Today, I almost skipped my training. I'm doing the Rite of Passage from Enter the Kettlebell, with one modification- I'm doing sport style snatch pulls instead of hardstyle swings, because I'm still chasing rank II in the snatch in American Rules kettlebell sport (USA Kettlebell Lifting). I'm using the 24k, and doing chins and pullups along with the clean and presses. Mondays are my heavy days, so that's 5 ladders of 1,2,3,4,5 clean and presses and pullups with a 53 pound kettlebell, and pullups. 75 clean and presses. 75 pullups. Then the swings. Tonight, I'm not feeling it.
A few weeks ago, I built Dawn some cabinets from Ikea. I built them alone, and Dawn said I was the equivalent of two Swedish men, because the directions indicated that it should take two men to build them. Today I went by the feed store to buy feed for our animals. I picked up 2 50 pound feed bags together, threw them on my shoulder, and carried them down the steps to my truck. Twice. In the amount of time it took the feed store kid to bring one bag. Yesterday, I demolished deck stairs. Today, I built new ones. All by myself. My point is this- I'm pretty strong, and my endurance is pretty good. Not world class, certainly, but much better than it used to be. Plenty of men are much stronger than me, but I'm thankful for my health, and for my strength.
I did not get stronger by skipping workouts because I was tired. I got stronger by lifting weights. I'm not going to become a Master of Sport in kettlebell lifting by pretending that hauling lumber, concrete, and feed is equivalent to getting my reps in. I'll reach my goals by investing my time in hard work, not wasting it with excuses. So here I am at 8:23 at night, about to start my last ladder of clean and presses so I can go get a shower and see my family. It will be worth it. I want to inspire Dawn to reach her fitness goals, and throwing in the towel does not inspire anyone. Do yourself a favor next time you are tempted to wimp out of something that is important to you. Suck it up, man up, and do it. Mediocrity is everywhere, but true strength- physical, mental, and emotional- is hard to come by. Go find it.
A few weeks ago, I built Dawn some cabinets from Ikea. I built them alone, and Dawn said I was the equivalent of two Swedish men, because the directions indicated that it should take two men to build them. Today I went by the feed store to buy feed for our animals. I picked up 2 50 pound feed bags together, threw them on my shoulder, and carried them down the steps to my truck. Twice. In the amount of time it took the feed store kid to bring one bag. Yesterday, I demolished deck stairs. Today, I built new ones. All by myself. My point is this- I'm pretty strong, and my endurance is pretty good. Not world class, certainly, but much better than it used to be. Plenty of men are much stronger than me, but I'm thankful for my health, and for my strength.
I did not get stronger by skipping workouts because I was tired. I got stronger by lifting weights. I'm not going to become a Master of Sport in kettlebell lifting by pretending that hauling lumber, concrete, and feed is equivalent to getting my reps in. I'll reach my goals by investing my time in hard work, not wasting it with excuses. So here I am at 8:23 at night, about to start my last ladder of clean and presses so I can go get a shower and see my family. It will be worth it. I want to inspire Dawn to reach her fitness goals, and throwing in the towel does not inspire anyone. Do yourself a favor next time you are tempted to wimp out of something that is important to you. Suck it up, man up, and do it. Mediocrity is everywhere, but true strength- physical, mental, and emotional- is hard to come by. Go find it.
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