THE ROOT 9: 1.1

Don’t get me wrong, I think there’s great value in recognizing constructive criticism and using it to your advantage - embracing feedback as an opportunity to learn undoubtedly empowers a growth mindset. But criticism is often unwarranted. Acknowledging when criticism can stimulate growth vs. infringe on our boundaries is equally important. To grow, its inevitable we have to take risks, make mistakes, and sometimes embarrass ourselves in the process. Feedback is fuel, but choose your source.

When taking a risk this week, I encourage you to evaluate the credibility and intentions of the critic when criticism undoubtedly comes up. Ask yourself: “Would I take advise from this person on things that are important to me? Do I admire their values and way they live their life? Do they possess the expertise to be critiquing my actions?” If you see yourself doubting the answer to any of these questions, don’t let their criticism get in your way.

Perfecting your Barbell Bent Over Row

I incorporate barbell bent-over rows in my Pull workouts. In the beginning of my lifting journey, I chased heavier weight too fast. It felt good, but my form tanked. A trainer at Crunch called me out—rightly so. Now, I follow these rules to evaluate whether or not it’s time to increase weight:

Focus on form, not just weight. It pays off.

I’ve been sharing my daily movement on Instagram and have had several folks reach out about what app I use to track my lifts. I use the Garmin Connect app (syncs with my Garmin Forerunner in real-time) but I wanted find a solid option for everyone, even without a fitness tracker.

I will say, it is difficult to find an option that is free of charge that doesn’t hold back key features. But, I'm a big believer in supporting the creators who put in the work to make these platforms happen if you find that the platform resonates with you.

After doing some digging, I recommend giving Hevy a try and purchasing an annual or monthly subscription if you like it. Here’s why:

To test it out together and connect, I’ll be using Hevy starting today as well. Feel free to give me a follow @yoananicole and I’ll be on there 🤸

Carrying across the theme of Pull days, I tap into different genres during different workouts. My Pull days typically consist of listening to alt metal, pop punk, doom metal, and post grunge. Type O Negative popped up as a recommendation on my Discover Weekly a couple of weeks back, and I’ve been obsessing with this song.

Formed in 1996, Type O Negative was a gothic metal band based out of Brooklyn. The band disbanded in 2010, following the passing of Peter Steele. Johnny Kelly, drummer, famously stated that “Even if there is somebody who could take his place it wouldn't matter. We don't have any interest in continuing. It's impossible – it hasn't even come up in any kind of discussion. When Peter died, Type O Negative died with him." (Source)

The song itself has unique references to Pink Floyd throughout, referencing “Comfortably Numb” and “Mother” multiple times. Give it a listen. STARSET’s cover of the song is fairly decent, too:

I'm all over the place with my music taste, so if that wasn't your cup of tea, here's a couple of others:
1) a 2007 pop goodie I forgot about and have been playing on repeat for the past few weeks (also really good to pick up your energy on a run and puts a smile on my face)
2) one of my favorite Palace songs that beautifully explores themes of our search for meaning in its lyrics