Guidance and Support

Training Bodybuilding
1

Today has been looming for sometime now.

I woke up this morning and I realized that I can’t pick up a weight today. I can’t go to the gym, I can’t run, I can’t do anything but rest and I hate it. I loathe the feeling of sitting and watching television and imagining the gym. I have a problem and today is the day that I should take some sort of stand against it.

I’m involved in a training academy right now. I run anywhere between 9-10 miles a week. I lift 5 days out of the week. I have a shitty program, I don’t eat near enough to support growth, my back is stiff as hell, my shoulders probably don’t rotate and after running sprints up an incline all morning yesterday squats just ain’t happening.

I have been working out since Jan 15, 2005 and in that time period I have had one week of pure rest without stepping foot in a gym. I have a problem and this is the only place I can safely come to for help.

Everytime I pick up a weight, I think my form is wrong, every lift I criticize myself for being weak on. I never give myself any credit. I never say I did ok or good. I never even give myself a chance to succeed.

I’m never happy with my efforts and today is the day that I finally said enough and I’m here looking for somebody to talk to about it. Somebody that can help me because I can’t help myself.

I can’t spend another moment aimlessly lifting a bar when I know that my body shouldn’t be lifting anything. I need rest, food and time to gather my thoughts but I also need somebody to talk to.

I’m not asking for just nutritonal tips or how to cut to 4% percent bodyfat. I’m just looking to talk about your life, my life, what part lifting plays in it, how you lift and balance your life. I need some balance and guidance right now.

Just private message me and let me say that whoever answers me, I’m not looking for a quick fix. I’m looking for a friend that knows what I’m going through and can help, I’m looking for somebody to talk too and hopefully we can help eachother.

Thank you.

-Hawk

2

Hawk,

You are much farther along then myself, really your steady commitment to your gym routine in it self deserves commendation. I know from experience lifting / training off and on for the past 10 years that just sticking to it is the hardest part. If I would have kept at it all the times I’ve dropped off the wagon I would be so much farther a long then I am.

This time around though I changed my goal: I’m not working out to get my six pack (all though I hope to get there), I’m not working out to bench 300 pounds (all though I hope to get there and soon).

When I started working out again, I looked around and I saw so many unhealthy, and over weight people around me. I felt so sad for them; I started to look at my self and realized all though I’m not as bad as some I don’t have pride in my body the way I want it.

My form may not be perfect, but I work on it every day. I may not be able to run a marathon, but I’m a third of the way there and gaining. Above all this though I’m helping my self live better and enjoying life more.

My advice to you would be this: Take this whole week off don’t do any thing, rest let your body fully recover from a long stretch of hard work. Stretch every day, take time that you would normally lift and meditate (with deep breathing) on what you want to achieve, and where you’re at.

Lastly go out to your local mall, sit and look at the people that pass by. If you’ve been training for 5 years you must be in fairly good shape. Look at how many people who walk by are severely obese. Think how many of them pant just after walking up a few stairs, or walking to their car.

Think how many of them will develop or all ready have diabetes because of an unhealthy diet. Think how many have increased their risk of premature heart failure because of things like fast food and trans fats. Then think about how many years (and how much quality) they are shaving off their lives.

Sometimes when you’ve had something for so long, you forgot you had it at all…