Stop Training in Fear

“Oh I don’t know if I can do that. It sounds too hard.”

That’s what she told me. I blinked, stared, and said:

“Well, good luck with your goals.”

And that was all.

It was the reply I received after having asked if she included deadlifts and squats into her leg routine.

What do you mean it’s too hard? You mean it pushes you past your comfort zone, causes you to challenge yourself, get under some pressure, go through some pain, sweat a little, and breathe heavier?

Gotcha.

It’s like no one knows how to train anymore. People are getting lazier and lazier. It may only be a 10 minute walk to the park, but heaven forbid they get off their ass to do anything more than get in their car. Then they pay $80 a month for a gym membership with all the trimmings, and use it to do a couple sets of leg extensions with 30 lbs. for ten thousand repetitions.

Not only is it useless, it’s mind-numbingly pointless.

And that just makes me wonder how many of us are actually willing to put ourselves through what it actually takes to achieve our goal physiques and fitness levels. Are you really training as hard as you think you are? Or is there still secretly some fear in the back of your mind?

Yes, busting out another 2-3 reps when it feels like you’re going to die on whatever exercise you’re doing is BRUTAL and it’s hard as hell, and you will look like a furious constipated bullfrog, but it’s worth it. And I assure you, you’re not actually going to die. However, you might progress.

This woman I spoke with didn’t like squats or deadlifts because they’re “hard”. Of course they’re hard. No one said they wouldn’t be.

But in order to become better, you have to outdo your previous best. You have to push your body harder than what it can normally handle, otherwise there is no reason for it to improve. Your body isn’t going to build muscle if there isn’t a need to. And it won’t lose weight unless you’re causing your body to work hard and draw the energy from fat stores.

Nothing in life is going to be handed to you for free, I guarantee you that. It’s hard, and it takes time. A lot of time. Also, it takes a shitload of work that you have to be willing to put in. If it was easy, everyone would be fit, rich, and sought-after. That’s not reality though, so it’s up to you whether or not you progress. You are the master of your fate, after all.

So when something isn’t working for you, you can either change it or you can choose to do the same thing over and over again and get nowhere. Just don’t come to me or anyone else for that matter, complaining that you’re not getting anywhere and then making an ass out of yourself by inadvertently admitting that you don’t work hard enough and are the one and only cause for your lack of progress because of your unwillingness to challenge yourself.

Just train right for once. Stop being so worried about over-training, over-working, and over-straining your muscles. Get under a fucking bar and lift it until you can’t anymore and then waddle home, eat some food, have some sex, and get a good night’s sleep.

Your body can handle more than you think it can. The more you limit yourself the less you grow.

/rant.

Here’s a picture of a cupcake: