Embarrassing - Crying in frustration!

eminenz2

eminenz2

Cathlete
Have you ever been so frustrated with your workout that it's brought you to tears?

I swear, sometimes I get so angry when I can't do that last rep, or those 3 more seconds of planks, or a full body pushup or the entire blast and cheat the last four reps! I just lost it. It happens very rarely, but gosh, sometimes the tears just pop out in frustration!

Last night I was doing Step, Jump, and Pump and I was in the home stretch. I was doing (or not, actually) the straight arm planks where you have to pick up one leg, move it to the side, and then back again. I swear I had just about had it. One more! One more! One more! she kept saying. Again! Do it again! The sweat was dripping, I was tired, my concentration was wavering, I had laundry to fold and dirty dishes in the sink. I sank to my knees in defeat and cried. I couldn't help it! I completely missed the side plank thingies that followed - my tank was empty - augh! If I had just kept it together, I could have done the side plank stuff and been done with it.

OK, I'm really not a crybaby, but am I the only one who blubbers sometimes?

Thanks for letting me vent!

Susan L.G.
 
Nope, has never happened with me. With me, I think it's all about expectations. I'm just so happy that I've been sticking with a fitness regime for over five years now... that if I can't do that last rep, or whatever, I don't sweat it. (It's like a pot throwing class I'm taking. The teacher says I'm such a happy student because I'm always delighted with anything I do that comes out of the kiln. I tell her it's because I'm amazed that I can even do this stuff at all... guess I sometimes don't have very high expectations about my own ability!!:) ) So don't be upset when you can't do that last plank... be happy that you're doing it at all!!
 
Susan - I haven't cried "yet", but I can't promise my language has always been clean while doing a Cathe workout! ;) I do get REALLY mad at myself when I cannot complete all of the reps, but I am working hard on being happy that I am at least working out.
 
Dittos Liann's comments....crying for me is usually when I have frustrations with other people. The older I get the less time I spend responding to mean people and the more I hold it in. That is frustrating to me...

I blame it on the hormones! :)
 
Aw honey, you are very demanding of yourself! Cathe does this for a living, has done it for well over 20 years, has the camera cut off during takes so she and the gang can recoup, do retakes...and even SHE gets out of breath...somewhere in your nogging, you are feeling like you are a failure if you haven't held the plank - lots of us are recovering perfectionists......remember, perfectionists are ALWAYS failures - because NOTHING is ever perfect! You did a workout that most athletes would feel knocked out from...you did a great job! Its only into my 40's that I realize I don't HAVE to kill myself, don't WANT to kill myself, and am not GOING to do it anymore (ok, knees and shoulders aside as I prance around the step).....and ENJOY - and TAKE a break, you went to your edge, and that's what you are supposed to do!
 
I used to get really upset with myself, but then I remind myself that if I've worked to the point of exhaustion, then I've done a great workout. No matter what. I always wind up cutting something out of the workout. Usually it's the leg lifts (is that what they're called?), where they use the high step, because I don't have one. Yet, I've still gotten SO much out of all of the workouts. Sometimes, if I have to cut it short, like you did with the planks, I'll go back later and do them while watching TV so I know that I did them. I also remind myself that a lot of the skinny stars I see interviewed on TV say that they only work out two or three times a week, so I know that cutting one of my SIX workouts short that week isn't that big of a deal. (Mind you, it's been a long time since I did six workouts in a week -- the holidays killed my workout schedule.) Don't be too hard on yourself. Guilt leads to burnout. I've found that out from personal experience. You're doing great!!!!
 
Yes, yes I've cried in frustration...over STEP workouts! Unlike you, I wasn't overwhelmed with other work that was awaiting my attention, and I wasn't lacking in concentration -- I just couldn't do it! I can't get it, no matter how hard I try. I'm a klutz who gets all turned around and confused, and I trip all over the place. I tried and tired and tried and I just.can't.do it. I finally forgave myself and moved on to other forms of cardio that don't fill me with so much dread.

But {{{{{HUGS}}}}} to you and I'm sure you'll bang out those planks on your next go round!
 
I have definitely cried when exercising - but primarily in more hard-core cardio workouts. I've cried for sure in spinning classes, when I first started trying to do it. It was so hard. I also used to try to run (when I lived near a park), and when I first started and couldn't do it well I would cry. I am monumentally hard on myself when it comes to that kind of stuff. This is why I don't do Cathe's step workouts. They are way too frustrating. Luckily, I haven't had that problem with weight training. That particular challenge I really enjoy. The only time I've ever cried not being able to do, for example, push-ups (yuck), it if I'm over-tired to begin with. I've found that on those days, I need to do an easier workout - or sometimes no workout at all. Then hit it hard the next time. Know that we all have frustrating days - they are just part of the cycle. If a certain type of exercise always is a problem, maybe find a different type of exercise. If it's just a particular move, or a bad day, just move past it and get it bettter next time. Hang in there!
 
The first time I tried to do Step Blast I just sat down on the step and cried. I was soooooo frustrated and I couldn't get it. I couldn't do it physically and I couldn't get the choreo.

Just keep at it. The more you do it, even if "imperfectly," the better you will get and pretty soon you will sail through the workout.

Step Blast is now one of my favorites and I can do it easily with no mistakes. So, please just keep at it, and soon you will have it down!!!
 
I haven't cried but I've been rather upset and/or discouraged with myself. Sometimes I need to step back and remind myself that my fitness journey, for lack of a better term, is not a competition. It's not about what someone else can do, it's about improving myself and yes, Cathe devotes her life to fitness. I just squeeze in an hour six days a week before I go off to my desk job. So Susan, keep it in perspective and don't lose focus of what really matters.
 
No, I've never gotten that frustrated. I just know that it takes time to build up the endurance and if I don't get it this time, I will eventually. It doesn't negate all the hard work I've just done. And really, sometimes when I get to the end of a workout, or near the end, I just say "eh...I'm done" and don't actually finish the last few minutes.

I do, however, get close to tears of frustration when playing a video game and can't get past a certain level.
 
I do cry (also scream and curse at the instructor and grit my teeth) when I'm trying to do a new step workout and the steps are complex and/or the cueing is not good. I appreciate what some others have said about that whole perfection thing being counter-productive, and I'm trying now to recognize that point of frustration that I used to push through, but now when that feeling of wanting to scream hits me, I'm going to just quit and come back to the choreography another day. I do tend to want to get every workout done perfectly even the first time through. However, it has made me very very grateful for instructors who are clear, cue perfectly, and give you time to set up your equipment between exercises, those instructors will continue to get my business because it makes the workout so much less frustating.
 
<<Have you ever been so frustrated with your workout that it's brought you to tears?>>

Yes indeedy I have, and I've learned to stop before I get to that point again.

My workouts are supposed to make me feel good and energized. When I can't complete a workout or I'm not doing as good as I think I should, I back off a little or stop early. I give myself a pat on the back and tell myself, "Good job. You really tried." THE END.

Fortunately, this doesn't happen more than several times a year, so I must be doing something right.
 
I've been there. Usually, (and not very often) it's a day when other stressors are becoming overwhelming and like you I'm thinking of all the other things I need to do.

I remember the first time I did PUB-I thought I was doing so good, but I was getting really tired, and then the abs section hit. I forced myself to do the first couple of sets with the mindset of just getting through it, then, she makes us do jack-knifes! I was sooo mad and sad and frustrated, the tears just welled up.

But, we all do harder stuff than a lot of people realize is even out there, so cheer up and be gentle with yourself. There's always better days.
 
This is actually a bit spooky...I did Step Jump and Pump yesterday also. And I also was having trouble with the planks at the end. Normally I can get through them (just barely ;) ) But I couldn't do it. And I was frustrated. So I modified to my knees and held the plank there until she got to the side planks, and by then I had recovered enough to do the side planks, although it wasn't pretty.

It can be very frustrating to not be as "perfect" as we'd like. I do my best to not let it get to me. I'm never going to be as strong or as thin as Cathe (or many of the other amazing ladies here on this forum). And it does get me down sometimes. But working out should be fun, so I try not to dwell on it. I have good days and bad days. I hope your good days outnumber your bad ones too!
 
Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! I don't feel so bad now.

Although I try to be kind to myself, sometimes I forget and get carried away.

Tonight IMAX3 was on the agenda according to my adjusted version of the January rotation. It was late - almost 9:20 before I even got to putting the DVD in the player. I though, "I'll just do 1-5, and then I can cool down." Then when I got to five I thought, "I'm just going to 10:00 and then cool down." When I got to 10:00, I said, "Well, I'm already done with 8, there's only 9 and 10 left, so I might as well finish it up."

And I did. :)

Thanks again everyone!

Susan L.G.
 
Good for you! :) I do that too...make a deal with myself to just do half, and most of the time my second wind kicks in and I make it through the whole thing.

My legs are STILL sore from those low-end lunges in SJP the other day. I think an upper body workout is in order today ;-)
 
Interesting question. I've never cried during a Cathe video, but I did lose control of my bladder once while doing MIC. Granted that was many many years ago, but I still remember as though it happened yesterday. How humbling.
 
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