So now that you finished your 3 months of hardcore, BACK TO THE GYM! or… dare I say… first time ( and recently obese/ffb/whatever word you like ). Do yourself a favor. Start from zero again.
Forget your old self, burn the pix, DELETE if need be. But ~ Start from zero.
Take a lot of pictures and say this is day 0. This is what I have to start with and go from there.
The scale will never be your friend. Muscle weighs more then fat when you look at the size ratio.
Never settle and you will never be disappointed in yourself.
Do it for yourself, not for anyone else.
Don’t ask for compliments, wait for it. ( if you don’t get them don’t be a baby, deal with it, train harder ).
If you can sit around for a full minute and stare at people, what are you doing at the gym. Starbucks is more comfortable for people watching.
Intensity means you push yourself so hard, your actively trying to breathe, your more focused on your heart slapping your body silly then the guy or girl next to you.
Remember this T-Nation highlighted quote, “What if you knew that you could not fail, what would you do”?
Finally, if you were with any T-Nation peer ~ how would you train in the gym?? Before a Nation, your Nation, to what lengths would you go to give of yourself?
Good luck, and enjoy the journey ~ for you take the road less travelled. ( Robert Frost )
The hardest fight in the gym will be with yourself.
The hardest fight at the dinner table will be with yourself.
The hardest fight is yourself ~
Overcoming yourself means, to suspend what you believe to be true, to find what you know WILL be true.
Train today so that tomorrow you will be more capable.
Motivational ::::::::
Surround yourself with positive people. There is no more a subtle poison then a friend that sabotages your drive.
Any music that makes you want to move or gogogo ~ put it on the mp3 player.
Have a pre-workout cd with music to stimulate your mind prior to workout (car ride)
If your a visual learner - Place inspirational images and/or pictures on your wall, and/or desktop wallpaper.
workout partners ( get to know people at the gym so you have a more personal attachment to the gym so it becomes a place that you find is a 2nd home )
I’m not saying have 5-10 minute conversations in the middle of your workout but there is no such thing as not having enough friends and acquaintances to spot you at any hour of the day.
Take pictures every 2 weeks or month of your progress.
Write down goals, look them over briefly upon waking and before you sleep
Watch Rocky 1 2 3 4 hmm skip 5 and 6 if you want.
Meditate 15-25 minutes a day on what your going to that day and what you want to accomplish and think about what is most important to you personally and what drives you. How do you want to live your life. How do you want to be remembered. What kind of impact do you want to be on friends and family.
For those with children or plan to have children. What if instead of showing them pictures from 20 years ago when they are teens, you can show them in person you at your peak. You living and enjoying life better then yesterday.
(I’d write a grandchildren note but I think one can interpret that for themselves if that applies.)
What would you give for one more healthy day to spend with them?
Practice inspirational self-talk.
Make it a way of life, a habit, much like washing your hands before a meal.
Have the fun that you wanted to have because you worked so hard!
Go buy some clothes that you feel sexy wearing and/or taking off ~
If your a movie buff, reciting speeches, putting the Patton speech on your ipod, watching 300, Braveheart, and other movies may be for you.
re : #7 → Not applicable to Strength and Power type lifters that require more rest for their training between sets.
hahaha ~ If your more of a strength guy it is understandable. The minute part was just an arbitrary number. Due to my experience watching people take over a rack,station, etc for prolonged periods of time. 5-10 minutes and having a conversation while a line gathers.
[quote]kinein wrote:
re : #7 → Not applicable to Strength and Power type lifters that require more rest for their training between sets.
hahaha ~ If your more of a strength guy it is understandable. The minute part was just an arbitrary number. Due to my experience watching people take over a rack,station, etc for prolonged periods of time. 5-10 minutes and having a conversation while a line gathers. [/quote]
Nod. When “working in” others will get 2-3 sets in sometimes before I even do two. It’s funny. I just say “I’m lazy.”
