Today I taught a special class at the gym. It was a post holiday class. "R.I.P.P.E.D." One 55 year old man approached me after my class and said, while wiping the sweat off his head, "this was the hardest thing I have ever done, but dammit I was determined to push myself to a place that I want to be, AND I DID!" I knew what he meant, because today I did something very different. I wanted to challenge them with this workout. I knew they could do it. But when I told them the layout of the workout before we started, I could see the looks in their eyes and on their faces. THEY THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY!
Well, 124 push-ups later and 172 squats/lunges later, I knew how they felt:
The beauty of it all was every participant in that room was either a beginner level or intermediate level. When they were done, they were cheering and cheering like they were at a King's game and Demarcus Cousin's had just made the winning shot!
It's an amazing thing to be able to witness and push people past their comfort zones, especially beginners.
Most people overlook the fundamentals of being a beginner. These people today, although pushing themselves out of the beginner zone, understood that to be proficient at anything you must practice the basic fundamentals FIRST to build to success. They come to the gym each week, trying to get stronger and stronger. Yet, they had NO idea with all that practice how strong they've become. I was about to show them.
Many people get scared off from working out. The kind of working out the ends in RESULTS. They are afraid to DO THE WORK - but yet want to lose weight. I'm afraid to be the bearer of bad news, but if you want to lose weight, YOU MUST DO THE WORK. But, here is something I want you, those, that might be reading this paragraph, you that might say, 'this is me," to remember something very important - and maybe this will help you to get started. When you see a class at your gym, or a workout DVD that MIGHT SEEM TOO HARD, remember this. You can still do that workout. It's OKAY to do it at a beginner level. You see, every workout has a modification. But YOU mustn't be TOO PROUD to be a beginner or to modify. We ALL started as a beginner! Every single one - even the instructors teaching the workout. I have people with so many illnesses and physical limitations that come to my classes faithfully, and never make an excuse or complain one bit.
Maybe you worked out a time or too, and thought, "this is too hard!" Sure it is. It's going to be hard in the beginning. The only way it's going to be more bearable is when you decide to be consistent and STOP working out once in a blue moon, or performing exercise that doesn't even begin to get your heart rate up. How long do you want to be a beginner? How long do you want to be a sideliner cheering others on that reach their weight loss goals? Do you want to get past that stage so you can just get the weight off? I'm sure you are saying YES, I want to get past the hard part in the beginning!!!! DO IT!
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO GET PAST IT - START AND KEEP GOING. CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE. CHANGE THE NEGATIVE WAY YOU VIEW EXERCISE.
Then in each workout, go a little longer than the one before. Each workout, make it a little more intense than the one before. Change up your workouts periodically so it will help to strengthen your body and its performance.
It's up to you. The weight will not come off by itself. It's okay to be a beginner...I promise, if you stay consistent you won't be a beginner for very long, and you might just be surprised that you fall in love with exercise!
Remember, NEVER BELIEVE YOU'RE TOO GOOD or TOO WEAK TO PRACTICE! There will always be another level of growth waiting for you. It's time to get started.
Well, here's me a couple hours after that workout - NAP TIME!
Well, 124 push-ups later and 172 squats/lunges later, I knew how they felt:
The beauty of it all was every participant in that room was either a beginner level or intermediate level. When they were done, they were cheering and cheering like they were at a King's game and Demarcus Cousin's had just made the winning shot!
Every single athlete started as a beginner
It's an amazing thing to be able to witness and push people past their comfort zones, especially beginners.
Most people overlook the fundamentals of being a beginner. These people today, although pushing themselves out of the beginner zone, understood that to be proficient at anything you must practice the basic fundamentals FIRST to build to success. They come to the gym each week, trying to get stronger and stronger. Yet, they had NO idea with all that practice how strong they've become. I was about to show them.
Many people get scared off from working out. The kind of working out the ends in RESULTS. They are afraid to DO THE WORK - but yet want to lose weight. I'm afraid to be the bearer of bad news, but if you want to lose weight, YOU MUST DO THE WORK. But, here is something I want you, those, that might be reading this paragraph, you that might say, 'this is me," to remember something very important - and maybe this will help you to get started. When you see a class at your gym, or a workout DVD that MIGHT SEEM TOO HARD, remember this. You can still do that workout. It's OKAY to do it at a beginner level. You see, every workout has a modification. But YOU mustn't be TOO PROUD to be a beginner or to modify. We ALL started as a beginner! Every single one - even the instructors teaching the workout. I have people with so many illnesses and physical limitations that come to my classes faithfully, and never make an excuse or complain one bit.
Maybe you worked out a time or too, and thought, "this is too hard!" Sure it is. It's going to be hard in the beginning. The only way it's going to be more bearable is when you decide to be consistent and STOP working out once in a blue moon, or performing exercise that doesn't even begin to get your heart rate up. How long do you want to be a beginner? How long do you want to be a sideliner cheering others on that reach their weight loss goals? Do you want to get past that stage so you can just get the weight off? I'm sure you are saying YES, I want to get past the hard part in the beginning!!!! DO IT!
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO GET PAST IT - START AND KEEP GOING. CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE. CHANGE THE NEGATIVE WAY YOU VIEW EXERCISE.
Then in each workout, go a little longer than the one before. Each workout, make it a little more intense than the one before. Change up your workouts periodically so it will help to strengthen your body and its performance.
It's up to you. The weight will not come off by itself. It's okay to be a beginner...I promise, if you stay consistent you won't be a beginner for very long, and you might just be surprised that you fall in love with exercise!
Remember, NEVER BELIEVE YOU'RE TOO GOOD or TOO WEAK TO PRACTICE! There will always be another level of growth waiting for you. It's time to get started.
Well, here's me a couple hours after that workout - NAP TIME!
