tremendous MOXIE

My workout today was hard. Really hard. I can’t say it was the hardest on ever, but it stretched me. It was 5 rounds. I pretty much hate 5 round workouts as a rule.
Round 1: My head is in the game. I blast through the first set, on to set 2. It’s heavy, but doable. Set three sucks. I have to drop my weight, which is 83#, and get it back overhead. I realize, once again,(hello? push jerk not push press!) I’m doing the movement wrong and try to correct.
Round 2: Pushing through this one with a few added breaks, but feeling good and strong. A little teak in my lower back tells me to tighten up on the overhead. I do.
Round 3: I’m looking around, checking out where everyone else is. Hard to tell. Hoping I’m keeping up, but I can’t let it get to me. I start to get a better rhythm and work hard not to drop the weight as much and get mad when I do. This just means more work for me. Some one asks what round I’m on and I think that makes me get too comfortable, thinking I can relax a bit. Bad idea.
Round 4: I start to slow down. Broken sets mean extra work. I’m getting mad. I hear someone call time, then another. Crap. I’ve really fallen behind. I won’t stop though. It’s heavy, but I will persist. The end is near.
Round 5: Several people are done. Encouraging me. “Pick it up.” I always have mixed emotions at this time. One part says, “yes, cheer me on” the other says “shut up and disappear”. I’m breaking up sets in my head.Soon 7-5, 3-3-3, 2-2-2…becomes “whatever it takes”. I manage to make it to the last set, go 2-4 and I’m done.
Finish: Fall on the floor, regain my bearings and breathe deeply.
Was it hard? Um. Yeah. Totally. Did I make it? Of course. Would I do it again? For sure and I probably will!
Why?
I’m looking for change. I want to do better. I want to push myself beyond the last time. My time may have been the slowest on the board, but I felt good doing that weight and living to tell about it.

It’s not only about weights and exercise. My theory is that if I can push through these workouts which stretch me in every way possible, including my mental state, I can push through other hard stuff. It’s not just about the weight for me. When life throws unexpected things at me, I can dig into my memory of what I have faced and survived and say, “Yeah, it’s gonna be hard, but I’m going to take it on. Little by little, piece by piece…I will finish.” I can relax, think it through and persist.

Whether it be fitness, diet, pursuing your dream or going through a difficult situation, what are you looking for?