When it comes to fitness, a lot gets lost in translation. Anyone new to working-out and the gym culture can quickly become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information out there regarding how to “get in shape.” First-off, what the hell does that even mean? Ripped abs, slabs of muscle and looking good for a photo shoot?
Unless you’re a Hollywood actor, bodybuilder or runway model, I doubt these things are that important to you. Sure, I’ll admit that I train partially for the aesthetic. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a fan of the results. However, everything changed for me when I flipped the script regarding fitness.
It all changed for me when I entered the StrongFirst Tactical Strength Challenge. After getting my feet wet with my first one, I was ready to kick ass in the gym and come back stronger. My motivation to train soared as I anticipated the next competition in 6-months. I dialed-in my training, hired a coach and put up some numbers I’m proud of. Guess what happened as a result. I “got in shape.” My body fat percentage decreased, my arms got a little bigger and my wife noticed the abs/definition (my dog Nano didn’t care either way, she obviously loves me unconditionally). Even more important, I HAD FUN. I didn’t punish myself in the gym, earning the “right” to eat food while focusing on hitting some arbitrary number/measurement.
The point is this; the smaller waist, the increased muscular definition and the bigger biceps were all a byproduct of training hard for performance. In addition, my confidence soared as I hit my goals while having a good time. My challenge to you is this; focus less on the scale and measurements, find a fun competition to train for and see what happens. I think you’ll find you have more fun and worry less about measurements.
Train your body. Feed your mind.
-Demarco
