Box Jumps... oh the Box Jumps. I have done them in the past (as in... YEARS ago). I got out of working out, so of course I stopped doing them. Well, since I'm now back in a fitness routine, I have been eyeing that box for a while, but have been scared to death. My biggest fear is not jumping high enough and falling on my face. And I'm not a big fan of pain... or embarrassment.
So, last week I started with the step... Not too bad. Fridays are my cardio/HIIT days... so today I tried again.
Started with the step. Then... I conquered my fear. The first set, I'll admit, my fiance held on to my hand, just in case. But once I realized that I could do it... I let go.
Can I just tell you what an accomplishment that is?! I was so proud of myself. And let me stop here to tell you-- when you set a goal and achieve it, you better believe it's OK to be proud of yourself. You worked hard, and you're excited. So don't take this as me being full of myself.
But I will say, along my new fitness journey, I'm realizing just how capable my body is. So often we let fear hold us back. We have to overcome that. Now, I will say, some things it's obvious you should do because it will put you in danger! But within reason, it's normal to have fear about things, but sometimes it's so freeing to push your limits and give it a try. It's really rewarding (and this doesn't just come along with fitness-- it can be applied to life too!).
For some, it's just the fear of the gym in general. It can be intimidating! But get in that door (or find awesome workout videos you can do at home-- YouTube is an awesome resource)! Thankfully most of the machines at the gym have diagrams. And don't let other people intimidate you (we're all beginners at some point... and even after YEARS, some folks still aren't sure what they're doing!). Again, YouTube can give you so many great ideas to implement at home or in the gym. I like to use Pinterest too-- so many great workout plans for any fitness level.
This again is where having a friend and accountability partner is important too. Because having someone who is there with you, definitely takes the pressure off.
And PLEASE! Learn to laugh at yourself. I can't tell you how many times I've done something silly at the gym. It happens. But you move past it and remember WHY you chose to get in shape-- to lose weight, to have better health, to run a marathon... whatever it is. Get in there, knock it out and be PROUD! You may not be the fastest runner or strongest person at the gym-- but you're ahead of the folks sitting at home... and again-- everyone has to start somewhere!
What are your fears when it comes to working out?