Sometimes working out is fun. Sometimes it's tough. And sometimes it just flat-out sucks.
But how do you deal with the suck? What do you do when your legs and arms are dying and your lungs are burning? I think that it comes down to your mindset.
And thus, the 4 Stages of Suck
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| Definitely not a quitter. |
If you're just starting out on your fitness journey, you're going to hit a wall -- and probably pretty quickly. I would be that most people who've tried to set up a fitness routine have given up at least once. And it's usually because of unrealistic expectations.
Stage 2: Survival
Once you've gotten the basic hang of exercise and maybe set up a weekly routine, you'll probably get to the point where, when things really start to suck, you can at least slog through. Your form may suffer and your performance may slack off as the workout goes on, but you'll at least get it done.
Stage 3: Fighting Through
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| The New Jersey Marathon was a fight! |
Regular Guys who've been working out for a while know that just getting something done isn't the same as doing it well. If you want to get the full benefit from a tough workout, you need to try to keep up your performance the whole time. And yeah. it really sucks to push that last interval when your body is screaming for you to slow down, but that's when the improvement comes.
Stage 4: Embracing the Suck
You may never experience this one. Or you might feel it once in a while, but not every time. Regular Guys aren't going to get to the point where this is the norm in a hard workout. But the big jumps will happen when you welcome the suck. You're looking for it. You want it. And you push your workouts to ensure you get it.
I want to add something about Stage 4: Be careful! It's easy to get overtrained or injured when you're actively seeking the suck.
What stage of suck are you at? Sound off on Twitter, on Facebook or in the comments below!
