Doing these things regularly have helped me add so much weight to my total in such a little time. Every time I miss a lift, I make sure to remind myself how much of a failure I am and how I will never get stronger.
Pushing Beyond Limits: The Illusion of Progress
When I am feeling really tired and stressed out, I make sure to force myself to go heavier than my capabilities to force my body to get stronger faster.
The Comparison Trap: How Social Media Distorts Reality
Whenever I am feeling unmotivated, I open Instagram and look at how kids that have been training for less than I have are so much stronger than I am now. Notice what I did there? Did you notice how those points don't make sense and actually seem counterintuitive to wanting to get stronger?
Recognizing Self-Sabotaging Behaviors
The mental aspect of training is not something to be overlooked and plays a huge role in getting someone to make progress. Yet, we all tend to self-sabotage our progress by doing things like what I mentioned above.
The Importance of Recovery: Sleep and Nutrition
Overshooting RPE regularly, not sleeping well and wondering why we are always tired, barely eating enough protein and not being able to recover - these are all behaviors that hinder progress.
The Power of Self-Belief: Shifting Your Mindset
Constantly comparing ourselves to others and bringing ourselves down, missing some exercises or sets, and varying the training volume are all signs of self-sabotage. A quote I love for this is: "Those who say they can, and those who say they can't, are usually both right." If you keep telling yourself you can't, then more likely than not, you will not be able to progress to your true potential.
Trusting the Process: Consistency and Patience
Trust your coach, trust yourself, trust the process, and the results will come. There will rarely be drastic changes that need to be made. Just small habits and a mentality shift.
Conclusion:
Recognize the importance of mental resilience in your fitness journey. Overcoming self-sabotaging behaviors like negative self-talk and comparison is crucial. At Desert Barbell Strength Gym, we prioritize both physical and mental training. Trust the process, stay consistent, and embrace a positive mindset for long-term success. Join us and experience the difference.
Meet the Author:
Dalia Zawil works as a Strength Coach at Desert Barbell. She combines her research background from Tohoku University, Japan, with sports training. Dalia uses proven methods for training, nutrition, and rehab to help clients achieve their goals. She's also a writer for the Personal Coach Manual by Inspire Fitness Academy, where she talks about how small changes can lead to big results. Despite overcoming injuries, Dalia is now a powerlifter and advocates for strength training. She offers personal training, online services, seminars, and workshops for those who want to train with her.