THE SECRET TRAINING TECHNIQUE TO SUPERCHARGE PROGRESS

Wouldn't it be nice if any article ever named like this made true on it's promise? The thing is, I'm sure no one is truly too naive to think that there is this special hack that will solve all their problems and be the difference between mediocrity and the big leagues. At least not in their heart of hearts. I mean, in the more vain and neurotic days that characterized most of my youth, I would fall victim to these headlines all too often. I just never wanted to settle for the truth that was staring me in the face. The truth that there are no shortcuts, quick-fixes, or hacks that change everything and transform you or your body overnight. The only reason I'd failed to make a significant change was because I refused to actually take it upon myself to do the things I knew I needed to do. For me, that wasn't training. I trained enough, I was in the gym more days than not. It was what I failed to do outside of the gym that really shorted my progress. Nevertheless, I refused to accept that the lack of biceps, the lack of significant strength increases, the increase in waist line, or just the static image staring me in the mirror day in and day out was due to it. Training, for me, is the easy part. It's all the stuff I needed to do outside the gym that was hard. I didn't want pack on the protein, I didn't want to avoid sweets, I didn't want to track my intake, I didn't want to make a goal or a plan. I just wanted to work hard for that hour or two every other day and then resume my regular lifestyle. I basically wanted a vacation from normalcy, but didn't really want to depart it. Of course I knew most of these bodybuilding articles, or state-of-the-art training programs were lies. But spending most of my time researching the latest training techniques, or what the pros were doing, or the newest supplements, was a small price to pay when the alternative was boring and repetitive.

There's no getting around it.

There's no getting around it, if you want to make a significant behavior change so you can lose weight, or gain strength, or run a marathon, or anything else you've set your mind to, you have to accept it. You have to accept that half the time you're not going to want to do it. Starting a new routine is exciting, it's exhilarating, the promise of success, your vision for the future materializing, these are all things to keep close to your heart. But the feeling will fade, you will have days, weeks, and months where it just seems like its all in vain. You will have days, and it will same like you only have these days, where the couch and Netflix are the only thing you want. You will rationalize having a cheat day or skipping a scheduled workout "to boost recovery." This is why you need a plan and you need to STICK TO IT. Sure, life happens and there will be emergencies or late days at work that seem to derail things, and these are fine you can adjust for that. But when everything is going peachy, and you just want to indulge a little, this is not okay, this is when you have to sit down and reflect. This is why I have my goals written down. I have a small essay written for each goal I want to accomplish so that future me can discuss with the motivated past me and redouble his efforts. When you write your goals (hopefully SMART goals), make sure you write at least a few sentences about WHY you want to do it in the first place. Because trust me, you will forget, or you may even stop caring about it if you don't.

Or maybe you're like one of my trainees who seems to have an endless supply of motivation and is just a well-spring of joy. If that describes you, consider yourself excused :) from these demands.

Until next time.