I wanted to write this post as a reminder that you NEVER see results overnight!

Over 2 years ago, my boyfriend introduced me to Romanian deadlifts (RDLs), as I wanted to try something new.

I wanted to get stronger and be fully thrust into weight training, whilst forcing myself to start training in the ‘men’s area’ of the gym…

A place that always terrified me! 

It’s like being set free in the jungle, especially with the beastly grunting you can hear after the regular gym bro does the last rep of his final set before throwing his weights down on the floor with an almighty thud – IYKYK! 🙄

You get picture; I find it a scary place. 

But I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone, because I know that’s the place where you will find progress.

You can’t progress by staying in the same place or by being comfortable…

It’s just not going to happen.

When I first started, I couldn’t even do an RDL using just body weight. The form was totally over my head. 

I just didn’t get it!!

After throwing a paddy that I couldn’t do it, we paused and decided to revisit this exercise at a later date. 

As someone who likes a challenge and doesn’t like to be defeated, I just HAD to nail  this exercise! (Or at least give it my best shot). 

I don’t like NOT being able to do something so I had to figure this out, some way and somehow.

We started slow, working on the form and technique with just body weight. Once the penny dropped with this, we then started to introduce weights. We started with 6kg dumbbells, increasing the weight gradually as I got stronger, but also when I was more comfortable that my technique was getting better. 

Skip forward to now, two years later and I hit my latest PB of 60kg. 

People may think going from 12kg to 60kg in 2 years isn’t a lot. But it is to me, especially when it’s something I REALLY struggled with. (Also not to mention that I only go to the gym twice a week, and I would train lower once a week. So that’s 52 times in a year if I committed to going EVERY week, to put it in perspective!).

Progression is not a race. 

It’s something that you need to pace yourself with. You have to learn to be patient and understand that it is a journey; it’s not something that will happen overnight.

So please don’t compare yourself to others that may seemingly be winning at life at an incredibly fast pace. (Easier said than done, I know!).

You don’t see EVERYTHING that someone goes through, especially on social media. You are simply seeing a highlight of their life and journey. Where everything looks like rainbows and sunshine. 

A lot of people don’t document their struggles or when their progress seems to plateau, as that’s not deemed ‘exciting’ enough for social media.

But it is real and it does happen!

It is the raw reality and it’s something we need to see MORE of.

If you’re trying to progress with something…

And you feel like the progression is hindering, so you’re worried that you’re not going to get anywhere, let my story be a reminder to you.

I struggled with RDLs just body weight and now I can do 60kg. 

It took two years but I did it.

And you CAN achieve your goals too. It requires perseverance and a whole heap of patience; but stay with it, stick at it and ALWAYS see the end goal.

Visualise yourself getting there! 

It could take you two years, it could take you ten…

It doesn’t matter the time period. 

What matters most is that you give it a go and see results, regardless of how long it takes you. 

You’ve got this! 💪