Your Problem is that You’re Trying Too Hard!

Your Problem is that You’re Trying Too Hard!
Written by Lalo Torres

You know those people who hop on the rings, swing themselves up, and somehow make the ugliest muscle-up happen? Like wtf. How are they getting muscle-ups with horrible form while you have diligently practiced good form and patiently worked on building your strength? What gives? 

Well, I definitely do not suggest skipping on all of your technique work and strength building…but there might be one key component that you are missing that chicken wing muscle-up guy has. 

You are trying too damn hard. 

It is great to have expectations with oneself. It is great to have a plan and follow that plan, but sometimes when we follow our perfect plan to the T, we create another problem. And that problem is called tension. 

Chicken wing guy probably isn’t thinking about, well, anything when he is doing his muscle-up. He just moves his body from the bottom of the rings to the top. Simple. While he definitely needs to work on some techniques to be more efficient, what he doesn’t have is what you also need to get rid of. Tension. When we are loose, when we let go of the tension in our bodies, we become fluid and are actually able to move. Some of us are more prone to holding tension in our bodies, and we store that tension in different places. Do a quick body scan. Are your shoulders up to your ears? Is your jaw clenched? Does your back feel incredibly tight? Do your hip flexors feel like two rigid poles? 

To get your muscle-up (or other skill like snatching), you have to release that tension. You have to be fluid and move like an athlete. The best example of a fluid athlete is a dancer. And while you might think, “Well, I can’t dance,  so I’m hopeless…” think again. Most of the time, those who “can dance” are the ones who are having fun and not over-thinking. They move with their bodies, they don’t try to move their bodies. Too philosophical for ya? Think of it like snatching. When you snatch, you are not diving under the bar; you are actively pulling yourself under the bar. 

So when it comes to muscle-ups and gymnastics, yes, you need to be tight and hold your positions, but you also have to know when to be fluid and dancer-like. 

You can’t be fluid if you are tense. Tension can derive from stress or pain in the body (not exclusive from one another, btw). So maybe, in order to be fluid enough to get your muscle-up or snatch…you need to CHILL THE F OUT. Don’t take it so seriously. Yes, your goals are important, and holding yourself accountable to the process of achieving your goals is important too, but it is also imperative to recognize when you are too rigid with the process and when you are holding too high of expectations on yourself. So loosen up. Literally. 

Here are some ways to release tension and to loosen up before you workout. 

Bounce 
Bouncing up and down allows the body to recover actively: the automatic tensing and relaxing of muscles promotes blood circulation and oxygen supply and increases your general wellbeing. The muscles are loosened, the joints get lubricated, stress is reduced gently without having to do anything else. 

Laugh
Find a funny video, talk to a funny person. Do something to make you laugh! Laughter can alter dopamine and serotonin activity, which can help you loosen up.

Breathe
I feel like I always talk about this, but it’s because still, people are not breathing optimally. Breathe in and let that sh** go. 

Have Zero Expectations
Having low expectations does not mean you don’t care; it just means you have more room for improvement, and it gives you more room to celebrate every win you have throughout the process. When we celebrate our wins, it motivates us to keep showing up and to keep practicing. This consistency will inevitably contribute to your goals.