8-week challenge
Challenge not only a body but also a mind. Changing the mindset "I cannot", to "at least I have to try." Pushing all the possible limits there is, pushing through the pain, deciding that everything is possible, getting back the real motivation and dedication.
To me, to the person who was not being able to do almost any training for months due to the chronic back pain, already just participating to fitness challenge was a huge step.
Though something similar was in my mind already for a longer time, because I knew that I have to get back to active life. Hammer throw and Taekwon-Do was not in the "allowed sports" list (still not in there), I knew I have to find something else. Something else where I could find similar feeling as from throwing, the feeling of outdoing myself. Feeling the motivation and happiness doing it.
So participating to the 8-week challenge felt like a right thing to do.
And what would be a better place to start something new than in a place where I am already living a "new" life? So when I signed up for the gym membership, was at gym one day and saw this note about the 8-week challenge, I thought in my head like "what the heck, why would I not participate? There is nothing to lose."
It always amazes me how in group training it is easier to push all the limits because there is the so-called "group pressure", the positive one.
I felt like a whole new person, my back pain was somewhat under control, and I just felt good.
It is always the best feeling ever to be back in training after being away for months. Being back in the harder more challenging training, and being able to do so much more than I was able to even think about.
The first 4 weeks were perfectly fine, the challenges with my health started at the end of the fourth week.
I was again spending more time in hospitals, medical tests, and doctor's appointment rooms, than in any other place.
But to be honest, the hardest part was not only the pain and other symptoms but also the mental part.
Hard to say which one was harder at the end, the mental or physical.
Because all the time I had the want to go to workout, I felt extremely bad for skipping training. But I knew, that my body just could have not handled the workout sessions.
So it was time to practice my mind, and it made me stronger. Once again, because "what does not kill you makes you stronger." Even though with my worsening health, I was able to participate in at least one training in a week (except the one week I was in the hospital). And that way I kept my mind somewhat sane.
So last 3 weeks with my health has been a real roller coaster indeed.
And it took me a while to set a new mindset. This happened on Monday after my appointment with a doctor, I decided to change my mindset. Stop worrying, and start living.
You never know what changes can happen in your body after just changing the mindset. Worth of trying. ;)
Which also means, that I have been in Australia for 2 months! And I love to be here - just a quick side note.
At the start of this challenge, we had fitness tests. I was not completely happy with my beep test, all the other results were fine. But the beep test was something I was so disappointed.
Yesterday we had the tests again. At 6 am, it was freaking cold outside, and I slept only 5 hours. Just telling the excuses here first ;)
I was so sure, that I would do even worse results than at the start of the 8-week challenge. Because of my health, because of my eating habits, because of my mindset... <-- because of the excuses...
I just was sure, that I will be super disappointed again.
Beep test = before; level 3.2 - after; level 6.1
Push ups on toes (AMRAP 1min) = before; 28 - after; 51
Plank = before; 2 min - after; 3 min
Am I disappointed?
No, no way.
Actually, I could not be happier.
Getting those results after being sick feels amazing. But it feels even more amazing considering my starting point. From where I started 8 weeks ago. And where I was just 8 months ago. And the fact, that still in May I was in the situation, where doctors were not sure when I could get back to training.
Of course, I am not back to hammer throw nor TKD yet, but now I am back on something, and it feels amazing!
It is possible to learn from everything. Learn from the things which go right, and from the things which goes wrong.
During this 8 week, I have learned a lot. And I would not be where I am right now without the challenge, without the team, without the amazing personal trainers.
I did not only learn physical capabilities, listening own body and pushing the limits. I think one of my biggest learning points was understanding that own mind is usually on the way more than anything else. That body can do wonders, it is the mind what is on the way. Of course, there is always also the physical limitations (chronic pain for example), but when we have a strong mind, we are also stronger physically.
I learned a lot mentally.
I realized I am way too hard on myself.
Over the years I have started to have the mindset, that I am not doing enough. I am not doing rehabilitation enough to get back on track. That I should be doing more to be in some specific level.
Somehow competitive level training has been part of this mindset, thinking that I should be doing same level workouts as someone else, because how could I be successful in hammer throw if I would not be able to do some specific workouts?
Obviously, all this is bullshit.
It is not about looking what everyone else is doing, it is about own development.
It is okay to have days off from the workout, even if the plan was to go to the gym. Because the own body is the thing I have to learn to listen. Not the fact, that I should be in some level already - because there is not such a thing. Everyone is at their own levels.
I also have my dedication and motivation back.
I get the same feeling of accomplishment, feeling of victory, and most importantly the feeling of happiness from gym training.
I have missed all of that, and when I had to stop hammer throw and TKD I thought I will not get the feeling from anywhere else. I was wrong.
I miss both of my sports a lot, I just sent a message to my mom and asked if she can send my TKD book to me, since I forgot it to home, and I want to start reading it. Start learning it, start studying it. Because I cannot do training yet, but I can set my mind ready for the training.
Maybe I should ask her to send my throwing shoes as well ;)
But it feels amazing to realize, that it is not all about competition. I can enjoy training without competing. I can particularly enjoy doing training without competing against anyone else than me. That there is no one else to compete with, no one else than me, winning myself and my old results. Just me.
There is something super tempting about challenges, having the team with who to do training. Who all have similar goals. Who all are ready to push the limits, and together it is always easier.
In Finland we have this thing called "sisu" there is not any literal direct translation to that one, but I am starting to see signs of sisu in my life. Not giving up, changing the mindset, and just keep going.
To me, to the person who was not being able to do almost any training for months due to the chronic back pain, already just participating to fitness challenge was a huge step.
Though something similar was in my mind already for a longer time, because I knew that I have to get back to active life. Hammer throw and Taekwon-Do was not in the "allowed sports" list (still not in there), I knew I have to find something else. Something else where I could find similar feeling as from throwing, the feeling of outdoing myself. Feeling the motivation and happiness doing it.
So participating to the 8-week challenge felt like a right thing to do.
And what would be a better place to start something new than in a place where I am already living a "new" life? So when I signed up for the gym membership, was at gym one day and saw this note about the 8-week challenge, I thought in my head like "what the heck, why would I not participate? There is nothing to lose."
First 4 weeks
For the first 4 weeks, I was in every workout session.It always amazes me how in group training it is easier to push all the limits because there is the so-called "group pressure", the positive one.
I felt like a whole new person, my back pain was somewhat under control, and I just felt good.
It is always the best feeling ever to be back in training after being away for months. Being back in the harder more challenging training, and being able to do so much more than I was able to even think about.
The first 4 weeks were perfectly fine, the challenges with my health started at the end of the fourth week.
I was again spending more time in hospitals, medical tests, and doctor's appointment rooms, than in any other place.
Next 3 weeks
Once again I was having some real difficulties with my health.But to be honest, the hardest part was not only the pain and other symptoms but also the mental part.
Hard to say which one was harder at the end, the mental or physical.
Because all the time I had the want to go to workout, I felt extremely bad for skipping training. But I knew, that my body just could have not handled the workout sessions.
So it was time to practice my mind, and it made me stronger. Once again, because "what does not kill you makes you stronger." Even though with my worsening health, I was able to participate in at least one training in a week (except the one week I was in the hospital). And that way I kept my mind somewhat sane.
 |
| It has been forever since I have done deadlift in Finland. So 50kg is a big thing for me! :) |
So last 3 weeks with my health has been a real roller coaster indeed.
And it took me a while to set a new mindset. This happened on Monday after my appointment with a doctor, I decided to change my mindset. Stop worrying, and start living.
You never know what changes can happen in your body after just changing the mindset. Worth of trying. ;)
Last week
It is a week 8!Which also means, that I have been in Australia for 2 months! And I love to be here - just a quick side note.
At the start of this challenge, we had fitness tests. I was not completely happy with my beep test, all the other results were fine. But the beep test was something I was so disappointed.
Yesterday we had the tests again. At 6 am, it was freaking cold outside, and I slept only 5 hours. Just telling the excuses here first ;)
I was so sure, that I would do even worse results than at the start of the 8-week challenge. Because of my health, because of my eating habits, because of my mindset... <-- because of the excuses...
I just was sure, that I will be super disappointed again.
Beep test = before; level 3.2 - after; level 6.1
Push ups on toes (AMRAP 1min) = before; 28 - after; 51
Plank = before; 2 min - after; 3 min
Am I disappointed?
No, no way.
Actually, I could not be happier.
Getting those results after being sick feels amazing. But it feels even more amazing considering my starting point. From where I started 8 weeks ago. And where I was just 8 months ago. And the fact, that still in May I was in the situation, where doctors were not sure when I could get back to training.
Of course, I am not back to hammer throw nor TKD yet, but now I am back on something, and it feels amazing!
What did I learn?
It is always important to think about the learning points.It is possible to learn from everything. Learn from the things which go right, and from the things which goes wrong.
During this 8 week, I have learned a lot. And I would not be where I am right now without the challenge, without the team, without the amazing personal trainers.
I did not only learn physical capabilities, listening own body and pushing the limits. I think one of my biggest learning points was understanding that own mind is usually on the way more than anything else. That body can do wonders, it is the mind what is on the way. Of course, there is always also the physical limitations (chronic pain for example), but when we have a strong mind, we are also stronger physically.
I learned a lot mentally.
I realized I am way too hard on myself.
Over the years I have started to have the mindset, that I am not doing enough. I am not doing rehabilitation enough to get back on track. That I should be doing more to be in some specific level.
Somehow competitive level training has been part of this mindset, thinking that I should be doing same level workouts as someone else, because how could I be successful in hammer throw if I would not be able to do some specific workouts?
Obviously, all this is bullshit.
It is not about looking what everyone else is doing, it is about own development.
It is okay to have days off from the workout, even if the plan was to go to the gym. Because the own body is the thing I have to learn to listen. Not the fact, that I should be in some level already - because there is not such a thing. Everyone is at their own levels.
I also have my dedication and motivation back.
I get the same feeling of accomplishment, feeling of victory, and most importantly the feeling of happiness from gym training.
I have missed all of that, and when I had to stop hammer throw and TKD I thought I will not get the feeling from anywhere else. I was wrong.
I miss both of my sports a lot, I just sent a message to my mom and asked if she can send my TKD book to me, since I forgot it to home, and I want to start reading it. Start learning it, start studying it. Because I cannot do training yet, but I can set my mind ready for the training.
Maybe I should ask her to send my throwing shoes as well ;)
But it feels amazing to realize, that it is not all about competition. I can enjoy training without competing. I can particularly enjoy doing training without competing against anyone else than me. That there is no one else to compete with, no one else than me, winning myself and my old results. Just me.
 |
| Though I do miss collecting medals ;) |
What's next?
I am chasing the challenges. And because I was not completely happy with my overall results from the 8-week challenge - a day to day living habits, for example, I want to challenge myself again. So I signed up for the next one, this time 10-week challenge. I have a month time to get my body somewhat ready for the next challenge, balance the rest and workout and work, and then start the new challenge. Again, there is nothing to lose, it is all about learning and changing! :)There is something super tempting about challenges, having the team with who to do training. Who all have similar goals. Who all are ready to push the limits, and together it is always easier.
In Finland we have this thing called "sisu" there is not any literal direct translation to that one, but I am starting to see signs of sisu in my life. Not giving up, changing the mindset, and just keep going.
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