Developing your mindset is as equally important as your physical training. Psychological development plays is an integral part in our training. How you mentally approach training will define your performance and achievement. What is your reason for showing up, fighting through and pressing on? Or do you just try to finish absentmindedly going through the motions.
Yesterday at the gym I noticed a novice weight lifter performing the dead lift. The name Dead lift implies the nature of the lift. Lifting weight from a dead stop. The dead lift when performed correctly can prove most valuable for improving strength and power in the legs, hips , shoulder, and hands. I watched in horror as this young man rushed through this important exercise incorporating the "bounce" technique when the weight hit the ground. Virtually eliminating the very reason to perform this necessary compound exercise. My question is why, why would you take the time to do the dead lift and then ignore the consequences for poor technique and the rewards for performing this lift with the correct measure. Why rush through your training at all. In my opinion you are heading down a road leading nowhere. I suppose you could say that something is better than nothing at all. Yes I suppose this is true. Running on a treadmill at the same speed and zero incline for 30 mins is better than sitting on the couch doing nothing at all. I feel however this is just misinformation. Having the right information and the right frame of mind will magnify your outcome in every facet of life.
Having the right frame of mind starts with your reasons why. What do you hope to accomplish. What are your goals.
Decide what you want .
Formulate a plan.
Do it.
In other words Dream it , Plan it , Do it. I have lived by this wisdom for the better part of a decade and it has paid enormously in every facet of my life.
So lets start with the goal. You say you want to get ripped, loose 10 lbs. That is your goal , what are you going to do about it. Well I am going to formulate a plan. I can start with nutrition. I am going to eat healthy food, lean meats, seafood, poultry, fruit, vegetables, berries , nuts and seeds. Stay away from starches and sugars. Do It! If this is my plan then it doesn't make sense to drink red bull to get psyched up to go to the gym. The only thing you should be drinking is water, maybe a little green tea or coffee on occasion. Eating healthy or eating what we are supposed to eat is a life style. It is a life long process. Not short term. I am not going to get ripped and then one year later go back to eating pizza, potato chips and drinking soda. I am going to continue to grow and educate myself about food.
The same goes for Training. Suppose your goal is to get stronger. I have a plan , I am going to lift heavy weights and eat right and I am going to get real strong. Then do not forget about the warm up. If you do not have time to warm up you do not have time to train. Spending a good twenty minutes in the gym going through a good dynamic warm up , focusing on good technique and getting the central nervous system primed and ready to go will help you achieve this goal. Ignoring it will send you limping to the sidelines with an injury that could take weeks or months to heel. Can not get stronger nursing a bad back or a pulled hamstring. Lets not forget rest and recovery. Are you sure you are getting enough sleep to ensure that your body is recovering. Are you certain that you are not pushing yourself too hard. Over training can be as bad as not training.
What about when you are in the middle of your competition what ever it is, or the most grueling work out you have ever committed to doing. Every cell in your body is screaming at you to stop, do less, slow down, give in and be more comfortable. There is this fight in you that keeps urging you on through the pain and discomfort, Why? You keep fighting.Why? You keep fighting. It starts in the mind.
How about having the ambition and the drive to just go to the gym. Why! Your why should resonate deep with in you . Your why should take over and pump through your veins, Let it drive you, power you. Let it take you to the very best that you are capable of.
Take the time to figure out what you want to achieve. Write it down. Just like writing your food intake down for a day. It is very surprising what you will not put in your mouth if you have to write it down. Formulate a plan. Write it down. Most of the time this is something that can not be done over night. Write something down. Step away for a day or two or a week even. Come back to it and finish it . Let your mind do the work. Dream it , Plan it , Do it.
Take it one step further and tell someone about it. Do not be embarrassed or ashamed no matter how silly if feels. You will be surprised at how much support you can generate from the people around you. You will be amazed at how much harder you will fight just knowing that someone else is aware of your goals. They will know if you are slacking or if you are kicking ass.
Dream it, Plan it, Do it
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