Growing Up

A year older, a little bit wiser (so I like to think), but never content with where I’m at. Always thinking about what kind of coach I want to be or athlete/recreational exerciser I want to perform as. Every day is different, things change, and I came across this post by a weightlifting coach I’ve been following for some time now that helped put some things into perspective. His recent post got me thinking because it just so happened to fall in line with my beliefs and coincidentally with what me and JB were discussing a week ago. Check it out…

 

View this post on Instagram

 

I’ve said before that athletes must take responsibility and accountability of their own careers. Coaches are very important and are tasked with developing the athlete but we can only take athletes so far. At a certain point the athlete must become more self-aware and less coach-dependent. That is not to say disloyal. Not at all. What I mean is self-reliant and confident in their needs. All pros have this skill. I was recently asked if this is something I teach and the answer is yes. I encourage independence for two reasons: (1) It is this very awareness I will need to coach them further at their higher levels. Their certainty, feedback, and the insight is vital to me after the basic cues & corrections don’t work anymore, like when they were beginners. And (2) perhaps this attribute becomes a life skill they can carry with them far beyond the platform. Athlete: @addisongainzzzzz @olyconcepts @thepraelium #coachingisaprofession #ilovemyjob #olylifting #development #selfawareness #confidence #athletes #longgame #weightlifting #olyconcepts #snatch #clean #jerk #platform #growing #barbell

A post shared by Daniel Camargo (@camargo_oly) on Aug 10, 2018 at 8:47am PDT

The first thing I took away from his post is that it’s important for any everyday fitness goer or athlete to take responsibility and accountability of their own actions and decisions. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very proud of the programming we put out at the Sweat Shop, but at the end of the day…that’s all it is. As coaches, we can provide the tools and guide you down the path towards your goals to the best of our abilities, but at the end of the day…we can only take people so far. In order to really take the next step in one’s fitness journey and to continue to make sustainable progress, there comes a point where the athlete must become more self-aware and self-reliant in their abilities. This allows your coaches to move past the basic cues, and allows us to really fine tune your abilities in order to reach new heights. Not just in the gym, but this is a skill that I believe is transferable to outside of the gym! In order to continue to grow as a friend, significant other, sibling, or whatever the case may be, being self-aware and recognizing what you need is important to becoming the best version of yourself.

Over the past 4 years since I’ve started CrossFit I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs both inside and outside of the gym, followed different programs, and gathered insight from numerous coaches. I remember the injuries, the PRs, the “why’s”, and much more along my path. But I think what’s allowed me to continue and improve is the constant feedback I give myself, the confidence I have in what I need to do to continue to improve, being aware, and not worrying about what I can’t control. In the gym, and outside of it more importantly.

On a side note, I know sometimes my thoughts can be a little “out there” on these blog posts, so I’d be happy to sit down with anyone interested and chat more on the subject. Let me know! But at the end of the day, I hope this sparks a little bit of “questioning” and a little growth as well! At the end of the day, I think it’s all about “growing up” in whatever activity/hobby/relationship we decide to pursue.