To describe the transition from things that have brought me this far to things that will take me even further must be explained to you as “Awkward and Hard.” Let me talk more about these words that I have chosen as illustrative of this process.
Awkward, simply means that I am doing things to train my body that I have either never done before or that I have done very few times in the past. The stress on my muscles is different and my mind screams at me to stop and go back to exercises that I am more familiar with. I imagine that the pain in the chosen muscle being trained with the new exercise is greater than it should be and is totally intolerable. Again, my mind tells me to stop and reach for familiar techniques. The movement, machine, or technique that is being introduced to me is foreign and I hate it! My arms, or legs, or my abdomen quiver with each rep. To top things off, the whole “New” thing feels like it should not be done this way (as I was instructed by my Coach). God, please let me return to my old (unsuccessful) ways. But alas! My Coach (assigned by God himself) over rules my desire to retreat. The pounding continues and the discomfort and sweat are my companions.
Hard, is self-explanatory. With each new torture device comes the demand from the Coach that I keep pushing despite the pain and awkwardness of the new regimen. Often, my Coach will say to me when I think I can go no further, “give me 4 more reps—I got you!” He will then grab or guide the bar or the handle or the arm upward and tell me to, “fight it all the way down.”
I told him today during my Hamstring and Calf workout that I felt like a lineman who played for the Green Bay Packers under Vince Lombardi. Often, the Packers would run the same play over and over again, far into the evening causing the stadium lights to be turned on. Lombardi, would say through his megaphone, “Run it again!” Lo and behold, they would run it again, and again, and again, until they go it right in their Coaches’ eyes. My Coach must be pleased with me or he will not send me onto that stage carrying his mantel on my shoulders.
We had a very good dialogue going today during my workout. At one point, I asked him if he still believed that I could do well. He said to me, “First we are going to put that weight on you. Then, we are going to go out and kick some butt.” Suddenly, “Awkward and Hard” were irrelevant terms. My Maestro’s words lit up the horizon. They energized me with a “can do” attitude.
Also, when Coach explained that it is absolutely necessary to retrain my muscles to do other things. Each new, “Awkward and Hard” exercise increases my capacity to grow and to get stronger. There is no other way.
Final thoughts: In order to go where we have never been before, we have to do that which is at first, “Awkward and Hard.” This process will give way to the embracing of all things new that propel us along our way. We must not be afraid or resentful of those things that stretch us to be better and that will take us to the next level.
Lastly, sometimes as we labor at doing the very hardest of tasks to get to where we want to go, somebody will give us just the right words of encouragement to lighten our load and bring our ultimate goal into sharp focus. Pray, for a friend, colleague, family member, or “Coach” to give you that kind word and vote of confidence. Sometimes, these magnificent words will be all that keeps us going in the face of trials, injuries, illness, and a myriad of other distractions.
May your new things that are “Awkward and Hard” be the motivators that will take you to YOUR objective. Only you know what is “Awkward and Hard” that you need to handle to move to the next level on your own quest.
Now, kick the door down and do your job! This is your life my dear friends.
This is our time.
Douglas E. Graham
Six Pack and Senior 