One Leg or Two Leg?

by Chris Ecklund, MA, CSCS, USAW

Perspective...

No, not another post on Bilateral versus Unilateral training.  No arguments for or against "The Death of the Squat" or whether Bench Pressing is worth while.  I talk about that stuff all the time.

Perspective...

I was leaving UCSB last Wednesday afternoon after I'd finished teaching my classes and completed my training session.  I was hustling (speed walking with my short little legs) out the front door as I always do as I'm feeling late with a long list of administrative tasks on my plate.  I was halted at the cross walk in front of the Recreation Center with a red light.

At that moment, I began to think and reflect for the 30 seconds (or whatever it is) that I had before the light changed.

I'm an introvert...I'm very introspective.  I think...a lot.

So, when I have a moment to think, I often have what seems thousands of thoughts running through my head simultaneously.  That particular day (and frankly for the past several weeks) I was hit pretty quickly and pretty hard with a flurry of thoughts:

• I have too much to get done.  I'm feeling anxious about it all.
• I'm exhausted.  I need more rest.
• How can I balance my time with people and in solitude better?
• How can I improve my business? Am I doing enough?
• I need to write an article.
• I need to hurry to Prevail to get some food.
• Do we have enough players for our rec. league soccer team this Friday night?
• I'm feeling sad and a bit depressed.  I hate feeling this way.  I have been for a long time.  When is this going to end?
• My lower back/SI joints have been out for a couple weeks, I've got to spend more time getting them back in.

...and the list goes on.  

-- My thoughts tend to be very self-serving and self-centered --

I wonder if you have a similar problem.  It's not something I relish...it's just part of the ugliness of me.

Perspective...

As these thoughts of self-pity are floating around in head, an individual came up beside me.  Something different about this person's gait I noticed, though.  I looked over out of the corner of my eye.  This person had but one leg and was using crutches to get around.  Coming from the Rec. Center I can only imagine that this person had just finished a workout.

Wow.  Perspective...

Reality quickly snapped back into focus.  Lots to be thankful for.  Then my focus shifted to all the other people in my life that are walking through extremely difficult things:

• Uprooting their family and starting over in a new place.
• A good friend's wife battling with her second bout of cancer.
• A woman my church battling with her 5th bout of cancer.
• Dear friends of mine going through tough times in marriage.
• So many students of mine who've lost dear family/friends in death this year.

I have two legs.  I get to exercise and play everyday.  I can think, write, reflect, communicate.  I have food...at every meal.  

God is good...all the time.

Perspective...