| Visualization and sports/ physical activity have gone | | | | ignoring these distractions. |
| hand in hand for centuries. Since the beginning of | | | | The following 10 steps will help you hone your skills in |
| recorded athletic events, history tells us that the | | | | order to concentrate on your bodybuilding success. |
| competitors used what we now called visualization or | | | | 1. Try to block out all negative thoughts. This means |
| visual imagery. | | | | ALL negative thoughts. |
| In the early days of bodybuilding competitors realized | | | | 2. Always think about your training in a positive, |
| that the mind is greatly responsible for their degree of | | | | encouraging manner. |
| progress. The famous Mr. Olympia, now Governator | | | | 3. Keep your mind on the workout. When in the gym, |
| of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has always | | | | don't think about anything but success in the gym. |
| emphasized that success in bodybuilding begins in the | | | | 4. Plan your workouts so you won't be interrupted or |
| mind. | | | | distracted. This could include not working out next to |
| Concentration, or focused attention, is a key to | | | | the classroom during the bikini boot camp. |
| achieving almost anything in life, and bodybuilding/ | | | | 5. Don't make excuses to miss a workout. |
| weight lifting is no exception. Regardless of how | | | | 6. Make every exercise mental as well as physical. |
| intently you apply yourself physically to the completion | | | | 7. Go to the gym to work out. Be nice, but make it |
| of an exercise, you will never meet the high standards | | | | clear that you are there to train, not to socialize. |
| that you need to meet in order to gain size and | | | | Wearing headphones will cut down on chit chat. |
| strength, unless your mind it totally focused on the | | | | 8. Have a plan. Develop a workout plan for the day's |
| exercise. It is a common flaw of all people that being | | | | workout so you will know what you have left to do, |
| able to focus 100% on one thing, at one time is almost | | | | and what you have already accomplished. |
| impossible. There always seem to be other intrusions | | | | 9. Look forward to training. You are doing it for a |
| enter the mind: financial woes, relationship issues, doubt | | | | reason, look forward to the benefits of successful |
| in yourself, lack of time… | | | | training. |
| These distractions are necessary, but as you continue | | | | 10. Use the visual imagery technique. Force your mind |
| to progress in your goals to succeed as a bodybuilder, | | | | and will power to push your muscles. |
| you will become better and better at keeping out and | | | | Use these tips and stay focused. |