Arrive Empty. Be Average. Win.
After a long weekend away, my husband and I arrived back in NYC to find that spring had sprung. On my walk this morning, little green patches of bulbs were threatening to flower. I even spotted some late-winter snowdrops. I’m filled with a surge of hope every time I see those first blooms.
Headed up the path on my usual route, I felt ease in my shoulders and a loosening of the grip in my stomach. My joints felt freer, and I generally felt lighter. (Probably because I wasn’t wearing 17 pairs of pants and 15 shirts to keep the cold away.)
But there were also mounds of dirty, trash-filled, snow-cone-textured old snow lurking in the shadows of the still-bare trees to remind me that this so-called spring is just a tease. We will be back to winter in a few days. Oh, March.
This quick false spring — the relief, the ease, the hope, and the reality of winter's return — mirrors what happens in training.
When we think about how we want our gym experiences to be, we like to imagine perfect circumstances leading to perfect outcomes, but this is seldom the case. Every so often, our mood, energy, preparation, and enthusiasm all line up and we have an incredible day in the gym — a false-spring moment, if you will.
But the reality is that those perfect conditions and ideal outcomes are few and far between. I once heard a Weightlifting coach say that showing up for a meet feeling great (rested, not sore, well-fed, at ease) is a rare gift — and one that doesn’t necessarily predict a favorable outcome. This is true for competition (I know because I’ve been there), but it’s also true of the day-to-day training that most of you are putting in.
So what are you supposed to do when ideal circumstances are few and far between? First, as the Buddhists might say, arrive empty. Show up without expectation of perfection and just get to work. Second, be okay with a passing grade. Everybody thinks they have to win the gym every day, but the truth is, being a C student is actually a better strategy. Because in the training game, consistency and done-ness are where progress is made.
And here’s the best part. When you show up without expectation and let go of the need for a perfect grade, you usually have a decent workout, and a little fun to boot! On the days you don’t, you’re less mad about it. And you’re more likely to show up again in a day or two rather than chuck it all or “start over.”
Over time, the average days add up. The C work compounds and progress is made. And every once in a while, without even trying, you have an A workout. I love those days.
Meanwhile, Winter is not done. (Crying emoji.) So enjoy these comfortable days while they last. And go earn those C’s.
In strength, Elizabeth
