“The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.”
Coach John Wooden
We’re three and a half months into the Corona Shutdown. While yes there has been a reopening of sorts and of course I speak from my Los Angeles, California perspective, there is no back to normal as I write. Not even sure anymore what normal is anymore.
There is so much to comprehend and especially as one contemplates uncertainty and the future. Not only do markets and businesses not do well in uncertainty but neither do us humans. This unprecedented time has forced us all to evaluate many of our life passions, careers and daily patterns of existence.
The shutdown completely reminded me of the above quote from Coach Wooden, a definite icon in my book. What have you been doing while no one is watching when it comes to your exercise and nutrition habits?
Doing more, doing less, investigating new trainings or just hanging on the couch? Personally, I did really well the first two months, through the end of May. Then in June I started getting what I call the “stay at home creep.” Meaning, less motivation and less drive. It’s slowly coming back, but it has taken a lot of effort.
That said what has totally sustained me during this pandemic is having a host of training options in my toolkit and mixing it up more than ever from an exercise perspective. Couple that with a solid unwavering devotion to real food which has not changed at all during this shutdown. It has been the one stronghold in our house we have effortlessly maintained.
So why is and can the exercise piece be harder to sustain when no one is looking? Here’s something I’ve experienced followed by a couple suggestions on how to regain your mojo.
Human movement and physical exercise thrive on having an outside eye encourage, touch and guide you to better performance. When we don’t have that it feels like something is missing. Take dance for example, professional dancers no matter where they are in their careers most often take a daily class. It gives us insight into our instrument, a chance to realign the body and get in tune with how we are moving on that particular day. It enhances our skills, mental outlook and gets us ready to perform. The teacher is a hands-on guide on a daily journey.
All of those things I mentioned are exactly the same for someone working with a trainer, coach and other exercise instructor in a training session. Not to forget also the social camaraderie element, sharing of personal highs and lows and in general motivating each other. Teachers/Coaches learn just as much from their students as vice versa. We are all missing this social interaction on not only a fitness training level but one of human compassion.
Yes, we can insert and supplement with online and Zoom class teaching. It is an amazing support mechanism. However, I feel strongly you can never totally replace the overwhelming benefit from a real teacher in a real space with touch cues especially geared to your body’s unique needs and goals. How to move on then?
Like anything, recognizing the difference and understanding you miss something is a great relief system. Kind of like taking the lid off a boiling pot. Here’s a few ways I’m working on filling the gap of lost teaching contact.
- I took out a stack of old notebooks from previous teachers, programs and workshops and reread the comments. I then jotted down some gems and utilized those as a theme for a workout for myself and also for teaching some of my virtual clients.
- Watched a few old videos of one of my past iconic teachers, Bob Liekens, the ultimate pedagogical inspiration, cues for myself and students. If taking a class is your preference do it!
- Write out a couple workouts for yourself and follow them. This way you don’t leave it up to chance but actually have a script to guide you, like a roadmap.
Final note
As we all try to navigate this unprecedented challenge to our mental and physical well-being it’s good to see how we can best support each other. Ways to stay motivated, inspired and in general boost the spirit minus the hands-on touch is a vital part of our new normal going forward.
