Fitness... it's maddening

If there was any profound quote that carries into my training as an adult, from my childhood, it's "Don't get upset, get mad."  When you're hanging around the age of ten this has a profound effect on you when said from either your father or master (tae-kwon-do or otherwise) and you get pissed.  Even at the fact that it's even said, you feel something drive you.  But I digress....  At one point or another, you've been asked to push yourself  and it might have pissed you off somehow; then what?  Did you curl up into a ball and stop or did you want to prove to yourself (or even someone who pushed you) that you were better than that.  This is what I would call "constructive rage" and it's the most important tool, above anything else, that comes along with me when I train.

People who might know me in my day-to-day life might not expect it because there it a time and a place for it while in the gym.  It isn't when you're driving to the gym and running people off the road to pump up, or standing in line at the grocery store, or at your job; it's in the gym and you call on to push yourself harder when necessary.

Go ahead and watch that clip with the big black guy in the hoodie, he's IFBB professional bodybuilder Kai Greene (2x Arnold Classic champion and 2011 runner-up Mr. Olympia).  Watch it.... I'll wait.....

Intense right?  But absolutely true and essential.  This doesn't mean that you have to be a hot-head in the gym or an angry person in the day to day life, but don't take for granted the ability of your mind.  Everybody has been hurt at some point in their life and when you're getting down to the nitty gritty of your workout and it starts to hurt, is when you start to try and hurt it back.  It becomes about being able to call on your anger and frustrations in order to use it as energy.  Whether it's about a traumatic childhood or running over your toe while wheeling around an incline bench, everyone's been angry at least once (Finals anybody?).

Whether it's pressing 15lb dumbbells or 450lb rack pulls there comes a time and a place to realize what your goals are, let go and push harder than your body will let you.  One point I must add is that this this doesn't mean be reckless or get to the point where you might make others uncomfortable or upset.  This is about you and the place you need to go in order to get done what is necessary. 

Out of the 168 hours in a week you might spend 6-8 in the gym while the rest is your normal and maybe boring life (sleeping, eating, school, work).  All I'm saying is you don't spend a whole lot of time in the gym in comparison, but when you're there harnessing this "constructive rage" is sometimes essential to get work done.  This isn't a powder you mix or a pill you take but we all own it, so call on it.

-Pq