Episode 1: We Begin With Why

Why is an important question in life.  To be verbally announcing, and also continuously asking oneself internally this question, is a pursuit of advancement. In relation to exercise, I ask all of my clients early on why they want to begin a program. I have heard a multitude of answers.  Everything from, "I want to tone up" to, "I want to play collegiate athletics."  Now, one of those has some true merit and motivating factors but in regards to the former, I would attempt to dig deeper into the roots of why they want to make a lifestyle change. The reason to get to the origin of "WHY?" is to find something that will not ever die.  A motivating factor yes, but something even deeper: a passion, a dream, a goal.

            For myself, I became jaded at an early age.  My aspiration always revolved around baseball and yet, my team was always narrowly eliminated just before the pinnacle of success.  I experienced multiple 2nd place finishes in state championship games, and a 3rd place with a team that had the most chemistry I have ever been around.  We just happen to slip up in one game of a single elimination style state tournament (who does that?).  Enough with the team stuff, how can I become the best I can be?  This is another important question to continually ask: HOW? 

I was a small in stature kid who loved playing an outdoor sport in a place where there is snow four months out of the year while baseball season is only a few months long anyway.  Turning toward a local fitness facility, I tried to build myself into a better athlete.  With no batting cages in the area, there is a distinct memory of mine begging my little brother to pitch me side toss with tennis balls in a racquetball court between games being played by older gentlemen.  That was the only offseason hitting I could accomplish.  The other thing I could control was my strength.  Gaining muscle was a partial success, but I had little true guidance into what was right and what was wrong.  I do hold a belief that if I had a proper strength training regimen, I could have better maximized my potential and avoided suffering an overuse injury, which took from me an entire season of basketball. 

Now, my purpose is to provide for those people who may have a destination in mind, but do not have a map to get them where they want to be. There saying in baseball that the worst pitch thrown with conviction is better than the best pitch thrown without.  Be purposeful in your life, with your words, actions, as well as your exercise.  Answer WHY and HOW?