Don't Get Stuck in Your Own Head

One should always take their mental health seriously. We live in a complicated age in which we are more accessible than ever, and we find ourselves subjected to distractions in the form of 24 hour news, the Internet, social media, video streaming services, and communication platforms. The near-constant exposure to technology can hijack our sleep schedule and darken our mood. Let's face it, who wouldn't be in a bad disposition much of the time if they constantly followed the 2024 presidential election? Mental health awareness has garnered an increasing amount of attention over the last few years, and rightfully so. One positive outcome of our current environment is that someone who is dealing with mental health difficulties is not branded with the same stigma that they once were. We all face challenges every day, and there is a good chance that someone you know is dealing with adverse circumstances, whether they show it or not. While actions matter more than words, people deserve compassion and understanding rather than a rush to judgment.

The mental component of exercise can never be underestimated. Remember that your brain controls your body, and that skeletal muscle is the only type of muscle tissue in the human body over which you have volitional control. Smooth muscle helps with digestion, nutrient collection, and removal of toxins, while cardiac muscle controls the beating of your heart. All of these are important actions but they are involuntary. Contraction of skeletal muscle occurs as a result of conscious effort that originates in the brain; it does not happen on its own. In order to get the most out of proper exercise, we need to focus as much of our brain's capacity on the task at hand. Don't get stuck in your own head!

What do I mean by that statement? Getting stuck in your own head can take on several different forms. One scenario often happens when clients return after a couple weeks off, either because of a vacation or some other absence. They will often struggle in their first workout back, in part because I think they lose sight of the amount of effort that is required during a Total Results workout. I saw a phrase that I really liked in an article I read this morning that said, "Prepare for a high level of discomfort." The article had nothing whatsoever to do with exercise, but I thought it was appropriate for what a Total Results workout entails. Clients sometimes forget the manner in which our machines are designed, where the resistance is typically heaviest in the beginning of the movement and becomes easier once the cam falls off. I see this often on the Chest Press exercise; it's not that they are unable to move the weight, it's just that they are seemingly unprepared for the amount of effort that is necessary to overcome inertia at the start. This is a mental hang-up, not a physical problem. While you may lose some cardiovascular and metabolic conditioning if you take a few weeks off, you are very unlikely to lose muscle or strength during that time. The same scenario can present itself on the Leg Press. At the start of the exercise there can be a slight delay between the brain sending the message to your muscles to contract and when movement actually occurs. It is only fractions of a second, but in your perception it seems like you are suspended in time. Exercise some patience. If you contract your muscles, the weight will eventually move.

Fear and negative thoughts are also examples of getting stuck in your own head. Fear of what, exactly? It could be fear of exertional discomfort, fear of not performing well, or fear of being injured. Don't give in to fear; no matter how uncomfortable a Total Results workout is (and it is uncomfortable - making lasting physical improvements is not easy), it only lasts for twenty minutes. I believe that many people don't start with Total Results out of fear, or because they feel that they "need to get in shape first." They are missing the point. Putting the work in at Total Results is what will make the difference, not trying some less effective method first. Do not be fearful of injury; that is the main reason we go to great lengths to teach our protocol in the first few sessions and make sure all of your exercise settings are correct. It is why we painstakingly explain the preliminary considerations during an initial consultation. Yes, it may feel like we are throwing a lot of information at you at first, but it is necessary in order to optimize your safety. Our exercise protocol is safer than stepping off a curb, as long as you follow our instructions. Get out of your own head! You are capable of far more than you give yourself credit for.

In the last year or so I have started giving clients access to their workout spreadsheets so that they can track their progress over time. This is important because I believe that knowledge of results is a vital factor for keeping clients motivated, but also in terms of celebrating their successes. Sometimes, however, this can backfire because some clients will obsessively pore over each workout and fret if they don't add weight or increase their time under load (TUL) every time. Sure, you will likely experience rapid progress in the first several weeks, but part of that is because we estimate your beginning poundages conservatively at first in order to teach proper form. After four to six weeks any increases in weight and TUL are more the result of physical adaptations than they are the learning effect. Progress should be steady but change does not happen overnight, and it is also important to note that as a client becomes more experienced they will come across the law of diminishing returns. This means that it is unrealistic to expect that you will progress at that same rate indefinitely. Yes, we will still continue to be progressive in our approach, but the weight increments will be added less frequently and in smaller amounts. Consequently, if clients do not believe they are progressing fast enough they will often make the mistake of adding in more activity to their lifestyle, applying the fallacy of, "if some is good, more is better." Don't fall into this trap, and don't succumb to paralysis by analysis. We want you to think critically when it comes to exercise, but don't overthink it. Total Results clients should have as many tangible markers of their progress as possible, but please don't obsess over your chart.

Author Ryan Holiday says in his book "Courage is Calling" that, "All growth is a leap in the dark. If you're afraid of that, you'll never do anything worthwhile. If you take counsel of your fears, you'll never take that step, make that leap." He goes on to say, "Training is not just something that soldiers and athletes do. It is the key to overcoming fear in all situations. What we do not expect, what we have not practiced, has an advantage over us. What we have prepared for, what we have anticipated, we will be able to answer." Exercise should be hard, but once you tell yourself you can't do something it won't happen. Believe in yourself! Total Results is non-judgmental. We simply want to help you to become the best version of your current self. Put negative thoughts out of your mind, be a learner, and keep an open mind. You can do it!