Your Self Improvement Blog

“In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage. In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the victory next time.”
-Robert Collier

“The only use of an obstacle is to be overcome. All that an obstacle does with brave men is, not frighten them, but to challenge them.”
-Woodrow Wilson

Body Transformation 101- The Lessons I Found Out

As you recognize, the lessons we acquire will oftentimes follow the trials and experiences that life hurls at us. It will be the same in this post.

I set out as a underweight lil guy at 130lbs. Through working out I was able to create thirty pounds of muscle, but then I got careless and fat. After concentrating my efforts on performing a metabolic conditioning phase this past summer, I was able to cut down my body fat levels down to 10%.

I had created many tries to gain more muscle while at a higher body fat percentage, but noted that my excess of calories seemed to be turning consistently to fat rather than muscle. I ultimately recognized that I needed to lose stomach fat, focus on getting lean, and doing some corrective exercises to heal my body.

Now I’m lean again, but my ultimate desire has always been to weigh between 185-195. So, that means I’ve still got to gain about thirty to forty pounds.

Lesson Discovered # 1: Plan well, do your homework and do it right the first time.

Due to years of not acknowledging what I was doing I had back problems, muscle imbalances, and a shoulder injury. It was due to these preexisting muscle imbalances and injuries adding up over time that I could not train with enough intensity to convert all of these calories into muscle. I was mainly getting fat and in denial about it. My body fat percentage was a whamming 24% and my waist was drawing in on 39 inches.

I wanted to discover how to build muscle so severely that I never made the time to position my self up for success when I was younger. Time and time again I’d simply jump into a mass phase and start jamming the weights on without first gearing up my body and mind for what was to arrive. Massive error. It was as if I was slamming my head into a wall and kept questioning why my head hurt.

What I did not recognize then is that lifting weights is very hard on your body, particularly the ectomorph body. You must build a solid foundation before attempting to build on it.

What I should have done was spent numerous months using body-weight exercises exclusively. Utilizing body-weight exercises helps to condition the body, strengthen the muscles, joints, ligaments, stabilizer muscles and teach the body to move in a functional and integrated way. This enables you to handle a greater amount of weights more safely and with less chances of injury once you do implement external loading.

Lesson Learned# 2: You must earn the right to lift weights by first lifting your body-weight.

If you simply lead off lifting heavy, balls to the wall, allowing your ego run the show you’re going to get injured. A great deal of young guys don’t think about this when starting out (I never did), but numerous of athlete’s, bodybuilders, and power lifters get pretty banged up and end up with a host of injuries to their backs, shoulders, knees, etc. Many are forced to get surgeries, retire ahead of time and end up with severe pain in their joints and bodies as they mature.

Lots of people fail to realize this and they’re totally hardcore about lifting heavy weights at all costs. That is cool and all, but one of my goals (in addition to getting bigger, faster, and stronger) is to also be healthy and live an active life, well into old age. Call me crazy, but I desire the best of both worlds!

If you’re listening, your body will tell you what you need to know and do 99% of the time. Yet, our bodies speak a very subtle, almost intuitive language. If we aren’t in tune with our body we will not listen to its message and alternatively we’ll end up listening to our ego. The ego generally gives you bad advice!

Lesson Acquired # 3: Cast off the ego and listen to the wisdom of your body.

An amusing thing about this screw up is that I thought I was merely 12-15% body fat at this point because I had my body fat scale set to “Athlete” mode instead of “Normal.” When I flipped it to the right setting it jumped through the roof.

I guess I was just pleased to finally see the scale moving in an upward trend for a change, so I overlooked the reality that I could no longer see my feet! I’m exaggerating a little bit there.

At any rate, I can laugh about it now because I trained like a warrior this past summer doing complexes, body-weight and core circuit training, heavy bag drills, trail running, and carries.

I burned off what was left of my gut, and strengthened my core and weak points. In addition to that I had been rehabbing my injuries over the past year or so and have also healed my back and shoulder injuries about 95%. I’m still working on fixing my posture though, but I’m noticing improvements.

My waistline measures 32 inches and the scale now reads 155 lbs at 10%. Yes, that’s on the “normal” setting!

Lesson Learned # 4: The scale is a valuable instrument, but the mirror does not lie.

There is so much information out there on how to make a successful body transformation that it is hard to know who to believe or where to place your trust. Most of it is terrible misinformation and even harmful to your long term health.

It’s really easy to get confused, especially as a hardgainer or ectomorph attempting to build muscle. I know because I have been that ectomorph. I have literally exhausted years weeding through all of the differing and opposing views. The problem is everyone has a unique view!

So after years of frustration, I made up my mind to acquire the principles of body transformation once and for all. I purchased tons of programs, ebooks, and classes on how to build muscle as a scrawny guy. Many of the better ones are featured on our site. I love the internet!

I have been reading, learning, and searching for the principles that each program has in common. Only the details switch from program to program, but I noticed that the underlying principles always remained the same. Once you know the principles you know what in truth works.

Lesson Acquired # 5: Learn the principles from those who have walked the route before you.

One thing I am is persistent. I refuse to quit. I refuse to give up. I know that I can succeed as long as I can keep advancing and utilize what I discovered from each mistake and failure I experience.

It may take a few of us longer to reach our goals, but each of us is unique and has a different set of problems and difficulties to work through and overcome.

I want you to know that it’s okay to make mistakes, we all do. Errors and failure are a part of the learning operation of life. Failure is plainly put, an illusion. Never let it be anything more than that. Never be afraid to fail. The fact is that the most successful people in the world are often those who have failed the most.

If you want something bad enough, never give up. Keep going until you succeed.

Lesson Learned # 6: You never truly fail, you only quit trying.

Thanks to the many experts and coaches featured on our website, I can safely say I know more about body transformation than 90% of the people in the world. Yet, knowing is only half the battle, as G.I. Joe instructed me as a kid.

I’m not saying that I am an expert and that I know it all (far from it), but I KNOW what I need to do. Now I just need to DO IT. I realize now that the missing component for me has always been APPLICATION.

Did you get that? That right there is the key to success in life: The Application of Knowledge.

We’re creatures of habit and our habits become so ingrained in us that summoning the effort, desire, will, and energy to alter them is more than most people can tolerate. Nevertheless, if you truly desire to make a transformation in this lifetime, you must find it within yourself to implement all that you are learning.

Lesson Learned # 7: Knowledge isn’t power, until it is has been applied.

We live in a cause and effect world. If you understand the cause of something you can find out the effect or results you’ll get.

The formula looks like this:
Beliefs >>> Thoughts >>> Feelings >>> Actions >>> Experience

A lot of people “believe” that the external world is the overriding influence on our lives. To put it differently, they “believe” that their circumstances are creating the way they feel. The reason a person is (feeling) sad, is because X (experience) happened to them. It seems logical, but is it really true?

What scientists are now discovering is that it is our internal world, the world of our beliefs that are actually the initial and overriding cause of what we experience. To put it differently, what we “believe”, “think”, and “feel” regulate how we act and thus how we experience life. (see the formula above)

Lesson Acquired # 8: Your beliefs are the ultimate determinant of your results.

Many people would have you believe that your life is preordained or predestined and there is nothing you can do to change your destiny. Others would have you believe that your life is simply a matter of chance or luck. Well, neither of these is accurate, but if you “believe” them then they’ll be true for you. That is how powerful belief is!

What I’m here to tell you is that the outcome of your life is a consequence of what YOU believe to be true for you and what you know or feel deep in your heart.

If you have a very strong dream, then you should follow it. Make it happen. Realize that you are 100% responsible for how your life turns out. It is up to you and only you.

You are the creator of your world. Now accept the responsibility for making it what you want it to be. Decide wisely!

Lesson Discovered # 9: You must accept 100% responsibility for everything that happens to you.

For a lot of years I was stuck in my ways. I only cared about myself and what I wanted. I thought I knew it all and had this whole thing called “life” figured out. I had closed my mind and was not willing to actually listen to other people’s views, opinions or advice.

I wasn’t willing to learn, grow, and change. I was not acquiring the lessons life was attempting to teach me and so round and around I kept going. Ever wondered why you keep experiencing similar frustrations time and time again in your life? It’s because the lessons we need to learn will keep repeating themselves until we at last choose to learn them.

The sooner you learn the lessons, the sooner you will meet with success in whatever you do. Our survival is based on this. it’s how human evolution works.

In the end it’s those who are willing to learn, grow, and change who will be able to adjust to anything life casts at them. This is both the secret to our evolution and the key to making a successful body and life transformation.

Lesson Discovered # 10: Keep an open mind, learn, grow and always embrace change.

These are a lot of the most crucial lessons I have learned over the last fourteen years. If you’re smart you will take them to heart. If not, you’ll likely have to learn them the hard way like I did, that’s if you have not already. And that is O.K. too. Sometimes experience is our finest teacher. It may take twice as long, but the lessons seem to stick that way.

Brandon

————————————–
About the Author:

Brandon Cook is creator of The Enlightened Warrior Blog, and co-creator of HardgainerMuscleBuilding.com, a website specifically designed to instruct the hardgainer the secrets and scientific principles for building a classic, muscular physique.

HargainerMuscleBuilding.com features a free email class addressing the basic principles of training naturally, eating a nutritious, muscle-building diet, and understanding the truth about supplements. The website is filled with free articles, videos, and the programs you need to create your ideal body.

Shortcut to important tips about emotional freedom technique – please study the web site. The times have come when concise info is truly within one click, use this chance.

Popularity: 5% [?]