That is not me…
This is not me. I don’t look like that. Can I help people look like that? Yes I can. But…
Everyone has different fitness goals.
Some want to lose weight, some want to increase their overall, upper body or lower body strength. Some people want to look like Chris Hemsworth when he’s playing Thor. Some want to learn what all those medieval torture device-looking machines in the gym are and how to use them. Some just want to be able to confidently walk into a gym and feel comfortable knowing what they're doing.
Everyone’s goal is valid.
Will you achieve that goal is the question; and can you do it on your own? A very small percentage of people have that innate ability - the sustained motivation, the drive and the willpower to do it by themselves. Those admirable few are also the elite athletes we see at top-level competition in sports, on the soccer and football field, the ice, in the ring.
Then there’s the rest of us. Even as a fitness professional I still struggle sometimes to stop watching Marvel movies and get off the couch to go exercise. Those elite athletes aren’t better than us, they just have a different focus.
Here in the good ‘ol US of A we have a tendency to believe that bigger, longer, faster, stronger is better. Look at how we choose things like our phones: which one has the more powerful processor, the most memory storage, the most camera lenses, etc. Cars are no different. One of the first tech specs for a vehicle listed is horsepower. Manly men don’t drive a Prius, right? They drive Camaro or a Ram Hemi-powered truck, right?
We have the same view of exercise. I see people in the gym lifting weights much to heavy for them because they believe that bigger is better. Add another plate on there, I got this! Meanwhile, they are drastically increasing their chances for a significant injury. They are also not getting the most benefit out of the movement because their form suffers from the resistance being too heavy. The same goes for the treadmill, elliptical or bike. “If I run or pedal another mile it will increase my gains.” That is not always the case.
So what’s my point? It’s twofold.
First, stop thinking that bigger, longer, faster and stronger are better. That's a singular focus that will actually have more negative effects than positive, as much as no exercise will. Think in terms of progress, not in terms of how heavy you can lift or how long or fast you can run. Progress is rewarding, it is positive reinforcement. Benching 250 pounds might be your goal but trying it after a week in the gym and failing (or injuring yourself) isn’t going to encourage you to keep exercising.
Second, give yourself a break and keep your goals realistic. Know who you are and know your body type. Be realistic about the amount of time and effort you can give to reaching those goals. We are all busy, we all have lives and jobs and obligations. Remember that Chris Hemsworth spends hours per day and surrounded by a team of trainers to help him. Even that super buff and cut person in the gym most likely spends more time there than most of us have time for. And that’s okay, because that is their goal, it's what they want to do. Conversely, it does not mean that is what you have to do - unless that is your goal too.
Bottom line is this: if you want to start getting more active and more exercise that is great! I celebrate anyone who wants to take those steps, because ultimately all it will do is improve the quality of your life.
If you need help on that journey, a partner who can help you define your goals and design a program that will work for you as an individual, help get the most out each exercise, provide positive feedback and motivation and help you monitor progress, please let me know!