Joining a gym can be nerve racking. It’s a scary thought to allow someone into your world, allow them to watch you move and feel as if they are making judgments about you that you feel will never change and have known about yourself for years. As coaches we strive to make people feel comfortable and create an environment that is built on trust and new realities.
If you have ever stepped outside of your comfort zone, you know how hard it is to trust someone you barely know and a system that is so foreign to you that you may feel at a loss for words. Typically, FEAR is the main driver of this and often leads to different behaviors to discredit a coach or to try and get out of something. The truth is, we all FEAR this as humans. We like to stay in our lanes, especially as we age, and don’t like becoming too uncomfortable. However, the reality is that the only way we grow and change for the better is if we get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Today is all about a client who did just that. Matt has been coming to Core Principles for about 4-6 months now. What you notice about Matt these days is he is boisterous, vibrant, and extremely encouraging to the other members of the gym. He loves to chat about sports and the history of criminal justice, and has a knack for speaking in front of people at meetings.
Matt didn’t start out that way though. His first day, he was reserved and kept to himself and didn’t want to much cueing or correction. Needless to say, he didn’t trust me just yet. But, Matt didn’t quit, he kept coming back and continued to work at things that frustrated him.
I remember the day he and I worked together on getting down his push-up position. That day he was feeling particularly defeated and just felt he wouldn’t nail it. Out of that frustration he let a big AHHHHHH and said I am never going to get this. I looked at him and said, “Matt, you are right there, lets change one thing and see what happens”. We changed a slight position and use a small tool to get him a little more forward and he nailed it. After that I told him, “This is all just practice, not a performance and we are here to get better”.
Another time he felt an exercise was too hard. Way too hard. Coach Pat was on the floor and keen to Matt, he asked if he was alright. Matt expressed that he just felt like he was struggling and the weight was too much or something was off. After careful consideration Pat determined that the exercise and Matts form was good. Instead of Pat trying to coach Matt on form or saying let’s go down in weight, he said that “For us to make the change we want, we need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable”. This stuck with Matt, so much so, that for a few weeks he would intersperse them between conversations with Pat and say, “that’s what we need to do, right Pat”?!
Matt now comes in each and everyday to work hard push himself and become the best/better version of himself all the time. He has express to everyone on the team that he really feels he is gaining the things he wants from a physique level and mental level. On top of that, he has received compliments from friends and clients outside if the gym, who have noticed the body change he has started going through.
Matt has really learned to trust the process and in a few short months reframed his entire life and attitude towards fitness and health. As a result he is consistent and ready to work hard each and every day. This transition only took him a few short months and is eager to see where he takes it in the next few years. We, like him, are excited to see where he takes it and look forward to seeing him every time he walks through the door.
