So you got to the gym? You finally moved that coffee table out of the way and got to it? Good for you! I'm not being facetious... you need to celebrate even the teeniest-weeniest of fitness accomplishments, even attendance (just don't celebrate too long or it will defeat the purpose).
Whether you are on your own or at the gym, in group-x class or doing a little P.I.N.K Method in your living room, if you don't reach a point in the middle of your workout where the thought:
"this is too hard. I really want to stop doing this" enters your brain for a moment;
YOU ARE NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH.
I'm not saying you should have limbs hanging from their sockets when you're done with your workout but it's called WORKing out FOR A REASON. It's W-O-R-K! It's not 'MargaritaFunTime'. It's WORKING-out! As long as your form is great, at the end of every set you should feel like you are working... because you are. Resistance training, just as with your cardio training, should make you a little sweaty. I repeat, I don't care if the gym is at the standard 70 degrees... you should be a little sweaty and/or heated by the end of your workout.
In the middle of my Group-x classes and/or when with a client during that 'time to bare down and WORK' portion of our time together, I often tell people to get angry!
Gasp! I know, it's not politically correct but, whatever!
I usually give this 'direction' to my peeps because the OPPOSITE of 'getting angry' in this scenario is GIVING-UP. And giving-up is EXACTLY what you don't want to do, right?
The point is you have to find something that works for you. For me getting a little pissed works. When I'm pressing 290 for the umpteenth time and I just don't wanna anymore... I get a little angry! I become THE INCREDIBLE HULK!!! I defy exhaustion, fatigue and weakness! I DO WHATEVER IT TAKES, SHORT OF INJURING MYSELF or loosing form, TO GET IT DONE.
I'm sorry, but when you are in the middle of an excersise where the easiest option is to just stop doing it (even though you know pushing forward will get you that much closer to your goal, bust thru that plateau and/or make you stronger, leaner, and meaner), you could give a flying banana about zen, love, and gratitude! You don't care what you look like, what's for dinner, or who is waiting to use the machine! All you care about is GETTING IT DONE. You shouldn't want to stay smiling and attractive. You want to be breathing hard, displaying your ugly-face and working to get it DONE! Capesh?
All those warm fuzzy thoughts and feelings come AFTER. Don't feel bad if working out is not your favorite things to do! I can't think of one person who would prefer working-out to, well, anything remotely fun. Don't feel icky or less-then if Cheryl's make-up and hair is always perfect and her gym clothes always match while you are wearing two different colored socks! You are there to get work done! You are there to become your best YOU! You are there to work hard and learn all you can! And besides, Cheryl's not working hard enough anyway! humph!
Celebrate getting to your workout then work HARD to make that time count! Celebrate it being over... When you have completed that set... when you have fought a good fight and seen how nonexistent your 'limitations' actually are... Zen out then! That is when you send gratitude to your body, to your gym buddy, to your trainer or your instructor or that magazine you got your workout from, to Cheryl, to the dumbbell or the leg press... you just let those warm yummy feelings fly!! They will be returned to you in the best way! You'll come back and do it again, knowing what reward and sense of accomplishment awaits you :)
Happy lifting. Challenge yourself a little today. You deserve the reward that's waiting for you.
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