Training mindset: celebration vs. punishment

I saw a quote the other day that read like this:

Exercise is not a punishment for the food you ate.
It's a celebration of what your body can do.

This quote really resonated with me on several levels that I want to expand on.

Punishment
People lust for food and have this sexualized relationship with food. The marketing of food has created feelings of pleasure. I enjoy good tasting food like anyone else. However, unchecked can lead us into a deep hole of regret for indulging in far too much pleasure. What happens next are feelings of regret and self loathing. We use exercise as a punishment for the food we ate in hopes that we don't gain weight. The whole process isn't that fun. To be honest, my training no longer focuses on this mindset. This is the mentality of the fitness world which I no longer participate in or have no interest in.

Celebration
At my gym The Training Hall in Newbury Park California our Olympic lifting squad we celebrate our bodies for what it can do. We train day in and day out to see how much stronger we can get. It's not punishment for us because we want to be at the gym. We want to be there. Matter of fact, we can't wait to train. It's this mentality that sets apart someone who 'worksout' vs. someone who 'trains'. There is a difference.

Go against the fitness industry standards because they are setting you up for disappointment. Just take a look at any fitness magazine and on the cover is fake digital image of a model making you think that this is what you should strive for. It's exterior motivation pining you down against your own ideals.

Create your own standards that are centered around you. I am a minority when I say this but a big F.U. to the fitness industry!!!! Be someone different and celebrate your own personal success. Challenge your body's performance and you'll be surprised what it can do. Lasting training success that is fulfilling can only come from within. Celebrate your performance.

Coach Cano

MINDSET: Weightlifting and life

Weightlifting is just about mindset as it is about the physical. The main reason why you're in a funk or having a bad streak of lifting is your mindset. You need to change your mindset. You need to think higher of yourself. You need to think more favorable outcomes for your life. You need to imagine yourself as a winner. No one can do it for you except YOU!!!!

Why do you think sports teams change managers when the team isn't doing so well? Same at work. People get fired because of poor job performance and the next person who fills the void brings a whole new energy to the group. Those that bring a new energy and new mindset to the group are the ones that are going to make it at the top.

Far too many times you get to the gym and someone is complaining about the smalls things. This really pisses me off!!!!!!!!! I feel like throwing a washing machine to their face because no one cares about complaining. WINNERS NEVER COMPLAIN!!!!

I have a daily routine that when I wake up and before I go to sleep I either read or listing to an audio program about self help, personal development, subconscious programming. Something that will develop my mind and take me to the next level. Change your mind, change your life. Develop that strong, powerful mindset. Nothing is too small or too big that can't be overcome.

Strong body, strong mind.

Coach Josue Cano

Kill Kilos Not Animals

I've gotten in contact with other Weightlifters who are vegetarian and plant based. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one. Thankfully, that's not the case. My compassion for animals drives me to continue this path of eating a plant based diet and finding support especially with other strong well known lifters inspires me and only stamps my resolve for continuing my path.

I want to encourage you to support the following blog:

Kill Kilos Not Animals

It's written by Brandon Lowski who is another Weightlifter who is Vegetarian. He shares my compassion for animals and life. And he's really strong too. Please support!

http://killkilosnotanimals.blogspot.com/

Increase Strength: mindset

Having the right mindset can improve your strength in ways you never imagined. Let's take a look at some examples of how having the right mindset can elevate your performance. 

Powerlifter Mindset

Powerlifters have one thing in mind when it comes to performance: lift more weight! Powerlifters are thinking about lifting more weight and not so concerned with technique, improved biomechanics etc. Of course those things help but strength is what matters in the bench, squat, and deadlift. 

Weightlifter (Olympic lifter) mindset

Olympic lifters can learn a lot from Powerlifters. Too often I hear from other Olympic lifters about improving speed, technique, even biomechanics. Technique is important, speed is too. Let's not forget Olympic lifting is a STRENGTH SPORT!!!! It's the only strength sport in the Olympics! Dmitry Klokov in an interview mentioned that Weightlifting is 10% technique and 90% strength. IT MATTERS TO BE STRONG!!!! 

Newtons Second Law

F=MA. F = force M = mass A = acceleration. It's simple. You increase the force applied to the mass given the same velocity then acceleration goes up as well as the bar! Increased rate of force development matters not just in Powerlifting but for Olympic lifters as well. Focus on getting stronger: 

- stronger legs

- stronger back

- stronger shoulders

Don't focus on the little things like keeping the bar closer. YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT! Doing more snatches to get stronger isn't the way. You have to use accessory lifts to improve strength in the classical lifts: pulls, deadlifts, squats, front squats, presses. Less snatches and clean and jerks and more strengthening exercises to improve the classical lifts. 

POWERLIFTER MINDSET = STRONGER!!!!

Coach Cap

Zone intensities and accommodation

Knowing the final goals of a training cycle for an athlete (lifter) will determine what kind of training intensity will be required. In the initial stages of training months before the first competition there should be a great emphasis on GPP (General Physical Preparedness). GPP should be included in all phases of training just to a lesser extent as the competition approaches.

Training intensities should look like the following:
3 months out from first competition: 75% - 85% of max
1 month out from first competition: 85% - 100% of max
*Alternate intensities to avoid accommodation

This is a very simplistic view of training intensities but it fits the framework of the argument. For more detailed competition programming refer to R.A. Roman Training of the Weightlifter. It's not recommended to continually max out periodically if full recovery has not been established. Training frequently using the similar loads, similar lifts, similar exercises leads to accommodation.

Law of Accommodation
This biological law states that a repeated stimulus over time will lower it's response. This will have an effect of lowered performance since there is no change in training stimulus. Differing intensities is the key toward creating a biological response that will create the desired adaptations. The point here is to create and introduce change to human body to continually stimulate it and force adaptations. Those adaptations should lead to increase in performance.

GPP = General Physical Preparedness

Continually add GPP to the training cycle especially after the first competition. GPP is not just exercise or skills for the sake of training. GPP should and MUST increase the potential of the human body!!! This is very important! For more information refer to R.A. Roman's book Training of the Weightlifter.

Coach Cap