Bodytribe Fitness

Jump to Comments

Today’s workout:

MFD: Max deadlifts.
Repetition Lift: Hand and Thigh/ Bent Over Rows. H&T= 125-130% of dead max. Bent rows: 35-40% of dead max for reps.
Combo of the Day: Buelers (of your choice)/farmer’s walk/heavy sandbag get up. Like this…

______________________________________

The Goal is to Keep the Goal the Goal

Recent dialog with a youngster:

“Why is the sky blue?”
“Uh, because that’s how our eyes perceive the color spectrum through the layers of the earth’s atmosphere, known as the Rayleigh scattering..”
“Why?”
“Because God made it that way”
“Because the aliens told him to”
“Why?”
“To give annoying kids something to ask about”
“Why?”

I’m not childless just because no one would be silly enough to ever consider breeding with me. There is some semblance of personal choice.

But the prepubescent part (or majority, depending on who you ask) of the brain that lives between my ears covets this technique when delving into goal setting. We don’t fully possess our goals unless we’ve tickled the belly of the psychology behind it. Why ya wanna do what ya think ya wanna do?

How this might go down…

New Client: “I want to lose 15 pounds”
Me: “Why don’t you cut off an arm? 15 pounds GONE!”
New Client: “No, I want to lose 15 pounds of fat.”
Me: “Why not use the money you’re about to give me and get liposuction?”
Ne Client: “No I want to lose it the HEALTHY way.”

So we finally get to something that has to do with fitness. The word ‘healthy’ finally appears. But this 6-year old is not finished.

Me: “Why 15 pounds?’
New Client: “Because that is what I weighed in college, when I thought I looked my best.”
Me: “Why is your college weight important?”
New Client: “Uh… because that’s when I LOOKED my best.”
Me: “Why is that important?”

And then things get fun. No, a real client would not actually tolerate this line of questioning for this long, nor should it be dragged out in this fashion. Heck, the last question should actually be the first, but a point had to be made, and the last question would probably have to be asked several times.

Remember Bigger, Stronger, Faster? A thought provoking movie, to be sure, one that this blog has already spent some time on. The one thing I wanted further clarity on, though, was (again) the “why?” The first round of questioning that the movie delivered was predictable. A bunch of guys (and a few women) wanted to achieve some cultural ideal of manliness, being the biggest and/or strongest badass they could.

But would a good shrink, or trial lawyer, stop there? WHY ya all wanna be the biggest and the baddest? Why is this ideal important to you? Why is risking arrest, possible health issues, or isolation of family and friends worth it? And for every answer, there should be another “why?” There’s a root in there somewhere… insecurity perhaps? Need for acceptance? Or maybe something not as dark and Dr. Phil-ish. Who knows? Well… perhaps we should.

Try it. Play the game. Humor me. Pick a goal, then ask why it is important. Follow that “because” with another round of the Why game. Who knows what you might find out about yourself, if you’re honest.

Once the root becomes axiomatic, then we can, as Dan John says, make the Goal to keep the Goal the Goal. There is a fine chance that the original goal, the original surface purpose of your pursuit, is not wrong. But imagine how much more support you’ll have from yourself if you know why that goal is actually important to you.

Back to the interrogation. Let’s check in with our original New Client…

New Client: “I want to lose 15 pounds.”
A friendlier, more compassionate Me: “Why?”
New Client: “that was my college weight, when I was super hot, yo.”

[quick aside… what gender did ya think this client was? I bet I messed that up a bit with the “yo,” didn’t I?]

Me: “Why would that college weight be important? What does it indicate to you?”
New Client: “Being healthier and stronger”
Me: “So would your goal then to actually be healthier and stronger?”
New Client: “Why, yes! How brilliant you are. Why has no one voted you president of the Universe yet? You’re a genius! Of course that’s the REAL reason I’m here… to get stronger and healthier!”
Me: “Why?”

How would you answer that? And why?

____________________________________

Upcoming stuff:

As usual, be sure to check out the upcoming events. I’m updating the calendar this week, so be sure to check back frequently. But this Saturday we’re excited to announce…

Mindfulness Meditation & Movement Workshop. When mind and body are present in the same moment, we are capable of accessing deep healing and empowerment. We’ve long promoted the idea of utilizing the mind-body connection in our workouts, and at our Saturday Workshop on October 24, BodyTribe Trainer-Intern Amanda will be introducing a mindfulness meditation practice, based on the well-researched Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Let’s become mindful observers of our bodies in rest and in movement, and explore how this awareness can change our relationship to movement, as well as our sense of self.

DOORS WILL BE LOCKED AT 10:10, so try to make it early if you can.

_______________________________________

Also, we’re carving pumpkins and watching a movie:

PUMPKIN CARVING AND MOVIE NIGHT! Saturday, October 24th @ 6 pm: Shawn of the Dead! A little scary humor while we carve up the big squash. So during the scary parts, you can focus instead on the knife in your hand and the gourd you’re about to decorate. We should have some pumpkins available, but feel free to BYOP, and we’ll potluck it for grub as well.