In January I wrote a little blurb on an article I read in the Performance Menu titled Mind Freak. I anxiously awaited Part 2, and now I’m glad I was able to read it today, mostly because of some slightly dissapointing lifts yesterday.

It’s all about Mental Training, and it is crucial to serious progress. Part 2 talks about recognizing fear and controlling your breath. All things you think you do, but rarely do you get a hold on them. Or even if you practice them on a regular basis the current situation can sometimes overtake the training you’ve put yourslef through.

Just as your physical training doesn’t end the second you walk out the gym door, your mental training certainly needs to be up to par even outside of actually performing the lifts.

And something else to think about…

A quote from Dan Millman, “Injury most often results from a fundamental flaw in our talent foundation (of strength, suppleness, stamina, and sensitivity), of from impatience, a lack of attention, or some combination of these. Accidents aren’t really accidents… to avoid injuries, you need mental clarity and attention, emotional stability, and physical preparation. They are the three bests insurance policies you’ll ever have and they don’t cost a cent. Injury is the price paid for insensitivity, impatience, or inattention.”

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M.C. Escher is one of the world’s most famous graphic artists. Many of his pieces show that reality is wondrous, comprehensible and fascinating.

Often times we try to make up imaginary worlds, or a better place to be, rather than finding the positives of our own reality. If you are able to spend your days with a person or people you appreciate and care for, eat well, do the things you enjoy, and live comfortably, shouldn’t you be able to find the positives in reality?

Life can bring challenges and maybe even be daunting at times. An easy life, is one that was never lived previously. Growing from experiences that resulted in hardship and heartache, as well as absorbing the ones that lead to laughter and love, creates that wondrous, comprehensible, and fascinating reality.

Nothing’s picture perfect, and nothing’s set in stone. Appreciate your surroundings, and use them to achieve your goals.

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In preparation for the East Coast CrossFit Challenge, I’m trying to add in some barbell workouts in addition to practicing the lifts for the Total, just to feel more comfortable with it.

I picked up this combination of movements from mtnathlete.com

“Spontaneity is the quality of being able to do something just because you feel like it at the moment, of trusting your instincts, of taking yourself by surprise and snatching from the clutches of your well-organized routine, a bit of unscheduled plea.” -Unknown

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I’m working on a project to determine the importance of strength training to women. I’m speaking with women that I know, and even ones I don’t to see what reasons they have for strength training, the importance to them, and also why they choose to ignore the stereotype of strength training for women = big and bulky.

To be honest, I don’t think women should train any differently then men. I don’t think we should do different movements, and I don’t think we should have different types of goals. Keep in mind that I’m not talking about body building, I’m talking about strength training. Some people are going to tell me that I’m full of shit and there’s no way a girl can lift as much as a guy. Some people are going to tell me that all things being equal that girl should be able to lift as much as the guy next to her. I’m saying there’s no reason why a girl can’t lift heavy, maybe as much as the guy next to her, maybe not, but all in all heavy, and still be a girl.

I’m not ignoring anatomy or physiology for that matter, they both play an important role and sometimes influence performance. However, if we look at the entire picture, I still think the girl next door can compete with the guy accross the street.

A good strength training program that is carried out properly will have increases occur on all trained lifts. That’s the part that needs to be focused on. If you have a goal, then you need a plan to make that goal. It can’t be arbitrary.

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If you expose your weakness, regardless of what it is, does it make you stronger or vulnerable?

There is always the typical answer where you could say that it depends on the situation. But I’m not interested in each individual situation (not today anyway), I’m interested in the overall affect from all situations combined together.

I’m inclined to believe that you become stronger and the more often your weakness is exposed the less it affects you negatively. I’m not sure if a true weakness, like Superman and Kryptonite or more seriously trusting people, ever disappears, but I’d like to believe that it adds to your character. You become forced to recognize it and find ways to not let it hinder your performance, your thoughts, and your life.

Every aspect of life influences you and your actions. It’s true to say that if you don’t have your mental game together, any physical training and even daily activities aren’t carried out to their highest potential. It’s not like one day you can just wake up and say I have it together. Training your weakness is probably more difficult than any physical training goal. I know it is for me, and I know I have to dig down deep to stir things up enough to bring it to the surface to face it. Everytime I do, something good always happens. I’m better than I was the day before, just as it is when I reach a training goal.

I take all those experiences with me and I’m a stronger person in the end, not vulnerable at all, even if for a second I feel like I might be.

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