Mental strength is an integral part of what we do here at WG-Fit.
Maybe that’s the reason I enjoy working with the guys from the local Mental Health centre. Much of the feed back I get from the guys I train talks about the non physical as much as they talk about strength gains and improved athleticism.
Right now I have a handful of guys all preparing for their first Kettlebell competition. The competition involves an unbroken 5 minute set of lifts, the person with the most reps, wins. The other day the guys did their first ever 5 minute test set and to a man they noticed that most of the battle wasn’t with the weights, but it was in their own heads.
This is not unusual, many events are won and lost even before the athlete even arrives at the venue.
There’s a great boxing anecdote about a British boxer travelling from London to a fight in the north of England. He never showed for the fight, apparently getting of the train and turning for home about halfway there. The story goes that he sent a message to his opponent that he lost the fight in Birmingham and got off the train in Manchester.
I guess the point I’m rambling towards us this, training the body is worthless unless you also train the mind.
In my youth I would fall apart at a Karate tournament, I was a great scrapper in the dojo, but as soon as I stepped on the mat my legs would fail me and my nerves would shatter. That is until I realised that I was missing the most vital aspect of training, the mental aspect.
Mental strength is built by facing challenges that make you nervous, that make you not want to face them and then doing it anyway. It’s the reason that every Special Forces regiment in the world will run you into the ground and then run you some more, they need to test your mental strength before building you physically.
And this is the key to true awesomeness.
The mind must come before the body. You cannot truly become awesome if you first won’t go places mentally and physically that are seriously challenging.
Every do something that kept you up for several nights prior to the event?
Every sign up for something that made your stomach turn even just thinking about it?
Ever see something through that you wanted to quit every step of the way?
No?
Then it’s about time you did.
Be it a marathon, an adventure race, a kettlebell comp, a power lifting meet or just some ridiculous challenge, it doesn’t matter. Just do it.
In doing so you will face Demons within yourself that will make you want to break down and cry. Will make you want to run home for a hug. Will make you want to stay in the comfort and warmth of your bed.
And in beating these Demons into submission and completing the task regardless you will become awesome.
Many gyms, Personal Trainers and websites try to sell you on weight loss and 6 pack abs.
Fuck that, appearance means nothing.
Performance is everything. And you’ll only perform if your mind is right.
Each of these women competed in the last Olympics.
Regards
Dave www.wg-fit.com