Let’s talk about depth

Let’s talk about depth… Of character that comes from growth, not squats but I’ll use them as a analogy. About 10 years back, having gone through a long rehab process for l4/l5 disc bulges I was advised to stop training. When I started again I was terrified when my trainer put a bar on my back. ‘But I was told to never squat again’. All the protests in the world didn’t stop him from making me to go there, and I fought it tooth and nail.I attached so much trauma that I would avoid doing it wherever possible, which made me lose the ability to do so effectively. I remember being horrified showing my poor squats form at an @FMAstrengthinstitute sess years back. I was a trainer but I had to face the fact that my squats sucked and eat humble pie. It took years of persistence, fixing ankle and hip mobility issues to get me to the point where I could get to depth. After my last round of strength testing with @gavinheward, who’d already helped improve my squats exponentially, he pin pointed the real problem. Not the ankle, not the hips, not the back… the real problem was the head. It was my brain that was holding me back. The years of back pain, flare ups and panic. Working through this I have again been humbled, dropping the weight back, facing the fears and really leaning into the squat.In the process I have learned much, not just about squatting mechanics but about myself. That focus on improving that one lift, one little iota, has helped me identify where else I could use that degree of focus.When we’re unhappy with the way we look, feel or perform we seek changes, often this can trigger things we’ve been avoiding. As trainers we can help you with technique, advice and guidelines, but the bulk of the change needs to come from within. You must be willing to sit with the uncomfortable, confront your fears even when it gets tough, and boy it will! And it will take time. Anyone who says it’s quick and linear is flat out liar.By stepping up to the plate you will develop resilience and depth of character. Face that pain, confront that fear, not just for the end result, but for what you can learn. That’s the greatest gain of all.#squat #depth #growth #fear