When you are building a better body, growth is crucial to the process.
If you’re not growing, you’re either declining or staying stagnant. And let’s be real, nobody who chooses those options ever achieves anything worthwhile. To guarantee you build a better body, you must do two things.
1) Face Your Fears
Doing something that scares you is a major key to making progress. It’s the difference between moving forward and going nowhere fast.
Fear holds many lifters back. It could be the fear of failure or looking bad in the gym. These lifters struggle to build muscle and strength because fear dictates their actions. This mindset is limiting.
Take Charley Chest, who’s been doing 60lb dumbbell bench presses for 12 weeks. He’s never tried to increase the weight or reps. It’s no wonder he hasn’t added any beef to his chest.
Or Harry Half-Squat, who’s been doing partial squats for nine months. He’s afraid to squat properly because it means he’ll have to squat into the bucket and work hard. His fear has cost him real results, and his legs still look like pipe cleaners.
Fear drives these bad decisions, but I urge you to embrace the fear. It will change how you think and look.
The most fearsome thing I’ve done during my lifting career was the Lunges of Death. For months, the thought of doing it made me queasy. Even sleeping was difficult.
When the day to do the challenge arrived, I was terrified. Yet, as I fought through and completed the Lunges of Death, something magical happened. The fear turned into an “anything is possible” mindset. As your mind progresses in that way, you’ll start to see life differently.
I challenge you to do something in the gym that scares you this week. Use a heavier weight or try a move you’re bad at. Whatever you do, I want you to feel a little nervous before you perform it. By overcoming fear, you’re priming your body and mind for extreme growth.
2) Break Free From The Box
The box is comfortable, but it’s also where most lifters stay stuck. If you stay within the box, you’ll never build a better body. To maximize your gains in physique and performance, you must think outside the box with your training.
Who cares if most people at the gym use machines? Now’s your time to master barbells, dumbbells, and old-school workouts. They build muscle, strength, and mental toughness.
Who cares if most people at the gym go through the motions? This is your time to train with intensity, passion, and purpose. Who cares if most people at the gym waste time in the “cardio” section? This is your time to hit the track, learn how to sprint, and increase your athleticism.
Staying in the box limits your potential. Stepping outside the box brings challenges but overcoming them will make you unstoppable.
Conclusion
Once you step outside the box, you’ll undergo a dramatic change, both physically and mentally.
I’ll holla you next time.
The People’s Trainer,
Fitman
