I’ve always been an athlete. Soccer, wrestling and baseball consumed the majority of my time growing up. As I grew older and stepped away from these sports, I began to get more into fitness. For the past three years, I have been following the workout programming at CrossFit Hype, a Florida based CrossFit gym located in Boca Raton and Delray Beach. I am now a CF-L1 (CrossFit Level 1) coach. I teach classes and train clients at both gym locations. Yet by no means would I consider myself a fitness expert. I learned a great deal from my formal education to receive my CF-L1 certification, but I’ve learned even more from those around me. I’m continually rewarded in knowledge by seeking out those who know more, or those who just know something I’m not familiar with. While I have a deep passion for CrossFit, that’s not what this post is about.
I’m writing this to share some knowledge and experiences I’ve gained in the past couple of years, all of which has helped me make great personal progress. That desire I have to stay consistent in the gym and doing everything with a committed purpose has changed my life. I would say to anyone reading this that you should find whatever training program is right for you and commit to it. If you’re like most people, you’re training to achieve some goal. Consistency and commitment are your best path toward that desired goal.
Recently, I’ve spent more time considering where I’m putting that consistency and commitment. It’s great to be ready to work, but you need to focus it somewhere specific. Proper programming helped me clarify it all. Proper programming consists of considering your long-term goals, then figuring out how you should be progressing week to week, and workout to workout. This sounds obvious, but I wasn’t always doing it. I usually just showed up and did a random workout. These workouts were definitely challenging and sound, but without having a clear path toward my goal, it eventually felt meaningless. I was without focus.
Like everyone, I wanted to see results fast. But I noticed I was not seeing sustained progression in my level of fitness. The question that I should have asked myself was "how would I measure or realize results if I didn't start with a plan or a stated, desired goal?" I find it to be nearly impossible to know if what I was doing was working or allowing me to progress without a defined goal. While it’s great that the people at my gym played a significant role in me finally coming to this realization, I would have made a lot more progress from the start had I learned this earlier. The bottom line is that a thought-out plan or goal at the beginning can be the key to sticking with your fitness over an extended period of time. Without seeing results, we often don’t want to keep going. Results fuel us to drive on, and a plan can help drive results.
Now that I had defined my fitness goals, I thought more about motivation. I previously relied too much on seasonal motivation, which for me looked like a new boost of energy after holidays/the new year or when the weather got nicer. I began to find other things to grab onto. I committed to going to the gym and working hard on a consistent basis whether I wanted to show up or not. This was significant because showing up was one of my biggest challenges. It was always a fight and I would often find myself making excuses or reasoning with myself about why it was okay to miss a workout. After spending so much time with others who are much further in their fitness journey than I, I now realize how fleeting motivation can be when it doesn’t have purpose behind it. This purposeless motivation cannot be relied upon to generate success. At some point after setting my goal, crafting a plan (what I need to do day-to-day, to achieve the month-to-month success) and becoming dedicated, it became second nature to show up no matter what. Doing this also helped me put forth solid, focused and consistent effort. I’ve gotten to the point where I can’t imagine missing a workout. As you’re trying to make progress, it really helps to have those around you in the same mindset. It makes commitment that much easier.
As I write this post, I am currently rehabbing a torn bicep. With this injury, I needed to fight hard to not let this setback take me down. There was no way around me needing some rest after this happened. But eventually, there was a way for me to get back to it. My way back required some creativity because with my injury, I couldn’t train like I normally do. But I was still able to do some things, and I was able to maintain my consistency to fitness. I refused to break the positive habits I had built.
If I did not channel my commitment, if I listened to all the excuses in my head, if I gave into soreness, and if I did not learn to adapt, I’d be right back where I started. I refused to take steps backward unnecessarily. There is no doubt in my mind that the only path forward for me is through determination, consistency and adaptability. The results will come over time and nothing matters more to get those results than your determination to be committed. It sounds generic, but I’ve found it to be true.
One last thing I believe to be important is that this whole thing is a process. It’s a journey that is never ending. You don’t just reach one goal and give up. I reached goals I set early on in my life and then found new ones to strive for. I have discovered new goals that I previously didn’t think were possible. I have committed to continually learning and growing within fitness. Despite not having the use of my right arm these last few weeks, I won’t stop evolving. If you acknowledge that you can keep moving forward, you will never truly be finished. You will find a way to set new goals and smash them!
Fitness truly is a journey and a process, one that requires daily commitment. As long as you can fight to get started, put in the effort, and spend a little time figuring out why you’re doing it all and where you are headed, then the rest usually does come. It has for me. No one can ever takeaway what you accomplish in the gym and the heights to which you push your fitness. Socrates was right when he said “No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” For your goals outside the gym, the process is no different and the results are often even more significant.
Thanks for reading,
Kyle
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Kyle Reim is CF-L1 coach and athlete at CrossFit Hype in Boca Raton/Delray Beach, Florida. On top of coaching, Kyle is also a recent graduate of the Delray Beach Fire Academy and beginning his career as a firefighter in southern Florida. You can find Kyle on Instagram @father_time_a_deadbeat .
