When I gave workshops on weight control, I sometimes referred to exercise as “The E Word.” Many of the participants had bad feelings about their attempts to exercise. If I just said “exercise” I noticed that some people in the audience would shudder and seem to groan or just have sour expressions on their faces. Why did this word provoke such negative reactions? How did you feel when you saw the word in the title of this post?
And it isn't just self-criticism. When you're in the gym, there will ALWAYS be someone ready to criticize what you're doing. Recently a world-class body-builder and teacher wrote that a younger guy commented that he wasn't using his full range of motion when doing his pull-ups. The teacher replied that now that he's over 60, he's more concerned about preventing injuries than "perfect form," and that 80-90% range of motion is a lot better than not doing the exercise at all.
I agree--great advice!
And it isn't just self-criticism. When you're in the gym, there will ALWAYS be someone ready to criticize what you're doing. Recently a world-class body-builder and teacher wrote that a younger guy commented that he wasn't using his full range of motion when doing his pull-ups. The teacher replied that now that he's over 60, he's more concerned about preventing injuries than "perfect form," and that 80-90% range of motion is a lot better than not doing the exercise at all.
Do the best you can. Just do it!
Fantastic advice! Sometimes we put more focus on how other people think, than the thing we're trying to do.