Fitness Training - Whose Decision Is It?

If you've trained with OPP for a while you've probably seen the wide variety of clientele that we have the pleasure of training. From post-rehab to body transformation and sports performance there is a huge range in training goals.

[caption id="attachment_4154" align="alignleft" width="300"] Clients train for a variety of goals at OPP.

One of the groups we work with doesn't really fall into any of these categories. While there may be some in this group that have played sports they aren't preparing for an upcoming season. And others may benefit from a little more lean body mass they aren't coming for this goal. And others still have have some type of injury but that isn't what brought them to us either.

You see these students are from a school here in Kelowna which is a school that helps young people facing different types of challenges in their lives. These challenges may be substance/alcohol abuse, behavioural problems or some other type of conflict.

Now since these are students they are still under the care of a parent or guardian. In other words it is usually someone else's decision that results in attending this school and ultimately training at Okanagan Peak Performance Inc.

Think about that for a second...

Imagine that someone else decided to send you to OPP? Imagine that it wasn't your choice to train? And that one day you ended up at our facility and someone such as Graeme, Megan, Jordy or myself was telling you to do squats, deadlifts, chin-ups and burpees?

When we start with a new client there is one thing that determines success more than anything else and it has nothing to do with training, nutrition, recovery or supplements. Before we can worry about dropping 6 inches off the waist and hips we need to ensure the 6 inches between the ears are committed to the process.

Otherwise success is very difficult if not impossible. It is as though we are pulling a rope towards the end goal and the person who hasn't bought in mentally is pulling in the opposite direction. They question rather than ask question. They find excuses instead of solutions. They doubt rather than believe. Ultimately they have quit and given up on themselves before they even got started.

But you know what? These kids get amazing results! Not all at once and to varying degrees but they some still achieve 425 lbs deadlifts, lose unto 30 lbs of fat, gain 15 lbs of muscle mass and compete in mud runs.

Last weekend Megan & I had the privilege of competing in Mud, Sweat & Tears with 15 other students from this school. We crawled through mud under barb wire, scaled walls and cargo nets, ran up mountains and dragged heavy tires. Everyone one of these kids completed the course, worked as a team and finished with huge smiles on their faces. If you check out Castanet you'll see a few pictures of us.

So what does this have to do with you? How can you benefit from this story? Well think about the fact we get to choose to be here. Think about the fact that you already have a reason to take control of your health. And you get to pick and choose the times and days you get to train.

This may not seem like a big deal but it's the little things in life that matter. We have a choice to train, to eat healthy foods, to get adequate quality sleep and take control of our lives.

Something tells me that the students of this school have already learned this at a young age and will inspire others to do the same.

Chris [fb-like]