Welcome back Warriors! Happy new year! I hope 2021 was a productive and successful one for you! As we’re heading into 2022 with new hopes, goals, dreams and aspirations, it’s also a time to reflect on all we’ve accomplished in the past year. So today, I thought I would share my experience committing to a whole year of training like a bodybuilder.
Disclaimer: I am not a bodybuilding expert by any means. I am an intermediate. So while I can speak from experience, I still have a lot to learn.
How Did I Start?
It all started after Christmas of 2020. Before I went to bed that night, I was having some time to myself, gathering my thoughts about the new year (2021 at the time) and what I wanted to accomplish. I had fitness goals before, but I would have a hard time committing to them. The biggest culprit was because I was still in school at the time. I was slammed with homework that would eat up a big chunk of my time, to the point where I didn’t have time to go to the gym. It made me feel bummed and depressed that I couldn’t focus on building my body because of my schoolwork. Yeah, being a full-time college student was no joke.
The thing that kept me going over the course of last year was a simple phrase I repeated over and over: Just do it. I had talked about my fitness goals to my friends and family before, but I would find myself stumbling and not being fully committed. So I decided that I shouldn’t talk about it anymore, I should just do it. And I did exactly that. Once I got into the flow I had been itching for, it got so much easier for me to stick to my plan. It was like I was addicted to being in the gym, you know? I never wanted to leave.
What Kept Me Motivated?
One thing that kept me motivated was that I made checklists and schedules for myself. I made checklists so I could help keep track of everything I ate, so I could hit my target macros for each phase of bodybuilding. I followed bodybuilding programs that took up 6 days out of the week. Personally, my 6 days of training are Monday through Saturday, with Sunday being my day off.
Throughout the year, I would put up challenges for myself and mark off each day upon completion. There have been times where other stuff would come up in my life, to where I had to restart said challenges, but I was able to complete them like I had wanted to. To this day, I still use the 30 day challenge method, and it works like a charm.
Another thing that keeps me motivated is by looking to popular figures in the fitness world and take inspiration from them. My biggest fitness influences over the years have been Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Roman Reigns, Christian Guzman, Sagi Kalev, Billy Blanks, and Francis Ngannou, to name a few. A lot of times when I would go to the gym to work out, I would wear clothing of their respective brands to keep me motivated. Like Project Rock by Under Armour, Alphalete, Roman Reigns WWE attire, etc.
How Did I Maintain a Workout Schedule and Diet?
In the past, I’ve tried committing to workout schedules, but I would tend to fall off the wagon and it would take me a while to recover. Now that I have been 100% on the ball with my bodybuilding pursuits, I would be desperate to be back in the gym whenever I would take time off. I would block out at least an hour to an hour and a half each day to hit the gym, Monday through Saturday.
Did I Face Any Obstacles?
Yes, I did. There were a few times during the year when I had to take some time off. Sometimes the reason was because of injury or illness. I remember taking a whole week off in June due to illness. Then in October I hurt the inside of my arm and I took 2 weeks off to recover. I was using free weights (dumbbells) at the time, and I learned the hard way that was the reason why my arm was hurting. So when I returned to the gym, I switched to machines and stuck to it. I haven’t been injured since.
I will admit, during the 2 weeks I took off from training due to injury, I was almost considering quitting. When I was a kid, I was born with negative muscle tone. There was something in my brain telling me that my body wasn’t designed for bodybuilding. But with a little positive encouragement, I made a comeback. This time on machines instead of dumbbells. I felt more comfortable there because I didn’t have to balance the heavy weights. By using machines, I had a more limited range of motion, meaning the weights could only move in one direction.
What Advice do I Have for You?
I have several pieces of advice for you, if getting in shape like I did is what you want to do.
- HAVE A GOOD WORK ETHIC. I know that sounds cliché, but it is true. If you want to become the best version of yourself in the shortest time, you have to work for it. There’s no other way. You have to put in the work and put in the hours to get what you want. A lot of times I’ve seen athletes try to outwork the competition and be the hardest worker in the room. That is the kind of attitude you should have as you step into the gym.
- NEVER GIVE UP. Sometimes life is unfair and it sucks. you’re going to be thrown curveballs from time to time. There’s no nice way to say it. But the question is, how will you respond to life’s challenges along the way? Do you surrender? Or do you fight back and win? The choice is yours.
- DON’T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. If you want to accomplish something bad enough, nothing is going to stop you. It’s that simple.
- HATERS GONNA HATE. Sometimes you’ll encounter people who will doubt you and tell you that you can’t do it. Guess what, that’s called reality. There’s always going to be someone who will count you out. The real reason why they do that is really because they may feel insecure, jealous, or threatened by your dreams and your success. The only way to shut them up is to keep working hard so you can prove them wrong. I’ve been faced with doubters and haters before, but I didn’t take it personally. I used their negative energy as fuel to work even harder so that I could prove them wrong. And I succeeded. So don’t let anyone’s negative energy get to you. Just keep on trucking and once you hit your milestone, they’ll think twice before counting you out again.
- BE PATIENT. Getting in shape takes time. That’s all there is to it. Steroids won’t do you any good. Yeah, you might hit your milestone in shorter time, but long term, the substance will do bad things to your body. Short term gain, long term loss. The only way you’re going to reach the milestone you want properly is by sticking to the program you set out for yourself. Even if it takes 3 months, or 6 months, it’ll all be worth it.
- STAY POSITIVE. This is super important. You need to have a positive mindset every time you step foot in the gym. And I don’t mean go in and be all happy-go-lucky and giddy. I mean having the positive energy and the drive to want to have a good workout and a good diet. As well as not letting negative energy or life’s challenges get to you, like I mentioned before.
- KNOW YOUR LIMITS. This means the same thing as listening to your body. Don’t be the show-off trying to lift super heavy to impress the ladies. You’re not the Hulk. Remember, technique is the most important aspect to weight lifting. It’s the only way your muscles will grow from the exercises you do. On top of that, poor technique can cause injury. The last thing you would want is to injure yourself to the point where your gym time is put on hiatus. So you have to know your limits.
Closing Words
I hope my words of motivation lit a fire in your soul to want to go chase your dream. Now that the new year has begun, it means a new opportunity to become a new you. If you take my advice and never give up on yourself and have that drive, that desire to get in the best shape of your life, then the sky is the limit.
Good luck on your fitness adventure! Now LET’S GO INTO BATTLE!