At TrainHard we have seen so many great athletes struggle on many gymnastics movements in the gym and competition, and toes-to-bar is no exception. Difficulty of the toes-to-bar can escalate quickly if your body is swinging in a rhythm that isn’t supported by physics and balance, but rather raw strength. Though we may pride ourselves on how strong we are, there is no reasonable excuse for doing things the harder way when trying to complete a speedy task.
One of the misconceptions I have noticed within the fitness community is regarding this idea of self-discipline. I find that many people assume that if they train five to six days a week, they inherently possess a high degree of discipline. As a coach who has worked with a broad range of clients over the years, I would argue that this is not always the case.
Simply put, self-discipline is your ability to get yourself to do what’s necessary even when you don’t feel like doing it.
Don’t get me wrong. For the busy parent with a career to build, making it into the gym a few times a week and creating positive lifestyle changes certainly requires some discipline. There needs to be discipline with scheduling, time management, nutrition, forming new habits, and overcoming any internal psychological resistance to make it into the gym for a workout.
However, for many competitive athletes, discipline may not take the same form. Take, for example, the aspiring competitor who practically lives at the gym. They train nearly every day for hours at a time because they love to train…NOT because they have to exercise discipline and self-control. Unlike someone who is struggling to make a habit of exercising regularly, there’s little to no internal resistance for the athlete to overcome with regard to showing up in the gym, throwing some weight around, and completing a training session with their friends and coaches.