My previous post was about five true things that I have learned over the years about yoga. They were hard won epiphanies, you’ll have to trust me on that.
I have been reading a book by a fitness expert named Tom Venuto. Imagine my surprise to find this passage:
However, everyone can improve their fitness and physique above and beyond where it is today. Your goal should be to achieve your personal best while avoiding comparisons to others who have different genetics than you
— Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto, page 31
Imagine my surprise to see what amounts to two of the true things I know about yoga, back to back, applied to general fitness! Could all of them apply to general fitness? Let’s see….
- You can be more fit that you are today? Yes!
- The fitness activity you dislike most is probably the one you need to work on the most right now? Seems very likely!
- Admire but don’t compare yourselves to others? Absolutely!
- Fitness as a practice rather than a performance? For those of us who are not professional athletes, unquestionably.
- You have an intention when you do a fitness activity whether you call it that or not? I am willing to believe it. Maybe that’s why people who approach their workout with the attitude of “let’s get this over with” don’t get the same results as people who approach it as “I am doing this activity to meet that goal.”
I do not know if there are more truths out there for me to learn. Nor do I know if these five truths have application in the greater world. But I hope you can accept these truths as things you can learn from.