This Feels Good

Dear Readers of this article (fellow instructors, students of instructors, general public, whoever this may concern):

You are reading this as I'm trying to help you with a defining moment in your perception of the way you think you move and how you exercise, how you truly move, and how to take a step back and deal with the situation.

I’m about to make your dreams come true.

I’m going to give you that sports car you always wanted. Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, you name it, it’s yours. The only catch to it is that there is a “small” issue with one of the axles but the rest of the car is fine.

As you start to drive your sports car, you feel that one of the wheels is not in proper alignment.

You have two options: go get your car inspected and repaired for better performance long-term or continue to drive it faster.

The same can be said about your movement patterns. (This concept is actually applicable universally – fitness, business, life, etc.).

In the RKC community, we refer to a concept of “a-ha” moments. Times we learn a better cue, a realization of a movement pattern, a realization of our own movement patterns, a dysfunction, a restriction, so on and so forth.

Some people will take advantage of those moments, take a step back, own those moments, and continue to improve. Some will listen, but not fully conquer. Others will just completely ignore and think they know better.

My mentors could not have said this better. Dr. Cheng often refers to our two limiting factors of physical improvement as poor attention to detail and overconfidence. Gray Cook has said “own your restrictions.” This is a phrase that is engrained in my head, with it being repeated at CK-FMS and RKC II by Senior RKC Jeff O’Connor.

Whether it’s a stiff neck, immobile t-spine, poor hip mobility, etc., just own it. Own your “a-ha” moment.

Your body is very intelligent; it will tell you when you shouldn't be doing something through stiffness, a restriction, or lessened ROM.

Today might not be your day to run 26 miles, might not be your day to do MVO2, might not be your day to press the beast, might not be your day to Squat/Bench heavy, so on and so forth. And that's perfectly ok.

Train smart.

Maybe you need to work on a few corrective exercises, see a movement specialist (Z-Health or CK-FMS instructor), or just scale back your training intensity/volume.

Again, some of you reading this will embrace these “a-ha” moments, others won’t.

Then one day, one turn, one twist, one move, one lift...

It turns into an “oh s@#t.”

Training time is now limited, debilitated movement, pain, lesser quality of life, you name it.

You could have done something about it. You chose to ignore the light bulb flashing above your head and thought you knew better.

You didn’t.

Own your “oh s@#t” moment.

Next time maybe you’ll recognize the opportunity you had before in reading this article and your “a-ha” moment, and will embrace it and learn from it.