Tad, Mark, and Larry at The WorkoutHow
many times have you wanted to quit in the middle of a workout? What
keeps you from quitting? My guess is it has something to do with the
people around you. They are your biggest supporters as well as your
biggest competitors. Some people say that they just compete with
themselves, and that's fine. I don't know if I fully believe them,
though. Even if you know you'll be dead last or lifting the least
amount of weight, it's nice to know there are onlookers, fellow
sufferers, and you'll HAVE to finish and finish strong. That's a
natural inclination.
Who doesn't wanna be like Mike? If you aren't the strongest, you are inspired by the strongest, and if you ARE the strongest you wanna get stronger. Why? Because humans need growth and improvement to feel alive, productive. Without something to work towards, we'd be stagnant and bored. And everybody knows nothing's ever really frozen in time; you're moving up, or you're moving down. There is no limbo middle-ground "plateau" notion that some people cling to. There is no such thing as "maintaining" your physique/performance despite 24hr trainers' claims.
Back to character and groups: If you were to pick your mate or friend or just general people to surround yourself with, would you pick the whiny, complaining, weak little creaton, of little physical or moral stamina and fiber? OR the person that is strong, persistent, beastly, and always giving 100%? (and I say "beastly" as the highest compliment)
Yeah, that's what I thought. You would pick the animal that attacks her/his workouts like a chick on her cycle digs into a pint of ice cream. Mhmm. You wanna know why? Because the way you approach your workouts is telling of the way you approach life.
If you are positive, motivated, make every rep count, and consistently strive for excellence, chances are you're a successful little bugger and you see great gains in what you persevere in life. If you are supportive, charismatic, and lively in your workouts, you probably have that energy in groups and amongst your friends and family. If you flail, show your pain in every movement, and slog through the movements half-assed, often prone to quitting, I shutter to think what goes on outside the gym in your day to day life.
The good news if you can relate to the later and are starting to feel down: you have the power to change. It's all an attitude adjustment. Come in to your next work with as much vitality as you can muster. Set yourself up for success: get a full nights sleep, fuel yourself like the champ you are (no, that doesn't include Wheaties!), and hydrate properly. Find something that stokes and motivates you and share it with others. Look at the progress you've made thus far in your journey of pursuing health and fitness, and look at where you want to go. If it's a long road or a dim tunnel, ask for help. There are lots of brilliant minds here to help you out (no, I'm not referring to myself... all ya'all know a lot about human nature and getting through tough sh*t. And you all, sometimes unknowingly, help each other out and I get to witness this daily. It's pretty cool. Almost makes me want to cry, if i weren't so busy grinning like a proud parent.)
So, short story even shorter; Every workout is your very own personal symphony. You're the composer, conductor, and key players. You get to orchestrate every note, it's sweetness, tone color, dynamic, and potency. Make your symphony rock your own socks off. Chances are you'll inspire others, improve the quality of your own life, and maybe even make friends and influence other people (without hours of therapy and self-help books!). So Goodnight, and Good luck.
Who doesn't wanna be like Mike? If you aren't the strongest, you are inspired by the strongest, and if you ARE the strongest you wanna get stronger. Why? Because humans need growth and improvement to feel alive, productive. Without something to work towards, we'd be stagnant and bored. And everybody knows nothing's ever really frozen in time; you're moving up, or you're moving down. There is no limbo middle-ground "plateau" notion that some people cling to. There is no such thing as "maintaining" your physique/performance despite 24hr trainers' claims.
Back to character and groups: If you were to pick your mate or friend or just general people to surround yourself with, would you pick the whiny, complaining, weak little creaton, of little physical or moral stamina and fiber? OR the person that is strong, persistent, beastly, and always giving 100%? (and I say "beastly" as the highest compliment)
Yeah, that's what I thought. You would pick the animal that attacks her/his workouts like a chick on her cycle digs into a pint of ice cream. Mhmm. You wanna know why? Because the way you approach your workouts is telling of the way you approach life.
If you are positive, motivated, make every rep count, and consistently strive for excellence, chances are you're a successful little bugger and you see great gains in what you persevere in life. If you are supportive, charismatic, and lively in your workouts, you probably have that energy in groups and amongst your friends and family. If you flail, show your pain in every movement, and slog through the movements half-assed, often prone to quitting, I shutter to think what goes on outside the gym in your day to day life.
The good news if you can relate to the later and are starting to feel down: you have the power to change. It's all an attitude adjustment. Come in to your next work with as much vitality as you can muster. Set yourself up for success: get a full nights sleep, fuel yourself like the champ you are (no, that doesn't include Wheaties!), and hydrate properly. Find something that stokes and motivates you and share it with others. Look at the progress you've made thus far in your journey of pursuing health and fitness, and look at where you want to go. If it's a long road or a dim tunnel, ask for help. There are lots of brilliant minds here to help you out (no, I'm not referring to myself... all ya'all know a lot about human nature and getting through tough sh*t. And you all, sometimes unknowingly, help each other out and I get to witness this daily. It's pretty cool. Almost makes me want to cry, if i weren't so busy grinning like a proud parent.)
So, short story even shorter; Every workout is your very own personal symphony. You're the composer, conductor, and key players. You get to orchestrate every note, it's sweetness, tone color, dynamic, and potency. Make your symphony rock your own socks off. Chances are you'll inspire others, improve the quality of your own life, and maybe even make friends and influence other people (without hours of therapy and self-help books!). So Goodnight, and Good luck.
