Tag: mitch muller

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

Car Session Video Series (Blog #5)

Car Session Video Series (Blog #5)

What’s up Mindset Fitness followers!

Mitch here again. I’ve decided to go a different route with a video series that I’ve been working on. Often times I do most of my thinking and soul searching when I’m in the car for some reason…

Some people think in the shower, others while they’re training and sometimes laziness gets the best of us and we completely stop thinking altogether!

But since I tend to find myself in deeper thought when I’m driving around town, I wanted to put my thoughts into video to help answer a bunch of questions that I get asked about getting big and ripped and everything in between.

But don’t worry…I’m the safest driver you’ll find around. 🙂

I want to keep this series as real and down to earth as possible so don’t mind me, I’ll just be myself.

Hope you gain a lot of new information from this series! If you have any specific questions, I’d be glad to answer them in some upcoming vids! So shoot me a line…

Here’s an intro explaining everything! Catch you guys later

-Mitch Muller

MindsetFitness.net

Top 5 Six-Pack Mistakes

Top 5 Six-Pack Mistakes

It is safe to say that the list of today’s ab exercises is nothing short of unlimited. The act of achieving a six pack is generally considered some sort of untold “secret” in the gym, and most people fall for the same trap over and over again. There has become a common belief that an abdominal exercise must be of some “fancy” variety in order to become effective. But why is this even the case?

More often than not, the guys you see performing these advanced moves generally already have a strong core. The problem comes when younger lifters attempt to mimic these ab routines thinking that they’ll get a six pack, when in reality they might be working anything BUT their abs.

I’ve put together the top 5 six-pack mistakes that most guys make when ab day rolls around…

#5 Too Much Variety

Not many times in bodybuilding will you hear that variety can be a bad thing. Too much of it will most likely detour your mind into thinking that more is better, when in reality, the opposite is true, especially for the abdominals. I’ve seen guys train their abs for an hour straight on some days, and sometimes only for a couple minutes. So which one is the correct way?

Let’s break it down…

The rectus abdominis is primarily made of Type 1 slow twitch fibers. For those of you who aren’t physiology buffs out there,  this means that these fibers hold more endurance-like contractions and are stimulated mostly during aerobic activity. The point that I want to get across here is that the abs are better controlled through slower movements. None of those fast, crazy sit ups here. The abs do not need explosive repetitions like the calves do to grow. Just use the moto I like to live by: keep it simple.

Like the other major muscle groups of the body, sufficient time under tension is needed in order to initiate the growth response within the abs. My advice to you is not go all out in your abdominal training in one day; there’s no need to spend a full hour just training your core if you’ll be back the very next day doing the same thing. Split up your sessions across the week. I like to stick to the every-other-day approach, and it has worked for many of my clients as well.

#4 Upper Abs VS Lower Abs

I can’t count how many times I’ve heard that crunches are for the upper abs and leg lifts are for the lower abs. This is one of the biggest myths that has surrounded every gym in America for quite some time. Let’s

get this straight, the rectus abdominis is ONE sheet of muscle. It contracts as one unit and therefore cannot be split up into upper and lower exercises.

You can go ahead and test this one on yourself. Sit up straight in your chair and place one of your hands just underneath your belly button and firmly into your “lower” ab muscles. Now try to perform an “upper ab” crunch.

What happened?

The whole thing contracted didn’t it? Hmmm, I thought so…

Once you understand this simple physiology of the ab muscles, you can then further your knowledge into the exact exercises that are worth your time and those that have no business ever being performed again.

#3 Breathing

I think we’ve all been guilty of holding our breath at some point during a workout. It’s inevitable, especially for the inexperienced lifter. Ab training tends to get this a lot more than other muscles though. The reason this happens is often because of a lack of focus, improper technique – like fast movements, or just plain “forgetting.” Not many times in life do we FORGET to breathe, but apparently doing abs is one of them!

When the breath is being held, not only are your muscles unable to receive sufficient oxygen, they are unable to contract completely due to the thin, parachute-shaped muscle that surrounds the upper portion of the abdomen under the ribs: the diaphragm. When a breath is taken in, the diaphragm contracts expanding the chest cavity to allow the lungs to move freely. With this contraction taking place, it makes the abs unable to FULLY contract the way they normally would. Breathing OUT during the “up phase” of an ab crunch signifies this importance of getting a full contraction.

#2 Training The Fat Out Of Your Stomach

Just because you train your abs multiple times per week doesn’t mean that they will become more visible. Ever heard of spot reducing? Yeah, it doesn’t work. Sorry to burst your gullible bubble. Training your abs will not get rid of the fat on TOP of the abs. This is where nutrition becomes a huge weapon in your six-pack arsenal.

“Abs are not made in the gym, they are made in the KITCHEN.”

This quote hits the nail on the head. Without proper nutrition to help cut excess body fat, you can train your abs all day long, but they will never show up like you want them to. My advice to you is to get on a cutting program that will slowly taper off your carbohydrate intake over a period of time. This will better help you get the results that you’re looking for.

Use this training and nutritional program for the next 16-Weeks to get SHREDDED! >> MASS CONSTRUCTION 16 WEEK PROGRAM

#1 Technique, Technique, Technique

No more hanging upside down from the pull up bar, those days are over. It’s time to train your abs in a logical way, not always the most impressive way. Your technique should be nothing short of perfect every workout, every set, every rep. What most people don’t understand is that your abdominals flex your SPINE. They have no concentric action at the hips whatsoever. So how does this apply to your exercises? Let’s examine the sit up:

 

From a physiological standpoint, this does not make much sense at all. Although the sit up targets the abs to a degree, it is not the most effective in strengthening the abs because the movement is happening at the HIPS not the spine. Remember from above, the abdominals only create spinal flexion – about 30 degrees or so, that’s it! For the rest of the movement, the abs are statically working to hold the spine in place. Most of the movement happening at the hips is due to the major hip flexors, the psoas major muscles.

The exerciser starts flat on the ground most likely with a training partner standing on the toes (This same thing can be done with a sit up bench that holds the legs in place). You begin the movement, curl the spine and sit all the way up to your knees. You perform about 20 reps or so and the abs start to burn like crazy. Because this exercise has been used for so many years, beginning lifters do not question it’s effectiveness on the abs. Instead, they feel the abs burn and automatically place it in the “ab exercise” category.

CONCLUSION

I hope this article helped clear up some very popular myths among today’s ab mistakes. Take these 5 principles and bring them into the gym with you, or wherever you train. My advice to you is to become familiar with how your muscles act at their specific joints. This will give you a better inclination as to what exercises will work best and which will not.

Have fun and train hard!

PS – Click HERE to download my brand new and FREE report that utilizes these techniques: 10 Muscle Activation Techniques for Permanent Muscle!

 

– Mitch Muller

MindsetFitness.net

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.

 

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

Putting Faith in your Workouts

faithPutting Faith In Your Workouts

For those of you who know me on a personal level, my heart’s main focus isn’t set on the gym life that has surrounded my career, but my life that I have given to God and faith in Him.

Now-a-days every gym I’ve come across you have those big power-lifting gym rats that hang out in the corner by the power rack…Ever seen them? Occasionally one will get up from his seat, wrap his calloused hands around the bar, and deadlift 500 lbs until his face is red and his manly groans can be heard through the loudest music in my headphones. The others stand at his sides and yell and curse till the last rep is complete. These tend to be the leaders of the gym in their own minds, but are they leaders that can be looked up to in a Godly perspective? The young kids look in awe and ask for advice, and the regular lifters keep quiet but still wish they were that big…

In these gyms, it is easy to say that the biggest guys are the ones to look up to. And not all of them would be considered bad role models. However in my mind, what truly makes a man a MAN, is not how much weight he can throw around, or how many young kids ask for the “secrets” to his success, but how he presents himself as a man of God; staying humble in the greatest times of achievement and respect.

Not every person that walks in the gym knows Jesus as their Savior, and I’m not saying these people are bad whatsoever, but as young OR experienced lifters, we should look up to those who help us in a way that in pleasing to Christ: Which is why I’m writing this article about faith in the first place!

When was there a time when you saw someone in the gym, young, old, big or small that was reading their Bible before their workout began?? Needless to say I’ve NEVER seen this happen. Not even once. I even lift at a gym located at a church! Doesn’t God ask us as Believers in Him to be unashamed of His Word and to reach those who don’t know Him? In my opinion, this is the BEST way to not only be a shining example of Jesus in our everyday lives, but to also give ALL the glory to him even in our sessions at the gym. If we aim for Jesus to be first place in our lives, wouldn’t that mean we should also set him first in our workouts? Why not!

When this faith-filled approach popped into my mind it was clear as day.

Some days the gym will be packed out, and others you might be the only one there. And there will be times when an excuse might come into your head to skip reading the Bible today; “Oh I’ll just do it when I get home.” Can’t tell you how many times I’ve said that to myself. Shame on me. I know I’m not perfect, but Lord knows I’m forgiven…

So here’s my challenge for you: Give God the opportunity to be the center of your muscle building experience. Whether you’re in the locker room, sitting on the bench, training at home, or in the corner by the power rack with your lifting buddies, ask God to bless your workout and to be a shining example of God’s love to the rest of this world. He will never let you down and that’s a promise.

The very first time I did this I was nervous to see what it would be like. I walked into the gym with my bag in hand filled with all my nutritional vitamins and supplements; sat down in the corner on some step-up benches, pulled out my Bible and started praying. I asked the Lord to fill me with the strength I needed to progress in my training, to let me be a shining example to those around me, and to open my mind to the verses He wanted me to read that day. I opened up to James which is one of my favorite books of the Bible and it read: “24 You see that a man is justified by works and not faith alone…26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

This gave me the confidence I needed and God showed me that putting him first in every aspect of my life, including my lifting sessions would be rewarding. Having faith that God will strengthen you in your workouts will not be enough, but through Works (Reading your Bible and speaking to others about God), you will be blessed I have no doubt.

I know most of you reading this may not have a personal relationship with Jesus, but if you are interested in hearing more about faith then don’t hesitate to send me and email and I will be glad to help out!

Oh and for those of you who need some pumping-up kind of music, I suggest Lacrae, Thousand Foot Krutch, Manafest, or Pillar. GREAT stuff…

Your Trainer in Christ,

– Mitch Muller

CPT – MindsetFitness.net