PDXStrength News

Blog 16 – An Ode to the Bicep Curl. 

Well it’s the end of Week 7. I’m slowly, but surely, making my way through the plethora of Tiny Desk Concerts on YouTube. “What’s playing in the background that inspired this blog?” you ask. Harry Styles. No, none of that teeny bobber One Direction, shit. We’re talking pure, unplugged, unadulterated, solo Harry. Simply, Harry… And yes his backing band, but no one is here for them. 

Anyway, I got to thinking about how in the world would I spin this into a blog, and then in to thinking about songwriting. And “what do you write songs about?” you might be asking – you sure are an inquisitive bunch today. Loss and Love, of course. So then got to pondering about the things that we have loved and/or lost in our exploration of physical activity. And then it came to me… No, this isn’t going to be some existential exploration of self or a conversation about how we’ve grown so much that we are no longer our former selves. No, this is about the bicep curl. A thing that for many of us was part of our introduction to the gym that we haven’t thought about in years or perhaps we’ve even come to mock, and for others a thing that has only been talked about as it were Something-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. 

I didn’t know what I was doing, 

But you came so naturally.

I felt out of place,

But you made me look like a pro. 

We kept this up for quite some time, 

But then I left you behind. 

It wasn’t your fault, you did nothing wrong, 

But I just had to go.

People said you weren’t effective, 

And only for the bros.

People said you couldn’t deliver, 

I started believing.

But then something funny happened, 

You waited.

But then something funny happened, 

I started believing.

And THAT my friends, is how you write a blog about a song inspired by Harry F’ing Styles. BOOM. Platinum… “Did I really just waste my time reading this?” Yup. But let me summarize.

In all seriousness (or maybe just a touch more seriousness), I’m not sure where along the fitness continuum we get to the isolated-movements-aren’t-effective-as-compound-movements-so-therefore-they-are-a-waste-of-time stage but if you stick around long enough you get there. But at least 1 strength coach – same friend whose name rhymes with Bylan as a matter of fact – will tell you it’s hogwash; a false narrative; a comparison of apples and oranges. Let’s start thinking about compound movements as a chain, and the muscles within that chain the links. The stronger the links, the stronger the chain. If you want to do some bicep curls… or skull crushers… or dumbbell pullovers… or whatever “Bro-move” that you want to pretend you’re just too cool for. Do it. The higher the blood-pump the better. “Great so I just pick up the weight and go at it?” Well sort of, but we can add a little more structure, like:

Tabata Bicep Curl

:20 Curls (concentric/eccentric)

:10 Hold the weight out at 90 degrees (isometric)

OR

Tabata Skull Crusher

:20 Skull Crusher (concentric/eccentric)

:10 Hold Arms at extension, actively flexing the tricep (isometric)

“Isn’t all of this a little too simple?” Maybe. But somewhere along the way it got way too complicated. 

Blog 15 – A weekly challenge update, and a Thank You. 

It’s Monday of Week 7, folks. With May 1 bringing the opening of a few places locally (namely some of our favorite member-owned businesses and coffee shops), we’re a little closer to the prospective future day that we get the gang back together again. But as to not get too lost in daydreams about the future, here we are with an update on our weekly challenge and somewhat of an admission that I, too, have been managing a bit of a motivational wall during this time. 

I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to all of you that have been showing up throughout this process. First with the members that diligently tried to continue with classes, then to all the folks putting in the effort to maintain a routine with so much unknown, and now to all the folks that seem to be finding their new (albeit short-term) normal. Each person in our community has continued to show up, set intention, and move forward. For those of you who feel like it hasn’t been enough, or those who feel that you aren’t doing as much as another member, that’s ok too. We (and the entire community) are here for you. And if you by chance haven’t been engaged much (or at all) with your coach and some how you’ve found yourself here, on Blog 15, that’s ok too. We’re here for you when you are ready and, as you need.

To further celebrate this, and noting that Mother’s Day is Sunday, let’s set the 5-point team challenge as:

• Post a photo this week of those that have been there for us when we were (or weren’t) ready and just as we needed. You know who and what to tag. 

To those of you who are parents or guardians or mentors, Happy Mother’s Day in an especially weird time. To those of you who have lost such a relationship (me being in that category), I try to find comfort in reminding myself that they wouldn’t have left unless we were ready, which includes the feeling of solitude during a global pandemic. 

Now for that admission. As a caveat, I speak solely of my own experience and not for other coaches. But I, too, have had my ups and downs throughout this process; finding a “motivational wall” as some of my teammates put it. I’ve had weeks that I worked out a lot, some that I worked out a little, some where I felt like I wasn’t good enough, some where I felt like a fraud, some where I just went through the motions, some where I just couldn’t believe that I didn’t have the motivation to go downstairs to my gym, and some where I’m unhappy about my body.  This is nothing new. I’ve experienced all of these before and will certainly experience them again, but I’ve learned to keep reframing and re-centering these conversations – These are normal feelings. My body knows that there is a global pandemic and is responding appropriately (even if it is not how I want it to). This is short-term. I am not the person I was yesterday, or the one I was at 10, 20, or 30. Love and grace is something that I can choose. I can choose to show myself, and the people around me, love without needing a reason to. Emotions are very real. All of them are valid. They make us do funny things. They teach us about our selves if we’re willing to listen. It’s easy to spiral with absolutes or self-created (or culture-created) truths, and hard to be vulnerable and connect with others about their perspectives. I change by doing hard things. It’s hard to make mistakes and learn from them. It’s hard to give yourself permission to be human. 

Thanks for being there for me, Strength Tribe. See you all soon!

D