Since becoming a personal trainer, I have had to find ways to make it work because we rarely have perfect circumstances to begin anything, including fitness. My first-ever client had third-degree burns on her forearm (and the scars to prove it) after her house burnt down as a child, which meant her forearm was smaller than the other, and grip strength was an issue.
Through her determination and my ability to make it work, we muddled through, and she got stronger. Her obstacle was obvious, but we all have less subtle barriers that prevent us from being our best selves.
Here, rather than focusing on the obstacles preventing us from being healthy and fit, I’ll attempt to find solutions to help you improve.
Are you willing to try and make it work? Then, let’s dive in.
Making It Work And Obstacles
Let’s cover common internal and external obstacles when maintaining or improving your health and fitness.
Time and lack of it.
Lack of motivation
Injuries
Chronic health conditions
Genetic Disorders
Mental Illness
Lack of knowledge
Access to transportation
Well, just to name a few.
Some can be rectified, some can be reduced with medication, and some are stuck. Although the examples above could be named a few things, I will be diplomatic and call them obstacles. My first client’s atrophied forearm is a problem, so rather than focus on it, trying to find solutions to make it work works better.
That’s the focus, as I will try not to make light of your obstacles but to help you work around them to improve.
Making It Work Example
Note: This client passed away many years ago, so I will use his name and story to help keep his memory alive.
The first time I met John Smith, his obstacles were obvious.
John, many years prior, suffered a horrific lower leg injury when he fell off a ladder from a great height. Fast forward a few years, his leg had gotten so bad that the doctors had to amputate his leg below his knee.
That’s where I stepped in.
My job was to prepare John for a prosthetic leg so he could walk again. As I said, his obstacles were obvious. He was a wheelchair user, had an amputated leg, and was in extreme pain all the time. So, making it work was challenging.
His wife is a Physical Therapist and showed me a few things to do, but I was on my own after that. So, how did John and I make it work?
First, we did some warm-up hip rehab exercises in his wheelchair. Then, to strengthen his core and lower back, some out-of-the-box thinking happened. He sat upright on the bubble side of a Bosu ball and performed med ball and resistance band exercises to strengthen his core. Then he’d get back in his wheelchair and get on some gym machines to work on his unilateral upper body strength.
We made it work as best he could between John and me to work around his limitations. Unfortunately for John, he could not reap the fruits of his hard labor, but geez, he did work hard.
3 Ways to Help You Make It Work
So, let’s get to the nitty gritty. Working around health conditions and other obstacles takes some expertise, but these three factors will help you get on the right track to make it work.
Positive Mindset
Henry Ford’s quote comes to mind: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right,” When you go to the gym with a positive attitude, are you more likely to have a good or bad workout?
The answer is obvious.
What helped John during his difficult time was his mindset. I have never worked with someone who trained through pain like he did. The dude just sucked it up and kept working towards his goal of walking. Not only did he not complain about his situation once, but whenever we trained together, he always smiled.
His positivity was infectious. He had many reasons to wear a frown, but he never let his situation get him down. Now, I’m not going to downplay what you have going on in your life, but if John possessed a positive mindset despite his situation, I believe you can, too.
Focus On What You Can Do
It’s tempting to only focus on what you cannot do, especially when the obstacles seem overwhelming, like John’s. It’s natural to focus on what would happen if I had the time to work out or if I didn’t hurt my ankle. Or what if I didn’t have autism? Although legitimate, focusing on these things and how they stop you doesn’t help you get fit.
But you know what will?
Focus on what you can do. If you lack time, do shorter workouts. If you cannot get to a gym or afford a gym membership, do some bodyweight exercise at home. Almost always, if you can stand, you can go for a walk, no matter how short. When you have a positive outlook and a willingness to look past limitations, you will probably find a way to make it work.
Keep It Simple
Let’s use John as an example. Being in a wheelchair and unable to stand, he did all his exercises sitting down, and gym machines are ideal. He performed many exercises with one hand and one leg to strengthen his core area and relieve his strength imbalances. I didn’t reinvent the wheel and kept it simple.
Complicated solutions are sometimes the enemy of getting it done. Seek the lowest common denominator to overcome your current obstacle; as you progress, you can add complexity, but don’t start there.
Wrapping up
We always have imperfect circumstances for getting or maintaining health and fitness; we all face roadblocks sooner or later. Rather than let these obstacles get the best of us, we find ways to make it work. Because our health doesn’t need obstacles and excuses, it needs action.
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