Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

It’s good to be ambitious and have goals. You’re admired and others look up to you when you’re strong and go after what you set your mind on. I know, because that’s me a lot of the times. Even my husband frequently tells me: “babe, you’re so strong.” It feels good... However, if your ambition and toughness lead you down the path of pride, stubbornness and/or stupidity (very broad term) it’s time to reevaluate. I know that too. On the journey of motherhood over the past 4 years, I’ve come to this place a lot. Reevaluate, choose the smarter way, postpone your goals, or even alter your plans altogether. Might not appear badass but it will pay off.

I had it in my mind that after my second baby, I will already know how to lose weight quicker and how to get back to my pre-pregnancy training performance smarter and more efficiently. My body felt  great, I was ready to hit it hard and prove to myself and (let’s be honest) others that I’m BACK! I started out doing workouts at home, recycling ones that I did pre pregnancy or programs that were written for classes that I wasn’t able to attend and... I got hurt. Again and again. Same stuff kept happening. So I reevaluated. Decided to slow down and work on the basics, get my body moving properly again, and strengthen the muscles that atrophied (I HATE that word and I’m still in denial that that happened). 

I began training with coach Connor once a week and discovered how much work I needed to do and how much I didn’t know about my own body. I really enjoy working out with Connor. It’s a different level and type of challenge than I ever experienced during training. It’s a little like playing chess: slow, methodical, forces you to use your brain a lot, and you just feel a little geeky - in a good way. However, I never was much of a chess player. I liked crossfit. So I was ‘supplementing’ my training with workouts that would give me the feeling I was going after. Sweat, lots of burnt calories, soreness, and that type of fun stuff. And... I kept getting hurt here and there. In the same way I did before training with Connor. I keep telling myself that WHEN I work out I feel great so I must be ready to ramp it up! Every time I train I want to push a little harder to test how much I’m improving. I even committed to training for a race. Always wanted to do something like that so why not now? 

So here I am, again, spent most of my Sunday in bed or flat on the floor and in the normatec suit because my body is protesting once again. And I can either listen to it and to my trainer who clearly knows more than I do, or I can go back to training for a race that I have no business competing in RIGHT NOW and keep spinning my wheels for who knows how long. 

The thing is, it’s just not my turn yet.

Maybe it never will be, but it’s okay. I just can’t chase after the standard of performance I aspire to at the cost of my health. Yet another instance, where I have to put my plan on a shelf and save it for later. I’m pretty confident that once I stop rushing the process and begin fully trusting it, I will regain my title of ‘Beast’. We are so fortunate to have amazing professionals at Precision, who will safely guide each person at their own pace and within their individual limitations. If I was working out at any of the gyms I used to prior to us opening Precision, my limitations would not be considered. I’d be pushed to push harder. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather train smarter to stay safe and eventually be able to push harder.