THE ROOT 9: 19.1

It's amazing how often the most profound insights come from the people closest to us, sometimes without them even realizing it. This week's dose of motivation comes courtesy of one of my best friends (@Claire @Gia, love you so), who sent this quote our way as something she keeps coming back to daily.

Often, we see exhaustion as a negative, a sign we're pushing too hard or that something's wrong. But this quote flips that script entirely. It suggests that the effort, the very act of being tired in pursuit of a goal, isn't a burden but a privilege. It means you're deeply engaged in something meaningful.

There's a real power in autonomy here. When you choose your own challenges, you're investing in something you genuinely care about. This choice imbues all the struggle and effort with a profound sense of purpose. It makes the tough moments more bearable, even desirable, because you know why you're putting in the work.

Next time you feel completely drained, take a moment. Recall the underlying reason you embarked on this journey. Connecting back to that purpose can be an incredibly potent force, propelling you forward even when all you want to do is stop.

Intention for the Week: Embrace the privilege of the pursuit.

Your Strategic Blueprint: Unlocking Faster Progress with Training Splits
Week 4: Deep Dive on Push Day

Week 4 on training splits! Quick recap of what we’ve covered:

I am building out an elaborate guide that covers all the content in one package. Please email me at [email protected] with any questions / feedback! What do you like or not like about this series? Any questions about lifting that I can gather for future posts?

Week 4: Deep Dive on Push Day

Push Day has grown to be one of my favorite days in my split. I think it's because I've learned the most about lifting through Push days. I've experienced injury firsthand by spraining my chest, which taught me to never prioritize my ego and to listen to my body better. I've also learned how to truly train a set to failure and how to safely bail, making me more comfortable training chest on my own without a spotter.

I'll be honest, I used to apply a bit of a gendered perspective to chest training, I think all of that is garbage. Ideas about how female bodies can't be "as strong" or can be "too jacked" in the upper body are out; doing the movements that make you feel your best are in.

I won't spend too much time writing here, as most of the information I want to cover is on the new page built into the guide. See below for what my current, unrushed, longer "Push" day looks like.

I also use the Hevy app to track my lifts (@yoananicole), if you're curious.

And here is a PDF of the WIP document as it evolves. As mentioned above - please let me know if you have any feedback! Email me at [email protected]

This week (and the ones to come) are all about focus for me. I've spent a lot of time in a flow state, really trying to hone in on being more present with my work, which means music with lyrics can be distracting at times.

My most-listened-to "music" has actually been solfeggio frequencies, specifically 639 Hz. If you're not familiar, the 639 Hz frequency is part of an ancient scale of musical tones believed to have healing and transformative properties on to conscious and subconscious mind. 639 specifically is believed to bring an overall sense of equilibrium and well-being. It’s believed to foster positive connections, improve communication, and promote emotional healing within all types of relationships – family, romantic, friendships, and even with oneself. It’s also believed to provide clarity and induce a sense of calm. For me, it helps reduce stress and mental clutter, making it perfect for focused work.

I've been leaning on 639 Hz for ages now. Back in senior year, when I was tackling my thesis, I'd just have it on in the background to keep my flow calm. I even drift off to sleep with it if I'm feeling a bit stressed getting into bed. It's my version of white noise.

Give 639 Hz a try next time you need to focus or just find some inner calm. Have you ever experimented with solfeggio frequencies or other types of background sound for focus?