From Written Off to Rising Strong: The Power of Proving Them Wrong

"Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success." – Dale Carnegie

Thought of the Day

Back when I was in grade eight, many years ago, I was told that I wouldn’t have much luck graduating. The teacher who was supposed to help me with my dyslexia said I should drop out and learn a trade. She didn’t give me much of a chance of getting past grade nine or ten.

It’s funny, looking back now with hindsight and realizing how much that interaction changed me. It gave me a little bit of grit—I got through those grades in spite of public opinion, and even started taking university courses in grade eleven. It also gave me a strong dislike for putting limiters on people.

This dislike of limiting beliefs helps me as a coach, because we’re always trying to push others beyond their limits and toward their potential.

Now, working with youth, I’m very aware of the impact our interactions can have. That doesn’t mean everything they do should be easy—but they have to know the challenge is there because they’re capable of accomplishing it one day. Watching athletes go from a limiting belief to mastering a skill is incredibly satisfying.

Just the other day, a young man was struggling with wall balls. You could see the look of defeat in his eyes. I knew he had the ability to be very good at them, and with just a few tweaks, he became successful. It was powerful to see the change in his demeanor—not because I told him he did great, but because in that session, he went from struggling to success.

That’s a lesson he can carry with him for life.

Failure and struggle are not the end. They’re just information—and if used well, they can lead to success. That’s the lesson we want our clients to learn in the gym and apply outside of it.

Discouragement is something we can both accept and believe in, or we can use it as fuel—a learning opportunity.

Will you take on your teacher’s belief that you won’t graduate?
Or will you believe in your coach, who knows you’re capable of more than you’re showing?

You get to choose.

Thursday's Workout of the Day!

Scaling:

Spend time during the warm-up working on all four movements in the complex. Determine which movement is the most limiting and base load on that. The beginner should focus on mechanics instead of load. Select a load that allows you to perform the complex with excellent mechanics. Use the same load for all seven reps.

Warm-up | 5:00

10 Vertical jumps on the spot

10 Jump squats

10 Groin rocks

5/5 The Greatest Stretch

TECH | 2:00

Specific Warm-up | 6:00 | H:07

Using a PVC, perform: (2:00 minutes)

3 shoulder presses

3 front squats

3 push presses

3 push jerks

3 split jerks

Using an empty barbell, perform: (2:00 minutes)

3 shoulder presses

3 front squats

3 push presses

3 push jerks

3 split jerks

Using an empty barbell, perform: (2:00 minutes)

1 thruster

1 push press

1 push jerk

1 split jerk

Building complex | 12:00 | H:13

Build to your workout weight.

WOD | 28:00 | H:25

:25 - :29 - :33 - :37 - :41 - :45 - :49

Thruster/push press/push jerk/split jerk 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps.

A thruster followed by a push press followed by a push jerk followed by a split jerk without dropping the bar is one rep.

Rest 2:00 to 3:00 between sets.

We will be establishing a heavy complex for the day.

Cooldown | 3:00

Cobra stretch

Scorpion

Pigeon

Foam roll upper back

Form roll lats