Going through the Motions By Graham Ferris Id like to post something quickly that Ive been thinking about for quite a while now and its one of reflection, goals we set and the expectations we have. Today happens to be my birthday. Hit the big quarter century. And on my birthday, I always like to take a few minutes to look back on my birthdays in the past and see how much has changed for me. When I was nine, I wanted to be cool. I did whatever the cool kids did. I played football and watched wrestling because thats what cool kids do. I had no idea that the pain I sometimes felt after I played football was because I hadnt stretched... or that a “crippler cross face” (wrestling move) could actually cause a tremendous amount of strain through the neck and shoulders. I just wanted to have fun, and be cool. When I was 14, I wanted to be a rugby player. I trained every week with the team, played week in, week out, and come Monday, I nursed my bumps and bruises like it was a ritual. I did that because thats what I was told to do. I didnt know I had to do anything else. I didnt know I could be fitter if I did anything extra. I still just wanted to have fun. When I was 18, I still wanted to be a rugby player, but I also wanted to chat up girls. And the only way I thought I was going to get any attention was to look athletic. So I joined a gym. I was tall and quite skinny so I wasnt going to use the treadmill or use the cross-trainer because my 18 year old self wanted the muscle magazine look. So I trained my arms. Week in, week out, I trained my arms. It was only after 6 months of achieving virtually nothing that I started setting myself targets. I was going to lift x by the time I went to University, or my arms were going to be y inches wide by the time my mum stopped calling me terrible nicknames in public… Any goal that would give me the drive and determination to push myself to achieve more. And slowly I achieved greater things. Now we jump to the present day and a lot has changed for me in the last seven years. I feel my younger teen years were spoilt by being goalless. I think I expected things to happen for me because I was simply going through the motions. But thats not the case. I feel I could have still had fun, but also made a strong impact on my sports if only I had something I was striving for every week (***tiny violin sounding***). So I now have new goals. Safe to say more mature goals, but goals all the same. I dont set myself aesthetic targets personally anymore for Im too critical of myself and [in my opinion] its not healthy. I suggest, if youre going to set goals, be specific, but realistic and measureable. We all need to set our sights on something for us to keep motivated. We are what we make of ourselves. Whether it is in a week, a month or on this day next year, what are you going to achieve? If you feel confident enough, I would love to see a couple of comments below on what makes you come into the gym? Share with us your motivation for pushing on through these cold, dark days. In the meantime, join me on a Monday evening at 6pm and lets all strive to achieve our fitness goals together, during my Team Challenge class. Graham Personal Trainer, BBG Sevenoaks
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 11:50:45 +0000
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