Friday, August 24, 2012

Increasing Volume


You know, finding that "niche", that "thing", that special "something" that gives you chills up and down your spine is a feeling that people can spend their entire life looking for.

It could be watching car racing on TV. Maybe its having a prize show dog. Shooting a powerful rifle. It could be anything. Something that gives you the feeling of  power, purpose and accomplishment. Something that makes you proud of your hard work.

I have found mine, there is no question about it , and lately, I have felt like I am in overdrive. 

It comes from breaking out of the feeling of being complacent. 

Comfortable.

Set.

OK.

Doing Just Fine.

When we start to feel that "everything is going just fine and smoothly", that's when it can all break down and things can get......messy. 

The body loves to be comfortable and will make sure that it has just what it needs to feel relaxed, well fed and not stressed. 

it's called Homeostasis. Our bodies work very, very hard to remain the same, to adapt to the environment, to chug along without making any waves.  Our minds work with the body to convince us that we don't need to do anything extra.

So if you don't change your training, if you don't challenge your body, it will adapt and it will not grow, it will not improve. It will do only what it needs to stay the same.

It's so easy to keep going to the gym doing the same thing, thinking that we are doing our bodies good. 

Doing the same thing over and over is what your body wants to be cozy. Does "cozy" evoke thoughts of sexy? Of ripped? Of lean and hard? Nooooo

Cozy is the opposite word of what I strive for.

I have known for years that I must change my training to grow. I do change it, but I also fall into the same trap that we all do, repeating the same workout or the same weights over and over again.

It should change every week, really. You should not go in this Monday and do the same weights and reps you did last Monday, where is the improvement in that? 

I have made a personal challenge to increase my pull ups and chin ups every week, and it has been so successful I  am shaking my head that I didn't do this earlier.

I train my Back on Sundays, and when I get close to a competition I also add in Wednesday mornings. 

Three weeks ago this was my chin up set:

With a weight belt and a total of 9 1/2 pounds added:

4, 5, 6, 6, 6 ,6 for a total of 27 chin ups

Two weeks ago:

With a weight belt and a total of 9 1/2 pounds added:

5, 6, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 for a total of 36 chin ups (11 more)

Last week:

With a weight belt and a total of 9 1/2 pounds added:

5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 for a total of 46 chin ups (10 more than the previous week and 21 more than two weeks ago!)

This Sunday my goal is to try to hit 7 on each set. I have a mental block about getting past that #6 mark, and Roy said that a lot of people stop right there, I have no idea why!

Remember that even adding just a couple more each session is improvement, it doesn't have to be drastic, but just a bit more. It will not only improve your physique, but give your mind that mental boost of accomplishment to keep you going for yet a another session!


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