Skin's Big Why and Back to Basics

[SkindianaBones]

 

If you have interacted with me here previously you know that I am a Star Wars enthusiast with a passion for strength training. Since late February or early March, I decided it was time for the "great emergence" and to get back into the gym after a very long hiatus. In addition, I had many other milestones along the way. I graduated school, I started a new job in a new city, and have had some injury troubles, which you may have followed.

 

It has definitely been a wild ride so far this year. However, I feel like I am still making progress, and to help myself become more injury resilient and keep training consistently, I have begun to work with a Nerd Fitness Coach! So far it has been a great experience, I was matched with someone who gets me on both a personal and fitness level, and am truly enjoying it.

 

That brings us here. Today's activity, among others, is to think about my "big why" or the underlying reason why I am pursuing my strength training goals. What better way to do that than as a respawn, considering I have been absent from the forums for about 3 weeks or so.

 

Skin's Big Why

My guess is that my "big why" is not much different from many here. The surface level explanation is confidence. To dig deeper into that, specifically it stems from being an underweight male. I am a relatively lanky guy (6'0 and somewhere around 145 lbs). I have been lanky my entire life. I have heard comments about how I need to gain weight, and generally have let my size get into my head.

 

It appears that this isn't an uncommon phenomena either. While not definitive study, it appears there is research that underweight men often make less than their normal weight colleagues:

 

• https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-JB-12305

 

While a bit of "chicken and the egg" discussion - my guess is this. Underweight men, like myself, often have confidence issues related to that, and therefore, often have a hard time asking for more pay or benefits, or perhaps even chasing higher paid roles or skills. I certainly know it affects my confidence in more places than one. At work, in the gym, in romance, and in friendships. I want this confidence, and in my opinion the best way to build true confidence is through demonstrated performance. So that is my big why. To build true underlying confidence in my ability by demonstrated performance of getting strong as measured by lift ORM, BW, and some other measures. I don't have a hard timeline, but that is something I will work on creating some SMART goals with my trainer, that give me a time measured goals.

 

But as for now, this is my motivator when life gets tough. When work gets busy. If I get injured again and wonder "oh what's the point". This is the point. This is the why.

 

 

In the meantime, I hope to continue to interact with you all here about once a week for recaps of how the week went, usually on Sunday's in order to have a healthy relationship with the screen. I hope to see you over at my epic quest or 5 week challenges, and I look forward to visiting yours.

 

May the Force be with you!