The Ripple Effect

Park workouts have become my favorite. Something about grinding it out in the dirt and grass and sun is just therapeutic. My schedule is such that I can typically get out there around lunch or early afternoon when it’s empty. It’s just me, the weights, and work. The way I like it.

Today was a little different. A car was parked a few spots down from where I was set up. Not terribly unusual, but I could tell the guy was watching what I was doing. No big deal. It’s a park. It happens.

After the workout, I start packing up and I notice the guy is walking over to me. He says:

“I just gotta tell you I was motivated watching you work. I had rotator cuff surgery and didn’t rehab it, now if I lift a lightbulb over my head for 30 seconds it feels like it weighs 20 pounds. I started losing a lot of weight, you know, a lot of muscle. I can’t do what I used to could. But I saw you didn’t quit. You didn’t even slow down. And that tells me I gotta do something. I can come out here on my lunch break and do something, too.”

Man, if this isn’t the entire goal of Dirty South Fit, I don’t know what is. I told him about what we’re doing; about the brand that we’re creating. I told him about our message of “Just Do Something.” We talked about ways he can work around his shoulder issue. We talked about how proud he is of his sons who play football and their community outreach. We talked about how important it is for him to stay healthy, not just for him, but for his family. He picked up a shirt, we shook hands, wished each other well and went on our way.

We’re all faced with obstacles. Every one of us. Obstacles that stand between us and our health. Maybe you haven’t had a debilitating injury or a surgery that knocked you out, but you’ve certainly had a moment where you thought, “ugh, it would just be easier to not work out today.” In those moments, instead of focusing on what’s right in front of you, focus on what’s really important. And in doing so, you never know who’s life you might impact. You may be “just doing something,” but to a friend a relative or even a stranger, you might be the motivation they need to start their own fitness journey.

 

 

Kevin Snodgrass

NASM - CPT, CES

 

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