perfection is out; progress is in

How often has your fear of not being good or “good enough” at something held you back from even trying? How much time have you wasted waiting to set a new goal, or start a new journey until you’re 100% certain that you are ready and going to succeed? At the ness, we believe the best time to begin is now. Our bounce and sculpt classes, both live and on demand, are created specifically for you and your needs, no matter the time or place. It’s the hesitancy to just dive in, despite fear, that robs you of so many opportunities for learning and growth so let’s strive for progress, not perfection. 

If you’re waiting to start training with us until you’re ready or perfect, you’ll probably be waiting forever, because first thing’s first: no one is perfect. Yes, not even us, your trainers, are perfect, and you may even notice us mess up, or stumble, or tell a really bad joke every now and then (do we still get an occasional pity laugh?) Perfectionism is not your friend. It’s: 

1. Slowing you down. All of the extra energy poured into trying to be perfect will lead to quicker feelings of “burn-out.” 
2. Decreasing the joy that movement naturally brings. Working out will feel more like a chore, likely leading you to call it quits sooner.
3. Increasing feelings of self-criticism/negative self-talk.
4. Hindering growth due to the vague and broad nature of the goal “be better.” You’ll feel stuck, and unmotivated.

Now, how about you flip your mentality and focus on progress instead? Here’s what to expect:

1. Continued and sustained motivation. Your journey is not supposed to be the same as anyone else’s. Growth is a multi-lane highway with a multitude of direction changes; not just one straight, continuous path. 
2. Recognizable growth. Setting more specific goals will allow you to notice improvement. Whether you were able to remember all the choreography and nail the final song of bounce, you leveled-up and stuck to a double-time tempo in a classic sculpt, or you powered through a full sprint song during a bounce [hiit], celebrate all the wins-always.
3. More joy! Working out knowing that mistakes are encouraged will allow you to breathe deeper and let go. You’ll begin to cultivate gratitude for your body and mind and spirit in ways you previously hadn’t discovered.

Movement is supposed to feel good, so let it. Life is fluid, your mood will vary, your physical state will change. All of these factors and more will affect what you put in and take away from your workout. With a digital library of 300+ classes, never underestimate the power of repetition. Just as we implement the importance of reps during bounce and sculpt classes, know that if you ever finish a class feeling defeated, you can breathe, add it to your list, and come back another day. Approach that same video without any expectations of “will I be good now?” and just be.