I can remember the workout well.
It was just a few months back.
We were doing a brutal setup that involved doing reps of 50, 40,
30, 20, then 10 of Glute Ham Developer Sit Ups (GHDSU’s), Toes
To Bar, and Burpees.
Yeah, like I said, BRUTAL.
Either way, as we pushes ourselves through the misery of the
workout, I can remember midway through my set of 30 on the GHDSU’s
how badly I wanted to be done and how easily it would have been if
I were to “skip out” on a few reps.
Shoot, no one would know right?
There’s no one counting my reps but me.
Then I thought, “HELL NO! There’s NO way I’m going to skip out on
reps just to finish out the session a bit faster.”
Yeah maybe I’d win the workout, but what would I truly gain from
taking a short cut??
Nothing.
And that’s the TRUTH.
And that’s why I gutted it out.
But, WHY is this so important??
Let me explain…
Let’s say YOU were to skip out on a few reps…
Even if no one else were to find out you were was cutting reps or
taking a short cut, there’s no doubt it wouldn’t hurt them for
not knowing.
It would only be hurting YOU.
And this is one of the main reasons I DON’T count my athletes
reps any longer.
Back when I first started to train at the big globo gym, I used
to count reps for all my athletes and clients.
Back then, at the time I thought it was my job.
That’s why everyone was coming to me right?
So I could count their reps and keep them accountable??
WRONG.
Counting reps isn’t my job.
It’s YOUR job just like it’s my job to count my own reps.
My job as a coach isn’t to count reps, but rather to make sure
my athletes are moving with solid form and technique.
It’s NOT to make sure my athletes are being truthful with counting
their reps.
That’s on them.
And notice I said “being truthful”.
Because every now and then I’ll count.
I’ll not say anything about it, but I’ll count just to see if my
athletes are being “honest” with their reps.
Thankfully I’ve not caught any of my athletes taking short cuts
on their reps yet.
This I’m HAPPY to say that and I hope that I’ll always be able to
say that.
Because who’d want someone on their team that’s taking short cuts??
I know I wouldn’t want a teammate like that.
For example, one of the reason the Navy SEALS make BUDs training so
intense and straight up borderline insane is to test a man to see
what he’ll do in the worst of situations.
Will he take the easy route out and and take a few reps off?
OR, will he do what ever it takes to get the job done.
Will he sacrifice and go through an extra bit of pain or even be
willing to give his own life for the man next to him?
If yes, then this is the exact type of teammate you want.
One that would NEVER take short cuts.
Now obviously this is an extreme example and what the Navy SEALS
and special ops type of training is meant to do.
It’s to weed out the weak, but the same concept can be pulled from
general training as well.
When things get tough, would YOU take a short cut?
Would you shave a few reps here and there just to get by a bit
quicker?
Think about it.
Because this thought of “taking short cuts” stems well outside of
the gym.
It bleeds over into ALL facets of your life.
The message is simple…
Don’t ever take short cuts.
Take the long road around.
It’ll make you better in the long run.
#goham