Coaches have a very similar start in the fitness industry. It goes something like this: I was an athlete and loved working out; I found confidence when I started working out; or, I was overweight and started working out. And then, one day, I thought to myself, I want to help people with fitness.
I started working out because I was overweight and had low self-confidence. I found the gym to be my happy place as a high school and college kid. I made many mistakes on my fitness journey and wanted to share what I think are the four biggest mistakes I made along the way.
Environment Is Key
The environment you grow up in will shape you; the people you surround yourself with will affect you. You can’t always choose your environment, but you do have a say in how you respond to it.
One of the biggest things that helped me growing up was my mom supporting my fitness goals. She was not a cheerleader, but she never talked down about my goals either. My friends were neutral about it and would make the occasional jokes about packing my lunches and taking supplements.
If you have an environment filled with people putting your goals down, even if they say it is only jokingly, it will take a lot of mental energy to block out the noise. You need to find people who will support you and cheer you on. That could be a friend, a social media group, or a coach. Hopefully, you find all of that at Spurling Fitness, where we have strived to provide a community of coaches and clients to help support one another in our fitness journeys.
I was fortunate enough to have a good environment to pursue my goals. This was not a mistake per se, but it is the most significant factor determining if you will ultimately stick with your goals for the long run.
Listen To Your Body
I have pushed through my fair share of injures, and I can’t think of a time where making that choice paid off in the long run. I remember a few years back tweaking my groin while squatting and thinking nothing of it and finishing the rest of the workout.
The next day it was tight, and I went about working out like normal for that week until it hurt to do any lower body movements. It took me a year to get my groin right, and I ultimately had to stop doing lower body movements for about six months for it to feel normal again.
I say all of this because if something feels off, don’t push through it. The body has many sensors to help keep us safe, and when we ignore them or take meds to mask them, we can leave ourselves in a much worse place than if we just stopped and listened to our bodies.
How to know when to stop?
Phrases like:
- Sharpe Radiating
- Buring
- Tingling
- Stiff/tight
- Pain
If you stop the movement, does the discomfort go away eminently?
If no, you need to stop.
Injuries are one of the biggest de-motivators when training, and most of the time, they can be prevented if we put our pride aside and listen to what our body is telling us.
Comparison Is a Double-Edged Sword
Comparison can be a motivator when done correctly, but we often compare ourselves to an outcome versus a process. When scrolling on my social media, I can feel down and sad when I see people posting incredible feats of strength or nice stuff they have or successes people share. If I think, “Man, I wish I had that, I can’t ever be as great as that person,” verses if I looked at the same people and asked how they got there, what were the habits they developed to get there?
When you focus on the process that got the person there and apply it to your life, you will get better, but the outcome might be slightly different because you are different. Don’t let differences rob you of your joy.
The Top Only Last For A Moment, The Journey A Lifetime
Once you accomplish your goal, you are done. It is a great feeling and should be celebrated, but that moment lasts a few days or weeks. At the same time, the journey took months. The journey is never easy, but you need to find ways to make the journey fun and enjoyable because most of the time, we are on the climb to a new finish line.
Take time to stop and appreciate where you are on your journey. Find the little wins and celebrate them. It could be consistently going to the gym ten times a month or showing up even when you didn’t want to work out, or taking the time to plan your week. These are all changes that you should celebrate along the way. If you take the time, the journey will be much more fun.
Your Fitness Sherpa
Josh
