I’d like to start by saying if you think he doesn’t notice, he does. It’s been awhile since I spoke with Coach Mike on a personal level about my own training. I didn’t have to approach him. He noticed! I’ve been feeling a bit defeated about my workouts and my lifts lately. I suppose my head shaking after failing lifts was a good indication on how I was feeling. I seem to be spending too much time thinking about all my weaknesses and forgetting about my strengths.
As Coach Mike pointed out, after surgery, every day was a PR because every day I made progress. I was always getting stronger. It’s hard to top that feeling. Now that I’m a year post surgery, I feel flat. As if things are just not happening for me as they should. Not that I really know how they should be happening other than moving forward and making sure I get into the box regularly (which I do).
Then I spoke with Coach Mike. He reminded me that, before surgery, I couldn’t do a pull up, toes-to-bar, or double unders. My “I can do this” list is growing slowly but I spend more time looking at the “I can’t do this” list which leaves me feeling discouraged. We don’t often reflect on where we came from but instead focus on where we are not. When you are in it every day, it’s hard to see the big picture and notice how far you’ve actually come. We can all look back to when we first started and make a list of all the goals, big or small, we have achieved along this journey. We can even see gains we’ve made a week ago. However, sometimes we feel like we hit a wall and progress has stopped. Progress doesn’t stop unless you do. It’s happening every single day we walk through the doors of the box and every time we prep a meal. It just may not always be as obvious as we’d like it to be. So “Thank you, Coach Mike” for that gentle reminder that I am still progressing. We need to self-reflect more frequently and remind ourselves just how far we have come. A year ago, I could not squat or put a bar over my head. That’s not the case anymore. I can’t think about the numbers, times, or reps I posted on the board before I had surgery. Instead, I need to focus on what I can do now, after surgery. I need to take notice of how far I’ve come. I need to put in the time to work on my weaknesses but not let them define me as an athlete.
What we do daily is a big deal. Not only are we making our bodies stronger and healthier, we are making our minds stronger too. Stay focused on your progress. Remember how far you have come and put forth your best effort when you work out. Progress happens, big and small. Go after it and take notice!
