Monotony sinks. Withers as workouts continue. Erodes
as endurance fails. Sweat rusting will, doubt drowning spirit. Initially, the never-ending
ocean seems all consuming, but its crashing waves reward. The first is learning
how to swim.
Children survive after being thrown into water by their
parents. Forced to learn how to swim by both nature and nurture. Do mother and
father standby and watch their child sink and drown, prone at the pool’s bottom?
Probably not. (Unless murder, not teaching, was the parents’ true intent.)
While frightening, the child lives. The false drowning is governed by confidence
to intervene, the risk is controlled – adults know how to swim. Without
learning, children drown, ushering these mock events.
Dangerous as water is, humanity possesses the
physicality to live. Learning physicality requires doing it, whatever the
‘it’ may be; skateboarding, swimming, lifting… endless ‘ings. But survivalist
brains clutch the machine’s controls, keeping body from perilous action. When the
body performs beyond controls, the mind, limited in physical experience, learns
through feedback; a child thrown in water learns to swim.
Prior teaching, coaching, practicing strokes dry, all become
valuable once lessons demand getting wet. Surviving because initial physicality,
knowing how to swim afterwards. This symbiotic relationship exists, however
learning typically flows one direction: mind to body. The opposing direction is
possible, but must be forced, either through discipline, or outside action.
Children learn that fear of physicality prevents life and
stymies enjoyment. They grow strong as falls no longer stop play. The same is
true for adults. Though, in age, concerns of fragility surface, ushering
regression towards childlike behaviors; necessitating adult responses. Jumping
in is vital. Into endless reps, at first gasping for air in a sea of workouts
without rest days. That is “overtraining.” We will drown! Children cry when
learning how to swim.
Physicality is energy that resists fear. But
physicality can be weakened, rusted, as it is mostly will. Erosion threatens endurance
most, consistency breeds monotony, rust spreads if unchecked. When workouts become
fruitless, when the barbell knurling loses its bite, kicking harder seems right.
Such efforts are deceptive, draining, ultimately drowning. Dying in a splash of
frantic reaching and kicking. It is better to focus on a single breath, deep
and long, releasing similarly, repetitiously taking in the next. Staying calm
while learning what must be done to endure, allowing body to teach mind.
This direction of learning, necessitating physicality,
requires hard effort. What is hard effort? Usually it is pride in mediocre
effort, so it is declared hard; superficial sacrifice – false achievement. That
is not hard effort. Hard effort is felt the next day, the day after, remembered
long after. Conversely, easy effort must not be forgotten, nor confused as
inconsequential or unrewarding. Though the physical action might be easy,
concentration on doing better is hard, harder when monotony withers focus.
In training, avoiding what one “sucks at” is habitual.
Monotony of negligence. This is self-defeating. Why lift if not to progress? If
not to express new physicality? Mastering that next best thing, mastering ourselves
in the process, more than surviving - living. After learning to swim, dive to
retrieve treasures; medals, records earned in pursuit. Face daunting lifts, hunt
leviathan weights in endless waves, taste salt of sweat and sea, breath deep,
keep the chin high. Not to suck wind, but to be proud of the effort.
Physicality puts mind and spirit into body. A unifying
force that produces real world results. Demonstrating power of the other invisible
two, unknowable of each if not for sweat, the byproduct of energy; undying by
nature, bringing near immortality when nurtured. Strength lives beyond its
being, as does endurance. For each represent consistency, effort, and patience.
These qualities are treasures brought out of the sea, earned in the endless
lifting, rope climbing, grip failing, lungs heaving, eyes stinging until the triumphant
cheer - workout complete.
Another day swimming,
lifting – ‘ings all the same. Physicality is necessary for life, but more
importantly: to live. Practice resolve where monotony’s corrosion threatens
slowly, rusting will in crashing waves. Our last breath comes when it does.
Faster when predicting its arrival.
Do not survive – thrive! Adopt the sea’s nature.
Containing life and alive itself. Capable of calm and rage, crushing and
erosive force; strength and endurance. Learned by combining mind and body,
mastered through spirit. A trinity of near endless reward.
Easy Effort. (Link details workout.)