Limits

As an athlete or just a person who workouts you have to know your limits. The last few days I have gained some mental toughness through the support and encouragement of some great gals at my box. We are so drive by numbers; is it high enough, oh that’s to much-no way. In the box numbers are what drive us, to be corny I’ll say it; stronger, faster, harder…to get there you need to increase the numbers. Sometimes this can be a mental game more than anything else. What drives you?

Yesterday we did a strength workout of dead-lifts. I love them! But thinking numbers I had a set number in my head and that is what I was going to do. I have a gal at the 4PM class that works out with me, she is my pusher-cheerleader-encourager. We started at a number I felt good about and that was 95, then after each 5 we added more weight. When I stopped to count, she said don’t worry about it, just do it! Each time the bar got progressivly heavier and guess what-I kept lifting it. The last five I did the plates were barly fitting on the bar. I did it, I lifted it 5 times. I still had one more set of 5 to go. I let my stupid mind get the best of me and I counted-195#’s! Wow! That was my limit. Thanks to Nina I was able to push past. Then I went one to doing pull-ups with less colored bands.

Today we worked on push press strength. Again I started with Nina, but then moved to another bar. My upper body isn’t as strong as my lower body. I ended up completing 65 pounds after the five rounds of strength. Today my lower back was really sore from yesterdays dead lifts. My lower back tends to naturally sway a little bit and I think when I pushed myself yesterday I may have tweaked it a little. But, I have learned to push through the pain. I know I can do it! But, today I am still blocked mentally with those stupid box jumps. I think a lot of it stems form fear and pain.

Today I accepted my limits when jumping onto the 45 pound plate really hurt. I am getting stronger each day, but my ankle is having a little bit of a hard time keeping up. I am not ashamed to modify my workouts anymore or do less of a weight when I have to because of my ankle. One day I will master more and more things. But lately I just have to know my limits and stick to them!

Happy Valentine’s Day!