Certified Crybaby to Certified Instructor

I can remember it so clearly -- it was sophomore year of college and Rob had gotten sucked into an infomercial and bought P90X.  He was about 30 days into the program and asked me to do a workout with him.  My fitness back then pretty much consisted of walking to and from class so I'm not sure why but I said yes.   I agreed to doing the shortest video -- Ab Ripper X.  There has never been a truer workout title!  Those 15 minutes were absolute torture and I couldn't even do half of the moves.  I am not exaggerating when I say that three days later I still could not even sleep at night because I was so uncomfortably sore.



I HATED Tony Horton.

But it's easy to look back on it now and realize that my hatred for Tony Horton was really just a cover for how uncomfortable I was with myself.  I hated being so out of shape.  I hated being so sore from a tiny workout.  I hated that I wanted to be healthy but not enough to actually stick to anything.  I desperately needed to hear what Tony was saying but I didn't want to so I took offense to everything he said.  I pretended my problem was with HIM when it was really with myself.



On Sunday, seven years after that infamous Ab Ripper X workout, I officially became a certified P90X Live instructor.  WAIT...WHAT?!  I know, sometimes I have to pinch myself to believe it too!  I am a complete and total convert, and total proof that it is never too late to change your path.  I think Tony Horton is the man, I'm currently doing P90X3 all the way through at home, and I absolutely love love love P90X Live.  This weekend really solidified that I am not the same girl I was back then and that I can do anything that I put my mind to.   The last year has not only transformed my fitness and nutrition but has completely transformed my confidence. 



I signed up for this training on a whim.  I was loving P90X3 at home so when I saw that a P90X Live instructor training was coming to Alabama, my heart said DO IT.  In case you aren't familiar, P90X Live is a total body workout inspired by moves from P90X, P90X2, and P90X3 but designed to be done in a group class setting.  Instead of being a home workout with different workouts for each day, it has a little bit of everything - cardio, strength, core - built into each workout.   Signing up was totally out of my comfort zone but as all those old fears started creeping in, I reminded myself of all the incredible things that have come from saying "yes" before I was ready.  I love this quote from Nelson Mandela: "I learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it."  It's so true!  Even on the drive to the training, I kept thinking "Can I really do this?  What if I fail?  What if I'm not good enough?" but instead of buying into those self-limiting beliefs, I just committed to trying my best.



Turns out, my best was enough!  The training itself was great!  It was held at a gym in Montgomery, Alabama and while I didn't know a single person, everyone was super friendly and willing to take me under their wing.  In the morning, we learned about the design of the class and the logic behind it and then did a workout through completely.  I was on a total endorphin high after the workout!  We talked strategies for reaching all levels in the class, form, and technique.  In the afternoon, we broke up into small groups and practiced teaching and cue-ing different sections.  Later, we paired up in another set of small groups to teach the workout through in sections.  Needless to say, by 5pm my legs were completely burned out...in the best way possible, of course!

I left the day feeling so accomplished and proud.  If I went back in time and told that girl struggling to do crunchy frogs that not only would she be able to do them but that she would be certified to teach P90X Live classes, she would have never believed me.  But here I am and I can't wait to continue to prove my old self wrong!

Want to try out P90X or P90X3 FOR FREE for 30 days?!  Check it out HERE!