May all who enter through these arches find strength in their purpose, courage in their challenges, and joy in the journey ahead. Let these arches stand not just as a threshold, but as a promise — that beyond them lies a space where dreams are nurtured, voices are heard, and every soul is seen. May you leave here not only wiser, but bolder — ready to build, to uplift, and to lead with heart.
I thought it was appropriate to start off this message with a blessing. A blessing for all those who enter into the halls of Squat Rack Kingdom. For all of us familiar with these hallowed halls, we share a common bond. Here’s how sure I am that we are all brothers and sisters under the rack of squats. We know that a spot is not the name of the neighbor’s dog. We argue on how deep to go (Parallel is good enough versus A$$ to Grass). We all have a love/hate relationship with LEG DAY!!!
However, did you know that the Squat Rack mimics life and spirituality superbly? It is an amazing metaphor for both. How, do you say? That is a phenomenal question by an obvious person of greater than average intelligence.
Getting crushed by life
We’ve all felt the weight of life on our shoulders. It can be unbearable at times and weigh us down to the point of us being crushed under the weight of it all. Like dude in the below video. Our normal existence is the warm-up with no weights. Picture doing the 10-20 air squats before you decide to get under the bar. Just being born has its challenges before we start adding weights on the sides. Were you born wealthy, poor, black, white, male, female, etc. Your body weight that you’ve had to learn to squat first is no small feat. It warms you up for prime time. You’re warmed up now, and you decide you’re going to add the bar and some weights on top of that. Let’s say the bar is a new relationship. A new relationship is weight. You’re not just free to do whatever you want anymore. Now you have someone to take into consideration, someone that may rely on you for support, someone that you may rely on for support. You have to think before you do things and consider the other person. You can’t just drop down into the squat like before; you have to consider your form, your lower back, your neck, all that good stuff. Speaking of Protect Ya Neck.
Check out my fire neck protector for the bar. Hot Lava!!!
Anyway, back to adding the weights of life onto your bar. Let’s say the relationship fails. It was too much pressure. You’re looking like my man below in the video. You got crushed.
Life is whooping on fools.
What do you do now? Do you get back up? Do you go into another relationship, or did this crushing defeat put so much fear in you that you never truly get under that weight again? We all know life just gets heavier. If we don’t strengthen ourselves, it doesn’t get easier. Life will keep adding weight to the bar. It will add marriage, jobs, kids, death, health, and finances, just to name a few things. I’m sure you could add plenty more on top of that.
If I know you, which I believe I do. You don’t let life’s challenges win; you get back up every single time. We are warriors. We chose to enter into these reverential grounds. I, for one, learned to use a spotter when I’m putting on more and more weight. In life and in the gym. I have no hubris and no ego when it comes to getting gains. You know how when you need a spot at the gym. You’re not just looking for anyone. You’re looking for someone who you can be sure will pull the weight up off you when it gets too heavy. You’ll bypass many a person and sit there and wait until either that person notices you looking shook (meaning you’re not going to get back under that bar until you’ve found a spotter), or you find a person that fits the bill. In life, you may have friends who “Spot” you when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Friends are great for a spot. Here’s the thing that makes this spiritual. The whole time, whether you knew it or not. Jesus was back there spotting you the whole time. You were never lifting the weight on your own. I’ll paraphrase John 3:16
For God so loved the world of lifters, that he gave his only begotten son to spot you, so that you would not get crushed under the weight of sin.
Jesus is the ultimate 2 fingers or I’m barely touching it spotter. Real lifters know what I’m talking about here. The spotters who make you think you’re doing all the work, and they’re barely even helping you. It’s all you, you got it, good rep! Those spotters are the best. They make you feel amazing when you rack that weight back on. Like, I just killed it, and that spotter didn’t even have to do anything to help. I AM GAINS!!! You know that’s how we think, don’t even lie…
Anyway, be comforted that no matter how heavy this life gets. No matter if your friends aren’t feeling like working out. No matter if there’s no one in the gym of life who you feel could help you carry the weight at the moment. You’ll always have the original spotter
Hebrews 13:5
Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
Till Next Time, WatChaHealthyFo3 Anyway…