TGIM: PT 101

Welcome back to Thank God It’s Monday!
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​tl;dr If you keep banging your head against the wall hoping for a different outcome, look upstream and downstream for the next addressable issue to your problem.
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In personal training and physical therapy, we are taught to look at the joints proximal and distal to the joint that is determined to be the “problem.”
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For example, if someone comes in with knee pain, we must also assess the hip (proximal) and ankle (distal).

A runner’s knee pain may be from ankle instability or hip weakness. Elbow pain may be improved with exercises for the wrist and shoulder.
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Perhaps you’re not experiencing any joint issues. Inevitably, though, there are lessons that recur in our lives until we learn them. And instead of trying the same method for the hundredth time, expecting a different outcome, try looking proximal or distal to the issue (figuratively, of course).
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If you have a hard time sticking to a gym routine, maybe you shouldn’t pay for another month of a gym membership you haven’t used for 24 months in a row. Consider what the surrounding issues might be that can be addressed.
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Are you deterred by getting up early? Try going later in the day. Are you offput by the parking near the gym? Join a gym you can walk or bike to, or consider investing in home gym equipment. Trouble figuring out what exactly to do at the gym to get results? Hire a trainer. By getting clear on what the issue is, you can ask better questions about how to resolve the problem.
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Humans like to gamble because there is a possibility we may get lucky this time around. Even though the same solution didn’t work the first six times, maybe the seventh will. After all, it feels safer to try the same exact method again if the worst outcome is you end up back where you are now. A new strategy feels scary because it is unfamiliar.
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But heed this physical therapy wisdom to try something new. What is the logical next step to the problem you’ve been trying to solve? What would be directly upstream or downstream of that issue that may help you out?
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If you found some value in this, please share it with a friend you think would enjoy it! And let me know if you’d like to be added to get TGIM.
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This week, my podcast recommendation is from The Ed Mylett Show, “How to Build Unshakable Confidence When You’re Losing ft. Alan Stein Jr.”
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With that, happy March!
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Until next time,
Shannon