Improvisation and Excel – RossTraining.com
I will begin this article by discussing how I once did barbell exercises on a land mine without a ground station. This is not what the article is about, though. I just use my old temporary setup as an example for a much larger premise. Roughly speaking, make the most of what you have instead of worrying about what you are not doing. Because if you work hard enough, you will never feel that you are not missing anything.
Low-tech landmine training
The video below was shot about fifteen years ago. At that time, my ground station consisted of an old sweatshirt wrapped around a barbell. Then I set the bar against a cement wall. If I were carrying out a series of land mines, I would press the barbell with a heavy dumbbell (for example, see here). It was rude and archaic, but it did the job.
Update without update
Over the years, attachments have become quite popular and affordable. In the end I bought a portable mine
Despite the fact that it was cut from the next video, at the beginning of the next clip I use a portable nozzle for land mines.
This is a short clip, but you can see that the bar moves smoothly at the ground station. Nevertheless, despite the fact that it works well, I don’t feel that today I suddenly began to work more than fifteen years ago when I used the old hoodie. And although this may seem trivial, I think there is a lesson worth sharing.
Over the years, I trained in some high-tech environments, but I never felt left out no matter how rude the setup. I never believed that a tool or my environment created or defined me. I make myself giving 100 percent no matter where I am or what I use.
In other words, I do not suddenly achieve excellent results because I use an official ground station. Exercises have always been effective, not because of the tool (or because of lack), but because of the effort that I put into each repetition. That was true fifteen years ago when I used the old sweatshirt, just like today when I use a real ground station.
Do what you can do
Unfortunately, I continue to hear from athletes who were fooled to believe that they do not have the equipment necessary to succeed. Sorry for my language, but this is bullshit. You can always find a way improvise and do somethingAnd no one will ever stop you from giving 100 percent. It is on you.
Don't just take my word for it. Throughout the history of this blog, I have provided countless examples. One of my personal favorites is Olympic gold medalist Dan Gable. Check out the short clip below if you still think you need trendy features to succeed.
Last thoughts
Although I may sound like a broken record, it is a record that more people need to hear. Never allow your inability to do anything that prevents you from doing anything. There are always ways to improvise with what you have.
So stop complaining about what you cannot do, and accept what you can.
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“You are improvising. You adapt. You are winning.