“Don’t fear valleys because victories sometimes require valleys.”
This was the gist of this week’s church service. Apropros to life in so many ways, but in this case at the onset of your fitness journey; the valley being hot, sweaty, sore, fatigue, the victory being playing on the floor with your kids or grandkids, getting off blood pressure or diabetes meds, fitting into a favorite old pair of jeans from your younger years.
I was recently reminded of this after a new client joined our team. We took it slow, modifying movements, using mostly bodyweight and less challenging body positions. The focus was on form and learning movement, not too many sets, not too many reps and definitely using lighter resistance.
Three workouts in and two days off later, she told me she was actually slightly afraid to come back for another workout, as the soreness had finally subsided. That conversation shocked me a bit, opening my eyes to the client’s thought process.
I think as coaches and long-time participants, we tend to overlook the beginning of our fitness days, when post-workout, it hurt to sit on the toilet and climbing stairs was horrific…when just touching your chest muscle made you want to scream.
As fitpros and fitness enthusiasts, we need to understand that sometimes the beginning of the journey really sucks. We just can’t remember how we felt! Are we asking too much of our clients, friends and family members by starting to work out, sleep, cut out sugar, and meditate all at once?
Not everyone’s ‘passion for fitness dial’ is full throttle as most fitness professionals or enthusiasts. Consider how intimidating it may be to walk into a small or large roomful of people that LOVE working out when you are a newbie or have orthopedic issues or are just very self-conscoius about the weight you’ve accumulated over the last decade out of nowhere!
The most effective pros/enthusiasts are compassionate and understanding with just the right amount of “ok that’s enough whining, get your butt in gear and let’s go dude!”
The best advice when you’re starting out…Take it one day and one workout at a time and realize that although the valley may sometimes seem a little rough, victory is right around the corner if you can muster through the first couple of weeks!
Nothing worth having ever came easy otherwise everyone would be exactly the same!
