Saturday, July 20, 2024

Am I (Are You) Too Fat for Pull Ups?

The title isn't meant to offend anyone. But if you're like me and carry around more body fat than you want to, you can quickly become discouraged when it comes to learning how to do a pull up. As I've often said, the key is to start with a progression you know you can do and then work on it until you're strong enough to move on from there. That's why today I was working on improving my band-assisted pull up technique. A complete pull up exercise recognizes the importance of strong scapulae, which are the key to executing the motion. When you reach the bottom of the movement you want to keep your shoulder blades down and back. This is obviously something I need more practice doing. So that's what I worked on today.

I think the point is that we can always improve our workouts. I know I can. I never have arrived nor will I ever arrive. A pull up involves a lot more than simply grabbing a bar and pulling. Likewise, the Christian life includes more than a one time profession of faith. We need to learn how to take ownership of our own spiritual development, not expecting others to do all the heavy lifting for us. That's why although we appreciate a good Sunday sermon, we never view it as a substitute for our daily time in the word.

Whether you're working on a gym exercise or on developing a Christ-like trait, remember that it's never too late get started!