Get Your Mind Right!

Don't touch that bar til you get your head in it! That was my lifting partner's famous mantra before spotting me in a heavy set. He was teaching me to harness the power of my mentality in preparing to crush a difficult set. Lifting weights is the process of building a physique by training your mind. Pushing your body to its limits will never be easy and is not supposed to feel good, but by training the mind how to respond you can effectively shut out the pain and narrow your focus to only the task at hand. For a bodybuilder the time between sets is a lifetime. What happens in this period, which can be as short as 30 seconds, can mean the difference between fighting until failure and simply going through the motions. This time is your opportunity to put things in perspective. Rather than using it to boast to your buddies about your predictions for the next Mr. Olympia, try narrowing your focus to one simple thought pattern. Only think about the driving force that drove you to the gym. What is it you want to accomplish? Are you here to set a good example for your kids? Are you here to look good at the beach? Are you here trying to earn that first callout on stage? Hold an image in your mind of not only what you want to look like, but also who you want to be. I am a firm believer that exercise in any form can not only build bodies, but also character. As the seconds tick by in anticipation of the next exercise, gradually build up the correct mindset. Search for some fuel for your fire. If it is a positive goal focus on what it will feel like to be in that moment of triumph. If you are fueled by pain, remember how it stung when you were hurt or disappointed. Once you find those thoughts that push you over the edge, hold them in clear focus. While still in this frame of mind count the last few breaths before you go to war with yourself. This technique is the best way to begin creating a strong mental foundation. These mental calisthenics can have two equal and opposite effects. They can add intensity to your self-belief and confidence when coming from a place of positive ambitions, or they can give you a feeling of control and power over the pain and frustration you hold inside.

When I first began bodybuilding I used the weights as an outlet for aggression. I was in a place in my life where I hated who I was and where I was headed. It might sound dramatic to say the iron changed my life, but it did. For the first time in a long time I felt like I liked that man in the mirror. The pain and struggle that haunted me became strength and swagger. Motivated, by who I wanted to be I changed the path for the rest of my life. I hope to pass on the gift that I discovered. Stay true to your goals and to yourself. Use whatever life throws in your way to be a better person. In those passing moments before the work begins get your mind in it and look ahead to the image of what you will become!

#philosophy #motivation #preparation #mentality