If you read my post from October 12, you know that I was terrorized by pull-ups as a kid. Then, I wrote another post on October 15 about how I’m planning to spend the next year systematically questioning assumptions I have about my abilities, how I want to live my life, and what risks I’m willing to take.
So, of course, it seemed to make sense to question my assumption that…
I am not capable of doing pull-ups.
Do I really know that I can’t do a pull-up?
Isn’t it true that other people can do pull-ups, and that they weren’t born being able to do them?
Can’t other women do pull-ups?
I had to admit that the answers were No, Yes, and Yes.
My excuse has been this: If I can’t even *begin* to pull myself up, how am I ever supposed to improve?
I started researching ways to strengthen the muscles that are used for pull-ups, but quite frankly, it got a bit complicated and depressing. I’m not a gym rat, nor am I interested in physiology.
Then, lo and behold, the answer presented itself!!
The amazing pull-up machine for wimps!!
As you can see, it looks like some sort of evil torture device, or worse, a way to inflict capital punishment in an especially barbaric way.
But once I got over the look of it, this machine became the way to improve my strength so I can eventually do a pull-up unassisted. It will counter-balance part of my weight so I can slowly work up to a “real” pull-up.
Yay!
I’ve only used it twice so far. My performance was pathetic. But I’m confident that if I keep at it, I’ll eventually meet my goal.
Of course, I never would have tried if I hadn’t questioned that darn assumption…
Filed under: Challenging Assumptions, Coaching, Decision Making Tagged: | Challenging Assumptions, pull up machine, Pull-ups
