I think we all have those places or time of day when we think best. For me, it’s in the shower, while I’m falling asleep at night (which is not the best time really!), or while I’m working out when it’s just me, the music and my reps.
While I was working out this morning in my kitchen (yes, that has become my gym since March 2020), I decided to really challenge myself. I’ve been making a cognizant effort to do this with each workout. Of course, I’m somewhat limited by the dumbbells I have at home, but I can always make something more challenging by slowing down my tempo, doing more reps, taking less rest, or standing on 1 foot 😉 I was working upper body doing supersets of 3 exercises back-to-back with little rest.
I alternated between bent over rows where I was lifting 35lbs onto reverse flyes where I challenged myself to pick up the 20lbs. For me, 20lbs for reverse flyes is a challenge! However, as I was transitioning from rows to flyes, I noticed how much LIGHTER the 20lbs were to pick up (compared to the 35lbs of course) and it really made me think about perspective and how everything is relative compared to something else. For me, 35lbs are do-able for rows, but not for reverse flyes (yet ;). Not only this, but it made me think about how much progress I have made in my own strength over these past 9 months. I looked back on a workout I filmed live on March 25…and I noticed I picked up 8lb dumbbells. I couldn’t believe how far I’ve come.
I love that numerous friends and clients who have joined me on this virtual fitness journey also have their own progress stories to tell.
When I started offering live virtual workouts 9 months ago, I didn’t have a “plan” as to what was going to happen next.
I just started.
I kept showing up.
I have been consistent.
And time has passed.
The funny thing is that the time would have passed anyway, and so as I look back now, I can’t help but wonder at the ripple effect this has equally created for so many others and how many times a heavier weight has been picked up because of that consistency.
So my message for you today…”Things are hard until they are not.” At some point, it gets easier, and at some point you will build confidence in yourself to pick up the heavier weight. Time is going to pass regardless of how you spent it.