As a personal trainer for a decade or so I was often asked what the ‘best’ exercise to do was. My answer? The one you love. Why? Because it’s the one you will keep doing! Everyone has a different passion and ultimately, it’s not about calorie burn or numbers on a scale if you hate it. If you hate it, you will stop doing it and then will hate yourself for ‘quitting’ when you were setting yourself up to fail in the first place.
Unfortunately, if you want to excel at racing or reach a specific goal, you not only need to do the things you ‘hate’ but you have to do them a lot. It can be a total bummer but also fantastically rewarding.
Triathlon has a wonderfully magical way of revealing your weakest link. Mine has always been the water. Before my very first triathlon I was so afraid of the open water swim that I didn’t practice at all. I can see the lake, where the event was being held, from my house and I would ignorantly smile as I rode and ran past it, never once venturing in. Obviously, on race day, my swim was lacking and it took me forever to complete the .25 mile.
Fast forward five years or so and I have come to truly love the swim. How did I get here? Lots of drugs. Kidding! By consistently working on my weakness, it has become a strength. It has improved my overall fitness, reduced my risk for injury and has even opened my mind to not only following though on a commitment, but breaking though fears that were holding me back.
You need not have a goal of competing at a world or national level to get the same results from your fitness. Here’s some ways I’ve learned how to work on my weakness so hopefully you can too:
1. Buy Stuff. We all love shopping, right? Whatever your weakness is, there is “essential” gear you must purchase to make it tolerable. You know how runners always brag about running being the sport you need the least amount of stuff for? Bullshit. There is no runner on this planet who doesn’t own multiple pair of running shoes, at least two GPS watches (and probably a Fitbit) and don’t even get me started on the clothing and accessories. This is part of why we run – the stuff!!!
Obviously I need this to run…or rather to better deal with the rest of my day.
As you may know, because I cannot stop raving about it, I recently bought the Waterfi waterproof iPod to get me though the torture of running in the pool. Turns out it’s freakin’ phenomenal for 10 x 100s, 8 x 25s, or pretty much any set of laps you happen to be doing. Before that, I bought suits, fins, and even some things I can’t identify. This is the fun part. Indulge.
2. Find An Expert. You don’t have to spend money on a coach (although I highly recommend it) just find your local expert and chat them up. Trust me, if someone thinks they dominate a sport, they will love talking about it. They are probably so full of themselves that they blog about it…I’m guessing.
This advice works for two reasons – you won’t get injured if you know the basics and you may have a friend to actually motivate you to do the workout with. Win. Win.
If all else fails, get on YouTube or just Google it and watch the results flood in. Just be careful who you take advice from. You actually want to get stronger, not killed.
3. Track Your Efforts. We have all felt like we are getting absolutely nowhere, no matter how hard we try at mastering a new skill. This is why it’s important to have a baseline so you can look back on what you did a month ago and die of embarrassment, followed immediately by shameless gloating. Better yet, sign up for a race or contest to test your ability and you will surprise yourself with your achievement – I guarantee it.
My first triathlon effort in 2009 my quarter mile swim time was 7:20 and I came in third in my age group. In 2013, the last year I competed in this particular triathlon, I brought it down to 6:31 and was the first woman overall. I would love to see what I could swim it in now!
The point is, if you work at your weakness, it will make you better in every aspect of your life. And no, I don’t think I’m overstating this. I had a true fear of open water swimming in 2009 and last week I swam a mile in open water. Did it take time? Yes. Did a lot of it suck horribly? You bet. Was it worth it? I would do it again 1,000 times over.
Winning the whole damn thing (and new running shoes!) in 2013.
Conquering my fear and empowering myself though swimming has made me less fearful and more confident in everyday life. Now I look out at the lake below my neighborhood and think “I can’t wait to get out there and swim!” Ok, well my particular lake is a little seaweed filled, may possibly have a turtle and water snake problem, and I may drive 40 minutes past it to swim in a cleaner lake BUT, I could totally swim the hell out of it if my life (or schedule) depended on it.
Get uncomfortable, train your weakness and see what happens. It may change your life.
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What is your weakness? It doesn’t have to be fitness related…
What is a weakness you have worked on? What was the result?
I absolutely love this and you are so right that we all have weaknesses but it is how channel them and overcome them that makes all the difference. Seriously great advice and can’t thank you enough for sharing here 😉
So glad you can relate Janine!
Great advice, for sure. I love how you have worked on your swim and made it a strength–and I’m sure it has been a mental lifesaver for you during injury. It’s been there for me many times, too!
My weakness would be plyometrics–I have no explosive power whatsoever in this body. And I’m afraid of things like box jumps. I really, really should work this stuff…
It has absolutely saved me though ALL of my injuries though the years. In fact, I started swimming because of an IT Band issue.
Oh man – I love the jumps!! Definitely start working on that and see your running improve 🙂
This is such a great reminder. I agree that you must do things you don’t always care for too succeed. For me, my weakness is core. I don’t do enough of that and strength training. I know I would be stronger if I did and it’s something I’m working on.
In life my weakness is cleaning. I keep a sanitary and clean house but smaller things like dusting get lost sometimes!
Hahaha – I think we all have a “cleaning” weakness 🙂 Thanks Hollie and start working that core!…although I can’t see how you can possibly get much better at running!
You’re right, Allie. We may not like it, but working on our weaknesses is what makes us stronger. If left on my own, strength training would go by the wayside. My trainer pushes me to do things I would never have done on my own. And I am so much stronger. For me, having an expert that measures my progress and adjusts accordingly is worth the investment.
Totally!! That’s exactly why I have a coach. I think about having to tell her if I don’t complete a workout (with some lame excuse) and it gets me every time. Accountability goes a long way. Thanks Kelly.
Excellent post! This is probably one of my favorites. You’re spot on. My biggest weakness is speed. I’ve learned to run long and slow for days, but pushing it to the max in a 5k has always been a little–lot–scary for me. But I’ve been recently working on it and finally got my sub-21 5k and sub-4:00 marathon! Here’s to a future sub-20 and BQ marathon time soon!! You will not grow if you don’t challenge yourself. And I’m not okay with being mediocre!
Oh I’m so glad!! Speed is a tough one because it’s SO scary. I get nervous before just doing a speed workout at the track – it’s so intimidating but equally empowering when you see – YES, I can do it! Congratulations on those speedy PRs!! The sky is the limit 🙂
Such a great post! And good reminder for me that no matter how much I hate doing speed workouts I will not get better, stronger, faster unless I do them! PS what I hate most about the open water swim is thinking about how dirty that river/lake might be!
Exactly! And yes to the grossness that is a lake. I totally agree with you on that one!
This makes me want to really learn how to swim well. It’s definitely one of my weaknesses. I look at those who can just glide through the water (and not be scared shitless of open water). Now to actually take the leap…
Injury is a perfect time to embrace the water. I have some great pool running workouts too 🙂
Oh boy, now I am feeling convicted to swim!
Do it with your daughter!! It will absolutely, 100% improve your running fitness.
My weakness is definitely swimming. I don’t know if I would be so bold to swim in open water but at least try to swim the hell out of the college pool.
Start small. It took me literally years to work up to a mile swim in open water. It’s scary stuff but so worth it. Not to mention how great it is for my aging body!!
HILLS have always been my weakness….. I almost avoided the SF Nike Women’s half with friends because I didn’t want to do a hilly course…. But that race ended up being a defining race for me, and afterwards I decided to try to practice hills on my own once a week…. I still don’t love them, but I don’t hate them… I know I can do them if needed, and that’s empowering.
Love that! See what happens when you face a fear…it turns out to not be so bad and now you KNOW you can do it! Fantastic Paria. And someday I seriously hope to do that race!!
In the triathlon, mine is definitely the swim too. Now I’d say it’s endurance running… I’m losing the desire to be out for hours and hours! But it really does come down to goals for me… If I really want it, I can work on the weak links. Right now I wouldn’t say I really want it!
Exactly. That sounds like something you just don’t really want to do, and definitely don’t need to. You are blazing up the 5ks right now 🙂
love everything. this morning i was doing a race pace run as part of marathon training and wanted to quit pretty badly for no reason other than just wimping out. I kept reminding myself that it’s those moments (and pushing through them) that will make me stronger and faster. I managed to finish the run (phew!) and am glad I stuck with it.
YES!!!! Nice job and those ARE the moments that will push you though a big race. Love it.
i freaking love this post!!!! it makes me want to beat my chest and roar!!!! yes!
okay i’m calmer now. so i can totally dig this. when i started cycling i SUCKED more than a thousand leaches. i really sucked, i couldn’t breath and i just hated it. i kept working my ass off at it though and went from riding 15mph average to 18-20mph average in around a year. i was even able to keep up with the fast team during the MS150 ride from Houston to Austin!!! so for all intensive purposes, i met my goals in the biking department. sadly i don’t miss the shoulder pain i got from it, hello pinched nerves! it took me a year to recover, i literally just barely recovered and it’s a been a year since my last IM. ugh. anyway, i’m still proud of myself for working my ass off and not giving up even though it was not natural for me and i hated most of it. LOL. i’m a stubborn maniac indeed!
*more then a thousand leaches* love that!…and that’s also how I felt about swimming.
That’s nasty about the shoulder but, most of us have similar war stories because we take it to the limit. Congrats on reaching your goals and yes, sometimes stubbornness helps!
I remember going on job interviews and the standard question was always “what’s your greatest weakness?” The answer was always a version of how your greatest weakness becomes your greatest strength. But it is so true. If you are smart enough to identify your weaknesses then you should be smart enough to work on them and the more you work on it, the better you become!
Ah yes, the old standard ‘weakness’ job interview question – gotta love that one. You’re exactly right though, it’s how we grow!
This is such an excellent post I can’t stand it!! I love this so much and these were the words I needed to hear! I have already found my expert (HELLO–YOU) and I do track my efforts (loosely) but I did realize the other day that I am about a minute faster than last year so theres that. But yes, chasing and mastering your weakness takes guts but it can definitely change your life. SHARING EVERYWHERE. xo
YOU ARE AWESOME. That is all. xoxoxo
Seriously, you have a weakness? I kid, kind of 🙂
But it’s so true that we have to continue to work on our weaknesses even if that’s not what we always want to do. But it is funny how things can turn around and they can suddenly become your favorite!
LOL!
The best part for me was turning it all around. I never thought I would truly love to swim. I guess that’s why we never say ‘never’ right?
LOVE this post! Swimming is definitely a weakness for me – and the water snakes would terrify me too much. Cycling is not my strongest either, but I’m working on it and enjoying the process. Now just for a new bike to help me tackle that weakness 🙂
Yes, exactly! If you get a new bike that will all the motivation you need and more. Happy cycling!!
still pondering this and since I come form a background in bodybuilding it makes me think of the story with ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER.
His calf muscles were terrible and tiny 🙂
he decided to cut off EVERYTHING from jeans to sweats at the knee so he was compelled to look at em all the darn time.
I need to do that CUTTING OFF (metaphorically) which some weakness I wanna work on as well.
So I see it all the darn time.
My first thought to that is YIKES! Follow by ‘well yes that would do it’ 🙂
You’ve proven that focusing on your weakness is part of success. Granted I didn’t think you had any fitness weaknesses 🙂
Great read that must be shared!
You are too kind Jill! Thank you!!
We’ve probably talked about this before, but I can totally relate. I am a pathetic swimmer, fear the water, and I run or drive by that same lake every day. I’m doing the sprint tri again in a few weeks, yet I haven’t been in the water since the same race last year. It’s not my focus, but swimming is something I want to get better at, I just haven’t made the commitment yet. I plan to some day find a coach to help overcome that fear and improve, but until then that lake will taunt me every day. Great to see your success and to know that there is hope for me yet!
Yes Kevin!! That lake is very taunting…and dirty, and I think we both rely on running speed (especially YOU!) to get us through that race. There is no doubt in my mind that if you put some effort into swimming, you would win that whole race, hands down. Good luck to you this year! Unfortunately I will be away yet again…maybe next year we can train for the swim together. I know at least I can keep up with you in the water!
Great point about sticking with what you love, but also learned to love new things! absolutely hate to swim. HATE IT. You’ve given me hope that maybe someday I will be able to love it. My husband is a triathlete and I love the energy of those races. Although some of those lakes….ewwww. I will definitely be selective in the lakes I’ll swim in! 🙂
HAHAHA – yes! I have to say that it’s easier to get in those gross lakes on race day because you have so many others joining you! Triathlons are not only fun but they challenge your body and mind in different ways, unlike running races. It’s just good to change things up, plus you have the bonus of an experienced triathlete right in your house! Good luck!!
I don’t know. All it would one thing to touch my foot and I’d be screaming and raising my arm to be picked up.
Hahaha – I hear ya! I’ve had my share of water freak outs and they are not fun 🙁
I’m not sure about a fitness weakness (other than everything), but I do know that I tend to practice/work on the things I enjoy doing. If I don’t love it, I don’t do it, and I don’t get better at it. Photography and cooking come to mind. Framing it in the way you did makes me look at it in a new way – thanks Allie!
I’m glad you can relate. The key is really WANTING to get better at something. I hate cooking but, when I was about to give birth to twins I figured I had better learn to at least cook the basics. I did and now I cook a lot more but I can’t say I will ever truly enjoy it so I don’t try to get better. What I really enjoy is eating OUT!!…and I practice that a lot 🙂
Oh man, I have a LOT of weakness when it comes to running. My weakness is my inability to commit to strength training and I DON”T KNOW WHY. I KNOW that I could totally get my sub 4 hr marathon if I committed to it but I find every excuse in the book!!
Um, because it’s super boring??? I loathe strength training but at least it doesn’t scare me. I wish it would evoke some feeling other then *meh* But yes, if you do the work (and IronStrength is the way to go!) you will reap the marathon rewards!!
OMG your arm veins = porn for nurses!
You rock!
Hahahaha – I’ve actually heard that from a few nurses!!