Have you always struggled with struggling? I know I have. I’ve been on and off that Struggle Bus so often that I’m probably its honorary ticket master. Too many times in my life have I picked up a new hobby or activity, only find myself unable to follow through whenever I hit a block. Despite waxing lyrical about them just months before, I’d give up so often that it became the foundation of how I enabled myself a lazy and ill-disciplined approach to my life.
Until I started strength training.
Out of everything I’ve thrown myself into, strength training (and, by extension, Starting Strength) has been the first process where I’ve truly forced myself to swim, mostly after nearly drowning in tears countless times. Going through the tough process of training has transformed my approach to life and to everything else with a learning curve. Come along with me as I recount my journey to Tough City on the Struggle Bus.
The Struggle Bus Journey Begins Deceptively Easy
When I first started lifting, I remember thinking this was probably the easiest thing I’d done in exchange for a weekly serotonin boost. All I had to do for the first few months was show up, because the weight on the bar increased almost effortlessly every workout. Few other physical activities could sell themselves better to me. In a short time, I was stronger than ever, more confident, and constantly decluttered bad habits to make space for better ones that truly mattered. I was blazing through my personal growth as I progressed under the bar.
Then I approached the apex of my own linear progression. Things got harder – fast. I started to fail lifts. Form errors that hadn’t been present before have suddenly moved in for an extended stay. To be fair, I was handling weights that I had never conquered before, except they felt so much heavier. The weekly excitement of success soon transformed into trepidation. I constantly hung my shortcomings over my head, bringing doubt to the platform and setting myself up for failure even before my first warm up set. The metaphorical bus ride got increasingly bumpy, and I found it increasingly challenging to stay seated without feeling tired from the discomfort.
Navigating and Overcoming Treacherous Terrain
At any point where I felt like giving up, the easier option of getting off the bus was always there. I’d consider not going through what I put my mind to do. Not completing the sets, neglecting effective recovery, not being honest to myself about my training.
But I remind myself of why I lift. The improved quality of my life is a direct effect of my training. I am still stronger, I still have more confidence, and I still maintain those better habits that have kept the bad ones away. Quitting is simply not an option I would allow myself, not at the expense of my personal growth. I had to gather my marbles and continue on, no matter how many times it took.
Through the successful workouts that I thought I could not complete, and the failed lifts that I conquered at a later stage, I continued turning up, doing the work, and then repeating the process to achieve more than before. Of course the heavier loads still intimidate me, but being stronger and more capable helps me tackle them head-on with much less fear.
Tough City ain’t so Tough for Me
After a period of training, I find myself approaching new ventures with a fortified spirit and a thirst to achieve more, as pushing my personal boundaries has become less uncomfortable. Tasks outside of the platform that once seemed daunting and unattainable are now a little less scary, because I arrive each occasion well-equipped with greater mental fortitude, all thanks to strength training. Am I less lazy now? Probably a little. Did I become tougher and more disciplined? Definitely more than before, and hopefully enough to feel welcomed at Tough City. I actively apply this training mindset to every other aspect of my life that I find difficult, and they all become more manageable.
Exploring Other Tough Cities
So, how exactly did this newfound strength from training enhance my mental fortitude? Being Hygieia’s last apprentice, I have the perfect example for you. While I was struggling under the bar, I was also going through my apprenticeship to become a Starting Strength Coach – a process I had naively assumed would be “not too difficult”. I encountered countless uncomfortable moments; times where I thought I’d never understand the “hip drive”, made basic coaching errors I shouldn’t have this far along in the process, or still feeling nervous handling a brand-new lifter. I doubted myself regularly. Would I ever be worth the Starting Strength Coach accreditation? Should people even be paying me for my coaching?
There was a funny element of poetic irony in having to force myself to excel on the platform, both as a lifter and as a coach. Did I want to give up? Absolutely, and too often. Yet I persevered, channeling the same grit I had for my own training into my coaching. I showed up, did the work to be a better coach, and picked myself up whenever I hit a roadblock. The process was similar to training, except the strength gains in coaching was entirely mental. As Hygieia’s latest SSC, I am constantly reminded that my current life is possible thanks to a toughened mindset developed through getting stronger.
Regularly participating in an activity that systematically increases in difficulty over a long period of time will lead to improvements in both your physical and psychological states. An improved version of you will be more prepared for a difficult ride on the Struggle Bus. My experience of getting stronger and developing mental toughness may sound anecdotal and not “science-based”, but if any part of this article resonates with you, I want to assure you that the bumpy ride is scenic with many moments of little victories. The fellow riders are just like you and me too — much more resilient than the many others who aren’t willing to hop on this bus.
