Over the weekend I hit a new personal record which actually shocked the living hell out of me. I realize that that might sound ridiculous since I am a strength and conditioning coach, but sometimes, we can surprise ourselves by merely attempting what we believe we can achieve. That’s what today’s blog post is all about. Faith. Believing you are capable of achieving anything you set your mind to, no matter how big the challenge may appear at first glance.
After attempting the Iron Maiden Challenge at RKC Vienna, I took it upon myself to practice my 24kg press on each arm in an effort to keep up with my strength training in order to one day return to the Iron Maiden Challenge (which I will. Mark my words). I had to really slow my press down, focusing on my breathing and proper tension patterns. It was after nailing the 24kg press fluidly with both arms that a thought crossed my mind. “Next month I am starting double kettlebell work. Good God….could I press two 24kg at the same time?”
My training cycle this month has been a demanding routine of double kettlebell drills. I have designated grind days (heavy lifting days) and designated ballistic days (high volume and explosive lifting sessions done as circuits). This routine has tested my mental wit and stamina more than anything, but overall, I have become quite stronger. I got it into my Burgher brain that the double 24kg press was possible. Having read some amazing manuals on strength training and how double kettlebells equate to MASSIVE and DRAMATIC strength gains, I decided to train specifically to nail this goal of mine.
At first, it seemed impossible. A single 24kg kettlebell weighs roughly 53 pounds. So, not only do you first have to clean two of them, you have to then press them both above your head. Do the math here folks. That’s 106 pounds total that is cleaned and pressed strictly above your head. I am 5’3” and weight 128 pounds. I barely outweigh this lift (and getting two 24kgs between your legs is very hard when you’re not the tallest female on the planet). While the odds were greatly stacked against me, I decided to attempt the lift, because I truly believed that I could complete it.
And here are the results….
I could talk myself up on this lift and brag about this incredible feat of strength, but I won’t. What I would like for you all to understand here is that faith is believing in what we hope to achieve. It is being confident and knowing we can achieve the impossible. I have had a number of clients, instructor friends, and even family members ask me what the key is to becoming incredibly strong. Nutrition and training are certainly important, but if you do not believe that you can achieve the goal you have in mind, you won’t achieve it at all. The secret sometimes is not about what we are doing externally, but what we are doing internally to prepare our way for great feats of strength.
Get out there and believe you can do the impossible!
Whether you are looking to lose weight, increase your strength, or make the commitment to radically change your health for the better, believe that you can do it! The road may seem long and the challenge may appear to be too hard, but the moment you set aside your doubt and believe you can do the impossible, you will make the impossible possible. Have faith in the power of your training, and watch your results skyrocket! And should you ever need guidance on piecing all the pieces of your health puzzle together, drop me a line at janelle@primalfitnesspittsburgh.com. I am committed to helping you reach all of your goals, and them some more 😉
Remember to eat smart, train hard, and enjoy your life!
Janelle Pica, RKC
