The most common thing a coach can hear is “How can I do better?” That can mean a million different things. How can my form get better, how can my mobility, how can I lose more weight, how can I just be overall better? Again, there could be different reasons for each of those questions. For example, how far have you come from losing weight? You’ve lost 20 pounds from doing all the right things the coaches have told you and now you’ve hit a plateau. So how do you lose more weight?

I get asked each of these questions at least once a day, and each of the responses are usually about the same. “I’ve done this and this and it’s gotten me to a certain point, but now these things are not helping me anymore.” Then what happens next is what I call the “Fight or Flight” response. The “Fight or Flight” response is simply this, when someone or something is challenging you, do you fight and overcome, or flight and accept you’re beaten?

I typically give each athlete something different to work on, whether it’s a new, specific object to focus on in a movement; new or different stretch; or my personal favorite, a new perspective on working out. One hundred percent of the time, it’s something that’s a little harder than what people are used to. The “Fight or Flight” response comes in at this time. For example, “Great job on losing those 20 pounds, now let’s get rid of sugar and bread.” How important is that goal of losing that extra weight? Is it important? Then fight. If it isn’t, then flight.

There are no magical cures (or healthy ones) to fix a lot of these questions. The fact of the matter is, if you really want it, then it is up to YOU to obtain it. My job is to help, not do the work for you. I can’t make your mobility better; you have to fight to be better at it. I can’t eat better for you to lose weight; you have to fight the cravings to be better at it. I can’t work harder for you doing workouts, you have to push yourself to be better. My job as a coach is to help you succeed at life. That means helping you Fight to obtain your goals, and Fight the urge to Flight.