Consistency

NeighborMike

NeighborMike

Bluelighter
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Messages
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Location
Jigga City
Consistency

Consistency

Here is a typical scenario that applied to a large percentage of the lifters reading this post, and a SUPER LARGE percentage of the guys reading this that get piss-poor results.

You get all psyched up about your training. By the latest copy of your favorite lifting mag, go to the online forums, read the success stories about others, and decide this time you are going to REALLY make it happen. You put together the “ultimate” routine and have at it. And it starts working! The weights are going up and you are stoked! Then, little Jenny has to go to the doctors and your wife can’t take her, or you get behind on studies in school and “have to” miss your workout, or one of the million things that come up in life. So, you miss a workout, no big deal. Next week something else comes up and just as fast as you built up all the excitement about your new routine, you lose momentum psychologically. And all of a sudden you find yourself trading the protein shake and banana for a big-Mac and fries, and……..right down the toilet things go.

The good part is, it doesn’t last long, and you soon find yourself getting excited about your training again and take another pass at the “big results” you know you can achieve. But the same old vicious circle starts again. Most guys end up doing the right thing about ½ or less of the time and then bitch about results. This game is about doing the right things each and every day on a consistent basis. The gym is the easy part. Fueling the process is a full-time job that most never really get into the groove of.

Most of you would be totally amazed at the results you could achieve if you put just a whole year back to back of doing the right things every day. Many of you never put a month together of doing the right things. Get consistent, get results!

Iron Addict
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It's very hard to be consistent in the gym. I would say the first 6 months of working out are the easiest because you're getting constant positive feedback on a weekly basis. Sometimes I have an alll or nothing mentality so I go through six month where I live and breathe bodybuilding, then I take a look at my life and other people who I would consider successful, and I realize they're not necessarily the biggest or strongest but I still admire their attitude. So in my view it's important to keep a balance. I want to be in great shape and achieving new milestones, but don't let it consume my life. The problem with being fanatical is what will you do if you have to take a break from bodybuilding. What will your identity consist of? Dorian Yates mentioned in interview that after he retired due to injuries, he went through a real low period because he didn't know any life outside of bodybuilding.

That's why I try now to keep it in moderation. If I miss one workout it's not a big deal, because actually that one workout will mean little in the long run. The important thing is to adapt working out to your lifestyle; don't build your life around working out. If you are too intense, then any little setback will be magnified to a greater degree. It's very reminiscent of the turtle and rabbit scenario. Slow, steady progress that doesn't sap your mental energies vs a 3 month bodybuilding binge and then you burn out. I have 11 out of the last 12 months. Whereas in the past I would dwell on the month I missed in between and what could have been, my focus now is just to keep going no matter what. You can't be a perfectionist in bodybuilding game or it will burn you up with negativity.
 
I dont think dedicating yourself to something positive is bad.
When I have structure in my life and my time revolves around training playing sports eating well and working I do well

When I shy away from that and start going out hanging with women and doing drugs I create excuses to break the structure I created and its not long before I fall off...this is the vicious cycle I repeat. There may be a time where I cant workout do to injuries and things like that but I choose to deal with it when i get there
 
I understand what you're saying for sure. Just to make a point, there are worse things you could be obsessed with than bodybuilding. All I'm saying is, for me personally, I want to be more well rounded than a meathead who knows nothing outside of the gym because he's out of his element. I want to fit working out as one pillar in my life rather than making it take a disproportionate focus. If I need to go on auto-pilot for a week where I'm working out just to keep continuity there's nothing wrong with it. It's the all or nothing mentality which has made me quit in the past so many times. For example, miss a week due to substance use and then it spirals out of control because I'm like the he'll with it. Now I realize how valuable it is to not take a prolonged hiatus. It's very important to get back in the gym as soon as possible not only because you diminish your regression but also because it reinforces a positive, constructive habit.
 
Something that helped me with keeping the interest of training is to learn the biological/chemical aspects of training and nutrition. Besides just taking this and this or eating this and this. Figure out why that exact compound does what it does. Learn the pharmacokinetics of everything you take and study the biological aspects and cellular functions that lead to you increasing your max on the backsquat or your inclined barbell bench press.

I find the science has become more of an interest to me than actually doing the workout.
 
Consistency demands devotion. Devotion is intrinsic. My intrinsic motivation in weightlifting/bodybuilding is to gain muscle or look better (for myself and for looking good to others), to harness my mental and physical energies into uplifting accomplishments, to increase physical strength, to maintain physical health, to feel the natural pleasure after workouts, and to build structure in my life while facing challenges.

As a natural, you can gain muscle and look better to a certain point. You can accomplish amazing things but they take time, hard work, and persistence. You can get super strong, but it takes time, hard work, and patience. As a natural, bar disastrous injuries, weightlifting improves your everyday health in so many ways. Getting through a hard workout is daunting, but you reap the payoff even before the last set ends up to a few hours. Weightlifting fills idle time with minimal sophistication and stress relieving sense of purpose.

As a natural, it's discouraging when you look the same week after week. Distractions make one undersell the value of accomplishments. One questions the point in getting strong when they see power manifested through material wealth and authority. Health takes a backseat when a moment of weakness makes you question the ardor of preparing meals, spending more money on quality foods while others enjoy pastries and mouth watering treats. A hard workout no longer inspires enthusiasm; it fills one with dread and negativity, making one think about the ease and comfort one could enjoy in relaxing activities. Stress builds up and working out is viewed as the pastime of those who are wasting their time building their egos because they are young and myopic kids who will one day understand the things that really determine one's status and success and "happiness."
 
Snarky91 said:
Consistency demands devotion. Devotion is intrinsic. My intrinsic motivation in weightlifting/bodybuilding is to gain muscle or look better (for myself and for looking good to others), to harness my mental and physical energies into uplifting accomplishments, to increase physical strength, to maintain physical health, to feel the natural pleasure after workouts, and to build structure in my life while facing challenges.

As a natural, you can gain muscle and look better to a certain point. You can accomplish amazing things but they take time, hard work, and persistence. You can get super strong, but it takes time, hard work, and patience. As a natural, bar disastrous injuries, weightlifting improves your everyday health in so many ways. Getting through a hard workout is daunting, but you reap the payoff even before the last set ends up to a few hours. Weightlifting fills idle time with minimal sophistication and stress relieving sense of purpose.

As a natural, it's discouraging when you look the same week after week. Distractions make one undersell the value of accomplishments. One questions the point in getting strong when they see power manifested through material wealth and authority. Health takes a backseat when a moment of weakness makes you question the ardor of preparing meals, spending more money on quality foods while others enjoy pastries and mouth watering treats. A hard workout no longer inspires enthusiasm; it fills one with dread and negativity, making one think about the ease and comfort one could enjoy in relaxing activities. Stress builds up and working out is viewed as the pastime of those who are wasting their time building their egos because they are young and myopic kids who will one day understand the things that really determine one's status and success and "happiness."
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Fantastic post Snarky. That would have made my soul tingle if I actually had one.

Honestly, it was a little bit motivational to me personally. Thanks for sharing that thought of yours.
 
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