The Ultimate Performance Center

No Excuses™ – Motivation: No Brain, No Gain™

“No Brain, No Gain™”

by John Abdo

Body toning, fat reduction and muscular development–by way of exercise–has always been more effective (and safe) when the applicant understands, and is motivated by the technical aspects for each movement. One doesn’t have to become a myology professor or physiology scholar to attain fitness success. But rather, the [basic] capability to identify then understand the muscles–and their physiological responsibilities and functions, is important for the motivated enthusiast and athlete to maximize results.

On that note, those who are serious about getting the best results possible while exercising must begin and sustain this “as a mental process”, not merely a physical endeavor. It’s the brain that operates and controls the body, and it’s trillions of cells. And the better the brain can deliver signals to the individual components of the human anatomical machine; i.e, the tissues and organs, the better that machine will function and perform. Plain and simple; anatomical knowledge is an integral part of health and performance success just like knowing the recipe before making a gourmet meal.

The ideal state to strive for in developing a supreme state of health is to 1) Analyze your weaknesses (the mental and physical ones), 2) Design practical, realistic, doable and sensible routine/s that address those needs, then 3), Perform the routine/s with an eager attitude.

All three steps are mentally associated. The 3rd, and final step is the only phase that requires physical action. Just like rock climbers first study the routes on mountain edges from afar before attempting to lay one finger on the rock face they are planning to scale, it’s the brain that develops the “know how” and the “want to” to reach peaks in one’s performance and health.

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Learning your body then can be a simple procedure which brings science into the exercise room –and dinner table– adding wisdom and security to your lifestyle. This article is not meant to educate you on all you need to know to get into terrific shape. Rather, my intention is to inform you that even though I consider myself to be successful coach and trainer, it’s YOU that needs to do the work, and you must ‘know’ and ‘understand’ what you’re doing to yield long-term benefits.

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Great athletes, even the ones who have been competing for years, consistently study their sport, their body, and the science of human performance. They strive to learn their bodies during the conditioning process that ultimately gains them the edge over their competition.

If you’re not a competitive athlete, or don’t have any athletic aspirations let me ask you this. Do you want to look and feel great? Of course you do. In actuality, exercising to look and feel great is far less stressful than training for and competing in sports. The pressure of competition oftentimes over-stresses the athlete and (ultimately) depletes their nervous, hormonal and immune systems. But for the fitness enthusiast who is merely striving for optimal health and appearance, and a boost in energy and well-being, competition related stresses are nonexistent making exercising fun, more casual and self-motivating, while providing plenty of remarkable benefits.

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By learning the basic fundamentals of exercise and anatomy, and looking at the body holistically, you’ll develop a stronger and longer lasting foundation for the years to follow.

Learn as much as you can about your body and develop a strong mental attitude. After that all else will fall into place, along with a few-plus pounds as well! So, if you’re wanting to change the condition you are currently in with exercise and nutrition, don’t be overly concerned [at first] to only acquire exterior results. Better stated, don’t be obsessed with immediate external results. The goal is to condition the controlling, and operating, system of your body –your brain– then navigate that knowledge and comprehension and motivation to transform your aspirations and goals into reality.

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It makes me wonder that people will read manuals, and even take classes and hire consultants, to learn how to operate their VCR’s, PC’s, cameras, and other techno toys but do little, or nothing, to learn themselves. The human body is often a very neglected and abused organism, statistics prove that. So it’s best to always learn you!

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Learn your body. If our financial leaders are preaching knowledge is the key to success, then athletes, coaches, fitness and longevity enthusiasts alike can use the same formula to attain their fortunes of health. So let’s begin the pursuit toward a healthy, productive and long life. Get it in your head first then watch your body, and life, take the shape of your thoughts. See you next issue!!!

No Excuses™

Be a Doer™

September 11, 2014 - Posted by John Abdo | Performance Library