Tag: mindset fitness

Cortisol and Building Mass

Cortisol and Building Mass

There are many reasons why your muscles won’t grow or why your muscle growth is lacking. One main culprit for your muscle tissue to in a catabolic and not in an anabolic state is the stress hormone called cortisol. This stress hormone, cortisol, is produced by your body when you are under stressful situations.

Yes, any type of stress, whether they are mental stress, physical stress or just emotional stress will trigger off an increased in the production of cortisol hormones. A high level of cortisol is always a bane for bodybuilders and that in itself, is creating more stress.

When you exercise or especially weightlifting body building exercises, you are placing a tremendous stress on your body. This in turn will cause the cortisol hormone in your body to rise to unacceptable level which may destroy your muscle tissues, bone density and causes weight gain especially abdominal fat. Ohhh…that abdominal fat that would not go away.

This hormone hates your muscles and wants you to grow fat. It takes away protein from the muscles. However to be fair to this hormone, the cortisol hormone has its positive functions.

Cortisol is produced by the adrenal cortex and is commonly known as a stress hormone because the level of cortisol in your body rises sharply when you are under stress. This hormone plays an important role in your body’s metabolic function, it facilitates cardiovascular function, carbohydrate metabolism and controls inflammation. After all, it is a steroid hormone.

As more cortisol is being produced, your muscle tissue breaks down further since the amino acids from your muscle protein is being converted into glucose for energy. This hormone also blocks new muscle tissues from growing because it interferes in protein synthesis in your muscles.

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How to lower cortisol level?

  • Get enough sleep – Let your body recuperate from the day’s stress and let the body rebuild its wears and tears. A lack of sleep will put your body under further stress and thus increasing cortisol levels.
  •  Avoid stress – Take up yoga, read a book, take a break from whatever you are doing. Learn meditation and breathing techniques to reduce everyday stress. Take a week or so break from your exercise routine after 6-8 weeks of regular training. As your body learns how to relax, the level of cortisol hormone will fall correspondingly.
  • Do not over train – Over training is a common issue amongst athletes of all types. This is especially so in bodybuilding and weight lifting. You are already damaging your muscles when you lift weights, don’t let cortisol hormones rob your muscles of the much needed proteins and preventing muscle repair and growth.

Once your body and mind is free from stress, your cortisol production will be at a healthy level and you will once again see your muscles growing, provided that you are doing other things that are conducive to getting your muscles to grow.

The Secret To Success In Faith, Training and Life

The Secret To Success In Faith, Training and Life

There’s not many times when I dig into areas of life that don’t apply to training and fitness, but tonight I want to do something different. The cool thing about this though is that it ACTUALLY applies to everything. The secret to success in training, nutrition, relationships, life in general.

As you may know, I was in Costa Mesa California this past weekend for the annual Fitness Business Summit hosted by PtPower.com and Mr. Bedros Keuilian; a genius in the fitness industry. Throughout this whole weekend I sat back and learned amazing things from some of the top fitness pros in the country; 12 countries to be exact.

Even though every speaker had their own success story to tell, I noticed very quickly that they all shared one thing in common, besides the fact that they all made significant amounts of money in the same industry, doing practically the same things.

This similarity puzzled me. Not because it was so complex for my brain to understand, which I expected, but because it was so simple that a 5 year old could comprehend it.

I fell into the trap that so many people do. I made the answers to my questions complex, when the true answer was so tiny that I felt kind of dumb when I realized it.

As humans, I feel like we all stray away from the simple foundations that made the people before us successful. I mean, when a problem arises, don’t we come up with a million different solutions for them? And what for? It’s not like we NEED all those answers, we just need ONE.

The brain isn’t wired that way. Maybe we can blame society or the culture that we live in for that, I don’t know. All I know is that answers should be simple, and questions should be relatively the same.

When I came to the realization, I immediately thought of you. The person who is probably just like me and complicates things to no avail.  I like to think of myself as a simple person, but truth be told I was brought back down to humble-land during the course of 3 days.

I thought of you because I wanted to help others who fell in the same trap. This is a much bigger picture than just building muscle and getting ripped. YEAH, I said it haha.

What I really mean is that the “bigger picture” gets left on the backburner. I believe 100% that we have the gifts and blessings to take our bodies to their best potential, but at the end of the day, we are all just humans looking for purpose.

Back to the story…

Before I share with you the secret that I learned this last weekend, I have to mention the WEIRD part about all of this. Believe me; my point will become clear in a minute.

A few hours ago I was relaxing with my beautiful girlfriend and she reminded me that I had missed church this weekend and that we should watch Sunday’s service online.

Just an FYI, the church we go to is HUGE. It’s called Christ’s Church of the Valley, located in Peoria, AZ.

So yeah, it’s awesome getting to hear and watch the service when business stuff comes up or I have to miss a Sunday.

About half way through the video I realized the strangest thing; CCV was teaching the exact same thing that I was learning in California, on the exact same weekend.

Pretty bizarre to say the least. Now you may not be a person of faith or go to church like I do, but to be honest, for this post it doesn’t matter. The principle I’m going to share with you can change you for the better regardless. Believing that God has control of your life just makes it all that much easier!

The lesson learned was this:

All successful people, in business, faith, fitness and life, share the amazing ability to differentiate between responsibilities and priorities.

Let me elaborate…

The people who are truly successful in all aspects of their life, PLAN FOR IT. Simply “wishing” it to become true does not work.

For example in your fitness life, isn’t it true that a prioritized plan must first be in place before your goals are completed?

I can “wish” for my biceps to be huge mountains all I want, but if I don’t plan to eat correctly, train correctly and get enough sleep, it just won’t happen. The same applies to everything else my friend!

Let’s use business as an example. This past weekend, these successful fitness business owners had to PLAN everything they did, even down to the hour of the day that they did it!

Now THAT’S prioritizing.

Do you ever wonder why some people seem to get SO MUCH done in a single day’s time? Or weeks time?

It’s because they don’t accept time as an excuse. Think about it, they’re JUST LIKE YOU. They have to sleep like you, and go to school like you, eat like you and even have time for fun, just like you.

They aren’t super humans. Successful people don’t wake up in the morning and breathe in excellence, they plan to succeed.

If you’re looking for some complex answer as to why you don’t have what you want in fitness or in life, don’t be like me! Go ahead and think outside the box; think about what else you can prioritize to move forward. Responsibilities are NOT always priorities, but they can become priorities through a matter of choice.

Sorry if I’m getting all pumped about this stuff, but it excites me!

Back to the story…

When I was watching church just a couple hours ago I couldn’t believe that the same principle was mentioned over and over again.

I mean, could it really be that simple?

What if we all just took action and structured our priorities from now on. How different would your life look?

Would you be happier, or more fulfilled? Would you feel excited about the days to come instead of dreadful? Would you see your life as an opportunity to make an impact instead of just merely getting by?

Priorities my friend. They will always draw a perfect map to where your “life-long treasure” is buried.

When Pastor Don was talking about prioritizing my life to reflect God’s Will instead of my own, he was absolutely right.

I’m not here to preach to you but I want you to understand my point. Planning for life will only get you so far, FAITH will carry you the rest of the way.

You see, without faith in something bigger than yourself, you try to battle through life all by yourself. It isn’t meant to be that way.

Knowing that God is in control will help to eliminate all doubt and fear about tomorrow.

So here’s the take away…

  • Create balance in your life in all aspects: Faith, Fitness, Relationships, Business and Fun. Make sure not to leave the “fun” part out. What’s the point of living if you aren’t enjoying the ride?
  • Take time out each night to read, pray or study. Always aim to learn more.
  • Before bed, make a list of the top 5 things that you need to get done the next day. This way, when you wake up, you’ll have a “plan of attack” to GSD! (Get Stuff Done)
  • With your training, KNOW your end goal. Be extremely specific with what you want and be a “Super Ninja” and work your way backwards to attain that result!
  • Be accountable. Find someone who will support all of your efforts, inside and outside of the gym.
  • SUBSCRIBE to MindsetFitness! You don’t want to miss out on cool posts like this one right? Plus I like to give away cool stuff every once and awhile. 🙂

I went ahead and posted the video right underneath this of Dr. Don Wilson and his sermon about being the “Eye of the Tiger.” Don’t miss it! You’ll be glad that you watched it.

If you have any questions about the best ways to get organized or anything related, feel free to shoot me an email at Mitch@mindsetfitness.net. Take care my friend.

Dedicated to your results,

Mitch Muller

CPT – MindsetFitness.net

See my other recent blog posts:

Top 4 Ways the Mind Can Influence Your Muscle Growth

Fine tuning your Fitness Lifestyle

Learn more about The Secret To Success. Stop by Mitch Muller’s site where you can find the Secret To Success in every aspect of your life.

5 Steps To A Better Fitness Mindset

5 STEPS TO A BETTER FITNESS MINDSET

It can happen all too often when you step into the gym, and you’re feeling a lack of motivation. We’ve all had this happen one time or another and it’s extremely deflating for your workout. You think, Man! I was feeling so good this morning but now the drive just isn’t there. Although this problem can easily be fixed through some sort of energy source or pre-workout stimulant, I believe the best fix for this is in the mind. The following is 5 things that I like to do before my workouts to ensure that I’m focused, determined, and most importantly, deserving of stepping foot into the “fitness sanctuary”.

Stretch

Whether it’s before you get to the gym, or right when you walk in, the first thing you should do is stretch. Stretching is definitely important for preparing your muscles for the thrashing you’re about to give to them, but I also view this time as a moment to mentally prepare yourself for what is ahead. As you stretch out your muscles, visualize what workouts you’re going to be doing next. See it in your mind and apply this as part of your motivation in what you hope to accomplish.

Music

One of the biggest philosophies I like to live by is FIND SOMETHING THAT MOVES YOU. Music is a great tool for building and creating that passion, determination and motivation to power through your workouts. The best way to ensure you feel this motivation throughout your entire workout is creating playlists. I personally have many different playlists, and each one is dedicated to whichever type of mood I may be in. As an example, screamo/hardcore rock for when I’m feeling strong, hip-hop/rap for when I have a slight chip on my shoulder, and a much slower, steady mix of rock for when I’m doing cardio to help me focus. Whichever the case for you, have your music ready for a strong fitness mindset!

Pre-Workout Meditation

Whether you’re new to working out or an experienced veteran, the benefits of meditation are exponential on many different levels. Where the gym is concerned, I view meditation as a time to focus all of my thoughts strictly on the gym and my fitness goals, as well as creating a time to pray and thank God for giving me the time to make myself better, mentally, physically, and spiritually. I strongly recommend practicing some sort of meditation at some point during your day to enhance your overall health!

Motivational Videos/Images

One thing I personally like to do before workouts, especially if I’m not feeling quite 100% is find something to get me pumped up. Nothing works better than visiting YouTube and looking up some insane bodybuilding/fitness videos. This may not suit everyone, but it certainly aids in giving you the strong motivational push to get through your workout and to succeed with all your goals. We also have the Motivation link here at MindsetFitness.Net if you’re looking to find more motivational music and videos!

Gym Apparel

I’ve saved the most important one for last. You may not think that what you wear to the gym has anything to do with how your workout will turn out but take a minute and think about it. Why do most gyms have mirrors on the walls? First, mirrors help you see what you’re doing and second, to ensure you’re using correct form. This may be the case but they also can be very distracting to some people. I think I can speak for most of us when I say it’s great seeing your fitness progression but if you really want progress, wear apparel that doesn’t allow you to become distracted in the mirror at the gym! I’ve found that since I’ve switched to a wearing a long-sleeve hoodie during my workouts, my focus is taken off of how big and ripped I may look and placed where it is most important: the workout itself! Focus for your fitness mindset is key.

Now that I have shared my 5 steps to a better fitness mindset, it’s time for you to apply what you think may help you on your road to fitness success. Stay focused, stay driven, have faith and hit the weights!

Matt Muller

CTO – MindsetFitness.Net

 

Related Articles:

5 Steps To A Better Workout Mentality

The Top 8 Keys To Intensity

Using Visualization To Increase Mass

Update from Fitness Business Summit 2013

 

 Update from Fitness Business Summit 2013

Hey guys! Mitch here.

This weekend I have the honor of attending one of the BEST fitness events held in the United States; Fitness Business Summit 2013!

Some of the best fitness experts in their fields are absolutely killing it by getting their clients results and having a blast while doing it.

The best part is that everyone is all in one place, learning and forming lasting friendships that will last a long time to come. I’ve already met a bunch of cool people since I’ve been here and the weekend isn’t even close to being over.

I wanted to take some time out though to give an official Mindset Fitness update. All of you are the reason that Mindset Fitness is here. The information is for you, the videos are for you, and the results are all based on your endless dedication towards your goals.

Each day I’m looking to push forward in this industry and take steps in helping more people like you to achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of. And of course some awesome motivation along the way!

I like to consider us a team. After all, great people always come from a great supporting foundation. The individuals of the team learn and help each other grow as a single unit.

So in order to pull my weight for the team, here are 3 AWESOME things I’ve learned today that you can apply to your training and fitness lifesytle:

1. Never Stop Moving Forward

It is always your choice to become something better than you currently are.The key to being successful in your training and in life is to roll with the punches. When life gets hard and burdensome, kick it back in the face! Push forward through all adversity and don’t be scared to keep praying that God keeps guiding you. We can’t do it all ourselves ya know…

2. Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

This was probably the most eye-opening part of my day. I came to the realization that in order to take steps forward, 95% of the time will involve getting out of your comfort zone. It’s way too easy to sit back and let life pass you by thinking that comfort is good. It’s not! Well, it’s not good if you ever plan on being more than normal.

3. Don’t be Afraid to Think Outside The Box

I don’t know about you, but sometimes my box seems pretty small. I get used to training a certain way or eating the same way week in and week out. Try thinking outside the box to other options that will help you move forward faster. No matter what your goals are, progress will only become reality when smart ideas turn into actions.

 

Hope you guys were able to get some motivation out of that! Big stuff is coming soon from the Mindset Fitness family. Stay tuned!

Dedicated to your results,

-Mitch Muller

MindsetFitness.net

update from fitness business summit 13

Know Your Supplements – BCAA’s

It seems like just a couple years ago that BCAA supplements were unheard of. These amino acids have made a huge breakthrough in the supplement industry today based largely on the fact that they DELIVER, hands down. BCAA stands for branched chain amino acids and is increasingly being recognized as an important supplement in the field of sports nutrition. In short the term refers to three essential amino acids – leucine, isoleucine and valine. Amino acids are widely known as the building blocks of protein. When protein food is eaten it gets digested into individual amino acids and short chains of amino acids that are sufficiently small to be absorbed into the bloodstream. They are then used by the body to build and repair tissues amongst other things. Amino acids are split between those classed as essential and those labelled non-essential. This simply means that essential amino acids cannot be made by the body, whereas non-essential amino acids can. There are nine essential amino acids and each must be obtained from the diet. The nine essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. Non-essential amino acids are just as important as the essential variety and the term simply means they can be made by the body from vitamins and other amino acids. The non-essential amino acids are alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, cystine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, se

rine and tyrosine.

The BCAA’s are especially important to athletes because they are metabolized in the muscle rather than the liver. This means that they can be used either to build new proteins or be burned as fuel to create energy. Supplementing with BCAA’s has been shown to result in measurable gains in both muscle strength and size. Taken before a workout BCAA’s can improve performance and delay the onset of fatigue. They also operate as anabolic agents allowing the body to burn fat and not muscle. As a supplement that has no reported side effects, branched chain amino acids offer many benefits to the serious bodybuilder or fitness enthusiast. Go pick some up today!

Top 5 Myths About Fitness Exercises

fitness exercisesTop 5 Myths About Fitness Exercises

Ok guys, I want to tackle some big myths about general training and fitness. More specifically: the act of exercising. Here are the top 5 myths I run into pretty frequently:

Myth #1 About Fitness Exercises | Sports are for Pros

This idea applies only in the case of performance sports. The native qualities required for professional sportsmen (speed, skills, specific height, etc.) can only be developed, they can’t be formed by training. As long as the aim of a regular person is not performance, almost all sports can be practiced for keeping the body in a good shape. It’s all about dosing the training you chose, so that the benefits are bigger than wear and tear. Even the sports considered tough can be practiced in a ‘soft’ way (tae-bo, mini-triathlon, jogging, etc.).

Myth #2 About Fitness Exercises | Training is Tiring

This idea is true as long as it refers to consuming all your energy (muscular and hepatic glycogen), but it doesn’t mean that training gets you into that state of exhaustion which would slow down the process of recovery of the body. Even in performance sports, the purpose is to have rather effective than exhausting training, so that the body can get the stimulation necessary to qualitative progress from one training to the next.

Even more than in other sports, in fitness the sportsman is spared overexerting. However, the training must not become ineffective. People can come to the gym tired after a work day and leave relaxed (physically and psychologically) and not more tired. This is extremely useful for people with sedentary jobs, but also for those who make physical effort at work. They could use the training by choosing a type of effort meant to compensate the one involved in their job.

Myth #3 About Fitness Exercises | Training Takes too Long

Again, this idea is true if applied to performance, which can only be obtained by working a lot. But also in this case short and very intense training or training for relaxation and recovery are often performed. In fitness, you can get to 20-minute training, working only super-series of fast exercises, which could involve, directly or indirectly, all the muscles. Anyway, regular training shouldn’t take longer than an hour and a half. Otherwise, the body will get into the catabolic faze, when the cortisone secretions ‘cannibalize’ the muscles.

Myth #4 About Fitness Exercises | Any Type of Exercise is Good For Solving Your Problems

What’s true in this refers to some particular cases like excess of adipose tissue(fat). This tissue can be ‘melted’ by any kind of aerobic exercise (running, cycling, swimming) if this is continued long enough. Even in these cases it was clear that some exercises are more effective than others. There are situations when only a combination of exercises with a certain amount of each, can provide you with the results you expect. More than that, repeating the same exercise all the time can have as a consequence not only losing balance in the antagonist muscles and in the joints involved in training, but also stopping progress or even regressing.

Myth #5 About Fitness Exercises | You’re too Old

No more exercises! This is true only if we refer to extremely demanding efforts (really heavy weights, fast running, jumping, etc.). There are lots of exercises adapted to different ages. Their purpose is to keep and improve health and also to improve physical shape. The development of movement parameters for older people refers especially to muscular and cardio-vascular resistance as well as mobility of the joints. Because the final purpose of training is not preparing for a competition, the exercises can be organized gradually according to their difficulty, eliminating the risk of accidents. Because it’s based on perseverance, fitness can be adapted without problems for older people and even for people suffering from different affections specific to old age.

 

Featured Artist – LECRAE

lecraeAn unlikely story stands behind the man known by many as “Lecrae”. From the southside of Houston to a leader in the movement of urban reform, a rocky road provides a window into the grace he experienced through out his life, with every situation molding him into the artist and leader that he is today.

Born and raised by his mother in a struggling community on the south side of Houston, Lecrae moved around to several places giving him the versatile background and cultural awareness he carries with him. San Diego, Denver, and Dallas have also once been home to him and the street life he once idolized and pursued. Along the way, like many in the inner city, he took to rapping as a way of communicating his mind. It wasn’t until after high school that his hobby became a passion after his hip hop background was redeemed by Jesus Christ.

At 19 years old at the encouragement of a christian leader he attended a conference and heard James White delivering the message. In that moment, sitting in a chair, his world was flipped upside down as the Holy Spirit convicted him of his sin and need for a Savior. That day Lecrae was rescued by the Lord and began following after Christ. Almost instantly his renewed heart spilled over as he printed his testimony and passed it out enthusiastically all over his college campus at University of North Texas. The next 5 years included many struggles and victories before he teamed up to begin Reach Records, releasing his first album at the age of 25.

Calling Dallas home, Lecrae remained content using his gifts of speaking and rapping while volunteering at a juvenile detention center, but the Lord would have different plans and soon he began working on his debut “Real Talk”. Pouring out a genuine discussion of life issues and passionate, unashamed pursuit of Jesus Christ, Real Talk was released to the world where he quickly became noted as an emcee that would meet listeners where they were by delivering transparent, relatable, and impacting messages.

As Lecrae continued to make his mark in the music industry, he realized the stage wasn’t enough. He wanted to see deeper impact in urban culture. There needed to be a culturally relevant and biblically solid resource center to help train the next generation. Co-founding ReachLife Ministries in 2005, the non-profit organization exists to partner with organizations to equip local leaders with culturally relevant tools and media projects designed to strengthen communities with the word of God. ReachLife is another vital piece in the larger vision of seeing a reformation in urban culture.

Since formation, Lecrae has released the groundbreaking album After the Music Stops and the first Christian Rap CD to ever sit in the No. 1 position on Billboard’s Top Gospel Charts, Rebel. Led by the classic single Jesus Musik, After the Music Stops slowly spread to the mainstream market with other hits such as Praying For You and Send Me. Aimed to build an audience of disciples, the album sat on Soundscan Christian Hip Hop/R&B chart for two years after releasing in 2006. While in the No. 3 position, Rebel released in 2008 and claimed the No. 3 position on the secular iTunes Rap chart.

A graduate of University of North Texas, Lecrae now resides in the inner city of Memphis, one of the nations most violent cities. A movement is brewing around the country with hungry, unashamed believers popping up in inner city communities everywhere. Lecrae is humbled to be a part of leading others towards Christ so that lives can be changed forever just like his changed years ago. With new avenues and strategic partnerships Lecrae prays that the impact from Reach will spread far beyond simply the music and into the lives of believers across the world.

 

Artist Bio from (NewReleaseTuesday.com) Entry lasted edited by Dawson on 11.22.11

ALBUM: Real Talk (2006)

 

 

 

 

ALBUM: After The Music Stops (2006)

 

 

 

 

ALBUM: Rebel (2008)

 

 

 

 

 

ALBUM: Rehab (2010)

 

 

 

 

 

ALBUM: Gravity (2012)

Sample Bodybuilding Meal Plan

Looking to gain some serious mass? Learn to eat the same way that you train: beastly! The following meals should be consumed throughout one full day. Each meal should be taken in every 2-3 hours apart. Foods can be subject to change to fit your individual preferences so don’t freak out if you don’t like broccoli, there’s other options…

This bodybuilding meal plan consists of about 40% Protein, 35% Carbohydrates, and 25% Fats

Meal 1:bodybuilding meal plan

  • 1cup oats

  • 16oz fat free milk

  • 1 med banana

  • 1 1/2 scoop whey

Meal 2:

  •  8 oz Chicken, fish, lean beef

  • 1 cup yams

  • 1 cup green beans

  • 15 almonds OR almond butter

Meal 3: Turkey sandwich

  • Rye bread

  • Lean turkey 15g -20g protein

  • Spinach replacing lettuce

  • Tomato optional

Meal 4: (post workout) only on lifting days.

  • 1 scoop DGC carbs

  • 50g whey

Meal 5:

  • 8 oz Chicken, fish, lean beef

  • 1 cup yams

  • 1 cup green beans

  • 15 almonds OR almond butter

Meal 6:

 

  • 8 oz fish

  • 2 cups broccoli

Meal 7 optional:

  • 2 scoops casein protein before bed

*Remember, if you are pressed for time during the day and you cannot consume a full food meal, just replace it with a protein shake to keep your metabolism moving. Don’t miss a meal!
 

Sample Bodybuilding Meal Plan

Pushing Past Mental Barriers

pushing past mental barriers

Pushing Past Mental Barriers

The mind can be a powerful thing. Without it, your muscles wouldn’t function. They wouldn’t be told when to contract or when to release. Your body would be useless. And what good is that when our primary goal is to train our bodies into better shape and condition? It only makes sense to train your mind just as much as your body.

Through this last year I’ve seen more and more emphasis put on the “power of mind” concept. At first glance it seems simple, but if you’ve trained for awhile and you’re looking for pushing past mental barriers, then you are well aware of just how much your mental focus can affect your workout. Going through the motions may help maintain your current progress, but if you’re striving to push past your barriers then your mind must be set to limitless. Take this quote from pro bodybuilder Kai Greene:

“There’s a success that you’re able to walk away from this experience with, and it’s your responsibility to use it effectively. Be encouraged when you see someone else achieve something; make sure you understand what is at the core of their success… At this moment, I’m encouraging each and every one of you understand that the POWER OF MIND, the power of the ability to make a decision, the power to decide and to be, and tap into my better resources, are at the core of my success today. The portrait of my life that I choose to create is done so by MY MIND. Realize today that you have power, as do we all.”

Pushing Past Mental Barriers: THE TEST

I’d like to share a test that I used on a few clients of mine. The results were extremely motivating and shocking to say the least. The reason why this test was so successful is because they unknowingly were pushing past mental barriers that they set in their own minds.

I used a male and female client, both in their 30’s and in fairly good shape. After testing their maximal strength on a standard chest press machine during the previous week, I took them through a chest workout. I informed them that they will be performing 3 sets of 12, 10, and 8 reps respectively, each using a pyramid-style of training going up in weight each time.

The second week I took them through the exact same workout with only one small difference: The weight we used was heavier than before. I instructed them that I was going to start out with the same weight as last week, while simultaneously leaving out the fact that I would be increasing each set by 10-15 pounds instead of five. I emphasized only putting forth 100% effort and to do their absolute best, as I do with every workout.

pushing past mental barriers

The trick here is that they believed completely in their mind that they were lifting the same weights as the previous week. This completely took any possible negative thoughts out of their heads given the awareness that they already completed this particular weight before. The only thing left to do was lift the weight!

The results were incredible. Not only did both of them complete the exercise with the same reps (12,10,8) but they used about 20% more weight than before! It’s truly amazing how the mind can make or break pushing past mental barriers and just how successful you can become.

Pushing Past Mental Barriers: Conclusion

If you’re looking to achieve anything, regardless if it’s in the gym or not, your mind must first BELIEVE it is possible. Setting a mental barrier for yourself will only hold you back from life’s successes. In relation to the gym, I challenge you to allow your mind to be strengthened along with your body.

“Before you can win, you have to believe you are worthy.” – Mike Ditka

-Mitch Muller

CPT – MindsetFitness.net

Pushing Past Mental Barriers

Steps to Enhancing your Fitness Lifestyle

enhancing your fitness lifestyle

5 Steps To Enhancing Your Fitness Lifestyle

I think it’s way easier said than done to keep everything in order each day when it comes to enhancing your fitness lifestyle. Preparation alone takes up hours in the day just so you can turn around and have a step ahead the very next morning you wake up. But in turn, you just end up preparing yourself for the next task or meal or the next day after that, and the revolving circle goes round and round. What happens when the days start to blend together, or your enthusiasm tends to disappear and your energy is nothing short of nonexistent? Being a bodybuilder or a gym rat doesn’t mean you’re immune to days or weeks like this. We’re human, and sometimes we need change to keep the fire burning. I’m a simple man and my simplicity tends to bleed over into many aspects of my life. So I’d like to share some things that will help keep you motivated and ready to get to work when the gym starts calling your name.

Enhancing Your Fitness Lifestyle Step #1 |  Home Away From Home

Using myself as an example; I work at a gym, and I get asked all the time, “you’re here all day long, how do you still stay here and workout after?” The simple answer to that one is: I don’t. Very rarely do I work out at the gym that I train my clients. As many of you may know, being in the same place for a long time can make the simplest of people go stir crazy. If you are a member of a gym that has multiple locations with different equipment, then take advantage of it!

Enhancing Your Fitness Lifestyle Step #2 | Diet Preparation

Sometimes that hardest thing about enhancing your fitness lifestyle isn’t the hour or two that you spend in the gym each day; it’s the remaining 22 hours. We all know the importance that a well-structured diet plays in our fitness results, so the preparation of our food is essential to KEEP this process structured and avoid any dietary setbacks that may occur. A great example of this would be: running out of a specific food you need, and replacing it with something convenient on your way home because time has become an issue.

For some reason, life tends to get crazy and hectic the minute we commit to our diets. For my personal gain, I like to view this as a challenge, instead of just counting the reasons why I won’t be able to stick to my new plan. My advice to you: make time to cook your meals, to go to the grocery store, or to buy your supplements. You’ll only get out what you put in. They don’t call it hard work for nothing. Establishing cooking days or grocery shopping days will give your diet better consistency, and without a doubt, help your mind from going nuts when life starts wearing you down. Enhancing your fitness lifestyle is not easy, but completely worth it.

Enhancing Your Fitness Lifestyle Step #3 | New Routines

I’ll get right to the point: Don’t get caught up in doing the same routine just because it feels the best. Just because it’s Monday doesn’t mean that the bench press is your best friend. Try something new! You must constantly place new resistance and overload on your body for it to adapt and progress to the next level. Try doing back on Monday, or shoulders.

Enhancing Your Fitness Lifestyle Step #4 |   Beware of Overtraining

Sometimes the answer to constant fatigue or lack of interest in your workouts may be right under your nose. BEWARE of the initial signs of overtraining! If your body just seems warn out, or you’re experiencing more fatigue than normal, or your muscles have hit a plateau, you’re most likely overtraining. Other signs include: loosing leanness despite increase exercise, working out hard every single day, restlessness or unable to sleep, your joints or limbs hurt, or lack of appetite.

Enhancing Your Fitness Lifestyle Step #5 | Positive Reinforcement

Don’t be a Debbie-downer. It has been shown in numerous studies that a positive flow of energy or mindset will help keep the body balanced. Undue stress to the body will cause negative effects and even diseases if it continues for a long period of time. Surrounding yourself with positive reinforcements will help keep your motivation high when it’s time to work out. The easiest way for me to get motivated is to watch others succeed. Take this quote from Kai Greene:

“There’s a success that you’re able to walk away from this experience with, and it’s your responsibility to use it effectively. Be encouraged when you see someone else achieve something; make sure you understand what is at the core of their success…. At this moment, I’m encouraging each and every one of you understand that the POWER OF MIND, the power of the ability to make a decision, the power to decide and to be, and tap into my better resources, are at the core of my success today. The portrait of my life that I choose to create is done so by MY MIND. Realize today that you have power, as do we all.”

 

-Mitch Muller

CPT – MindsetFitness.net