Like everyone, sometimes I struggle to figure out whether the fitness item I want to buy is worth it. Will this item help me train to reach my goal or am I secretly hoping it will get me there by magic? Do I really need this thing or am I just trying to ‘buy’ fitness?
I have been on that fence for ages about two items for Taekwon-do – a rebreakable board and a ‘clapper’ pad.* My husband bought me both for Christmas. I was thrilled to receive them but I still felt a little weird about it for some reason. So I did what I usually do when I am getting on my own nerves – I turned on voice dictation and essentially journaled aloud into google docs.
After a lot of rambling, I ended up with two questions for myself.
Did I want both of those things because they were ‘cool’ or because I would actually use them?
Did a part of me think that I didn’t ‘deserve’ those specialized tools?
The first question, I realized, was about me reminding myself to commit to structured and specific practice for my kicks and punches. I could get behind that.
The second question made me mad. Was it possible that I had that thought buried deep in my brain somewhere? Was I falling victim to that kind of annoying thinking? You know, the kind that tells you that you can buy nicer gear once you earn it by reaching some external standard?**
And I do think there was a bit of that going on but now I’m pretty sure I have eradicated it.
Because, here’s the thing, sometimes you need the right tools to get a job done.
Sure, you can use a butter knife as a screwdriver but it is not nearly as effective.
You can roll out a pie crust with a cold glass but it’s much easier if you use a rolling pin.
You can practice spinning hook kick in the living room with a pillow but you won’t be able to tell if you have hit your target correctly.
You can punch any sort of practice pad in your rec room but you won’t be confident that, when the time comes, the board will break.
I can practice that punch and kick all I want in class but I still need more work at home. My challenges with the ‘choreography’ of the spinning hook kick and the jumping punch mean I have to do a lot of solo practice. If I have the right tools, I can do safer, and much more effective practice at home.
So, it’s not matter of me just wanting something because it is cool. And I certainly don’t have to ‘earn’ the right to practice effectively. Even all the overly-socialized parts of my brain can accept that.
Instead, I can consider these tools a good investment.
By getting the right tools for the job, I am showing myself that honing these techniques is something I care about. I am creating a good mental space for the practice ahead.
KIYA!
Are there any specialized tools for your sport or activity that you hesitated to buy? Was ‘deserving’ them a factor for you?
Did you ever get them?
How did they work out?
*I don’t know what it is actually called but there it is in the photo above. It is actually two pads stitched together on the narrow ends. When you kick the wider part, the two pads collide and make a VERY satisfying noise.
**I’m not referring to things you set up as rewards for reaching certain goals. That’s entirely different.
