After completing the second week of the Arnold Challenge, I couldn’t help but think of the following words to use when speaking in public. I have to find it. ”
I came up with it so I could share some positive feelings with the person I was talking to and it helped me process what I was dealing with at the time.
That quote came to mind again while working through Arnold’s challenging routine. I knew this journey would not be easy. That’s why I took it in the first place – I want to improve not only physically, but also mentally and spiritually. and learned some lessons along the way.
The first lesson I thought I knew, but really learned Tuesday morning, was that this program leaves no room for error. I thought I could make up for it by taking longer naps between sessions.
I couldn’t have been more wrong!
When times are tough, it’s time to adapt
I found myself losing a lot of weight with almost every exercise take a long time to recover between sets. It jolted my head and affected the entire rest of that training session. : It didn’t go as planned either. Again, I started feeling weaker and more irritable than before.
of Lack of sleep Declining numbers have become my adversity, so it’s time to find an opportunity. Arnold Schwarzenegger trained in bodybuildingMuscles don’t read weight numbers. He just wanted to exercise his muscles so he could perform to the best of his ability. that was what i had to do.
So I pivoted. I slowed down the weight between sets and focused more on maximizing tension and flexing my muscles. Much better overall. I learned things that I can use in the future. I got better That was the whole point of this in the first place.
pay attention to details
Lesson 2 was that every detail counts. I’ve read many times over the years at Muscle & Fitness about the importance of nutrition, replenishment, and recovery. In such a program all these variables are ten times more important. Every calorie, every minute of rest, and every exercise you can perform to maximize recovery is important.
That lesson came to life in the leg sessions of week two of the Arnold Challenge. My schedule was delayed because I was running errands with my family. So when I parked my car in the driveway, I opted to skip my scheduled meal and mixed in some BCAAs so I could head straight to the barn to start my workout and finish on time. I ignored my usual routine of stretching using a percussive gun before starting. My numbers had dwindled significantly and I was seriously fighting the temptation to call it early in the evening. I applied it and it still turned out to be a productive session.
So my lesson that day was to not ignore the future. If extra time is needed, it must be taken, but the work must still be done properly. From that point on, I vowed to myself to take each meal and step in this process as seriously as I take the training itself.
Pay attention to positive moments
However, this wasn’t a complete doom for the Arnold Challenge. This certainly had its benefits as well. When I saw my first article on Muscle & Fitness, I was so proud to realize that this is real. Arnold’s sharing of my post on his social media made his day even more fulfilling for me. So he knew and what I thought was already maxed out was a huge motivator.
Motivation, after all, is not the ultimate factor that got me this far. Motivation is instant. It takes serious dedication and discipline to get him through a total of 24 hours of training a week alone. Luckily my phone was a big help through this. YouTube video of Arnold sharing his wisdom with the worldTony Robbins, Ed Mylett, and Louis Howes talking about success and growth has been a huge help. I never have, but I want to use what they share to lift myself as high as possible.
I have also shared videos and posts with some people interested in this journey. , will be held responsible.
Last but not least, the support we’ve gotten on social media and the feedback on these articles has been great. Thank you very much to all of you who are riding this. This may be corny, but his 2, 3, or 4 reps at the end of the 21st or 22nd set I do are as mental as they are physical. Knowing that someone will read these and use them as a way to improve is something I take very seriously. I’m back in the gym. I imagined that one day I would be in a position to inspire others to be their best. If this is the opportunity, I don’t want to waste it. The idea is like a spotter at the end of these supersets and trisets.
If you want a glimpse into Week 2 of the Arnold Challenge and how I’m working on this whole process, follow me on Instagram. @Rock Rock RidgeShare updates, clips, and thoughts from this journey. You can also check back on M&F for future articles in this series.don’t forget to follow them @musclendfitness likewise.
