the time to jump. No more waiting or conditional excuses. All of us have different goals, genes, body types, limitations, tastes and dislikes. There is no cookie cutter mold that works for everyone, but everyone has the ability to realize their undeniable potential. Results or excuses – you decide!
