Overcoming resistance
I never thought this would happen. I was climbing, loving my sport of choice (for the last two decades) and suddenly everything changed.
For as long as I can remember, being active has been my identity. Gymnastics and running at school then adding climbing to that list at university. I’ve added surfing and skateboarding more recently too. Being active isn’t just what I do; it’s who I am. But on that day, just one split second, it felt like that part of me was lost.
I sat in that feeling. I was so angry with myself! I’d made that dismount soooo many times! But not this time - the newly renovated floor was dark (every other gym has light grey flooring, but I guess my dodgy eye depth vision just screwed things?!). But I’d heard the double click - ACL and kneecap. ‘Luckily’ I had no pain (brain surgery nerves cut?!); it just felt wrong. Monday physio confirmed my injury and so rehab began.
Either way I felt part of me was ’broken’ for the foreseeable while, but this resistance feeling definitely wasn’t. You can only push so much on something already broken and more will break right?! And so plan b… what can you do with one leg?
My mini me, my 9yo son, turned things around: he decided to set us a month challenge to increase our deadhang time for his ninja warrior training. We started at 30s and over the month got to 2min! We now change grips, move to single hand holds and add in a chin up if we can!
The next month he decided we’d do a chin up challenge - we started at 1, 2 and 4 (hub joined in!). Over the month we got to 5, 10 and 10 (the door frame is too short for my husband so he was disadvantaged with having to hold his knees up, which is way harder!).
And so the months have gone by. We added a handstand challenge, an underwater/breathhold challenge, fast running from 400m efforts to 4km ‘long’ runs (having run a marathon this seems ridiculous but it’s soooo hard at the moment!). We have also kept up our deadhangs, chin-ups, handstands, breath holds!
Over the last 6 months, I’ve come to see there’s loads you can do with one leg, there’s so much more you can do when you think you can’t (both physically like swimming and running, but also mentally like drawing and writing), and I am not just ‘an active person’. I am someone who overcomes!
Actually, we all are! My mission is to help people to connect to their current body, in all its glory! And to find a way to just begin. Because movement literally can change you: it can change your mindset, your mental health, your physical health, your internal alchemy and your external appearance.
And further more, while I coach movement (and nutrition and mindset cos I feel they’re all connected), I have (re)gained this knowledge that I can keep getting stronger, no matter where I am at. In fact I should, whether I’m sedentary, injured, unwell or ‘older’. What started as something that seemed impossible suddenly became possible (strength)! I really believe that I will continue to get stronger into my 50s 60s 70s! I so much want people to realise that, as you get older, you can get stronger!!!
I love to move, to challenge myself, to keep getting stronger and more able. I love to know I can do hard things - in fact thru my job I’ve come to see all us humans are happiest when we’re challenging ourselves! Deep down we’re wired for growth; and you do not need to negotiate with the voice of resistance!
My mission is also to help people realise they can do hard things. You can do hard things - humans are happiest when we’re challenging ourselves. What’s your next challenge?
