Redemption
Sometimes you have a bad workout. It happens. Sometimes you have two. Sometimes you just have a week where you simply can't "bring it" as much as you want to. It happens.
Last week, I had a moment when I couldn't lift weights I really felt I should have been able to lift. Then I had another moment with my trainer where I did it again. I had a another moment where I was in a cardio class and simply couldn't finish; it isn't that I didn't want to, it was that my body was physically rejecting the workout. I sunk my head in shame and sulked away back home to sit in a corner and dwell on it.
I then realized dwelling on it wouldn't change what had happened, and it certainly wouldn't help me improve in the future. All it would do would make me stressed, unhappy, and nervous about the next time I went to the gym. Instead, I focused on what I did wrong so I could correct it. There were a few things I could change; I reviewed my diet and discovered a gap in some nutrition that needed to be corrected. I reviewed by form one day, focusing solely on lower weights and mechanics versus trying to lift heavy.
Then began a new week. It's Monday, time to start fresh. It's time to start a new program with the trainer, it's a whole new meal plan this week, and it's a whole new week to hit it hard in the gym, at work, and in life. In addition to starting a new program, this week was a new experiment. While I normally meet with the trainer once per week for a one-on-one session, this week I did two one-on-one sessions to get both stages of my program in the same week to allow me to move right into the new process.
Monday ends up being deadlift day, and we're starting some new deficit deadlifts. Never did these before, but I pushed through hard and the hamstrings were aching at the end. This day also brought several other new activities, including some negative pull-ups, where I was to focus on descent versus ascent since I am completely unable to do a pull-up at this point. I also had the chance to do some new style push ups, and finally ended with ball slams and burpee; this was interesting because I actually insisted we make them harder than the planned routine.
Here comes Tuesday, and I plowed through an hour morning cardio workout. It was tough, but I pushed it hard and brought it.
Wednesday arrives, and it is time to get the second half of the program for the month. Sticking with our focus on improving form, we went with higher reps on lower weights to focus in on breathing and movements. There were a couple of new routines, including a new speed ladder routine for doing jump squats and hand walks.
Using my form practice, and additional warmups the trainer brought in, I was able to push up 12 reps of 135 pounds on the bench press in my final set, one of my best performances. We'll be sticking to that weight for a bit and ensure form is perfect before moving up.
The one thing I am most proud of today is the "plyo pushup". The trainer showed me this power exercise where you push off hard and get your hands in the air, then land, reset, and do it again. I went through set of six. "The objective will be to get you to a clapping pushup," the trainer proclaimed as I mentally prepared myself for the next set. As I began, I did the first rep just like the prior set. My second rep was accompanied by what can be best explained as a moment of clarity of mind, and a realization of the power over my own body. As my hands came off the floor in the second rep, I found them coming together in a clap, and then catching myself in the fall. I repeated this five more times. I'm not quite sure what it was, but I really felt I could do it and pulled through. Form was a bit off for that second set, but overall I hit them. On the third set, I clapped every rep and performed six more.
I pushed hard through the workouts and came out victorious. Gone was the disastrous week of poor performance, and here was a week of pushing hard and coming out redeeming myself. Redemption is mine, I shall not allow minor hiccups deter me in my never-ending quest to save my... wait, wrong quote... hold on... my never-ending quest to get fit!
