Training motivation

I've had gymnastics in the back of my mind before training, because I remember vividly

watching the olympics rings competition with my mom way back when, and *her* being

impressed with the strength (and appearance) of the athletes. Of course it made an

impression on me too, however I think it was magnified by her reaction. Naturally, as

a young person you desire those things your parents desire in order to please them, and

I think that has been in the back of my mind even as an adult, pulling me on.

Now, because of a flare up in the relationship, I'm questioning why I have spent

as much energy as I have trying to please mom (in general) when for the most part she has

little respect for me or for my accomplishments in any area as an adult (though

seems to feigns it). So to me I'm wondering if my interest in gymnastics is misplaced, or only

my desire to impress her. I'm not even sure of her feelings for me.

I enjoy the little that I can do, and want to feel more, though certainly do need

something to inspire me to go beyond ordinary efforts that are required.

If it's not going to be her approval, I'm not sure what it would be. The group here?

My self? I'm not sure that I care enough to do it myself for myself. I realise

doing it for others approval is not ideal though sometimes is a starting point.

So feeling somewhat demotivated at the moment. Anyone dealt with something

similar? Talk to her about it? Let it go? Not sure ... I don't want to mess up my head or

training with this stuff.

Personally with this kind of thing I've always found the best way to deal with this kind of thing is to step away from it for a while, a week or so, let your head clear and arrange your thoughts as best as you can and then go back and talk it over. This isn't always easy but it needs doing if you're to have a healthy relationship with someone, you can't let these things fester (for classic examples of what happens when you don't talk just turn on the tv when Springer is on).

Sometimes you do need to take yourself away for longer, last year I just couldn't train for personal reasons, after a few months of just stagnating I dropped everything and went travelling for a few weeks through Europe, undoubtedly one of the best experiences of my life and it really helped me put everything in focus again.

As for training motivation, mine is a large part vanity, but mostly its competition with my brother. Now a lot of people will say that my reasons for training are skewed and that I should be training to be healthy etc, but I've trained as best as I can for the past 6 months got some decent results and most importantly of all I enjoy it. Even if I find the actual training gruelling I enjoy the challenge and I enjoy thinking of how the strength I gain here will increase my ability in Climbing and other sports that I enjoy. My philosophy in life is to enjoy everything as best as I can and if I didn't enjoy training I wouldn't do it simple as.

Hope that is of some help

Yeah I think that is good advice, thanks bro.

Right now feels like a mini-explosion went off, and I should wait for the debris to settle.

Then try to comb through it and rebuild perhaps.

Too hot to touch right now, lol.

However, I will work out and see if I can clear my head a bit.

Competition with siblings also is part of the equation for me.

Somewhat silly, imaginary competition on my part but I can relate

to yours. The sports spinoff benefit is also an interest to me,

and feeling good is part of it, though I'd say I get better feelings

from playing sports and running than from gymnastics training

which is more stressful to me - though in a good way mostly.

This is just my two cents.....

We are all influenced by people around us and we all, to some degree, do or engage in certain things in life because we want the validation, respect, love of people around us whether they be friends or family. Sadly, some families and friends, for whatever reason in their own life, just can't give that love unconditionally. In my experience its usually because they are unable to give it to themselves. The person who cannot give respect and love usually has had a life where they never got love or respect from their parent/s or important people and is unable to give to themselves and in turn others around them. When i have been confronted by people in my own life who are very critical, unsupportive or disapproving - aside from being pissed off at first, it just makes me sad later. Because really it doesn't say anything about you, it says a lot about them. They are expressing their own hurt sadness, lonelyness in their behaviour. Feelings they have probably buried deep down and don't acknowledge. You could be perfect in every way and still probably would not earn the approval. Because in the end its not really about you at all.

In terms of those interactions effecting your interests and passions with gymnastics. My experience has been while a lot of the things we might do as human beings is initially sparked off by someone else around us, friend, parent ect people only really tend to stick with something long term if they actually enjoy it for themselves. If you don't enjoy for it yourself sooner or later you will give it up.

So really if you throw all the other thoughts out of your head the question is simple - do you enjoy doing gymnastics? if you do then keep having fun with it

I do it for the same reason i used to climb. i enjoy the feeling of my body moving through space.

Hope your feeling better about everything.

Thanks for your thoughts newguy. It bothers me that is people only offer to pay a penny for my thoughts

but it's so easy to get two cents worth for free!

Yeah what you say I agree with you for the most part.

Regarding the imputus for gymnastics it occured to me that I can consider that part of the relationship a gift!

It's not all bad otherwise, just a little rough right now.

In terms of enjoyment, It's not a pleasurable per se yet and I'm not sure it will ever be. But I enjoy working out in general, the fact it focuses me entirely and the feelings when it's done. Progress provides some

pleasure ocassionally but so I would say that something else is driving me primarily.

Not sure what, yet

Have been going at it for about a year, 1-2x week and probably need 3-4x to see serious progress.

That isn't always possible due to conflicts with other activities but a few more days a week,

even if it's just 15 minutes doing stuff would probably help. Upping the ante is something I'm aiming to do ...