Set aside the mind games and get on track!

First time meeting a client is perhaps my favourite (unless we know one another personally). this is because the client knows nothing about my methods professionally. The “doe in the headlights” look of, “what in the world did I just commit to” usually accompanies the intrinsic doubt of what can be accomplished. I absolutely love it! But the mind games begin…

“Too many mind… no mind.” – The Last Samurai

Recently, a client of mine insisted on reiterating from the beginning of the exercise because of his inability to perform one more set of hack squats after the first set. Clearly, sets 2-4 were completed without a hitch. All I could do is chuckle and shake my head while flashing an “are you serious?” grin on my face. In that brief moment, as he studied my expressions and replayed my cues of encouragement in his head, he knew what I was putting down.

Mind games and workouts

Mind games in the art of progressive exercise truly are the catalyst to pointless stagnation and failure. What’s fascinating is where the games derive. As a trainer, I don’t play many psychological games. At least not where the client is unaware of what I’m doing.

I’m talking about mind games the client creates for him or herself. Usually it is as an “out” from what he or she perceives as daunting and doubtful. Incredibly, these games border on the side of self-loathing and pity. I’ll never understand it. My client during our session was literally attempting to convince himself he wasn’t “good” enough to accomplish what he’d never done before. He may have been directing his “talk” towards me, but it was himself with whom he was sincerely speaking.

Halting the mind game was my initial priority until I saw the singular yet chaotic conversational dynamic sans me completely. Again, all of it humoured me. But in the end, my perspective became his perspective affirming my objective for his well-being. This seemingly created a more ordered frame of mind.

There are 5 components to fitness: Strength, Endurance, Cardiovascular, Flexibility and Composition. In order to experience change in the body, progression of 2 to 3 of those components have to occur. Put away the mind games and make the choices that change your physical fitness for the better.