Tag motivation

How To Succeed In Your Fitness Journey

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James Ellis is always in phenomenal shape and the consummate professional!

James Ellis is always in phenomenal shape and the consummate professional!

Whether you are a regular person in pursuit of a higher level of fitness or someone who is embarking on a career in fitness, there are habits which must be developed early on in order for you to be successful in remaining in optimal shape. While there are health implications for anyone who does not practice healthy habits, poor habits can destroy a fitness career in the blink of an eye. It all boils down to one thing: CONSISTENCY.

No one will take you seriously if you are inconsistent with your level of fitness. I have seen competitors and so-called fitness professionals who yo-yo incessantly, holding onto the excuse of being “off-season” when they pack on considerable weight and cannot work fitness events or do photo shoots as a result. A great deal of this has to do with unhealthy meal plans during contest prep which often completely cut out all carbohydrate sources, followed by a complete loss of control and extended periods of binge eating post-contest. Aren’t fitness and bodybuilding people supposed to be the picture of health? I know I certainly don’t want to just look good a couple of times a year and look like crap for the rest of the year. I take my position as a fitness and medical professional VERY seriously and will ALWAYS lead by example. I will always be shoot ready no matter what time of the year. I do not use crazy meal plans which have me depleted, nor do I overtrain and injure myself.

The most respected fitness people who have viable and admirable fitness careers are those who lead by example year-round. They inspire their fans, friends, families and industry people, and they become accustomed to people asking them what show or photo shoot they are getting ready for because they are ALWAYS on their game.

So You Want To Compete?

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Metropolitan First CalloutsNow that the newer NPC and IFBB divisions of Men’s Physique, Women’s Physique, and Bikini are in the mix, there are more opportunities than ever before to jump onstage at a bodybuilding contest. However, it is important to give yourself enough time to sculpt the right type of physique. You may believe that because you are in decent or even great shape now that you will rock the stage, but you need to consider the playing field. By no means am I trying to discourage people from competing. As a matter of fact, I get giddy when someone mentions an interest in competing. But I will state very plainly that just because someone looks fantastic when going through a typical day does NOT necessarily mean that he or she will have the right type of conditioning, proportions or symmetry for a bodybuilding contest. In addition, many other factors come into play, such as:

Color and cut of suit or board shorts
Spray tan
Presentation onstage
How the other competitors look

It is not enough to hire a trainer who has little to no experience training competitors. There is a HUGE difference in perspective between the average trainer and someone who knows contest prep. You will also need a posing coach so that when you step onstage, you will know how to walk, hit your poses and do your transitions in such a way that you stand out in a good way.

My advice to ANYONE who is thinking of competing is to hire a coach who specifically knows how to do contest prep for the division YOU are interested in, to give yourself enough time to prepare so that you can be at your very best, and to make sure that your reasons for competing are realistic. Please do NOT compete because you want to get a first place or overall win right out of the gate! If you do, I can almost guarantee that you will be frustrated and disappointed. The experience of competing can be rewarding and exhilarating as long as it is not muddled by unrealistic expectations.

Make contest prep about YOU and focus on reaching a personal best. Most importantly, HAVE FUN when you are out there!

All Those Bodybuilding Organizations!

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JUNIOR-USA-2013-RESULTSI realize that it can be confusing for those who are not involved in bodybuilding, or who are just learning about it, to sort through all the bodybuilding federations and organizations which exist. Though the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB), the National Physique Committee (NPC), and the World Bodybuilding Federation (WBFF) are the organizations which come to mind for most people, others are lost in the sea of abbreviations which denote other organizations. Some of the other organizations you may have heard of are Muscle Mania, ABA, PNBA, INBA, and CBBF. There is also a site which lists all the bodybuilding organizations which are designated as natural:

http://www.naturalbodybuildingevents.com/orgs.htm

If you are thinking of entering a competition and are against doing so in the NPC (which is without a doubt the largest, most competitive and most highly respected amateur bodybuilding organization in the world), you may want to investigate the events which are hosted by other organizations. However, I will ALWAYS stand by the NPC and the IFBB and recommend that people compete at those events. While I can understand switching organizations because one format may be a better fit for a competitor, I am puzzled by the fact that some competitors switch only after they do not get a desired placing at a national event. I have competed for five years in the NPC and have NEVER consider jumping ship in order to get a coveted placing. Do I want to achieve Pro status? Absolutely. Will I shift allegiance to reach my goal? NEVER. The NPC and the IFBB feature the BEST bodybuilders around, and the fact that these organizations are so competitive actually enhances their appeal.

In keeping with my complete allegiance to the NPC and the IFBB, I am posting links to NPC News Online and to the IFBB Pro site:

http://npcnewsonline.com/

http://www.ifbbpro.com/

I go for the best and the greatest challenges and feel that those who are truly driven and competitive should do the same.

Fitness People: A Different Species

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Janet West at almost 52 years of age with me at 46! Taken at the Arnold in March 2013.

Janet West at almost 52 years of age with me at 46! Taken at the Arnold in March 2013.

I absolutely love the fitness world and feel more at home there than in any other arena. It is dynamic, filled with incredibly interesting and talented people, and fosters a tremendous amount of motivation, determination and inspiration. Through my immersion in fitness circles, I have come to the realization that fitness-minded folk behave and speak differently, and have a very different perspective on life from those who are not involved in fitness. There is an obsessive determination which comes across consistently which I do not find in regular individuals.

Fitness people DO NOT GIVE UP. They will work tirelessly at reaching their goals, whether they be new athletic achievements, weightlifting records, or contest goals. They are beasts in the gym, working through the pain of intense workouts that would make most people walk away. They have a language of their own which I now know fluently and feel completely comfortable speaking. They experience frustration and anxiety when they are unable to get to the gym. Plastic and glass storage containers are their standard dishware, and they know all too well what it is like to eat meals in cars. Fitness people find it very difficult to eat meals in restaurants and strike their non-fitness friends as being ultra-picky.

The differences between fitness and non-fitness people become glaringly obvious at big fitness events such as the Arnold Sports Festival, when bodybuilders, fitness enthusiasts and athletes of all kinds descend on Columbus, Ohio and bump elbows with middle America. Fitness people look like real-life superheroes, beautifully muscled, spray tanned, and wearing body-baring outfits which the average person would not even consider wearing out in public. To put it bluntly, fitness people are spectacles, walking wonders, and incredible sources of inspiration. It is truly an honor to be included in this amazing community.

Japanese Good Luck Darumas

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never_give_up

From the time I was a child I was fascinated with the slightly scary Daruma dolls that I would see in the Japanese stores my mom would take me to. I knew that they were good luck and that if you added the right pupil while concentrating on your wish that it would lead to the fulfillment of that wish, after which you could paint in the left pupil. I did not have a daruma until I was an adult and wanted to remind myself of specific goals which I had set for myself.

The Daruma doll is modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th/6th century CE. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Ch’an (Zen) to China. One legend claims that he sat facing a wall in meditation for a period of nine years without moving, which caused his legs to fall off from atrophy. Another popular legend is that after falling asleep during his nine-year meditation, he became angry with himself and cut off his eyelids to avoid ever falling asleep again.

It is quite powerful to see a Daruma with one pupil colored in, because it causes you to recall your goal. The custom is partially explained through a promise to Daruma-san to give him full sight once your goal is attained, thus motivating him to grant your wish. I believe in the power of these dolls because they serve as a constant reminder of whatever goal or dream you have chosen and keep you on track so that it comes to fruition. I had a Daruma when I was in medical school which helped me to maintain focus during the most arduous times during my education and training. The day that I was able to paint in the other pupil was a very powerful one indeed. Now I have a Daruma sitting on my desk with the right pupil painted in which is a representation of my goal to attain IFBB Pro Status. I see this Daruma daily and am more fixated on this goal than I have been in the entire five years that I have been competing. Painting in that left pupil will be a delicious reward indeed.