Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy

Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy

Comparison is the thief of joy.
Isn’t this so true? We compare ourselves to others both inside and outside of the gym. “She’s so much stronger than I am. They finished faster than I did. Why is this so hard for me but so easy for everyone else?” “They drive a nicer car than me. Their marriage seems so perfect! They really love their job and I can’t stand mine.”

We could go on and on, but ya know what puts an end to that comparison game?

STAYING IN YOUR OWN LANE.

The ONLY person you should be comparing yourself to is the YOU you were yesterday. Cheer each other on. We don’t know what they had to overcome to get where they are today.

Maybe they’ve been working on that skill in the gym for YEARS and they just mastered it. Be happy for them, and be happy for yourself! Remember that you can’t possibly compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 15.

Just be a little better today than you were yesterday. Do better today than you did yesterday. As we always like to say here, SUCK LESS today than ya did yesterday. 😉

Happy Monday, friends. Be proud of where you are now; proud of where you’re going as well, and let’s kick this week in the teeth!💚

Being Present

Being Present

You know what’s phenomenal about physical training? It forces you to be present.
Know what I mean? Like if our girl Heidi who is the stunning model in this pic wasn’t paying attention to this ball she just threw in the air, then that baby is coming blasting back down with a vengeance and she may look like a hockey player after all is said and done hahaha.

You cannot do something like grab a pair of dumbbells and do a set of overhead press and be like “shiiiii you know I forgot to go to the bank today” … Well sometimes that happens anyway because of our crazy lives but in general this type of activity forces you to be where your feet are.

How many other times in your day can you honestly say that happens? Maybe if your work is engaging enough but besides that, we never practice being present anymore.

We watch tv and look at our phones. We go for walks and call a friend. We eat dinner and we’re back on our phones. We are doing laundry and listening to a podcast. We do our homework while answering snaps and posting tictok’s. We drive and put on makeup and play with the radio.

Nothing forces you to pay attention to that one thing happening quite like training.
It’s a beautiful hour when you can just zone in on this one thing. Laugh with friends, work hard, upgrade yourself, sweat, strive for more, and become the best version of yourself possible.

Don’t worry all of those distractions will be there when you are done. But it’s almost freeing. It’s just you and the weight. Just you and the gym. Just you vs. the challenge.
Learn to love it because there’s nothing else like it.

Bad Back?

Bad Back?

You don’t have a bad back, or at least it didn’t start out that way.
I know I know. Some of you have had accidents and injuries that have resulted in surgery and maybe rehab and much more.

Those examples that we’re unavoidable may speak for a “real” bad back. But just remember it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Now BACK to the convo at hand… (see what I did there lol)
At large I don’t believe people have bad backs. Overall it would seem the leading issues stem from a weak body, specifically an underdeveloped core.
This snow was heavy and wet and there was a LOT of it. I have a snow blower but I wanted to use this as an opportunity to prove my point.

My neighbor being the great guy he is offered to help out with his machine and I politely declined.

Everything in our lives is designed to make life easier and with all of these magical developments comes a direct impact on our physical states.
We sit more, we slouch more, we have our heads down, we speak less, we work less and much less physically.

Cue all the acute/chronic pains. We have neck problems, back issues, shoulder soreness, knee trouble and so much more.
What I can say with 100% certainty is that we can relieve so many of these ailments from intelligent, productive physical training.

That low back pain can be caused by tight hamstrings. That poor posture can be fixed by posterior training. The knees, even the knees can be set free by building stronger quads, glutes, and hips.

We were given a beautiful clean slate as children and it was ours to take for granted. And most of us have done just that, thinking that the gym and working out is just for those vain people or those who need to loose weight which couldn’t be further from the truth.

We all need to train almost every day. I mean EVERYONE.
It’s time to take back control. It’s time to live with a higher quality of life. It’s time to run after the kids pain-free. It’s time to compete on any stage and execute just as you know you can, limited by nothing. It’s time to gain your confidence and build your life the way you dreamed of it.

And remember just because there may be an absence of sickness does not indicate a high quality of health.

Feet Up, Recovery Up

Feet Up, Recovery Up

Recently we’ve started incorporating 5 minutes of this ‘legs up’ relaxation pose after all of our group classes. What we DIDN’T expect was our Outcast Powerlifting team to embrace the Zen too!

Here are just a few benefits of this pose:

  • Relaxes the mind and body – Legs Up pose is a great way to calm your nerves and make you feel better. You’ll be able to relax deeply, release anxiety and tension, and get back into balance. It can bring the body back to its own innate capacity for rest, relaxation, and self-healing.
  • Increases circulation – This pose can help with edema in the legs and feet, reversing gravity’s effects on your lower body.
  • Relieves lower back tension – Legs Up pose relieves pressure and tightness on the lumbar region, while also relaxing muscles in this area.
  • Helps quiet the mind – By fully relaxing your body and by focusing on deep breathing in Legs Up pose, you will evoke a meditative state.

We’re happy our Powerlifters realized that even the big boys slingin’ the heaviest weights need a little wooosaaaah in their lives too.