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On Mondays, we’ll lock in together: See below for a motivational tidbit to start your week, perspective on movement I’m focusing on, and music I’m enjoying I’d like to share with you 🙂
1/3. Motivation
A Taste for Saltwater: Most people mistake discomfort as a signal to stop; the great ones see it as evidence they’re on the right track. Excellence is just pain tolerance disguised as genius. The real advantage isn’t talent but cultivating a perverse appreciation for the discomfort others instinctively avoid.
I think about temporary discomfort like taking the stairs over the elevator. In the moment, it feels like the unnecessarily inconvenient choice, making the task seem arbitrarily arduous. But this mindset is often short-lived. But if you do take the stairs, you likely feel a small dopamine hit, realizing it wasn’t so bad and you could do it again.
Over time, these small but ‘harder’ choices build up as proof points that we’re capable, fostering an appreciation for the harder option.
Discomfort now → progress later.
How can you push yourself this week to seek slight discomfort in your work tasks or conversations? Otherwise, temporary comfort with mediocrity risks growing into resentment. We'd likely all prefer temporary discomfort leading to progress over temporary comfort leading to resentment. But are our real-time decisions supporting that? We’re only human, I don’t always make the harder choice…But it's a good reminder to shift our mindset when at a crossroads.
Discomfort now → progress later > comfort now→ resentment later?
2/3. Movement
Unlocking More with Deficit Push-Ups
The push-up is a classic bodyweight staple. But what if you could make it even more effective? Let’s tap into the deficit push-up - a simple yet powerful variation.
What Makes It Special?
This isn’t a movement for cranking out high reps. Think of it as an exploratory movement focused on mobility and maximizing your range of motion. By elevating your hands, you create a "deficit," allowing you to descend deeper than a standard push-up.
This increased depth translates to a greater stretch across your chest, shoulders, and triceps. To really reap the benefits, reps should be executed slowly to truly feel our muscles working through the extended range.
Why Do It?
While this isn’t a dig at a regular push-up, the ground inherently limits your potential range of motion. Here's why incorporating deficit push-ups can be a game-changer:
Maximize Muscle Growth: Just like with any resistance training, maximizing the stretch and inducing micro-tears in the muscle fibers is crucial for growth. The deeper descent in a deficit push-up allows for a greater stretch in your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Enhanced Muscle Activation: While standard push-ups primarily target the chest, triceps, and shoulders, the deficit position demands more engagement from your stabilization muscles, particularly your core and abdominals. Your body needs to work harder to control the deeper descent and subsequent ascent.
How To Do It
Equipment Options: Kettlebells, yoga blocks, dumbbells (ensure they won't roll!), or even stacked weight plates can work. Ensure they are at a similar height and stable.
The Descent: Position your hands on the elevated surfaces, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower your chest deeper than you would in a standard push-up, actively squeezing your shoulder blades together to maximize the stretch. Aim to go as low as comfortably possible while maintaining good form.
Engage Your Back: Focus on squeezing your mid-back muscles harder as you descend. This helps control the movement and further activates your upper back.
The Ascent: Pause for 1-2 seconds at the bottom to fully feel the stretch. Then, powerfully drive back up to the starting position, maintaining a tight core throughout.
Quick Tips:
Start with a small deficit and gradually increase the height as you get stronger and more comfortable.
Focus on quality over quantity. Aim for fewer, well-executed reps with a full range of motion.
Maintain a straight line from your head to your heels throughout the movement. Avoid letting your hips sag or rise excessively.
3/3. Music
I think one of the best feelings is when you are going about your day and the casual hum of the music playing around you starts to subconsciously pull your attention more & more. That happened to me when we were doing chores around the house yesterday, Dylan was connected to our speaker, and I asked “What’s the name of that song” twice about the same song as it came on shuffle over 2 hours…haha
So I wanted to share it with you 🙂 Give it a listen. It had a feel good vibe that brought a smile to my face, hopefully it does to you too.
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