MIND SET

Training parodies life. As Strength and Conditioning Coaches, we have seen it thousands of times. Athletes that will run through a wall for us in the weight room will often do so for their coaches. Players that are lazy in their training are often lazy in other aspects of their life. Teams that lack consistency in effort and focus during conditioning sessions often lack consistency in the classroom, practices and games. Teams that cannot maintain intensity throughout a workout usually either start slow or can’t finish.

Mind set is always important. “Move the bar with intent!” is one of my favorite sayings when coaching in the Iron Palace. It is a secret to getting stronger and getting better in general. Don’t just go through the motions, attack what you are doing – get something out of it! An athlete’s mind set can be the difference between a walk-on that quits a year and a half into a college career, and one who earns a full scholarship for their last two seasons. Mind set can be the difference between being someone with potential and being that someone that reaches their full potential. Mind set can be the difference between being good and being great.

While mind set obviously plays a key role in training and athletics, it doesn’t end there. What’s the use of attacking weights if you don’t attack life? Why be strong as an ox but float through existence like a useless lump of crap in every other one facet of your life? Living should be done with intent and having the right mind set is key to this. Mind set is the difference between a fulfilling existence and an average one.

We currently find ourselves in a unique situation. I hate the word scary, but it is. Our whole lives seem to be stuck in a “wait and see” time loop. While so much is on hold, one thing that shouldn’t be is our mind set. We can sit on the couch, watch the news, get fat, weak and easy to kill or we can come out stronger than ever. We can come out sick and tired of those we are locked up with, or we can come out closer than ever. We can come out bitching about everything, or we can come out attacking everything with a tenacity never seen before!

When all of this is said and done, and this time of uncertainty passes – come out stronger than ever. Whether you are set up with a full home gym, have just a set of dumbbells or are stuck training with only your body weight. Whether you are locked up with those you love or stuck by your lonesome. Keep the mind set where it should be and do everything with intent! Mind set: Be GREAT! F*ck average!