BYOI
Bring Your Own INTENSITY
I remember back in the day, BYOB's were some of the best parties to attend. Well, next to keggers where $3 bought you your booze for the night. I mean, $3 won't even buy you a domestic beer at the bar anymore, let alone a nights worth!
But I digress; let me get to the point here
We've all heard it before...
...you'll get stronger if you train with a crew...
...you NEED atmosphere to train....
Etc., etc.
But what if you don't have a crew? Or you don't have a great gym to train at?
Quite simply, you need to BYOI - Bring Your Own Intensity!
The last couple of weeks have been hard for me from a training perspective. Our little gym (IFAST) is growing each and every week. As the gym grows, so do the demands on my time. And when that happens, I may not have a ton of time to train. And at the very least, I may not get the opportunity to train with others.
Basically, I get sessions in whenever I can. I know as well as anyone if I had a great crew with me that I'd probably get bigger, faster, stronger, whatever, but right now it's just not always feasible.
So what do I do? Sit in a corner and suck my thumb? Foam roll, activate and call it a day? Give up training and start my second career as a Halo 3 professional gamer?
The last couple of weeks, surprisingly enough, have me really focused on getting stronger and feeling good. Sometimes I have a crew, sometimes I don't. The bottom line is that every time I walk in the gym, I know exactly what I want to accomplish, and I bring my own intensity.
If you don't have a crew, or you train at a crappy gym, figure out what it takes to get you going. Maybe it's a special brew of coffee. Maybe there's specific music you can listen to that gets you in the zone.
Whatever it is, find it, and use it to your advantage.
Like everything in life, the only thing you can really count on iis change. I'd like to think that in the coming months my schedule will be a little less hectic, and I can make my training a little bit more routine. At the very least, I'd love to have people to train with each and every day.
But until then, I'll make due and bring my own intensity. What about you? What are you going to do to ensure that the next couple of months involve some kick-ass training?
I look forward to your responses!
Stay strong
MR
Comments on This Entry
Posted by jenrob at 12:37PM on June 04, 2009
Great post! Good tunes help. I also read an anecdote about a personal trainer and his reluctant client. Client was whining, not wanting to do cardio. Trainer loses it, and yells at his client, "Go to the locker rooms, strip down naked, stand in front of the mirror, and THEN try to tell yourself you don't need to do cardio!" Needless to say, client stopped complaining. I think about that when I'm whining to myself. Just remember our genetics.
Here's something I've been listening to at the gym lately.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--tIzy74WkA
Posted by Nia Shanks at 12:44PM on June 04, 2009
Great post, Mike. For years I have always trained alone, but now I finally have a training partner. : )
Training with someone is a huge help, but if I still need extra motivation I just listen to some 80s rock!
I've got to get back up to IFAST soon. Being in THERE just get's me friggin' excited to train!
Posted by Tim Dallinger at 12:51PM on June 04, 2009
Apparently, I couldn't figure out how to respond to the last blog linking training music, marriage and death metal/hard rock. So here is my blue music submission- a day late a dollar short.
Pantera - Blue Light Turning Red
Yngwie Malmsteen - Blue
*Careful though, this one just might melt your face
As for intensity- I focus on my purpose for training. Why do people train? Everyone has to answer that individually but the answer should fuel you.
Posted by Ernie O\'Malley at 01:18PM on June 04, 2009
Hey Mike,
great post! Thanks again ;)
I train at home and when the "inner voice"(see this great blog entry by Ross Enamait: http://rosstraining.com/blog/2009/06/04/the-inner-voice/ )
tries to fight me(especially when doing conditioning), I call my girlfriend and she gets me on the tracks again! Of course I told her once that she should shout at me and get me doing the job some time ago.
Cheers,
Ernie
Posted by Ed at 01:57PM on June 04, 2009
I prefer to train by myself, I find training with others even if their egging me on to much of a distraction. I jus get some Slipknoot on and get under the bar.
If you ever do decide to take up the Halo 3 career add 'eddache' and I will join you haha
Posted by JW at 03:09PM on June 04, 2009
You could just stop being a sissy.
Posted by Paul at 03:27PM on June 04, 2009
Mike
Great post. What is interesting is what motivates people to GET to the gym in the first place. Not just they want bigger muscles or to get stronger but the why behind it all. Having a big enough why combined with a top crew, good music and a good pre-workout routine is going to be awesome for your success.
How about a post on why you do it? Good discussion thread for motivation! If we all remember why we do it and have a support crew, no excuses!!!
Paul
Posted by Justin at 09:38AM on June 05, 2009
I normally workout after work. Odds are, something at work pissed me off enough to motivate me to attack my workout.
Posted by KerryW at 02:57AM on June 06, 2009
For me...it's the music. This is how I 'get in the zone', before I train. Kick-ass music gets the imagination soaring - it's amazing what physical feats you can imagine yourself doing, and I carry over that 'feeling' of being in control and being pumped, to my workouts.
Posted by Jack at 05:14PM on June 06, 2009
Perhaps I am an anomaly, but I rather enjoy training on my own. I've always found myself to be very internally driven, and it is very enjoyable checking into my isolated training world for a bit and then rejoining reality, so to speak.
Or maybe I'm too anti-social for my own good.
Posted by Rob Taylor at 06:15AM on June 07, 2009
Thanks for the post! Motivation is often over looked when trying to reach your goals. It also helps to boost an athlete's confidence which also carries over to the field and helps performance. Keep the post coming!
Posted by Matt S at 07:46PM on June 07, 2009
Great read! BYOI, I love it!
I stopped training with my crew as soon as they started getting flakey. Everyone's schedules magically became too hectic (as they were caught up with videogames, women, etc) -- So I learned to go solo.
Nowadays I train with the GF. Since a lot of my training is strength oriented, I can help her out between sets as she does her Precision Nutrition style workout. She motivates me as she is a very hard worker -- within a few weeks she was squatting over her body weight! Talk about intensity!
I still go solo sometimes. I enjoy it either way -- intensity is my only constant.