Pursuit of the Pushup

I have been diligent on my fitness journey for the last 10 years and been chipping away one step at a time. Of course, I started with certain goals in mind and modified them as I went along and don’t worry, I am not talking about efforts equal results or consistency leads to success always and whatever else you all read. All these things matter and of course no undermining anything but one thing that has eluded me is the PUSH UP. Any sports movie or any remote fitness scene on social media will involve the lead/influencer doing push ups and it may move to one hand pushup and with some crescendo music you will definitely get up and cheer and secretly maybe think, someday will get there. Ok I did think that. Many times I have started on this learning and doing the push up journey, and did the required work of moving from plank time to wall push to elevated push up. It almost seems like the circle of life, as over many years, I will be determined to do this start on this track for a month or two or sometimes more and then stop as there won't be the desired results. My progression across these levels will not match and then some minor neck niggles or sheer exhaustion after few months, I will stop.

 What I learnt from not yet getting this move is sometimes even all the efforts and consistency may not pay. You may be earnest doing everything right and still the results may not match. It is very easy to just say I am DONE or blame the move(Oh I have done this a zillion times) but guess that does not get us anywhere. As frustrating it is, need to start again and maybe me writing is to remind myself that maybe next year this can happen or maybe not.

 

The other major lesson is keeping your ego in check just when you think, ha am getting stronger faster or anything, it’s a great way to keep that ego out and continue with your head down. I mean this in a positive way as you enjoy the small wins but aspire to get there someday. I also learn not to take myself seriously in the process. Not undermining, but sometimes humor does help and though it doesn’t reduce the frustration but maybe helps you see the situation at a lighter vein. Yes, I agree sometimes you camouflage a lot of emotions behind the banter, but I am not talking that deep . I am just saying laughing at yourself to learn from it is the key. 

More than anything else it taught me patience. For someone who likes to fast track everything to be efficient, this is such an oxymoron. When everything else fails, patience is possibly all that you have left to just push a little more or do that one extra rep. Another important thing is whatever little progress I have made its like double the joy, because its just so damn hard to crack. Anything that eludes you so much, of course is something you cherish when you get a glimpse of it. Another important lesson, is to look outside the box and look for the missing link and see if some basics are just not there. For now, I have gone on an inward journey to see if it’s a mind over body issue and I am almost convinced it is. But there is no certainty so you try and see what next. 

Are you already tired of reading my lessons, then I will leave you with one more and possibly the most big one. NEVER GIVE UP. I have stopped and paused but definitely come back to try this again. It can be deemed as silly and not letting go, but unless there is a certificate that says I cant do it, why say no? Keep trying and see different solutions to see if you can get it?

 Incase you thought the post will end with the video of me doing a pushup with some rocky music, nah, there is time for that. Its just an introspection post for now.

As I wrote this, I just realized that the pushup can be replaced with anything you have been pursuing and that’s been eluding you.  Makes sense? Love to hear what your experience is.