My twenty week journey back to Perfect Health "THE SUPER CHALLENGE"

Week 5 Day1

What's going on in my head?

My own personal Olympic Games and the immense power of ' The right head space'

I had such fun today. Carlos and I were chatting yesterday about my training and my progress.

We wanted to do a comparison for our benefit, which was equitable, to see where I was in relation to where I used to be. In order to do this I had to do a session without the normal cadence 3 x 3 and to do it in a 1 x 3 cadence which is the way I normally train, exploding on the positive and controlling the negative.

Last night I thought about it and when Carlos said there could be up to a 20% positive difference in strength I got really excited about having my own little Olympics.

This morning arrived and I was experiencing a really positive sense of aniticipation and excitement much like an athlete getting ready to race.

I practiced my lifts in my head and rehearsed them as if they were real. Now Carlos warned me to be careful and to get a spotter for things like Bench Press so I knew that I wasn't about to hurt myself or go beyond what was reasonable for me.

Mid morning I headed to the gym, mentally readied myself and ....hit the steel. Well I surprised even myself. In addition I had a wonderful morning and a great session...oh and I didn't need the spotter.

The exercises and the weights and comparitive weights are in the weight section. The results are startling.

The point of this dialogue is to affirm once again the POWER of the mind. That you can use your mind positively to spur yourself on to great things is unarguable. Just takes a little practice a little knowledge a little faith and you can become your own ELITE athlete.

"As a man thinketh in his heart so is he." No matter your limitation or disability, physical or emotional that incredibly powerful statement will remain relevent for the rest of time.

TRAINING

Exercise weight pre accident weight post accident
(pse forgive dodgy formatting)

Leg ext --------------------135 x 10 reps-------121 x 10 reps
Leg curl-------------------110 x 10-------------110 x 10
BB Bench------------------220x 10-------------154 x 8
DB seated row------------165 x 10-------------180x 8
laterals------------------- 25 x 10--------------25 x 10
tricep pushdowns--------187 x 10------------165x10
DB bicep curls------------50 x 10--------------30 x 10

Without wanting to appear dramatic the results in Carlos' words "ARE AMAZING"

Leg ext --------- not far behind pre accident weight
Leg curls ------- the same
Bench ---------- some way to go but still a huge improvement
Seated row ---- already ahead of my best
Laterals ------- the same
Triceps -------- very close
DB biceps ------ some way to go but still reasonable weight

These results are remarkable considering a return to weight training proper, just 5 weeks ago.

I venture to suggest that in another 5 weeks of single set, multiple exercise, full body routine with the 3 x 3 cadence, I will be ahead of my previous best with every lift.

Speaks volumes for Carlos and his therapeutic 'return to full function' model - does it not?

NUTRITION

Ate well today and am now up to 2200 calories a day. When I get up to 3000 per day my metabolism will be properly primed for fat burning, then the fun really begins.

SUMMARY

Without a doubt the mind is the greatest gift God has given us and even better we have the ability to use it in any way we choose. Use it wisely and remember " As a man thinketh in his heart so is he."