Sometimes the most difficult part of training is not lifting weights, getting out of your comfort zone, or straining for those last few reps…It’s quieting the chatter in your head that can be the hardest part.
You’ve heard it before; “The Mind is a very powerful thing.”
It can work for you or against you.
“He who says he can and he who says he can’t are both usually right.” -Confucius
While this is a great quote to live by, it is not exactly what this article is about.
When talking about the power of the mind most people refer to your ability to convince yourself that you can do something or that you can’t do something. In this article I want to talk about your mind’s ability to distract you!
I remember a time when training (lifting weights) was the only thing I thought about. While in the military I was told what to wear, what to eat, when to eat, and where to be at what time. I was told to follow this list of orders, this schedule, and these duties.
I lived in the barracks so I didn’t have to worry about paying rent. I ate at the chow hall so I didn’t have to worry about buying food, what to eat, or when to eat because I knew the chow hall opened at 5am, 11am, and 5pm and I was going to eat whatever they served me. I didn’t have a girlfriend to worry about and I didn’t have children to take care of.
When I had free time all I wanted to do was go to the gym. For me, being at the gym was freedom. I got to decide what I wanted to do, how hard I wanted to push myself, and what I wanted to get better at. This was the only time in my schedule that I WAS IN CHARGE! There was nothing on my mind other than the current training session, the current set, the current rep. I was fully engaged and living in the moment. I didn’t worry or think about my job, my schedule, or any part of my life outside of the gym because I was a robot already programmed to do what I was supposed to.
Putting ALL my mental energy into training made me STRONG! I attacked every training session and gave it 100%. I was fully engaged in what I was doing and progress was continuous.
Fast forward a few years and you’ll find that my life has drastically changed. I went from not having to make 99% of my life’s decisions to making 100% of my life’s decisions. As a business owner I have to think about my business 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.
“Do I have enough money to pay rent, insurance, utilities, gym supplies, groceries, etc. this month?”
Emails, programs, videos, clients, and my daily To-Do list never ends. Even if I did catch up on everything I will still be left wondering what to do next.
“How will I continue to grow my business?”
“How can I better manage my business life and my personal life?”
These questions might be specific to my lifestyle but many of you have your own daily worries:
-Job stress
-School
-Families
-Bills
-Relationships
This article is not meant to be a pity party for me or you. I love my life and I wake up every morning motivated to create, move, and do more with my time on earth. I just want to illustrate life’s various topics that can create Clutter in our minds. This clutter will negatively affect your progress in the gym if you let it. You have to clear your mind. Having your mind wander during a training session can not only be unsafe, but it can negatively affect your performance as well.
There are so many things to think about during each rep;
-set-up
-bar path
-engaging the right muscles
-breathing
-tempo
-balance, etc.
Imagine a boxer sparring with his training partner while his mind was elsewhere. Not only is he going to get his ass kicked, he’s not making himself any better. Sure, he’s throwing punches but there isn’t much thought or meaning behind them. Imagine you were a boxer in the ring and that weighted barbell was your opponent. Clear your mind and be fully engaged.
Some people succumb to life’s stresses and quit training all together or put it on hold until “things slow down”. Whenever someone’s schedule becomes too hectic, training seems to be the first aspect to be thrown out the window. That’s not in my nature. I have to train. Training is a huge part of who I am. Not training will negatively affect every other part of my life. How can I help others get better if I can’t even better myself?
At the start of my adventure as an entrepreneur my training really took a nosedive because I was unable to clear my mind while I was training. Life’s “clutter” was negatively affecting my training sessions. I wasn’t making progress and it seemed like training was only bringing me down rather than picking me up and making me better.
I have since learned how to clear my mind during each training session and focus on the present moment. I don’t worry about anything else that’s going on in my life because it is time to train. This alone has helped bring back joy to my training and it has put progress back on track.
I have two options:
1.) Worry about all life’s problems/duties/obligations during my training session and have a crappy workout.
2.) Fully engage my mind in the current training session and have an awesome and productive workout.
Regardless of which option I chose, life’s problems/duties/obligations are still going to be there after my workout! So why not turn off my brain for 90 minutes, have some fun, train my ass off, and attack my workout. On a side note, I find that I am much more reasonable and grounded after my training session. This allows me to handle stress much more effectively. I feel like I am in charge of my schedule, not the other way around.
Here’s my challenge to you:
- Clear your mind before and during each training session.
- Do your absolute best to focus your mind’s energy on your training session.
- If outside thoughts come into your mind just brush them off and focus on your next set.
- Become a master of your mind.
- Be fully engaged in the moment.
- Before each and every set take a moment to focus all of your mental energy on this upcoming set.
- Imagine this set was the only thing going on in your life.
I would suggest mediating before your training session, listening to your favorite gym songs, or finding training partners that help you stay focused. Figure out what helps you clear your mind and focus on the task at hand.
You made it to the gym…WHY NOT MAKE THE MOST OUT OF IT?!
For those of you looking for some more motivation check out this video I created a couple of years ago!
TRAIN UNTAMED!
