I am a big coach Ben Bergeron fan, he is the owner of CrossFit New England and coaches Katrin Davidsdottir or Matt Fraser. His opinions and training methods should be an example for all of us. He recently published a book called “Chasing Excellence” and in it writes that our DNA in hope for survival makes us remember negative information over positive. Therefore we often need to relearn the positive approach, for most of us this is a conscious decision for how we approach life. Which is why Ben has these three rules at his gym:
NEVER WHINE. NEVER COMPLAIN. NEVER MAKE EXCUSES.
Easy to claim, hard to do. I myself often complain and look for excuses. So I chose Top 10 excuses I hear around the gym and looked for tips to get over them.
Excuse #1: It is dark/cold/raining/snowing … etc.
Sadly this is simply the case with winter. Summer brings on the heat, spring blooming flowers and in the fall we slip on fallen leaves. Wherever you go you won’t escape the weather. I agree, winter makes it way harder to get up in the morning, to start moving, but that is NOT a reason for you to skip a WOD. Be smart in what you wear: thermo-shirt, sweats, hat and gloves in case we are going to run. Make sure to keep your joints warm to avoid possible injuries. When you make WODs a habit you won’t even need to think of excuses to not go.
Excuse #2: My knee/shoulder/ankle/left index finger … fill in the blank … hurts
This is why we have coaches, they are always ready to help you adjust the WOD so that you don’t cause yourself more pain and worsen the injury. If you need to, hit us up and we can go through all the WODs for the week ahead of time, so that you are ready. Where there is will … The road is hard, it needs patience, but it’s always to move, even if the movement is limited.
Excuse #3: The WOD yesterday got me like … and I can’t move now.
The reason you are sore is delayed onset muscle soreness, micro-tears in your muscles caused by working out hard. Your body needs time to regenerate, but the worst way of doing so is sitting on your bum at home or at the office. Get to the gym, load it up light, slow down, but don’t stop moving. Blood will flow through your muscles and help them regenerate faster. The rule “leave your ego at the door” applies here. Don’t race others, forget SugarWOD, do your own thing.
Excuse #4: I’m not losing weight, the opposite!
Working out causes us to gain muscle and burn fat, which means we can gain weight. But what is more important, low numbers on the scale or how you feel? Are your pants looser at the waist? Do you need to buy smaller shirt? Is moving around more simple? This is visible progress you and the others will appreciate.
Excuse #5: I have too much on my plate right now and no time to train.
Working out is your health insurance. Your recipe to live and function long. Would you skip a doctors visit for your child? Nope. So place the same importance on your exercise. There are other things to cut to save time: meal prep, using public instead of driving, less time on FB and Insta (both deserve a whole separate post).
Excuse #6: This is not for me. I am too old and can’t run that fast, it’s just too much.
The community at CrossFit Committed is like a melting pot that holds together so you really don’t have to worry that somebody will judge you or laugh at you. The beauty of CrossFit is that it can be adjusted for athletes of all categories and ages. Everyone can find something that suits him/her.
Excuse #7: I have no one to babysit.
So bring them along. They can sit at the cafe, drink hot cocoa and watch their parents work out. What better example can you set?
Excuse #8: I’ll start again next week.
The best day to start is today. Don’t put it on tomorroe.
Excuse #9: Bad day. Bad mood. I’m no good.
Another reason why you SHOULD work out. Clear your mind, let the steam off and high five others after WOD, it will turn your frown the right direction.
Excuse #1o: Traffic sucks. I’ll just train at home.
Do you seriously believe this? It is more than clear that you won’t move a finger the minute you get home because of all the things you have to do – laundry, unload the dishwasher, walk the dog, help your kids with homework. So use the time you are stuck in the car right, listen to your favorite song or call your mom.
So now that you see them all together, don’t some of these sound ridiculous?
Sources:
Ben Bergeron: Chasing Excellence; https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Excellence-Building-Fittest-Athletes-ebook/dp/B0743MP21F
THE TOP 10 EXCUSES TO SKIP YOUR CROSSFIT WOD AND HOW TO BUST THEM FOR GOOD; http://www.crossfitcerberus.com/the-top-10-excuses-to-skip-your-crossfit-wod-and-how-to-bust-them-for-good/