A deep fear about motivation

Today on Dad Strength

A deep fear about motivation
Squats are flexible
On fat
A book, a quote, and a dad joke

There are a few themes that I return to again and again. One is motivation. But now just when it works. Understanding emotion also means exploring its limits – and where it fails. We have to ask when motivation alone is not enough. Especially since its is notoriously fickle – and acts more like emotion than cognition.

Today, I’ll also share some ideas on squats – and why we’re more dogmatic than we need to be. We’ll also talk about being fat and the knee-jerk bias that comes along with any discussion like this.

A deep fear about motivation

I have never met an unmotivated person. It’s not a thing. I’ve met people who struggle with competing motivations. Who don’t have the tools to harness what they’ve got. Or who bite off more than they can chew. And I’ve met a million people who refuse to pare down their expectations to fit their existing motivations and abilities. These are all problems but a lack of motivation isn’t one of them. Unmotivated is a myth.

But that’s not what the zeitgeist feels like. We live in fear about being motivated enough. We watch inspirational videos and pump ourselves up to tackle tasks. We judge others (or ourselves) for not having enough of it . That fear of being unmotivated is why we hang on to harshest inner voices. If we let them go will our motivation fall away?

As you get to know yourself better (5 stars, highly recommend!) you also gain a greater understanding of your deeper drives. This is the kind of motivation that exists 24/7 – and even in the quiet times, when no one is watching. No cash prize or cheering crowd is required. This stuff is at the core of you.

Squats are flexible

I was recently reading a piece by one of my favourite physical culture historians about squatting. Specifically, he detailed how squats were traditionally done with lighter weight and performed with the heels elevated. The flat-footed squat came later – as a way to move more load. So, which one is right?

If you look at people absolutely trying to maximize their lifts, the answer is… both. Most wear shoes with a heel. Most of the elevation, all of the stability.

Squat as a competitive lift – focusing on maximizing weight and dropping just below parallel – changes the kind of technique and positioning you use. For some, this is great. Their strength goes up and their bodies feel good. If that’s you, keep doing what you’re doing. However…

If you feel like squatting in this way is not the best orthopaedic option for you, take this as a simple reminder that there are a whole bunch of other options out there. Options that incredibly strong and fit-looking people have used throughout human history, save for the last 90 or so years.

On fat

I’ve run a personal training studio for over 17 years and I can tell you that I simply do not care what somebody’s body composition is. That’s because the people I see are exercising – and that’s where the magic happens. For all the hand waving about obesity and health risk, exercise pretty much zeroes out those issues. Especially when paired with good sleep, stress management and nutrition. Of course we still advocate for protein, fibre, and all those wonderful micronutrients as part of the total package. However, this works even if calories are higher than prescribed.

Ah, but what of the orthopaedic risks? People adapt really well to loading, as long as it’s not rushed. So, assuming that weight gain hasn’t been sudden and dramatic, the standard exercise process works fine – with some modifications. For example, calisthenics come earlier for lighter people than heavier people because the latter group needs more strength development to do the same work. But that’s just being pragmatic. Likewise, fat runners who take things slow as they ramp up their volume don’t tend to show a higher risk. How about that?

For these reasons, it would make no sense to focus on a person’s appearance over their actions. Many do, however, which is why fat people often feel scrutinized. If you’ve never had someone walk over to you in a public setting and comment on your body or what you’re eating, it may be tougher to imagine. But a fat person’s awareness of how their body is perceived – or a sense of being judged – is not in short supply.

Do population-level statistics on obesity show higher health risks? Yes. However, fat people with a solid exercise practice typically have great blood work, resting HR, and blood pressure. That’s important to know – especially since even physicians can be dismissive of health complaints when a patient is fat. But being fat doesn’t guarantee that you’re unhealthy. If you’re looking for an indicator of someone’s health status, the only reliable indicator is their actions – but you can’t always guess those from appearance.

For more on this, check out what I’m reading