Excuses Are Common; Not Normal

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to attend part of the Power Athlete Symposium in Newport Beach, CA. The multi-day event was attended largely by coaches, gym owners, and influencers in strength and conditioning. The weekend was full of speakers from a former SEAL Team Six member, a Paralympic gold medalist, a leading medical doctor in the performance space, and numerous of the country’s best strength coaches.

A quick side bar from one of the coaches caught my attention, and, likely, the attention of anyone else in the audience who has coached people in fitness. “I’ll never forget the emails we’d get into the info email box. People couldn’t wait to tell us why they couldn’t do the program and all the reasons why they had special circumstances that undermine their ability to train. It blew mind mind the kinds of things people would send into the universe.” This is a common phenomenon we see as coaches.

I observe people normalizing excuses in their lives every single day. Cut it out, because I and everyone else can see it. I can’t remember a time I’ve walked through a grocery store, sat a coffee shop, or bumped into someone on the street and them not offer me unsolicited defeatist self talk and reasons for opting out of a movement practice.

Check your self talk. As long as people all over the world are finding a way to train in their wheelchairs, five days post surgical operations, or while on active duty, no one’s trying to hear why you’re special and should be praised for your unwillingness to challenge yourself.

 

Logan Gelbrich

@functionalcoach

12/7/16 WOD

Complete 4 rounds for reps of:

In 2 minutes..

:60 Plank Hold

Max Tire Flips (AHAP)

-Rest 4 minutes-