Stop Procrastination

Hi everyone,

In my last blog I talked about setbacks and then suggested some ways to get around them to keep pushing towards your goals. Today I am going to talk about Procrastination.

What is Procrastination?
Well plain and simple it is a behavior that is characterized by the deferment of actions or task to a later time. So in a nut shell it is putting things off!

Now you might be wondering what this has to do with bodybuilding. Well a lot actually. I must confess that procrastination has been a weakness of mine in the past and even today I am mindful of this behavior. I do not want anything holding me back.

Some examples of procrastination in the gym are:

1. I should be stretching more but I can’t be bothered.
2. I should be doing some type of squatting in my leg workouts but I do not feel like it so I will do more sets of leg extensions.
3. I should be training in a proper environment where there are good athletes to learn from instead of the local health spa gym. I keep saying I should but have not actually done anything about it.
4. I should be eating cleaner but I cannot be bothered to cook.
5. I should be asking questions in the gym on how to be a better bodybuilder but I am too shy to ask.
6. I should do some cardio but I can't be bothered but maybe I will do it tomorrow.
7. The list can go on and I am sure many of you are familiar with some of these…

Here is what I would suggest you do to overcome Procrastination:

Take action:
The easiest way to overcome procrastination is to get up and do it. Change “should” to “will” or “did” – you can say you should do this or you should do that but that is not going to make you a better bodybuilder. You become a better bodybuilder by pushing yourself past your comfort zone and doing things that may not be fun. Squats are not always fun but they sure do give you great results if they are done consistently.

Set goals and then take steps towards your goals:
What do you want to accomplish?

What needs to be done in order to accomplish your goals? Break your goals down into tasks or steps so that you are always moving forward. Each task you complete takes you one step closer to your goal. It is easier to get things done when they are broken down into smaller achievable tasks!

Change your way of thinking to positive, realistic thinking. Below are some popular sayings related to procrastination that hold a lot of meaning:

- Time waits for no man.
- Strike while the iron is hot.
- He who hesitates is lost.
- He who hesitates is last

Remember, you can't wait until you're in the mood to finish important tasks; you must use positive self-talk to get yourself motivated.

Follow your bliss!

Troy Brown :)

Working With Setbacks!

Hi Everyone,

I mentioned in my last blog that there are always ups and downs in life and in the sport of bodybuilding. How a person responds to adversity can really make the biggest difference when it comes to achieving your goals. I have compiled a list of my top three setbacks that I have as a body builder. For each setback I describe what I do to resolve it so that I can keep moving forward towards my goals.

1.Lack of appetite – I require a lot of food to grow and it can be a struggle for me to get my meals down sometimes in the off season.

My solution:
Cardio – this works like a charm. I usually do about 20 - 30 minutes 3 – 4 times a week. I am finding that when I am consistent with my cardio then I seem to have a good appetite. When I slack on my cardio my appetite suffers.

Increase my fruit and vegetable intake – I find that eating some fruit and some green vegetables with most of my meals really helps my appetite. I admit it is hard to eat vegetables when you are not hungry but if you can push through that then it will help. The fruits I eat are blueberries, cherries, raspberries, apples and grapefruits. I will have a serving of fruit with 2 or 3 meals and this does the trick.

2. Feeling weak in the gym or lacking motivation - his has been a hard one for me to tackle over the years because I would get so frustrated with both of these issues. A lot of times feeling weak or not feeling motivated is caused by the same thing.

My solution:
Cycling my training – it is tough to maintain an intense pace for an extended period of time. When I feel weak in the gym it is usually a good sign for me to take the volume (not as many sets) and weight down. Sometimes I will reduce my training days but that depends on how I respond to the reduced volume and weight.

Take a day or two off training – these days I am not afraid to take a day or two off when I need it. I find that this does wonders for my strength and it puts me in a good frame of mind. This is a hard thing for many bodybuilders to understand because they think a rest may hinder their progress. I have seen time and time again with myself and my clients that some rest will recharge you and put you back on course to your goals.

Watch training videos of other pro bodybuilders – this helps motivate me before training sometimes especially before back and leg work outs. Some inspirational pros to watch are: Ronnie Coleman, Branch Warren, Dorian Yates and Jay Culter.

3. Discouragement after not placing as well as I wanted at a show

My solution:
Get back in the gym – no point dwelling on it because I cannot change the outcome of the show but I CAN change the way I look next time and the way I respond to it. If you are unhappy with your placing at a show you have to look at things realistically and put together a new action plan. The only time you fail is when you give up.

Feeling Grateful – I learn something about myself every show and feel grateful to have each experience. I am grateful for the lessons I learn because those lessons are what make me better next time.

Don't Give up – it is the people that keep going after defeats and setbacks that accomplish great things.

The Six Characteristics of a Champion Bodybuilder

By Troy Tuff Enuff Brown

1. Persistence - In life, there are going to be ups and downs and the sport of bodybuilding is no different. Having a never give up attitude is crucial. I think that persistence and patience go hand in hand in order to be the best you can be.

2. Vision - Have a clear plan of where you want to go in the sport. Then work on steps on how to get you there. Start to visualize your end result. Visualize winning or achieving your goal at night before you sleep and when you wake up in the morning.

3. Belief - This point is very important to achieving great success in this sport. I have seen many amazing athletes just come and go because they did not believe in themselves. Believe you can do it and believe that you are good enough.

4. Focus - Focus on where you want to go in the sport. What are the things you need to do in order to be a champion?

5. Discipline - I cannot enforce enough how important discipline is. You cannot let any other distractions get in your way. If your friends are going out for a night on the town and you have to train the next day then this is where you discipline comes in. Should you go out? Probably not because you have big goals! Having the discipline to do the same things everyday is so important to be a champion bodybuilder. Find out what other champions have done to be the best they can be. All of them will tell you that they had to sacrifice a lot and have tremendous discipline in order to be the best.

6. Support - A support group is very important to succeed as a champion. You have to be around positive people all the time to achieve your goals. If you hang out with negative people then you become very negative. Be around successful people, people who have won titles and continue to be great ambassadors for the sport of bodybuilding. Another thing I have learned that is so important in this sport is having a very positive and understanding significant other. This person can be a key weapon to your arsenal in order to be a champion.

This game is all about duration and longevity. Get out of your head that you want it all now because you must be patient. Try to enjoy the journey and do not be hard on yourself when things do not go the way you want them to (like not placing well at a show). Learn from your disappointments and come up with a better plan next time.

Stay healthy!!
Troy Tuff Enuff Brown :)