Pushing Your Belief Threshhold Into New Growth Inducing Realms, By: Peter C. Siegel
Aspiring 'Mega-Muscle Bodybuilders', please read the following carefully... Think about those who possess notably big, powerful, muscle packed physiques - and you. Hmmm...what's the difference? Well, responses here frequently include aspects such as genetics, drugs, number of years training, being an "easy gainer", etc.
Perhaps these factors have played a role in structuring the physiques of those standouts you want to be like. But you've been training for a while now yourself, haven't you. And you've been consistent in your workouts (getting to the gym regularly), haven't you. And you've been training hard, training heavy, and have tenaciously pushed yourself, haven't you. And you've, no doubt, made gains compared to where you were when you began to train, that are both decisive and admirable...haven't you!
Why then aren't you bigger and stronger than you are now? "Uh, well, those other guys take steroids." Maybe they do. But let me tell you, there's a factor as, if not more powerful than drugs, which moves you into realms of increased size and power.
Let me tell you some personal stats here that will surprise and inspire you. First, I do not use steroids. I take a little creatine with apple juice about one hour before each of my workouts. And I have a protein shake after I'm done.
I train intense, heavy, and push myself to the max, every workout. (I've been training like this for 32 years now. Currently, I'm 50 years old, and I do leg presses up to 1,000 pounds for 10 reps. On back days, I work up to barbell rows with 315, dumbbell rows with 200's, and seated cable rows with the stack (300 lbs.).
With traps, I work up to 550 on the bar. Delts - 220 lb. front machine presses, up to 100 lb. single cable laterals. And I finish every chest workout with 130 lb. dumbbell pullovers. All natural, all "balls to the wall", all conquest intensity/challenging myself to the limit each workout. I'm not as huge as the Mr. Olympia competitors I consult. But I am at a size and power level that provides me an abundance of self respect and esteem. Hey; I've worked my ass off to get where I'm at. And I strive to keep improving upon it. (You can come to World Gym, in Marina Del Rey, between -10 nightly to see me walking the walk!)
Because of being around the sport for so long now, having written, and published, hundreds of articles on the mind and bodybuilding since 1980, and through personally working with individuals who've gone to win Mr. America, Mr. Universe, and Mr. Olympia titles - I can tell you one thing right here. An essential factor which moves someone into the realm of champion is what they honestly, blatantly, subconsciously believe. What they believe? Yes -- what they truly believe in their hearts about:
-How big they can get
-How strong they can get
-How powerful they can become
-How physically commanding and dominant they can become
-How ultimately successful they can become
Let me go deeper into this awareness now, so you'll fully understand what I mean.
Belief Directed Mind Power Fuels The Workout "Machine" (And What Fuels The "Machine" Determines What It Will Ultimately Produce!)
There are those who'll always look around life (seeing what exists outside of them), and will, by self "assessment" and "reason", determine what they can and cannot have, do, be, acquire, and/or become. They'd really like to drive the sleek new cars, wear the high fashion clothes, and reflect similar accomplishments and successes to those they see on TV, and read about in magazines. But in so many cases, as they think about these things outside themselves they'd like to possess and/or reflect, an interesting thing occurs. They creatively think of all the "justifiable" reasons why they "can't". Instead of thinking about what they could do, pursue, or produce which would enable them to get what they say they want!
Three things are at work here:
1.) Why do they think they're in-capable of reaching or experiencing the realms of increase they say they really want? (Why do they embrace limiting, self compromising beliefs?)
2.) Why do they wait to see what the world around them offers and/or produces (and then become "want seduced" strictly by these creations of others)?
3.) Why, instinctively, don't they consider why they possibly could get/acquire/achieve what they say they want -- and then, fueled by total confident resolve, go about creating and/or actualizing it? Now, here's the understanding that will either "floor" you - or, serve as a "kick your ass into mega-gear" catalyst converting you into a proactive success force: You will either be one who waits for the world to bring forth new and evolved things - and then position your existing "What I feel is possible" framework in relation to acquiring/producing what is new (and desired). And then, from this contrast, you'll establish your "What I can, and can not " beliefs.
Or (and here's the secret to increased muscular growth, and increase in any area of your life) - You will begin to look deep into yourself, indeed, deeper into your very soul, and will become a self starter who forges an expanded belief regarding what is possible for you -- and will then invest your full power into this self constructed, new belief, and move to proactively externalize it as demonstrable fact!
Re-Tooling Your Belief System The Champion's Way Were you born to "can't"? Were you born to "not to"? Are you here to want, but in so very many cases - not have?!
What do you sense those who bring forth the new and evolved (that you then say you want) believe? I can tell you unequivocally, they think in terms of advancing what is, going beyond the current...widening their possibility scope - and then creating the more they believe they can!
They perceive more is possible, and possible for them. They see it clearly in their minds. They give themselves every conceivable reason why they can, are capable of, should, and will either produce, acquire or actualize it. And then, through a compelling faith - through invincible expanded belief - they act, and keep acting, filled with this kind of self and earth moving conviction -- until their belief becomes materialized fact.
No wondering. No "Uh, I don't know's". No "Um; I guess I'll 'try' ". No. Just "Here's what I inwardly see, what I feel, and here's what I believe. And then, targeted creation forcefulness generated to make it r-e-a-l!
I mean, do you think Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, Gunter Schlierkamp, or Lee Priest put any limits on how big they can get? Or how strong they can become? Or on their ability to use the poundages they know they must to get to the size and power realms they determine they'll reach? They don't. Neither does any other champion in bodybuilding or life. Sir Edmund Hillary had this expanded belief when he conquered Mount Everest. Howard Schultz had this expanded belief when, despite continual negative external commentary, he went on to found Starbucks Coffee. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lee Haney, Dorian Yates, and Ronnie Coleman all had (Coleman still does) this expanded belief - which drove them year after year to keep growing and improving in their pursuit to win Mr. Olympia numerous times (which they all did).
Where's Your Belief Regarding What You Can Physically Become?
So, just what do you believe regarding how big you can get?
How powerful you can become? Indeed, how successful you can become in your bodybuilding efforts?
And if these beliefs are not inspiring, and progress/triumph suggestive - why do you embrace them?
Indeed, why do you have and entertain them at all?
(Are they, in fact, even "yours" -- truly self determined, self established, self legislated by you, of you, and for you? Hmmm...probably not!)
"Yeah, Pete, but the people you just cited are all monster individual success stories; I'm just 'me'." Exactly my point. Huh? Yeah -- at one time they were just 'ordinary" people with dreams and aspirations. But what separated them from the others, verily, what compelled them to the heralded levels they reached lay within what they believed, and how they believed. And because they believed! Belief is your choice. Belief is your responsibility. Belief is your personal commitment - to you - to move yourself toward a greater, more substantive and more successful life.
If you keep it in check and constricted, your body, and life, will reflect it. If you expand it (and in a moment I'll show you how to do this), you'll clearly come to grow and advance. And, you can think of all the reasons you want as to why something "can't", or you "can't". But new, expanded belief poignantly, demonstrably overcomes it all. Just ask little shepherd boy David what he believed before he went on to kick Goliath's ass!
You taking a 16" arm to 17". Or, 17" to 18". Or, 18" to 19" follows suit. So does , for example, coming to bench more, building more massive delts, lats, pecs, and quads - and coming to forge the thickly chiseled muscle and power you've been holding in the back of your mind as what you really ultimately "hope for" (i.e., want) from your training.
Literally, what you believe - you become!
Expanding Your Bodybuilding Belief Threshold (The Mental State That Compels Increased Training Intensity And Growth)
Now we'll work on expanding your bodybuilding belief regarding what's possible for you, size and strength wise. This is so you don't limit yourself. And the most, and best, you're truly capable of is, ever more-so, accessed and brought forth.
Can you become bigger and stronger than you now are? Well, you already know the answer is yes. And so, before we get into the specific muscular belief/inner power expanding process I have for you, let me first discuss the concept of belief momentum. Once you experience that you can produce an increase related result, you naturally broaden your belief with the awareness that what you either didn't know was possible, or never before experienced...now is possible. Then, your mind instinctively "says" - "Interesting...if I did that, then I can go even beyond that."
Then, your belief expands even more, and you begin focusing on a realm even beyond what you just experienced and produced. Then, you tenaciously act toward, and reach this level. And the "belief broadening awareness" process, which then naturally focuses on even greater success (and the actions you can take to actualize it), continues.
This belief momentum has bearing within any process of increase - whether it's making money, generating peak athletic performance, personal production levels, or building a powerful, thickly muscled, standout physique.
It only stops when you "determine" that's all there can be, or is, for you. Let me tell you from almost three decades as the country's leading peak performance hypnotherapist -- you never hit your ultimate potential. All you do is actualize and unfold more of it as you continue to expand your belief, and embrace the consummate, tenacious faith that your committed efforts will come to materialize the more you determine is possible!
The "Pushin' Your Belief Into New Growth Inducing Realms" Process [*First, thoughtfully read through this 8 step process in its entirety. Then, apply it exactly as outlined.]
Step #1: Perceptual Contrast
In your home, preferably in the evening after you've completed your major activities, do the following: Decide upon the body part you really want to increase and improve (i.e., chest? lats? delts? triceps? biceps? calves? quads? etc.)
Focus upon one explicit body part, so all your mental energy can be lasered upon, and into it. This may be a part that's lagging, or one you just "can't seem to" measurably increase. Or one you've "given up on" as ever coming to be a truly superior aspect of your overall physique. Next, having determined which body part you'll focus upon improving, lie comfortably upon your back on either your couch or bed, and take 3 l-o-n-g, d-e-e-p breaths...inhaling deeply through your nostrils, and exhaling easily through your mouth.
Now, to the best of your ability I want you to first graphically envision, and f-e-e-l this muscle in its current dimension. Then, I want you to mentally expand it (feeling this occuring as well) to a level beyond where it is now...and into a realm you decide is possible for you to produce.
Vividly experience (and feel) yourself possessing this increased muscular size. And visualize a tape measure clearly indicating you posessing this more.
Step #2: Visualize The Workout Effort You Know Will Produce This Experience Of More
Now, shift your attention to you working out at your gym. And I want you to mentally, graphically perform one set of two different exercises you'll be doing to actualize your expanded belief. For example, continuing on with increasing your biceps, you'd visualize standing barbell curls, or preacher curls, or incline dumbbell curls, etc.
Once you decide upon the two exercises you'll mentally engage, imaginatively step into the workout scenario, begin your set, and thoroughly f-e-e-l yourself performing each tenacious, locked in, purposefully feverish rep of each set. (Really mentally crank out each rep with total, isolated, success compelled intensity!)
Don't be surprised to find your heart rate, body temperature and breathing rate magnify as you get deeply into this "training geared toward actualizing your expanded belief ". Then, after you've envisioned yourself mentally performing both sets (as outlined), let yourself feel the intense flush of blood - and the burn - your lasered effort produced in the muscle you mentally "trained".
Step #3: Self Convincing: Giving Yourself The Reasons Why It's Possible...And Possible For You
Now, having completed Steps 1 and 2, I want you to direct your thinking so you're giving yourself every reason you can as to why what you just mentally experienced is possible, and possible for you. For example, you might want to use notions such as:
-When I've trained "mega-steel" hard, I've gotten noticeable results; as I continue training fiercely hard, I'll continue getting results!
-If I truly believe something is possible for me - and fully set my mind to it...I can - and will - make it fact!
-When I'm seriously motivated, and confident success can happen for me, I feverishly work in the way I must - for as long as I must - until it does!
-When I eat right, train warrior tenaciously, and invest my whole mind into getting bigger, stronger, and more commanding - I make my body grow. I can, and will do the exact same thing...Now!
You can use the notions I've related, or compose your own. Remember: Give yourself every reason you can as to why it's fully possible for you to create, and bring forth, this increased muscular dimension.
Step #4: Subconsciously "Ingest" The Expanded Belief Triumph Affirmation Now, firmly say to yourself (and mean it) "I choose what I believe. I determine what's possible for me. And the more I've just envisioned and experienced is the very truth I now direct my workout efforts to decidedly unfold!"
[*Next, to return back to your full conscious awareness...feel the backs of your arms, legs, torso and head upon the mattress or cushions beneath you. Then, just easily let your eyelids open. Inhale deeply. And s-t-r-e-t-c-h. Then, go on to engage your next planned activity.]
Step #5: Committed Action Follow Through
Now, you become conscious of upholding your expanded belief (regarding the body part you've chosen to increase) when you work out. And you see, and think of it this new way. And you train, every set, the intense way you visualized. And you mentally exclaim your triumph affirmation before, and after, each workout. And you stay in this mental/conviction zone until you come to physically experience your expanded belief has become a muscular fact! And I guarantee you, if you stay with Steps #1-5 as I've outlined them, you will come to experience your new belief as actualized fact. And you'll then start enjoying, the exceedingly positive impact of belief momentum.
The Reinforcement
Stay with using Steps #1-5 regularly, until physically, you conclusively reflect your new, expanded belief. This means you set aside time each day to mentally condition yourself to grow (as I've outlined).
If you're serious about wanting more, you'll engage this process eagerly, and regularly. Why? Because you'll realize you have the missing link now to blowing by self imposed, limiting beliefs.
Remember: what you truly believe, you will truly become!
