“Progress takes many forms. Sometimes, it may not be visible to you.” – Mitchell Schumacher
Progress is something we try to achieve each and every day. Whether we are at work, at home, at the gym, or at play; progress is something we yearn to see. The problem with progress is two-fold. The first problem with progress is tracking it. Do we write it down? Do we simply make a mental note of it? Do we request the help of others? The second problem with progress is progress can take many forms. It can be numerical, physical, mental, emotional, or even bio-mechanical.
As a strength and conditioning specialist/coach and personal trainer, I deal with progress day in and day out. One of my goals as a coach and trainer is to make progress a regular occurrence for my athletes and clients. However, sometimes progress is not as simple as I (or my clients and athletes) want it to be. As I mentioned before, progress can take many forms, especially in a gym/weight room setting. Progress can mean lifting more weight, losing fat mass, adding muscle mass, being more confident at the gym, setting a new personal best in an event, having a more positive outlook on yourself, and finally, progress can mean simply moving better.
Since progress can mean so many things, we can now see that progress happens more often than we think. For example, if we did not “get stronger” in terms of weight lifted, but we move better and feel more confident with that movement, that is progress.
Training is a process that is riddled with peaks, valleys, and plateaus. However, if we take the time to break down our training, odds are we can find progress somewhere. This brings to life the idea of making many small goals in order to achieve one larger goal. So, the next time you feel stuck at the gym, look at other facets of your life or take a closer look at your training. Has anything changed for the better? If so, you are progressing, succeeding, and on the way to better things.
If finding or achieving progress is something that is difficult for you, that is when you need to reach out. Book a session with a health coach, speak with a nutritionist, talk with a trainer, take a fitness assessment, or try a complimentary session. It is my goal (and Performance’s) and my passion to help those who reach out to succeed and progress.
“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.” – Barrack Obama
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