GETTING BACK INTO THE CLUB MINDSET
You take your workout seriously. You train hard, pushing your physical limits and leaving nothing behind, but, did you realise that the most important part of your workout takes place before you even grab a weight? Now that we are on the verge of heading back into the club here are a few ways to get you back into the right in-club mindset.
Before the Workout
What you do in the hour leading up to your workout is critical. Look back at your last workout, analysing your weights and reps. Use that information as a guide to what you plan to achieve this time round. Your goal, of course, is to do more – a couple more reps per set or a few extra kilograms. Establish those targets and set your mind on achieving them, no matter what.
In the hour leading up to your workout, put the power of visualisation to work for you. Create a mental movie of yourself going through the workout. Get specific so that you see yourself loading the bar, setting yourself up for the set and then performing perfect, effortless reps. Visualise yourself hitting the new goals for this workout that you have set.
In the hour leading up to your workout, you should gradually ramp up your training motivation. Sixty minutes before the session, your energy level should be around a level four. When you walk into the gym, it should have ramped up to a seven. By the time you come out of the changing room and head to the weights area, your inner drive will be at an eight. Then, when you wrap your fingers around the bar, you should be totally zoned in. Your mind-muscle connection should be in sync, with nothing else on your mind but performing a perfect set. You’ll be operating at a level ten.
When You Enter the Gym
When you first enter the gym, allow yourself a few minutes to take in the surroundings. Notice who is there and process anything that’s new. Do this early so that it won’t distract you during the actual workout.
Most people who enter a gym make a fatal mistake before they even start their workout. They compare themselves to their fellow gym members. Guys immediately set their gaze upon the guy who’s more muscular and stronger. Girl’s zoom in on fellow females with hotter bodies. In doing so, they immediately psych themselves out.
There is always going to be someone who’s stronger, bigger and leaner. But your job is not to compare yourself to them. Your job is to make yourself better. So, don’t allow yourself to be distracted by what they are doing. Stay focused on you.
When you walk through that gym door, you should know exactly what you are going to be doing; every exercise, the rep count, the weights that you’ll be lifting and the rest time between sets. Get zoned in to the mission before you. Your goal is not to just get through a workout but to make this workout the most productive, result producing training session you’ve ever had.
Now Just Do It
From the above, it should be clear that the most important part of your workout is the hour leading up to the moment you actually begin your training session. Get that right and you’ll have an awesome workout every time.
