I have been working toward High Bridge on the Reformer (the second to last Level V exercise in my Reformer training manual) since July 2020.
I haven’t reached this goal. It was a goal I set knowing I may never be able to do a High Bridge. My body may NEVER be able to do High Bridge - and that could be for a variety of reasons (age, body shape, strength, injury, etc). But, I set this goal because I was thinking “what if?” What if I did meet that goal? What would happen next? Who would I tell?
Most importantly, though, I set the goal because I know that everything I do to try to meet this goal is a WIN.
It’s a WIN!
I’m putting in the work to move my body and gain strength and flexibility. If I don’t ever get to High Bridge, I still know that my body is there for me, rooting for me, taking me on to the next stage in life.
I’m here to remind you that even if you haven’t reached a goal in 7 months, it doesn’t mean that you should give up and it doesn’t mean you picked the wrong goal.
FACTS:
- Some goals are easier to achieve than others.
- Sometimes we choose goals we know we can accomplish because we don’t want to pick something we might fail at. Fear of failure is a real thing. So is fear of success (whoa!)
- Sometimes we forget about a goal for months or years.
- Sometimes a different idea for a goal comes up and we abandon the previous goal (it’s your life, do what you want!!)
No matter where you are with any goal you’ve picked in the past, if the journey is still serving you in a positive way, keep going. It’s your life and whatever you choose, it should make you HAPPY!
About the Photo (and for the Pilates crowd):
Taken during a Private Pilates session at Rivercity Pilates with my mentor Carey Sadler in July 2020.
SHOWN: Shoulder bridge on a Reformer box and a gentle arm push into some extension.
*This is as far into a High Bridge as I’ve ever gotten, and I’m super proud of it! My head never left the mat, but I still made progress!
We focused on all the little things on the Cadillac that would help my body to eventually be able to do High Bridge, some day.
Examples:
1. Going into extension during Breathing Bar
2. Going into extension on Thigh Stretch
3. Full Swan
4. Hanging Down with pull ups (my FAVE)
I have to ask:
- What are you working towards or what is your goal exercise?
- How are you working toward your goal exercise?
- Have you let your mentor/teacher/instructor know your goal?