I love fitness, but I love stories about heroes and the hero journey as well. Anyone that knows me will tell you that I have always been interested in heroes, be they superheroes, ancient warriors, or tales of soldiers, I'll sit down and listen. If there's a chance for me to relate fitness and heroes, it's like a dream come true. In todays' post I'm going to do just that. I want to talk about The Dark Knight Rises, but a very specific scene in the movie, because I feel that it relates really well to my own struggles with fitness and to those of the people that I train.
Without giving too much away to those that haven't seen the movie, Batman is physically beaten and imprisoned underground, free to look up at the daytime sun, but never able to climb out, as many have tried. Something is holding him back from being able to complete this task.
Every plateau I've ever hit, every rep I've missed, and every day I don't feel like training are akin to looking up at the light, but not being able to bathe in the sun. For my clients, I've seen this struggle as well. They are doing fantastic, whether it's a new weight on their lifts, or steps taken toward their goals. Then they have a setback. Some will let this setback fuel them for next time. They only need to regroup and collect their thoughts, attempting, with some prodding, not to beat themselves up for one mistake. Some, despite my efforts, will continue to beat themselves up and stay in the darkness a little longer.
Anyone training with me will tell you that their legs are often sore. I train legs hard, but in balance with the rest of the body. Our legs are comprised of very large muscles that, when trained properly, fuel brilliant muscle growth and great amounts of weight loss. Our legs are our locomotion and there isn't a single sport that doesn't require powerful legs. My legs are strong, but something about approaching a new maximum on the squat rack always puts the fear back in my heart. I have to silence these thoughts and complete the task at hand, just as Batman had to do to make the climb. If it kills you, it kills you, but your actions must be the same in either respect. Hopefully, we're speaking figuratively here... :)
Different people make their climb at different rates. Several of my clients have made huge triumphs in their brief time with me. They did this by stepping out of their comfort zones and trusting in the process. Those that don't dare to, have yet to make the climb.
We all have our own underground prison. A place we know how to escape, but for whatever reason, are unable to. The answer almost always lies outside our comfort zones. It did for Batman in the movie, and it does for us as well. Whatever your "pit" is, you'll have to confront it.
