Shutting Down Excuses
Tuesday night during my usual strength class, I pulled or pinched something in my lower back.
Immediately I knew I was allowing the movement (Sandbag Side Lunges) to “fall” upon my spine. So, I tightened up my core and kept going but I knew something was very wrong. So, I paused and did a quick lumbar stretch (even though I had already warmed up), and started the next movement… a Clean and Press. This is a tough one because it’s a double-combo movement… you are cleaning (deadlifting into upright rowing) an Olympic barbell up your chest, flipping your grip, and immediately dropping into a front-racked squat, followed by immediately rising up, and pressing the weight overhead. Lots of focus required!
I tightened my core, took a deep breath and moved through one rep. Seemed okay. Moved through a few more with no issue, so I thought I was good to go.
Moving on to the next station - a regular box squat - I could tell my posture was suffering. I walked over, bent to pick up some weights, and dropped to my knees in crippling pain. I choose to stop the workout, and one of the coaches had me move up to the turf for some stretching.
After that, I went ahead and left, but walking was proving to be difficult. I could neither stand up straight, nor bend too far forward without pain shooting from my lower spine. I knew now that I had pulled something, or tweaked a nerve.
And I was right, because I spent Wednesday home away from work, alternating ice and heat, barely able to move! It's rough stuff. In fact, it’s Thursday as I write this and I'm still in pain with ice on my back.
This happens. I'll be alright. I won't get to lift weights for a few days, but I'll recover, and get back into my regularly scheduled programming!
But that’s not why I write you today. I wanted to chime in on the EXCUSES that hold us back from getting our movement in... Possibly slipping a disc, or pinching a nerve, or pulling a muscle, is a very good reason to temporarily step back from your movement... but I think sometimes we convince ourselves that much less serious situations also qualify us to retreat, and well... let's just call it what it is... an EXCUSE.
Whether it's cardio or strength, I have been that person using mental acrobatics to dodge the gym. Exercise is VERRRY uncomfy when you haven't done it in a while. It might also feel embarrassing (though it shouldn't), or maybe you feel just a twinge of shame starting at the bottom (though you shouldn't).
Acknowledge these feelings and press on anyway, because sadly I'm here to tell you there is no work-around. There is no "hack" for doing the work. As Master Yoda says... "Do or do not. There is no try."
I'm all for being gracious with yourself... but that doesn't equate to skipping your movement because of something you're feeling. In fact, movement is probably the best thing for you when you're in your feelings! There is a time and place for a mental health day, but at some point, we all just need a little resilience, a little discipline, and a little grit.
Let's look at some of the most popular excuses in the book, and shred them to pieces…
“I just don’t have the time.” Whether you think you do, or you think you don't, you're right. So if you are telling yourself you don’t have the time, you won't even think to make the time because you've made up your mind that you have none. Read that again. Try and correct your thought process before it starts with an affirmation like: “I am finding ways to make space for what matters to me.” Because at the end of the day, we all get 24 hours. You either make the time or you don't. Decide what is a priority for you, and commit. As my coach likes to say to our team, “Are you interested? Or are you COMMITTED?” There is a huge difference. Commitment finds a way. Interested finds an excuse.
“I mean I’m trying…” Please refer back to Master Yoda... Yes effort is good, but trying subconsciously instills the belief that it isn’t happening. You're "trying" but it's "not working." Instead try saying, “I am making it happen” or “It is happening." When we state goals as something actively happening, or even better, state them as something that has already happened... our brains start looking for ways to make the statement true. This is a testament to training your reticular activating system to achieve the goals you seek to achieve.
“I just can’t…” Mmm… maybe you don’t feel like it’s possible right now, but what are all the reasons you CAN? Belief underpins every goal. If you don't even believe that something is possible for you, then you won't even try to achieve it. Swap this bullshit with CAN. Focus on Small Right Actions that you CAN take. Stop bitching about not getting your 10,000... maybe your body isn't ready for that yet? Adjust the goal, and move the goal post later. Try 7,000, or 5,000. But throw “CAN'T” out the window.
“It’s just so hard.” Yes, we don’t want to bypass our feelings, I get it. It can FEEL really hard. Y'all KNOW I've been there. But when we keep looping on how hard our lives are we only make them harder for ourselves. Where focus goes, energy flows! Ask yourself: “In what ways can I welcome more peace and ease?” Start looking for ways to make it easier, and you will find the ways. What you seek, you will find. It sounds woo-woo, but it's not, we're back on that reticular activating system. Focus on how you can do it with ease.
“I'm doing it wrong.” - You’d be surprised how often we play out the story that something is “wrong” with us. I'm a big culprit of this myself. Now, there are definitely things you can be doing wrong with something like strength training. But that doesn't mean you cannot learn to do it right. Believe in yourself man. Don't sell yourself short! Questioning if you're "wrong" only makes you feel small. If you’re picking up the light weights, because you’re a beginner, and somehow that feels foolish because the guy next to you is pumping biceps with 40’s, tell the part of you that things you’re foolish to shut the hell up. You’re not wrong, you’re a beginner. There is no shame in beginning. Quite the opposite! Ask yourself “What am I doing right that I can do more of?" Try that on for size. Again, it's all about what you CHOOSE to focus on. The fact that you have started at all is RIGHT. You just need to keep going.
"It's all or nothing." - No the fuck it is not. Pardon my French. If today was ham in the bananas, pick back up again tomorrow. I look back and wonder how much time I lost "starting again on Monday" or "next month", or "at the new year"... Like, are we serious? Just start again in the moment. Right now. Even after a skipped workout. Even after a binge. Even after an injury. Just. Keep. Going.
Whatever you think is holding you back, is probably all in your head. Your time constraints, your ability or lack thereof... Intentionally incorporating movement into your life definitely takes a little scheduling. But that’s the easy part, I promise. Just get it in your calendar.
From there it takes discipline. Determination. Tenacity. Refusing to quit. Showing up and FOCUSING. ON. THE. JOURNEY.
Say it with me, "The journey is what is meant to be achieved."
It's the steps along the way that count. Take them.
Happy Friday Jr. y'all
Be Well
