Hi and welcome to another week,
What a great week of sessions it has been. From an ‘all-time’ TANKS (running and lifting in quick succession, and again and again and again) right through each of our boxing sessions – the classes had a heap of variety and each offered their own challenge. My favourite was the Friday Boxing for Fitness session – rolling from Hill Sprints to Spin Bikes to Plyometric lunges and kettlebell swings, then boxing all the way home? Great session.
It has been a busy week at the gym – with all of our classes running as well as getting through the ‘ONE MONTH’ milestone measurements for the 6-month Life Plan. There is a bit more on this later in the blog (under the Gym Update – Life Plan section) but the interesting thing out of all of it for me has been the different reactions everyone has been having towards the measurements, towards the training elements AND most particularly towards the diet rules – both in month one and the new ones for month two.
When talking to Sean – who is very disciplined with his own diet and planning – over the last couple of years, he has often said about one Round Oner or another – “He/She just doesn’t want it enough yet – the results wont come while he/she keeps thinking that way”. I have always thought that his comments were a bit harsh and a bit of a throwaway line – but the more time goes by the more I see that there is a lot of truth in what he says. Because no matter how many ‘circumstances’ are impacting on a persons ability to train hard (and consistently) and stick to their diet, it is their level of intrinsic motivation – their level of WANT – that really determines whether or not they do the work or not, whether or not they stick to their diet or not.
What has this got to do with the Life Plan and everyone’s reactions? Well – it is the way everyone is approaching ‘The Rules’. People who WANT to make changes embrace the rules. They are looking forward to the challenge, they are looking for ways to improve and improve now and – if anything – the ‘RULES’ aren’t enough for them. People who feel that they ‘SHOULD’ do the CHALLENGE or – more particularly – that they ‘HAVE’ to do it in order to make changes are different altogether. They look for a ‘way out’ when it comes to the ‘RULES’ – asking questions about foods that are on the ‘fringe’ of the rules, don’t complete (or half complete) their tracking sheets and are looking ‘externally’ (‘I was on holidays’, ‘I have been so busy at work’, ‘It is so hard now the kids are back at school’) when their measurements haven’t gone completely the way they had hoped.
For me – and probably for the first time – I am really getting a clear idea of what Sean has been able to understand from (almost) his first day. There is a massive difference between what people think they HAVE to do versus what they really WANT to do. If you WANT something – really, truly WANT it – then nothing is too hard. You get your sessions done. You get your measurements done. And you stick to the diet come hell or high water. If on the other hand it is just something you think you should do – or on some level think that by doing ‘IT’ you will impress someone else – then you will be continually taking shortcuts around the edge of the program and your results will reflect this. I have heard six different people tell me (during measurements this week) that they broke the rules relating to Alcohol Free Days/Free Eating Days because a ‘friend’ came over with drinks…which meant either an extra ‘Free Eating Day’ (more than two drinks) or one less AFD (only three allowed per week) than the rules permitted. My point – as always – is that someone who has a real WANT to make changes would stick to the rules regardless of what their friend wanted to do…but someone who feels that they ‘HAVE’ to stick to the rules will break them every time.
This little blog might sound overly harsh and negative – it isn’t meant too. But it is meant to say to everyone who is unsure exactly what they are chasing (and why) that if you want to catch it – really hit the body weight/body composition targets you might dream about, that you simply must move from a ‘HAVE TO’ mindset to a ‘WANT TO’ mindset or you are just never going to get there. Does this mean there is anything wrong with doing two or three gym sessions each week and just enjoy life outside of that – eating and drinking whatever you like whenever you like? Of course there isn’t. But if you are looking to make changes to your body then that wont be enough – you have to make some real sacrifices and the only way you can make sacrifices ‘stick’ is if you really, really WANT to make a change. Thinking that you ‘HAVE’ to will never be enough.
See you at Round 1,
Michael.
There will be some changes to the Reception area at the gym in the next week or so. We have a new computer/scanner combination on the way which will allow our members to ‘check-in’ AND view their own membership status (on a wall mounted screen) whilst bypassing the reception desk. Why you may ask? Well – for some time now it has been obvious that members are being held up from ‘getting in’ to the gym and getting their session started when there is a queue at the desk with people trying to buy drinks, get their 10-round passes stamped…whatever. The new system will enable members to effectively bypass the ‘queue’ AND simultaneously see the status/expiry etc of their membership themselves…as well (of course) or their incredibly attractive profile photos!
Month one of the Life Plan is OVER – it is time for month number 2. We have seen some great results so far – but to anyone out there who didn’t get the results they ‘wanted’, well, what can I say? You have completed one month of a six month journey – just stay on track/course and the results are going to come. And – no matter how much of a sacrifice you feel you have made to this point in time we really are just getting started on a lifestyle change and everything remains ahead of you…in other words – if you stick at it, REALLY stick at it, the results will come.
All of that said, the ‘RULES’ for Month#2 are as follows:
Good luck everyone – and for anyone who wants to jump on board, it is not too late!
Just an reminder from last week that our new rowers and bumper plates have arrived – expect to see some more rowing coming to the classes pretty soon. Further to that, next week’s Starting Strength plan will be focussed on teaching everyone how to row properly so if that is something you are interested in maybe book in to a SS session during the week starting Feb 17th.
As for the bumper plates, they have already been put to good use with quite a few people reporting some personal best lifts on Facebook during the past week. Well done to everyone who is training hard and getting strong!
The February ‘Get it Done’ challenge is underway and to be on-track for your free ‘Get it Done’ t-shirt you should have around about 9 classes or so ‘in the bank’. Remember, there are only 28 days in Feb so you will need to plan ahead if you want to get the 25 done – it has certainly been great to see so many people having a crack at it and lifting the level of their training.
Apologies everyone but our latest order of bags were returned to the supplier as they had faulty zips – a new set are on the way however they may be another week or so. We are keeping a list of everyone who has missed out and will give out the backpacks as soon as they arrive.
Jane Tram (6am regular) has signed up for the ‘Shave for Cancer’ and (obviously) is looking for some support from everyone to shave her head…if you are interested in supporting Jane, the link is below:
https://nationalbreastcancerfoundation.everydayhero.com/au/jane-s-shave
Some cool links on our FACEBOOK site – if you missed them, here they are:
Kids weightlifting: http://breakingmuscle.com/family-kids/how-to-prepare-kids-for-weightlifting-without-weightlifting
Should you take protein powder: http://robbwolf.com/2012/05/03/wheying-in-protein-powders-paleo/
Squat technique: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/does_everyone_need_to_squat_deep
Green smoothies#1: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/how-green-smoothies-can-devastate-your-health/
Green smoothies#2: http://kimberlysnyder.net/blog/2012/05/29/response-to-article-how-green-smoothies-can-devastate-your-health/
Enjoy!
A bit of motivation this week:
‘The Grind’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNL_DAI19_I
See you in the gym!
Michael.
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