JOCK TALK INTERPRETED FOR NON-JOCKS

Jock Talk:

“Once you’ve been in the greatest shape of your life that’s the fitness standard you strive for.”

Do you see the problem here? There’s two of them.

The first is establishing what constitutes being in the greatest shape of your life.

Was it an event? A time-span? Both?

What if you’ve never given half a thought to being in the best shape of your life.

You’ve never cut weight, never bulked up, never lifted a weight, never ran a mile.

Then what?

Then nothing. You’re normal. But that doesn’t mean you don’t engage in jock talk.

“Why do you think you need to prove yourself all the time?”

Has anyone else ever heard this one? Prove yourself? Is that a joke?

What baby boomer is still trying to ‘prove themselves’ to themselves?

“You can’t take a normal walk without checking the time and distance like you’re keeping a log.”

Should you keep a fitness log? Sure, but keep it quietly. Not everyone wants to be a part of your fitness journey.

“Why do you always park in the space furthest away from anyplace we’re going?”

Put that one in your fitness log.

Baby Boomer Jock Talk

By now we’re all running on fumes.

After a few health scares and setbacks and injuries, we’re just happy to be here.

Is that you?

You’re happy to manage your fitness level so you’re able to perform the tasks of daily life.

As the former 24/7 caregiver for my father in-law at the end of his life, the tasks of daily life were front and center.

I’d heard he was in a downward spiral, a death spiral that might last a day or two.

That was what they said in the hospital, and what I saw.

Then I brought him home to close out. Under my care he lived five more years.

What was the difference between my old man boot camp and the hospital?

I coached him up to do things besides lying in bed. Why? Because I didn’t want a sick old man hanging around, I wanted someone with a little more than a terminal spark fading away.

And he took to it.

I told him the program, what I expected from him, and what he could expect in return.

What happened? He changed the trajectory of his life and we celebrated every day like it was the biggest win of the year.

He was my go-to guy when I wanted to explain why it’s important to push yourself.

Not Everyone Wants To Hear About Effort

Something happens to people when they touch bottom and nothing matters anymore.

You’ve seen them, heard them, and it’s a little sad.

They haven’t given up on themselves, but something has changed.

Did their doctor tell them they only have a limited time left to live?

Are they permanently ‘tired?’

Does ‘everything’ hurt?

Most likely you’ve worn them out by your incessant workout talk, fitness reminders, and general appearance.

You’re level of awesomeness may make them uncomfortable, depressed, less then worthy.

Then what?

When you care about someone, you care about their feelings.

Don’t make those close to you feel like rejects.

If they’ve got enough fortitude to hang around you, they still have a chance of stepping up their fitness goals.

It won’t help if you insist on replaying your greatest hits of a lifetime soundtrack every day.

Life Changing Jock Talk

The time you rode a bike for a hundred miles on a hard seat and couldn’t feel your gootch for three months?

Give it a rest.

The time you repped 280 twice and failed at 300 every time and hurt yourself?

Leave it alone.

The time you knew you could run a marathon under three hours, but your running partner got sick at five miles and you stopped to help?

Move on.

Adult fitness is like a kid learning to play a saxophone.

We want to see results, not the process, the complaining, the honking.

Every song you’ve ever heard on the radio comes from people who sounded terrible at some time.

Just like noticing someone who stops you in your tracks with their level of stunning started out as a normal person.

Set your standards, your goals, but not so it seems like revenge on everyone who doesn’t share the same thing.

At the same time, if you live with someone who still gives fitness a good run for it’s money, they’re not shaming you, ridiculing you, or judging.

If they talk about a hard walk, a big lift, a challenge met, and they’re baby boomer age, all they’re doing is keeping momentum for their next outing.

Listen closely enough and it might sound like an invitation to join them.

Can you hear it now?