Fitness can take on a different meaning for each of us. For some, it is simply a means to an end (looking better, being healthier…). For others, it is a way to improve athleticism. For me, it takes on several different meanings. My hope with this post is that you not only learn something about fitness and myself, but something new about yourself as well.
Fun. Fitness for me is fun. I enjoy going to the gym and putting myself through a tough workout. The challenge of lifting a heavier weight or doing more reps than I did before is exciting and it brings me a lot of joy. Yes, I am one of those psychos that gets pure pleasure from the pain of the weight room. I imagine that if you workout at ASF you’re in the same boat.
Investment. Fitness is a lifelong investment in my personal well-being. As a coach, I am always on my feet demonstrating different lifts, movements, drills, etc. therefore I am totally dependent on my body being able to perform. Making sure that I am doing the right things in the gym is an essential part of investing in myself.
Tough. Nobody ever said this stuff was easy. Loading up a barbell, placing it across your back, and deep squatting is tough stuff. It takes a certain mindset to not only go to the gym, but to do some work when you get there. Anybody that’s ever done a plate push knows that you better have your mind right or else you’re in for a world of hurt.   If it was easy, everyone would do it.
Necessary. It is absolutely necessary for me to be active. I am naturally a bigger person and if I weren’t active I would blow up like a balloon. I wasn’t blessed with the genes of a LeBron James so I have to stay active and make a commitment to being fit. I’m sure many of you are in the same boat so it is absolutely necessary for us to do this together. Luckily, I love this stuff (and I think you do too, even if you don‘t know it yet) so it’s not that hard for me.
Emotional. I don’t know about you, but fitness is emotional for me-good and bad. The highs of lifting a personal record are coupled with the lows of feeling like crap and having an awful workout. Training isn’t only about moving your body. There is so much that happens from the neck up that it really is unbelievable. There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that goes into training and if you don’t get emotional about it then you may not be totally invested in it. I am all in on fitness and it fires me up!
Stressful. This stuff can be stressful. Anybody that’s ever participated in a prowler relay knows what I’m talking about. Lifting weights, running, biking, or whatever is stressful- not only on your body, but mentally as well. If you’ve been training long enough, you’ve had that mental “burn-out” where you can’t imagine doing another set or another push or another sprint, but you do it because at the end of the day, success outweighs that stress.
Serene. Nothing clears the mind like getting underneath a barbell that’s loaded up with some serious weight and absolutely crushing it. Fitness to me is calming. It allows me to take all of the bottled up stress and release it. Anything that is or has been bothering me comes out in the weight room and wow, is it a relief!
That’s what fitness means to me. A lot of people think it’s just a process of going to the gym, lift a few weights, and go home. For me (and the ASF family), it is so much more than that. It is a lifelong commitment to having fun, pushing past our “limits,” and just being awesome! Thanks for the read and if you get a chance, let me know what it means to you, I’d love to hear about it!