What are you training for?

For many years I strictly followed what ever programming was served up for me. If it was up on the board I was doing it no mater what. If a trainer prescribed it, it was getting done. Over many years of doing that, I developed nagging issues or worse, injuries. For a long time I didn’t ask myself a very important question…

What was I training for…

I have since learned my lesson!

My programming this morning had push-ups in it. I popped out a few and quickly realized my shoulder wasn’t really having it today so I opted doing something that worked the same muscle groups but in a different way.

I had to ask in that moment what was I accomplishing by continuing to do push-ups. Was I going to be the push-up champion of the world? Very unlikely! Was I training for an event that had push-ups in it? Not at the moment! Ascetically, was there some benefit I would be missing out on if I choose to do something else? Absolutely not!

Do I believe there is value in doing push-ups? Yes! Will I continue to do them in the future? Absolutely! I just had to decide, at that moment, was the cost worth the benefit and it wasn’t because my overall goal right now is to be a healthy weight and move pain free.

There will be times that I (you) need to push through some uncomfortability because we are training for something that requires you to do so but just be clear on your big picture so you can make those judgement calls in the moment and prevent putting your body in a bad spot.

If you are working with me already you know to speak up when something doesn’t feel right. If you are not working with me or working with another trainer don’t feel bad about saying something. You know your body and you know when something doesn’t feel right. Any good professional will have an alternative exercise for you or better yet figure out why the original exercise is not working.

Weekly Movement Motivation! **I have guest star in my video today 🐶

Onward and upward my friends…