One of the questions I used to get asked a lot was whether non-athletes can train with us. The answer, of course, is yes. We’ve tried to make this pretty clear on the website, but there is often a little trepidation when people come in. For those used to working out in commercial gyms, it can often be a little overwhelming to walk into our space and see people doing stuff like hitting a tire with a sledgehammer, pushing a weighted sled or performing Olympic lifts. Little do they know that they’ll probably be doing the same (and doing it well) in relatively little time.
There is often a fear — when seeing other perform well — that we will not be able to compete with them. Even worse, that we’ll do poorly and maybe even embarrass ourselves. That fear is imminently human. But if you feel it, know that it does nothing but slow you down. Ditch it.
I feel like we’ve done a great job of creating an accessible environment. In a 3,000 square foot space that we share with an MMA club and have filled with thousands of pounds of cruel implements, people feel welcome and comfortable. I believe this to be largely due to a single philosophy that we make clear: Your standard for success is you.
There is nobody at our gym that isn’t awed — in one way or another — by someone else. There’s a lot of talent there; way too much to try comparing yourself to. So we don’t bother. The only question that anyone has is what you’re capable of right now. Yeah, you.
Our job is to give you the best game plan possible. Your job is to bust your ass sticking to it. And that’s pretty much the whole story. Your own limits may be great, they may be humble. Our only expectation is that you will push them.
The last person to set a record was you. The next person to break that record will be you. There is no one else.
For some people, it’s liberating to take everyone else out of the equation. For others, it’s frightening. It means admitting that progress is the direct result of your own efforts. That may seem like a real bitch but I’ve got news for you: if you’re not going to take responsibility for your own success, no one will.
Do you have to be an athlete? Absolutely not. Do you have to push? You tell me.
Geoff
I never thought I was an athlete. Even as a dancer, I thought I was the type of athlete that gym people laughed at. In fact, at a previous gym it had happened to me before. But what is the definition of an athlete? Is it someone who gets paid to participate in their sportl? That can’t be right, I know plenty of dancers, fighters, hockey players, skiiers, etc. who never make a penny off their game. Perhaps it’s someone who is recognized by others as being athletic. In that case, what about the myriad of homemakers who spend 24 hours a day devoted to house and family? An endurance sport if I ever heard of one.
Merriam-Webster tells me this:
Main Entry: ath·lete
Pronunciation: \ˈath-ˌlēt, ÷ˈa-thə-ˌlēt\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin athleta, from Greek athlētēs, from athlein to contend for a prize, from athlon prize, contest
Date: 15th century
: a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina
My experience at Bang has covered all of the above. Sounds like you are in the business of training athletes, whether our sport is dance, fight or life, however it comes to us. Thanks Geoff!
Thanks Erynn! Well put.
Great post Geoff!