When I work with clients or train with friends, the one movement I hear people repeatedly complain about is the burpee.
“I HATE BURPEES!!!!” Is usually how the conversation goes.
That used to be me, except with push-ups. I don’t know why I hated them so much but just the idea of them annoyed me. “You want me to just lower my body to the ground and push back up, over and over? No thanks.”
But then I started implementing them into my workouts whenever I could. In between sets, at the beginning as a warm-up, at the end as a burnout, randomly in my room while watching Netflix…
I realized that the reason I hated them so much was because I wasn’t good at them. I could out-squat most girls my size, but when it came to a simple bodyweight movement I was useless.
Um, hello ego much?
Now you can find me pumping out push-ups like it’s my job. I’m definitely not the best and I won’t be winning any push-up competitions soon, but I’ve learned to respect the movement and actually *gasp* enjoy it.
My performance and my physique have improved as a result. Plus — my mindset has shifted from flight mode to fight mode (thanks psychology minor!) and I’ve realized that if I only do things that I love doing, I won’t get the best results.
Same goes for anything in life. Sometimes you have to do things you hate doing to get where you want to go. For instance, your boss might have you working on a project that doesn’t interest you in the slightest — but once you prove you’re capable of completing it, they’ll ask you to do more and more exciting and challenging work. If you choose to say “No thanks, not interested,” I can all but guarantee the result won’t be in your favor.
The same can be said for friendships and relationships. Sacrificing your own time and energy is never fun, but it’s essential for healthy relationships with others. Maybe this means going out of your way to make it to an event your friend is super excited about but you couldn’t care less about. Or maybe you need to cut your gym time short in order to be on time for date night. Ugh, people skills are hard.
I’m a firm believer in following your heart and doing what you love, but sometimes we have to do what we hate in order to grow. SO DO YOUR BURPEES PEOPLE, who knows, you might end up loving them.
Positive Vibes,
Kails
Photo by Kyle Johnson on Unsplash
Side of Kail 