I had two different instances this week where these concepts came up. One client I was training and I were discussing kettlebell training and the mental aspect of kettlebell sport – a sport in which competitors lift kettlebells continuously in the jerk and snatch or clean and jerk for ten minutes trying to get as many legitimate repetitions as possible to establish the win, a new lifter ranking or a record.
We discussed how daunting of a task lifting a pair of kettlebells non-stop for ten minutes could be, and rightfully so. It’s a lesson in pain tolerance that requires a strong mind to overcome. We’ve learned the best approach is to stay in the moment.
Lift NOW – as there really only is now. When does second one, rep one of the ten minute set occur? It occurs NOW. When does the final rep of the ten minute set at second 600 occur? It occurs NOW. It’s always now. Past and future are just ideas, points of reference.
Life and every experience in it are nothing more than a series of “now” moments stacked on top of one another.
If you go into your set focusing on one rep, one breath at a time it will be far more manageable than going into the set thinking “shit, I’m only two minutes in and my forearms are already toast and I’m gassing – plus I still have eight minutes to go!”
If you do this you just seriously mind-fucked yourself and your set is going to suck-if you even last the full ten minutes.
You shouldn’t worry about what you did yesterday in the gym or last year’s world championships anymore than you should worry about what you’ll do in the gym tomorrow or what you’ll do in next year’s world championship. You only need to focus on the rep of the set you’re doing now. Lift NOW.
There is a similarity here to how people live their lives. Another concept I was discussing with a different client. People focus on past events-successes and more often failures.
They also live in a constant state of worry over what the future has in store for them.
The only thing this worrying about the future or past events guarantees is that you truly will not live NOW.
Now is all there is. Forget about the past and don’t worry about the future. All the future is, is another now moment that has yet to occur.
I realize we have to live in a world of space and time to some extent. It’s a game we have to play – however I think it should instead be a game we CHOOSE to play. There’s a difference.
The important thing to remember, whether you are training or living is to do it now, not yesterday and not tomorrow.
Lift NOW, Live NOW!
-In Health,
Scott
