Comfort is the enemy of progress
There’s a great quote that I heard from Dan John.
“Most people’s highs are too low, and their lows are too high.”
He was describing the idea that most people deviate very little from a baseline level of effort. In essence, most of us do not challenge ourselves enough, and also do not rest enough.
If you think of any accomplishment you have had in life, it is a result of getting uncomfortable. Asking for a raise at work…uncomfortable. Hiking a mountain for a great view…uncomfortable. Raising a child…uncomfortable. Progress and comfort very rarely go together.
Likewise, constantly being uncomfortable won’t lead to any progress. That way leads to burnout, illness, depression, and any number of side effects.
Most of the time, we lull ourselves into thinking we are working hard, but instead we are just being inefficient. Never really getting out of our comfort zone, and never really enjoying the comfort we have created. Almost in limbo.
False sense of fitness
In the context of the gym, I call this limbo a “false sense of fitness.” We see it all the time. Someone goes to a bootcamp and grabs a 10lb weight. They do 20 reps of squats with fast, sloppy form. Each rep takes about 2 seconds. At the end of the set, they have done an accumulated load of 200lbs for a total Time Under Tension of 40 seconds. They finish the set out of breath and a little sweaty.
Contrast this with someone who used a 40lb weight, and did 10 reps for an average of 4 seconds a rep. That person now has an accumulated load of 400lbs for the same amount of Time Under Tension. This person is working twice as hard with half the reps. They are trying to really push themselves.
When you’re starting out, it is very hard to know what appropriate load is and what is working hard enough. If you have come from a long period of inactivity, then don’t worry. Any stimulus will be enough. Your focus needs to be on consistency: showing up and building lifelong healthy habits.
Once consistency is in your comfort zone, then start to look for the signs that you are treading water in your comfort zone.
Signs that you are in your comfort zone
Rest time. If you are looking to get stronger, and you are using a weight that allows you to move to your next set with less than 60 seconds rest, it is unlikely you are using a challenging enough load.
Concentration. If you are trying to improve your movement quality, or get stronger, and you do not need to be completely present in your body, it is unlikely either goal is happening.
Speaking. If you are looking to get stronger, improve cardiovascular endurance or health, and you are able to talk comfortably, you are definitely not working hard enough.
Numbers. If your reps, weight, or movement quality are not increasing for a long period of time, there’s a good chance you are not pushing hard enough.
Recovery. If you are able to do the same level of intensity every day, then you are not working hard enough, and you are not focusing on recovery enough. If you work a hard enough session on a Monday, you should have no desire to do the same session the next day. Your body should inherently want something softer: like a walk, an easy run, gentle stretching movements, etc. The activity you choose will obviously depend on the goals you are working towards and your current level. But it is a telltale sign that “Your highs are too low and your lows are too high.”
Plateaus. If you feel like you are showing up and working, but you are not progressing, it might be time to dig deeper. Progress is never linear and—ironically—the more you progress, the harder progress becomes. However, you have at least two years of focused training before your progress starts to slow down.
Tips to help you work harder
At Uptown Movement, we are definitely not the kind of place that demands you to go until you drop, or push through pain barriers. Instead, we look for intensity through focus and detail. We ask that you find the edge of your comfort zone and get out of it every so often, to ensure your effort levels meet your goals.
Here are some tips help you find your edge.
Ask yourself how you feel, then set your intention for the session. How is your body doing? What do you want to do today? If you said “today is a day to push and go hard,” then that’s what you do. Likewise, if today you’re not feeling it—you slept poorly, your body is sore and creaky, or doesn’t respond to the warmup—then set the intention to take it easier. Tell your coach why you are using lighter weights, and then focus on movement quality.
Learn about Rate of Perceived Exertion. RPE is a really good tool for trying to get a gauge on how hard you work. You can read more about RPE here.
Keep accurate notes. We have all our members log their workouts. This is not just to write down what you did. It is to track the sets, reps, and weights you used. For example, in an Explore class you will always do either a deadlift, squat, or lunge. Write down the weight you used, write down the reps you did, write down the RPE (how hard it was) and write down how it felt: easy or hard. The next time you do that exercise, use those notes to decide where you will increase your effort: aiming to get more reps, or sets, or weight. Your log keeps you accountable.
Do two more reps. When you feel like you have exhausted the set but you feel like if you worked just a little bit harder you could do 2 reps with good form … then do them. If you only get one, you get one, but you tried!
Takeaways
Training only works through hard work. You can’t wish progress into effect. There are no shortcuts and no secrets. No magic pills, no fancy machines, and no instant gratifications. There is simply consistency and hard work. Just remember, the satisfaction for the person who climbed Mount Washington, versus the person who drove to the top is a very different thing.
Hard work is hard! It sucks sometimes, but it works.
You ask any entrepreneur how they got successful: the answer is hard work.
You ask anyone who became a talented artist how they did it? The answer is the same: practice and consistency.
Anyone who climbed the highest mountains? Hard work.
Ask someone how they found the secluded part of the beach away from the crowd… they walked just a little further than everyone else to get there.
Finally, before you run off and start breaking your back with hard work, ask yourself if you are happy with what you have. Where are you in relation to what your goals are? If you’re happy, and your effort is in line with your goals—great work! You’re already on your way.