A few months ago I moved to India as part of an international placement with work. As soon as I arrived in Bangalore I started training in our little complex gym using the same approach I always had, sure that this time I was going to stick with it and have more success.
While I made some progress initially it was when I decided to get serious and join my local gym with a couple of my friends that I started to accelerate. Partly because I started to research more about what I needed to be doing but also significantly because of the increased motivation and competition training with others brought.
There are some great articles laying out the benefits of training with a partner, from motivation to expertise. Mehdi at Stronglifts has some great reasoning (Here). He uses Arnold Schrazenenger as a great example, who for all his dalliances with steroids and women is one of the most successful bodybuilders of all time and always liked to train with Franco Columbu to keep him razor sharp. While obviously plugging his own website one of the aspects that I think is most relevant Mehdi touches on is the use of his online community. While I haven’t used it and can’t vouch for it what I do like about it is the way that you can have “gym partners” that you don’t actually train with to encourage and guide you.
One of the best ways to achieve any goal is to make yourself accountable. If there is an outcome that is dependent on you doing what you have set out to you will be much more likely to achieve it, especially if you need to succeed to move on or if someone else is relying on you. Think back to some of your proudest moments graduation or sporting achievements. There is often an external reason driving you alongside the internal ones. Whether it is the desire to get the job of your dreams or not let your teammates or coach down.
By sharing your goals and dreams with others either online, at work or at home you are involving them in your success or failure, even if they are not next to shouting for one more rep as Arnie does famously with Ed Corney in Pumping Iron. (Worth a watch even if you are not the biggest bodybuilding fan, even if only for the 70s hair and clothes – Here).
When we set ourselves goals they can range from alcohol fueled good intentions on the 31st December through to hard and fast ambitions that we spend a great deal of time and effort striving to achieve. The difference between putting on your trainers and going for a run on a wet September morning or staying in bed can be tiny and every little push can help.
Therefore, while ideally we will find people who want to walk on the same fitness path by training in the same way as us and at the same time, and I would certainly recommend making the most of it if you do, this is unlikely to be the case. So why not try and get that extra 1% by involving your friends, family and co-workers in on what you are trying to do and allow them to make you hold yourself accountable. Commit to SMART goals write them down and share them.
I don’t always train with the friends I signed up to the gym with, or even always go on the same day, but by having them there gives me the motivation you to stick with it when I feel like slacking the gym off and going and buying ice cream.
With that in mind as I aim to get stronger and improve my body composition I am committing myself to writing this blog and detailing how I get on.
My starting statistics as of 13 May.
|
Height: |
180cm |
|
Weight |
80.5Kg |
|
Chest: |
103cm |
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Waist: |
85cm |
|
Naval: |
91cm |
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Upper Arm: |
Right 35cm Left: 34cm |
So what about my goals?
As part of my long term goal of getting stronger and achieving the 1.5x Bodyweight Bench Press, 2x Squat and 2.5x Deadlift I want to get to 75% of that by the end of September.
That would mean based on my current weight (Current 5RM in brackets).
Bench Press – 90.5Kg (75kg)
Squat – 121kg (95Kg)
Deadlift – 151Kg (115Kg)
Let the training commence!
harder, better, faster, stronger, 