Empowerment

A few weeks ago I had finished teaching spin when one of the women attending the class asked if I was going to lift after class. I told her I had got up early that morning so I could lift before spin. She was bummed. I laughed and asked her why. She informed me that she was going to follow me and watch me workout because she wants to gain that kind of strength. I asked her why she just wouldn't want to train with me. So she did. She meets with another trainer during the week, attends my cycling classes, and also trains with me once a week. Some days we do more shoulders, some days we emphasis all back, and other days it's all pushing. But the best thing is how excited she gets to train. Every week she is excited as she sees her arms transform and shape up. She is able to see her strength grow.

So this last week, I decided I would take her through one of my pull workouts and end with bicep burn outs on the cable machine. It's 'typically' one of the exercises you see all the men at the gym doing and rarely any women doing. As I demonstrated the exercise, her smile began to get bigger and was quickly from ear to ear. I informed her there are SO many ways one can work their biceps. This is only one exercise, but I love it because it's empowering to stand tall in the mirror and watch your bicep grow as the pump grows with each set. Her response, "ALRIGHT! Let's do this!" I couldn't help but to laugh from her excitement. She finished her first set and as I asked for feed back on how it felt incase we needed to make any corrections, she said, "This is why I really do LOVE training with you".

My client went on to explain that working out is about being healthy and fit, but also the feeling of empowerment one feels as you get stronger. There is something about dying to self, pushing through the burn, and finishing that last set/rep. So many times we give up before we start. Like my client, when we first started training she would say, "Oh, I can't do that" or "Are you sure you think I can do it". So many times it just took me reassuring her she had the strength and ability to do the exercise or push heavier weight. Every time she'd say, "WOW! I really just did that!" Of course you did that! It
was your mind that was holding you back. And that's why I love my job. I became a personal trainer to encourage, empower, and inspire others through my journey. I would have never gotten where I had been without someone challenging me to do one more, to bump up my weight, or go just a minute longer. WE are the ones that hold ourselves back from our real strength, ability, potential.

I challenge you to find that person who is going to push you. Whether it's at the gym, at work, eating, personally, financially, find someone who will be real with you and truly care about your growth. Find the person that makes you better. Find that person that doesn't let you quit when it gets tough. My clients know... I don't quit, and neither do they. I surround myself around people who make me better, and I challenge you to do the same. If your crowd around you or in your head are telling you that you cant, it's time to get a new crowd. Always be positive and progressive in your journey.

BeBlessed
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