Do You Need Help?

Yesterday at the gym I decided to lift heavy.  I “piled” on the plates onto the bar.  I was setting up to do bench press.  I scrolled through my playlist to find the song that was going to get me through the set.  I closed my eyes and mentally prepared myself.  I looked in the mirror and psyched myself out.  I stretched my chest and did some shoulder rotations to prepare my body.  I lay back, took a deep breath, grabbed the bar, lifted it up, struggled to keep the bar even on the way down while I was shaking.  It was probably a split second before a guy came over and lifted the bar for me.

I was embarrassed.  I felt pathetic.  I couldn’t believe I needed help.  I thanked the man.  I apologized to him for having to help me.  He said to me, “It’s no problem – I always need help”.  I realized at that moment how strong he looked for saying that.

Do You Need Help?

We think we can do it all on our own.  We think that is being strong.  Who knows if I would have been able to push the bar back up.  It was clear to the guy next to me that I needed help even though I didn’t ask for it.  I might have hurt myself if that guy wasn’t there.  Then how strong would I be?  Apparently I needed help even though I didn’t think so.

Do you need help?