IT'll be a quick one today friends- as I scarf down my lunch and prep my plan for kickboxing tonight.
I've had an interesting week. Some new adventures coming my way; some spazzing about budgeting for Feb; some clashes. I will explain in generalities what happened (generalities so no one flies up my ass and accuses me of defamation or any other such bullshit. I am all full up of bullshit this week).
As a group instructor, I often miss the opportunity to attend classes myself. I really also LOVE the gym and my alone lifting time, so I rarely make time for these things. We have two places in town I wanted to take a class- for my own fitness. Reread that- FOR MY OWN FITNESS. At one, I was ambushed and accused of spying, among other things- like publically saying the trainers weren't qualified... which I didn't. Now that I know the "qualifications" of the trainers though I will say it. And it's my fucking blog and I am pissed so I will say it. Because of this horrendous experience, I emailed the second place letting them know up front who I was and what I did before I arranged child care for my appointment the following week. I was informed that I was not welcome as I might learn from them and take the cool stuff I had learned to my own classes.
Sigh.
I told both parties they were more than welcome in any of my classes. I am confident enough in my abilities that if someone loves what I do and wants to share it- go hard. We aren't reinventing the wheel here people. It's fitness. Some amazing world renowned trainers are known for their innovative program ideas (LBC and the no cardio; Abel MET training etc) but come the fuck on. It's not an industry where anything is a secret. Knowledge is power but it shouldn't be a commodity. The REAL trainers, the really great ones, give info away every day all day. Like one on fb and see how many tips you get in one day. They want to SHARE the information, not horde it.
Maybe my amazing ex trainers should have refused to train me in case I take what I learn and apply certain exercises to my clients? Maybe I should refuse to train people because they might tell my 'secrets'?!?!?
It's such bullshit. We all do a variation of the same shit. We put it in different order- which is extremely important of course- but a lot of it comes down to individual personality and individual knowledge. As a yoga instructor, I welcome other instructors to my class. I welcome their feedback on my teaching and on my sequence. I attend other classes regularly and have never had a teacher kick me out because I might steal her seated sequence. Seriously. The things I learn from my students is also amazing. In yoga and in classes- better ways to structure classes; better ways to organize exercise; different modifications.... Isn't life about learning from each other? Perhaps I should go patent the burpee. Then no one else can use it without my express permission. Oh no wait I can't- because I didn't invent it. And neither did any other trainer/ gym owner in town invent what they're doing.
Rest assured, other trainers/ business owners/ circuit runners- I won't take your ideas. I have enough of my own. Oh and also, I can google it all.
I will kick my own ass in the gym- probably better than you would anyway.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Numbers
New year, new sucking at blogging. Lol. As always, I have a bunch of ideas floating around in my head but lack the time to type them out. I am going to try to fly through this one before my coaching meeting on Skype for my new course I am taking. Yes, another course. I know my husband said the same thing. But if I'm not learning, I'm not moving forward. And that my friends is when my brain starts to go to dangerous places.... like competing. Dieting. Overthinking and overanalyzing. Living in the past; living in the future- not appreciating the now.
So I spend crazy amounts of money on courses. Good thing for tax breaks.
Onward. My point today is Numbers. We are a society obsessed with numbers. Money, scale, how much of this, how much of that. I remember when I started working with the great Scott Abel- he said I was obsessed with numbers and quantifying everything. I didn't get it. So what- of course I record everything. Macros, weight on the scale, lbs in the gym, calories in.... how else could I possibly know I was on track with eating? How could I know I had a great workout? I NEED numbers!!!
I get it now.
I rarely weigh myself. I can tell by a pair of pants how much I am up or down. I listen to my body to know if my workout was kick ass- I did almost fall into the trap a couple weeks ago when I was looking at a shiny FitBit. OOOOOO the bracelet will tell me how great my workout was and EVEN if my sleep was good. I have no need to pay attention or be in tune with my physical self- this gadget will tell me!!!
We are also a society obsessed with gadgets and completely out of tune with our physical selves- never mind the deeper layers.
Don't get all defensive about your calorie counter gadget. Don't get upset with me if you wear your little bracelet all over. It's fine for you- remember I don't give a crap what you do, and I would never say anything unless you asked. For ME, it's bad. I get so wrapped up in all the numbers and all the lists I make that I forget to FEEL. Other than feeling crappy. I feel like crap if the numbers are too high or too low or not meeting my expectations. I take the tools and make them into something negative.
I have spent years trying to be in tune with myself. After years of not listening and letting other people tell me what it was saying, I am finally at a place where I can take a day off lifting if my body tells me to. I will make it up later, but sometimes I just need it off. Like today- I was supposed to do legs, but after a wicked back workout yesterday including huge (for me) deadlifts, it's just not in the cards for today. And that my friends is ok. I could drag myself to the gym, and do a lame ass workout and further tweak my low back... but instead I will do it another day. My body is telling me to slow the ef down. So I will. I will be active with my kids, I will do some cardio and I will do some yoga.
And not weigh myself ;)
Use the tools to keep yourself on track. Track your calories or your macros if you need to at first, but realize that it should not be a forever thing for you- unless you are a bodybuilder then get used to it. Weigh yourself once a week if you need to... be accountable. Do NOT be a slave to the numbers. They don't define you. They don't mean shit. I've never heard anyone say "Man she was a lean 130lbs" at a funeral. Or "My mom sure does stay within her 100 grams of carbs a day". NO. Use the tools if you need them.... but realize they are just tools to build the masterpiece that is you.
They don't mean shit.
So I spend crazy amounts of money on courses. Good thing for tax breaks.
Onward. My point today is Numbers. We are a society obsessed with numbers. Money, scale, how much of this, how much of that. I remember when I started working with the great Scott Abel- he said I was obsessed with numbers and quantifying everything. I didn't get it. So what- of course I record everything. Macros, weight on the scale, lbs in the gym, calories in.... how else could I possibly know I was on track with eating? How could I know I had a great workout? I NEED numbers!!!
I get it now.
I rarely weigh myself. I can tell by a pair of pants how much I am up or down. I listen to my body to know if my workout was kick ass- I did almost fall into the trap a couple weeks ago when I was looking at a shiny FitBit. OOOOOO the bracelet will tell me how great my workout was and EVEN if my sleep was good. I have no need to pay attention or be in tune with my physical self- this gadget will tell me!!!
We are also a society obsessed with gadgets and completely out of tune with our physical selves- never mind the deeper layers.
Don't get all defensive about your calorie counter gadget. Don't get upset with me if you wear your little bracelet all over. It's fine for you- remember I don't give a crap what you do, and I would never say anything unless you asked. For ME, it's bad. I get so wrapped up in all the numbers and all the lists I make that I forget to FEEL. Other than feeling crappy. I feel like crap if the numbers are too high or too low or not meeting my expectations. I take the tools and make them into something negative.
I have spent years trying to be in tune with myself. After years of not listening and letting other people tell me what it was saying, I am finally at a place where I can take a day off lifting if my body tells me to. I will make it up later, but sometimes I just need it off. Like today- I was supposed to do legs, but after a wicked back workout yesterday including huge (for me) deadlifts, it's just not in the cards for today. And that my friends is ok. I could drag myself to the gym, and do a lame ass workout and further tweak my low back... but instead I will do it another day. My body is telling me to slow the ef down. So I will. I will be active with my kids, I will do some cardio and I will do some yoga.
And not weigh myself ;)
Use the tools to keep yourself on track. Track your calories or your macros if you need to at first, but realize that it should not be a forever thing for you- unless you are a bodybuilder then get used to it. Weigh yourself once a week if you need to... be accountable. Do NOT be a slave to the numbers. They don't define you. They don't mean shit. I've never heard anyone say "Man she was a lean 130lbs" at a funeral. Or "My mom sure does stay within her 100 grams of carbs a day". NO. Use the tools if you need them.... but realize they are just tools to build the masterpiece that is you.
They don't mean shit.
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