DisabilityBodybuilding.com

Through first weeks of training, I’m looking round at the familiar equipment in the gym – the ones I like, the ones that would test me, the ones that will get me to where I want to be.

Programme defined, sets taken apart in those first few hard, fat burning, muscle building sessions, I’m now even more confident about my body and my attitude towards those goals.

However, it’s not all plain sailing. The mental battle I’ve had always placed on the ‘restrictions’ of my left side still hampered dipping my toe into water into some area’s of the gym.

Step up my old friend the pec fly. Tried it years ago, hurt like hell, I didn’t feel my ‘weaker’ left arm was up to it, my right side always the stronger taking the strain but then failing with a double grip. Attitude? Sucked. Gave up, Sod it. My arms not up to it.

Difference now? That was two years ago. Accepting in 2014 that the objective are definition, body fat loss and distance run (Bristol 10K booked for May) where in the manual did it say my left side is going to be better than my right? I gotta do this my way. With that I saw someone do something which sparked a lightbulb within me….a armed push on that Pec Fly.

Genius! As one of my friends Nikki says ‘I can do that!’ so I’ve it given a go and it’s now part of my programme. I just had to adapt to my own style and not let a small bit of pessimism get in the way.

Did you hold any fears as part of your programme?

Don’t fear the machine! 🙂

We all know the drill – get knocked down, get back up again, keep pushing.

Well I got to that point a couple of weeks ago. I had been pushing (maybe a little too hard) and wore myself down training wise.

I sensed I needed to talk with someone in the know about sports aches and pains.

It just so happens I know a sports injury specialist, who knew more about the knots and pulls in my back than I thought I’d ever know.

An hour of treatment later, armed with better information about how to adapt with having more muscle flexibility in my right side, I’ve developed a programme (both stretching and workouts) that helps equal the balance with my muscles while progressing with my core strength.

I got back on the journey for optimum fitness (actually, the hurdle was part of it) and will continue to push it, but in smarter ways!

I’m sure we’ve all hit walls, but I feel it just makes us stronger, how have you pushed on over a hurdle?

With a bit of struggle comes the ability to find strength!

Those that have met me may have picked up that I have slightly more mobility in my right hand than left.

You may not have known that the muscle ‘weakness’ stretches down most of my left side. The word weakness has been a common, easy to comprehend term I’ve always used to describe the status of my left arm.

Well, recently, in light of my training, I’ve taken issue with my own discription of the muscles.

It became a habit to explain it like this, but quite honestly, it’s been wrong of me to have done that all my life. I want to build muscle – and instead of worrying about the effect of a lop sided set of abs – I needed to start at adding strength.

It’s true I could possibly build muscle quicker in my right than left, BUT the sheer fact I’m looking to strengthen my left side should be the important factor.

I’m loving my training and will find what works and what doesn’t, I’ll continue to try new things and see where it takes me. The goals may change as the strength builds but as I’ve mentioned before I made mistakes with my training and stopped a few weeks in.

I just need to keep tweaking, find what suits and get stronger – on both sides!

I’m a few weeks into my new training ‘regime’ and it’s going well.

I use the the speech marks as my programme has been more a series of tweaks over the last couple of months which is starting to pay dividends, but it is far from over.

I would say deep down that this is my 4th attempt to ‘get fit’. The problem I’ve had with the previous occasions was the objective – it was quite vague. I put too much pressure on my self, all or nothing and ended spells of a couple of months frustrated.

There all so many reasons why previous approaches were wrong. Clearly it was the lack of a defined goal. It dawned on me a few weeks ago that I was 14 months off 30 when I started this journey and that was the wake up call – do now want you wanted to do for so long – get a goal in place in that time for fitness – I want muscle definition, 12% body fat (to start) and I’m keen to throw in a distance run at the same time, just because I haven’t done one.

A favourite author of mine Jeffrey Gitomer once stated ‘you already know what to do, you’re just not doing it’. That’s a great observation and in my case it very much rang true. I know what nutrition needs to back up my training, I know what sessions and recovery I need to do it was just about getting the structure and preparation sorted.

At the start of this journey I’ve found a way to use my time and training effectively, it’s all in the prep and the knowledge about what you need to do, then execute it.

All the best 🙂

Matt

It’s been a while!

Well, over the summer I became a Dad, and I LOVE it. The time, the energy into every waking minute changes your perspective (and your sleeping pattern!!)

With the recent weather and the clocks going back, the drizzly mornings and the earlier evenings…. I perhaps would have slumped in the past at this time, but what have I got to moan about when I get a smile every day from my daughter?!

It’s changed my thinking on time and while I might not blog every day, I still have a passion for writing and I’ve got plenty to keep me busy and to be happy for…

But for now, its time to fill the steriliser!

🙂

It’s been a while, does that mean there haven’t been any positive to report? No! Quite the opposite..

A new job in an industry promoting personal development has emerged and it’s been the main focus over the last few weeks and I’m loving it. I’ve seen first hand the journeys people go on to stretch themselves, and it’s been eye opening.

I’ve got back into running recently and that has given me a new perspective on stretching your mind during fitness sessions, which as a result can really stretch the body. Constantly telling yourself that as long as your got air in your lungs, the ability to make your legs lift, you’re half way there and it’s also aiding other parts of my fitness!

Im Loving it…. Il ask you now, what’s happily stretching you today?

Love life people.

A great book, in many ways.

Bryony takes you from the foundation of a marketing plan and builds it from the ground up.

It’s recommended for business owners, however anyone with a need to start, sharpen the skill set or just wanting a different take on marketing should take note of this publication.

The format of looking at potential ‘leaks’ in your marketing, thinking about your messages, audiences and how to apply strategy gives it a good structure throughout.

Case studies pull expertise and analysis of what works across a range of firms and industries which bring even more value into the mix.

The book also cleverly outlines a journey of a fictional firm, that binds the theory together. All in all, it makes for a very enjoyable and worthwhile read!

Mentally…
Physically…
Emotionally….

Mentally, people have metaphorical walls to climb. That is half the battle – once that is overcome and a physically personal learning process will see people over…

The brother of Lewis Hamilton, Nic, is a racing driver in his own right, once told kids ‘it doesn’t matter how you ‘look’ getting over that wall, just get over it!!’

I was told that I wouldn’t physically be able to play sports. I found my way of building strength by playing my own style of rugby, I play golf – breaking down the physical barriers is something people just do.

When it comes to emotion it can mean finding that motivation, that determination to test what you can achieve, not bring afraid to make mistakes. The fear of trying something new, pushing your known limits, drive you to higher places.

Once you embrace that fear, and accept it then you can succeed. A fine current example for me has been my concern of how to hold a baby properly and how can I change a full nappy one handed?

I’ll find my own way, I’ll adapt and if I end up with egg or literally something a little more smelly on my face the first time – I’ll know how to do it better the second and so on.

I see people using these methods everyday, using their own style, in life and in business. The book I’m reading the ‘talent code’ explains that we have to make mistakes ourselves, to actually produce the links in our minds through practice to succeed at a sport or pastime.

How do you break down barriers?

Can we accept comfortable? What emotions can it invoke?

It may make us feel safe and secure – but for how long? Is the state of being comfortable a long term or short term feeling?

We’ve got to strive for ‘better’, we have to push our boundaries and carry our determination with us to new heights…

Why? Because if we sit and aspire to be comfortable, sooner or later, things will pass us by and sure enough, you may eventually find yourself lagging behind…

Look up & Keep on moving.

How is your meal?
I’ll do that right away!
We’ll get that to you by the end of the week.

We all encounter statements such as these on a regularly basis – what we get in return depends upon how providers make us feel as a result of their actions.

How much value they place on your custom AND your experience can make all the difference.

Much can be argued on getting things done right and making sure they’ve exceeded expectations but at the heart of it, lies the emotion of how connected we are to a business/service.

Personally, I’ll return to a venue based upon not just the food but the experience I get as a whole (exception being the footy – I’ll go whether we win lose or draw)

The food may be amazing, the coffee may be the best I’ve had but if the experience isn’t great it’s unlikely I’ll be back. That said if mistakes have been made – and rectified to the point where it’s not the first thing I think of when giving an opinion of said venue, I’m likely to return.

The product is half the battle – the service is that other magical 50%.