Self-described "Little Giant" Gary Berenbroick
Note from Josh: Gary also wrote my favorite guest piece on WSL. It’s got a video of him struggling with Narcolepsy. Check it out here if you’re interested.
by Gary Berenbroick, RKC II
I have three pieces of partially bent steel on a windowsill in my gym. Adam sent them to me last year with some leather wraps. They’re thick, strong and seemingly impossible to bend, even with a vice. Yet they are bent and they were bent by a human being. I keep them there to make two points to myself and my clients. Human beings have a capacity for great strength and that strength can be built through persistent, perfect practice.
Looking at that window, people may have one of three thoughts.
I’ll never be that strong.
I can do that one day.
I may not ever do that but I can progress like he did.
Looking to other’s accomplishments to measure your progress can result in the two extremes of self assessment. Over inflation or deflation of the ego will arise depending on who you are measuring against. Either one will stunt progress. The I’ll never be that strong people will spend a lot of time frustrated and defeated always failing to meet other peoples goals. Even though it seems like a different attitude, the I can do that one day people may actual leave the gym in the same state. They too are chasing other peoples’ goals.
Not so small
As a small man among giants I’ve had to accept that an extra fifty or so pounds will result in more strength. It’s actually become an asset. My ego doesn’t feel compelled to push towards something that is currently out of reach for me. I watch these giants and I am awed by them. I also am inspired by their strength. I am inspired by them because I know they were not born like this. They trained for it. They improved over time. If I can become stronger, move better or more often I can consider myself in the same class.
I’ll never be that strong is an outright admission of defeat and I can do that one day could be an expression of overconfidence. I may not ever do that, seems like an admission of defeat and would be without the but.
But I can progress like he did, adds to the statement an empowering declaration of potential. The entire statement is true humility, an honest assessment of one’s ability and potential for that ability to increase.
When I look at those bars I think something different. I think, Adam Glass is f*(&ing amazing. Then I get to work.
I am not there, may not get there but I can move in that direction.
Next time I will talk about how this attitude helped me come back from a nasty hand injury.
About The Author:
Gary Berenbroick is a Level II RKC certified kettlebell instructor. He works with people of all ages and athletic abilities in Suburban Philadelphia. His blog Kettlebells4u chronicles his adventures with narcolepsy, recovery from a mishap with electric hedge clippers and trying to be as strong as his little body and sleepy brain will let him. He believes and has shown that anyone can start strength training.
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{ 20 comments }
Keen post Gary, i particularly like the coupling of “I can’t do that/I CAN do that too” Right on the head man.
I am looking forward to your rehab story, lets get it up sooner then later people need to know what happened to you.
ATG
Did you just use the word “keen” Adam? I think Josh hacked your account and he’s pretending to be you.
Thank you and the story will be delivered by 1730 EST today.
I’ve never used the word keen. I’m not sure who you’re thinking of Gary.
I have been known to use “Keen”
surely better than my other top descibers- “fuck face” “Fuck yeah” and “fucking awesome”
Your above article is known as “fucking awesome” so now you are certain it is I.
And I don’t use any of those. The mystery is over.
Great article when you believe you can do anything you want you can. I was once told I never walk or play hockey again worst then that they moved nerves in my elbow because I shattered my humerous bone from shoulder to tricep, 8 months it took to get it to move never did i believe a word the doctor said he was like elevator music in my ears telling me I was paralized in my left hand and I was . I looked at it every 5 minuets and it never moved,, I cared about one thing playing hockey I had 1000 stiches in my face but I was lucky because I was alive. No one could tell me different I would be back on the ice in sept it happened in feb I played so much nintendo hockey on bed rest my wrist and thumb came back. Put your mind on something and tighten up the goggles and get to work and you can do anything. I’m not saying for any other reason but to show the capabilities of the human body. Someone tell josh he cannot do something or he is will not change the world and he will do it twice. Tell adam he cannot do something ,and try and keep a straight face. If they the can do it we all can do it and they will help us These guys are my heros because they are real life warriors!
hockey is amazing, way to kick ass… its my main motivation for training at the moment
christian good luck with that keep up the great work
was it Blades of Steel?
that’s an awesome comback Mike, hand injuries are brutal
are you 100% now?
It’s interesting, realizing that almost every expert or master or prodigy we’ve ever seen has a knack for training in what they love…10 year rule – yeah, even mozart did it.
Darryl,
The 10 year rule and 10,000 hour rule will soon be quite a bit shorter
when we prioritize how we practice over what we practice.
fF
I would hope so. Everything I’m coming up with in the University seems to assume that the training we do now is all good and dandy – motor learning, kinesiology, etc. Doesn’t seem to float my boat so to speak with what I currently know and what you’re also teaching me.
By the time my son was six weeks, both of my thumbs and index fingers would go numb and I had no ROM in my wrists without pain. Adam sent me an e-mail and within an hour I was fine. A week later I stopped wearing the wrist braces at night.
Movement got me into pain quickly, movement got me out of pain quickly.
love ya buddy, you know who to call when you need to get fixed
Gary, well done.
Know that you’re better every day…
and your best is getting better everyday, too.
fF
thank you Frankie
One of my favorite sayings (I can’t remember where I picked it up, but it was probably a music teacher from my distant past) …
It doesn’t matter where you start.
It doesn’t matter where you end.
What matters is that you continue to progress.
Kira, I think I said that to you. Sounds like the geniusy sort of sound bytes I’m always providing people with. Think hard before you disagree!
if you throw “keen” in there it sounds just like Josh
I like that Kira, it put a big smile on my face
Ha! Happy to credit the phrase to you