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Yesterday started out great training wise. I took my measurements - in the past two and a half months, my chest has grown 1.5", my thighs have grown 1" and my arms have grown an 1". That's pretty good, right? I was proud of myself.

Anyway, I'm now starting to cut after a bulking phase. This means I met my trainer at Runyon Canyon (uphill terrain here in LA) to do uphill running/sprinting calisthenics. I was wicked psyched because aside from wanting bigger muscles for vanity, my other reason for undertaking this new regimen is to get in great physical shape - agility, stamina, athletic performance. I have always wanted to be someone that could stand up to a brutal marine workout.

Anyhow, I was much less ready for it than I thought! I was so winded, had to walk for much of it and was wrecked by the altitude. The uphill running was killer on my lower back. It was all kind of humbling.

I got pretty down on myself and felt pretty defeated. Luckily, I know by now you can't have unrealistic expectations. And I have to start somewhere. Fitness is a journey. It's just frustrating that you feel like you can come so far only to realize you have so far to go. I know that never changes because there will always be new challenges. But still...

Anyone else ever feel deflated by a reminder of just how far they have left to go?

Yeah, everyday when you go to the gym and you see kids younger than you who can bench twice your weight.

You're in great shape anyways. You don't need to change much in my opinion though I know in fitness, one is ALWAYS striving for bigger, better, leaner.

innerathlete saidAnyone else ever feel deflated by a reminder of just how far they have left to go?

Used to. Now I'm too old for that crap. I'm just happy I'm alive. It's funny how that attitude just creeps up on ya as you age. I just realized it now, when I typed this response.

So ya have that to look forward to when you get older. Basically many fewer disappointments. More things are just exciting adventures. Sort of returning to your true inner child before you learned gloom, disappointment, expectations, and living in the future or past instead of the present.

Rejoice Inner. You are a hot ass dude. OK? Come over here and I'll wrestle you until you submit and admit that you are living a beautiful, lucky, and precious life!

*stares blankly*

Wow. Where'd THAT come from?

Well it all doesn't happen overnight. Besides you already noted you made muscle gains. A little here a little there soon all the little progress adds up to big progress.

For me, every once and a while, I tell myself "you are slacking" and have a renewed fervor in my fitness program. But I found that outright feeling deflated is not good. There will always be someone who seems further ahead so you have to be satisfied that you are making progress that is good for you at your own pace.

Toss "deflated" out the window! you are doing well and you look good in a wife beater

It's all part of the challenge. Take it easy on yourself. You've been focusing on a specific routine and have gotten pretty good at it. Now that you are changing things up you'll definitely experience struggle. It happens to everyone. Be patient, keep working and you'll dominate soon enough.

After my first 3 times going to a gym, I was able to defy gravity. Oh, and my hair grew back. You must be doing something wrong.

Fiddlesticks. It's awfully deflating to have people in significantly better shape than me bemoaning how out of shape they are. If anyone needs me, I'll be bingeing and purging...

colmdublin saidFiddlesticks. It's awfully deflating to have people in significantly better shape than me bemoaning how out of shape they are. If anyone needs me, I'll be bingeing and purging...

Amen to that! LOL

If they're out of shape, I'm utterly, hopelessly shapeless.

Its something you just have to keep at. I am currently in w3hat I like to call a fat slump. But I am also taking some time off from killing myself and plan to pick back up with a new, fresh routine next week! Will keep track of this one. I have three weeks to lose a bunch of weight for our office weight loss pool. Normally, I would not lose for a specific event, but I could use the $750 I might win.

SDtrainer saidIt's all part of the challenge. Take it easy on yourself. You've been focusing on a specific routine and have gotten pretty good at it. Now that you are changing things up you'll definitely experience struggle. It happens to everyone. Be patient, keep working and you'll dominate soon enough.

I'm with SD on this one. You shocked the hell out of your system by tossing something like incline speed work (which is hard as hell period!). That's a good thing though. You'll no doubt see even more/other gains as your body tries to deal with "what the hell was THAT?!"

I hear you though - I learned very quickly after my bike time killed my overall time in the duathlon I just did that I needed to eat hills for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

colmdublin saidFiddlesticks. It's awfully deflating to have people in significantly better shape than me bemoaning how out of shape they are. If anyone needs me, I'll be bingeing and purging...

Such imagery, colm.

But really, while comparing oneself to others is a good way to challenge yourself, the only person you really need to beat is the version of you who last worked out, raced, etc.

Haha I think I misrepresented myself in my original post. I wasn't trying to say I was out of shape. And I am aware that this is an ongoing process. I guess I was just trying to say that sometimes part of that process is an unexpected kick in the pants! It is true I can have overly critical voices in my head and a huge part of getting in shape has been learning to talk back. I was just looking to see if other people encountered similar struggles along the way.

Appropriately enough, I am off to watch the end of Seabiscuit now. The movie is so laughably ridiculous but I can't help but be a lil touched by that scrappy horse!

Nah...

That kind of thing never gets me down
I know that there are some things I can't do
But what I do know is that if I want to do them
I can train myself and conquer anything I want to do

You need to pick up that glass that's half-full that's sitting on your counter

Ugh - so this past Saturday, I headed out for what was supposed to be a simple straightforward ride - nothing crazy. But as I started up the first hill, :splat: I managed to slog my way through an abbreviated ride but all I could think was, "What the hell happened!?!"

Thanks for the bad juju inner! LOL!

innerathlete saidAnyone else ever feel deflated by a reminder of just how far they have left to go?

All the time, however I console myself knowing that there is no finish line. We're in it for the [life] long haul.

onmyway said
All the time, however I console myself knowing that there is no finish line. We're in it for the [life] long haul.

Well put! I'm always trying to push myself further, so I don't really look at it as feeling "deflated." I just remind myself how far I've come, and look forward to seeing what I can still accomplish

Well man,
you have a great attitude about it. It's the best thing to have. As long as we do it safely finding out our limits will help us achieve our goals. keep it up.