Stay in your own lane

This morning I did something I always tell others not to do. I reached for my phone the moment I woke up and started scrolling through social media while sipping my coffee.

As I scrolled, a video popped up of my two incredibly fit cousins who live overseas. They were doing box jumps with their trainer. It was genuinely impressive. I know how committed they are to their health and wellbeing. They are both high achievers in their careers, and they use exercise not just for their physical health but also to manage the demands of a busy work and home life.

They live the kind of healthy lifestyle I hope all my clients might aspire to one day. They move well, they look fantastic, and they are clearly investing in their long term health. Even better, they are passing those values on to their kids. I really do love seeing that.

But here’s the thing. I watched that video more times than I care to admit. At first I was simply impressed. Then I started zooming in to see just how high those jumps were. These weren’t your average box jumps. They were launching onto a 30 inch box with four thick weight plates stacked on top. That is no joke.

And then, despite working in this industry myself, the questions started. Why can’t I do that? Should I be jumping that high? Am I training wrong? Am I missing something?

That inner voice can be sneaky. And in that moment I caught myself doing exactly what I caution others against. Comparing.

Why are we so drawn to what others are doing? I do not know the full story of my cousins’ fitness journey. I have no idea how long they have been working on that explosive power. Maybe they are built for this type of movement and not for long distance efforts. Who knows?

But why did their win make me question my own progress? Why do we sometimes struggle to simply celebrate someone else’s achievement without holding it up next to our own in some kind of silent competition?

The gym can be a breeding ground for this kind of thinking. You walk in and it can feel like everyone else has it all figured out. Everyone seems to be hitting personal bests and working with laser focus. But the truth is, this is a waste of energy.

Unless you are training for high level sport or competition, comparing your performance to others is rarely useful. If you are training for a specific event, like a hike or a tennis tournament or a marathon, then your training should reflect the reasons you signed up in the first place. If you joined a tennis team because it sounded fun and social, then your strength training is there to help you move confidently and protect your joints. Your cardio should support that goal too.

I include box jumps in my own training to support bone density and to keep developing power as I get older. I do not need to jump onto a skyscraper to get those benefits. As long as the height challenges me and makes me feel a little nervous in a good way, I am exactly where I need to be.

So hats off to my cousins. Amazing jumping. I sent them a heart emoji and cheered them on in the comments. And then I reminded myself to stay focused on my own path. I will stay in my own lane. That is where the real progress happens.