Most people associate strength with muscles. If a guy has big muscles...he must be strong...right? So people go to the gym and they target certain muscles...biceps for example. Most guys in the gym want big biceps so they look "strong"...they hang out by the dumbbells and never think to learn complicated Barbell movements or Olympic lifts.. Who needs em?...right? The answer to that question is...everyone needs them. Young or old...fat or thin...people wanting to excel in sports as well as the everyday person that wants to be "fit"...no matter who you are...you can greatly benefit from working to improve your overall strength with a barbell and some plates. 
True strength is not about how
many inches around your bicep is or how sculpted your abs are. Don't get me wrong...those things are not bad...but they are aesthetic. It's okay to want to look good. I do...but it's also important to be well rounded and strong. I've thought a lot about what it means to be strong over the past week. When the whole "Strong is the new Skinny" thing came about on Facebook, I was just going about my life...being the best "me" that I could be. Since then, I have days when I wonder..."Am I strong enough?". I don't have the biggest muscles...there are lots of women that can probably lift a lot more than me. I wonder if I'm worthy to even be giving any advice or putting myself out there. So many questions run through my little blond head.
I've thought long and hard and here are the answers I've come up with... Yes, there are women with bigger muscles. Yes, there are women can lift or move more weight. But I am still worthy of giving advice...of telling my story...because no one knows me and where I've come from better than me. I AM the best at being me, and if I can inspire people with my story...my antecdotes, and my way of doing things then I don't need to worry about everyone else and how I compare. Am I lifting crazy amounts of weight??? No...but I am improving upon what I have been able to do in the past...and that makes me really happy.
Strength is relative in my opinion. What is strong for me, is not strong for Ronnie Coleman...and what's strong for Ronnie Coleman, is not strong for Mark Twight. Neither of those guys could ever be the best at doing what the other does. They are best at what they, themselves, do.
Don't compare yourself to other people. Don't try to be the best at being someone else. Do what it takes to turn yourself into the best possible version of YOU. Strong looks different for different people. I think that's what makes "Strong is the new skinny" different. There's not one way to look or one way to get there. It's about NOT feeling like you have to look like everyone else. It's about loving yourself and working towards a better stronger you each day.
"Am I strong enough?" Yes, I am...and so are you!
~Marsha
I think about this same thing all the time. Since I'm new at this whole thing (6 month anniversary of my first CF workout is on FGB5...fitting no? I just realized that. AWESOME!), I sometimes feel like a poser. Like I can't tell strangers about how awesome CF is without them thinking, "right, yeah whatever, she doesn't look at that fit". I know I can tell people who have known me for more than 8 months because they've seen me before.
ReplyDeleteI've also not been brave enough to wear my SINS shirt to the gym. I know CFers don't really care what you are wearing, but I fear they'll think I'm not strong enough yet. When I really am. They've told me as much. GAH! Internal struggle be damned!
Last night the owner of our gym told me, after I inquired about getting off my knees for push ups, that we must remember that we haven't been doing these movements daily for years. In some cases, it's been years since we've done them...or never. She also said "JENN! Look how far you've come!"
Seems I've rambled on again...
Jenn (insert middle name) B!!!!! You are doing a great job and this is exactly what I mean! I so understand...really. Promise me you will wear that tank to the gym sometime within a week. It's like therapy (ha ha!)...you need to get past that. All the CFers there will love it and love you! Keep up the good work! (Oh!...and I'll still love ya if you don't wear the tank, but I really do think you should.) :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE what you stand for! You and I are on the same page, for sure. I would actually love for you to take a look at my blog and read my last post, ironically called "The Truth About STRONG...". I think you'll get it...
ReplyDeleteThank You!
http://gutsygirlsadventures.blogspot.com
LOL! You are too cute. Thanks for the tough love. I've been told I'm not motivated by too much positive encouragement. Apparently I have to get pissed to get it done. One of the guys at the gym makes me get mad and yells at me "like a junk yard dog"...it works and I thank him for it every time.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, I will plan on wearing it Tuesday, since that's usually our weight lifting focus day. I promise.
Thanks Erika!!! I will definitely give it a look!
ReplyDeleteJenn~ I'm gonna check on you Tuesday girl! ;)
Strong enough? Absolutely! We often compare our accomplishments or our bodies with others', when instead, we should compare our current state with the past versions of ourselves. Are you growing? Are you challenging yourself every day? Sure, it's nice to be as strong as So-and-So, but it's even better to show yourself how much better you are today than yesterday! I love being STRONG!
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