It is easy to want and focus on 6 pack abs, how much you can bench, or even curl. In the process one easily loses sight of the true end product – the overall self. I found that out for myself, recently. Here’s my story.
I am a fit person. I do a few exercises when I get up every morning, and take regular breaks from sitting at my desk while at work. I have six small meals throughout the day, lots of veggies, some meat, lots of organic food, drink lots of fluids, juice, eat out maybe once/twice a month, socially dance a couple times a week, cycle, go jogging, hike quite a bit in the summer and increase my dancing to compensate for the cold in the winter, have weights that I use at home, do Tai Chi….You get the picture?
Yet my legs are tight from years earlier of lots of running as a kid without investing in stretching/flexibility, when I didn’t know any better. And using machines for weights have built asymmetries in strength. Nothing that I think that the average person can notice, and while I knew about these things I did not think it made a big deal. After all it is normal for a person to favor the dominant hand, to have one side a little stronger. And if I was tight I thought I was working on it…
Then this year I invested in one on one personal training. I told the people coaching me that I wanted to make sure that I had a strong symmetrical foundation. Here’s one example. When I did the dumb bell row just minutely changing changing my form with the left row – not allowing my non-dominant left shoulder to drop a fraction of a cm – engaged my back to the same extent as my dominant right. Nothing that any of my gym buddies ever noticed, or even I myself, for that matter. However, having someone focusing on my form, correcting and showing me visually the small differences has had a significant impact. No cheating allowed! Oh, and for the time being I no longer participate or even have time to include the standards of the average Joe, such as bench press, bicep curls, and sit-ups.
Having one-on-one attention makes a significant difference no matter what you do for fitness whether it be yoga, or resistance training. It is definitely better to do something, rather then nothing, but consider a little one-on-one attention in some way shape or form and see the difference that it can make today.
A quick shameless plug. If you are interested in partner dance, which is a great way to get fitter while socializing, I teach partner dance. You can contact me @ Alegria Dance.
ikigaidance 