Hard Work Delivers the Best Results in the Gym

Hello everyone - I want to share some ideas this week about the value of effort.

First, what would you think if I told you this?

"Forget about hard work and effort. You don't need to work very hard in the gym for good results."

You'd probably think I was joking with you, right? We know that, in all areas of life, hard work delivers the best results. The gym is no exception.

Second, I want you all to remember that our bodies are very 'lazy' - they want to be fat, happy, and comfortable. Your body will always choose the easy way if you let it. When your muscles are burning and your body wants to quit in the gym, your mind must override the body's desire to stop. 

So with those ideas in mind, here's my practical tip for this week. In your next few workouts, if you feel good and are not hurting, pick an exercise or two and set your mind to work harder than you ever have before on those exercises. Pick a heavy weight that intimidates you. Or try to do as many reps as you can, until your muscles can do no more, and then try to hold the weight for an extra 5 or 10 seconds. Whatever you decide, try to push your muscles past the point of discomfort, as long as you are safe. 

-Shane