Here at Boot Camp San Francisco, we’re all about celebrating hardcore workouts and the energizing feeling of accomplishment that comes from getting fit and healthy. However, as with anything in life, there’s also a balance needed. Keeping in balance is tough. Going “overboard” can mean straying too far to the left or to the right. On one hand, you can be too easy on yourself and fail to make the progress you could have made. On the other hand, you can be too hard on yourself and end up with an injury that you could have avoided. It depends on your personality which side you’re likely to stray to. However in this article, we’d like to address the people who are likely to push themselves too hard.
If you’re naturally hard on yourself, you probably simply tough it out no matter what amount of pain or discomfort you’re experiencing. You exercise your insane willpower in pursuit of your goals, and you usually reach them. You get such a thrill out of reaching a difficult goal that it makes the journey worth it. You say to yourself, “Pain is just weakness leaving the body,” and then you make your body do what you tell it to do, no matter how much it protests.
Up to a certain point, this is an awesome mentality to have. However, it’s also possible to take just one step beyond that point and stray too far. So here are a few well-intentioned cautions if you’re always hearing your friends and family beg you to take it just a little easier.
1. Listen to your body.
It’s one thing to push through a bit of pain and fatigue. It’s another thing to have your body screaming at you to stop because something is seriously wrong. The trick lies in knowing the difference. If you’ve been out of shape for years and you’re just starting to get back into working out, a much milder level of physical exertion could seriously hurt you. More seasoned athletes are typically much more aware of the level of exertion that they can—and can’t—handle. Either way, listen to your body.
2. Listen to your instructor.
One of the great things about a boot camp workout is that you have instructors and fellow athletes who are all joining forces to motivate each other and press one another to new heights. There are days when you need that voice from outside yourself telling you in confident tones, “YES, you CAN do one more rep.” (Let’s face it, more people are on the other side of the continuum, where they don’t know what they can accomplish because they stop when it hurts and therefore fall short of tapping into that last five or ten percent of their full potential.) However, if you ever hear an instructor asking you to do less, you should pay attention to their request. It would be a rare thing to hear, but if an instructor feels strongly enough that you are going to do damage to yourself that they ask you to lighten up, you should realize it is a serious request.
Push Yourself Appropriately With a Boot Camp Workout at BCSF
Join us for our outdoor workout sessions and enjoy yourself while making big strides toward the fit and toned body that you want. Sign up today.