ConLaV’s BodyBlog

It seems like everybody’s got one these days… no matter how you look at it, consciously or subconsciously there is a self-serving bias at work aiming to appease us in various times of rejection.  When you were focused on achieving something, maybe in your career… you might have even had a plan to go about getting a big promotion, and come to find that the top spot was awarded to someone else… how could this be? You did everything you were supposed to do, put in the work, and this guy took the top spot? If this situation sounds familiar then you are not alone.  It is a biological defense mechanism built in that calms us in times of utter disbelief.  It is self-serving because it is a way to mentally block out the topical pain and attribute our failures to something that was seemingly outside our control.  Every single person thinks they are working hard for what they want but your idea of “hard work” may be a day in the park compared to the guy standing next to you.  Since we create our own realities, we are also subject to live in a world that is directly related to the standards we set for ourselves.  Therefore, if we want to take it to the next level, our standards MUST be in line with what we are trying make a reality.  The guy/girl who goes the extra mile will remember your name when he meets you for the first time,  he will usually be mindful of what he wants in every situation he comes across… and he will know why he wants it.  There is no motivation like having prime reasons for what you want… that way there will be power in the motive to change.Excuses are the by-product of subconscious self-serving attitudes.  It may give you comfort and satisfaction in the short term… but does that really serve you in the long run?  In such a subjective sport like bodybuilding, excuses can be as common as competitors refusing to drink water… and they usually go hand in hand… (but that’s another issue).  If you worked as hard as you possibly could while staying on par with the standards you’ve set for yourself… there is never a reason to give an excuse. If we fail… the self-serving bias will glare it’s ugly head and calm us down while imputing our failures to something outside our control.  This is where we hear.. I was holding water, I messed up with my potassium, I was way taller than that guy… it’s so much easier for the short guys!- bull****.  There are advantages and disadvantages to every body type and phenotype… the ectomorph talks about how he can’t gain weight, the endomorph will do almost anything in order to get shredded… short guys want broader shoulders, etc.  But if we stop and actually re-evaluate ourselves by focusing on the advantages we have been given, and taking immense pride in hard work, there’s a whole new level that is recognized… and we’re now engaged in taking on something that eventually becomes more than we ever thought was possible.

You may have heard it before; “life is a journey, not a destination”… it’s a phrase that can sometimes bring ease and cause one to worry less when they believe every single day MUST bring about a whole new level in their life’s mission.  Fitness should be a major part of life for anyone who considers themselves successful.  Without a fit, vital physical healthy body, how can you expect to manifest the dreams that keep you thrilled to live each day? It is crucial to set goals in life and be the type of person who wants to create a life style that produces lasting change in all areas of your life… whether it’s with your body, your relationships, your finances, or your spirituality.  Taking time for YOU each day to improve upon one of these categories should be a no-brainer, but often we are distracted by the day to day occurrences that come in and deter us from our goals… a frequent occurrence in modern western society.   There may have been times when you’ve had a personal goal and had to train yourself to block out absolutely everything that could potentially get in the way.   While thinking that the satisfaction of achieving the goal would bring you eternal pleasure, but then only realizing there were other pieces missing, leaving you wanting more.  This is called the impact bias in psychology, a phenomenon that essentially causes you to believe the end result will have a much greater “impact” than you eventually come to see.   Living with complete robot-like focus for prolonged periods of time will backfire if you neglect the other important areas of your life… leading you down a road to overall mediocrity.  I’m here to tell you that “goals” are not a means to a destination, but are merely part of the journey.  Set them, get excited, and take a step immediately towards their attainment so you stay on course.   By doing this, you’re adding some quick fuel to the fire that will create some momentum.  Always work as hard as humanly possible during the process so you won’t be one of those poor souls who feel the chills of regret, but understand this: you will not feel as fulfilled as you first imagine!  Never be satisfied, because there is always a higher level to achieve, another goal to grasp… no matter where you are in your life.  That is the fun part, the temporary security that comes with achievement, and the reality that sets in to get us excited… to take the next step toward a higher level in journey called life.

One of the things I have found that has gained more and more salience as a component of training and attaining ones goals has been blocking everything else out, and listening to your body. Since I have been training… whether it was sports in high school/college, or developing an aesthetic physique, I have never been good at knowing when to take a step back, even a little one. Improvement in this area comes with experience, and most of us are naturally this way, but it can come back and kick our ass if we neglect these signals. I usually will read something about athletes taking planned rest, or make sure to take a week off here and there. I always just said… YOU’LL KNOW when you need time off!, why plan rest when you may not need it? Well I think now it is a combination of both, whereas pushing through the end of the week when you literally feel like you could croak at any minute might be the best thing to bring about a new level you never thought you had. I also hear a lot about guys taking a planned rest period long enough to provide a break and guarantee total recovery… they also find that same new level of intensity… and some shattered personal records in the process. This is also something I’ve never experimented with because I always firmly believed that if your nutrition is under control and insurmountable levels of stress are absent, recovery is not an issue. Even when I go on vacations with my family I can’t seem to relax for more than a day… (when its a house on an Island with no cars, no stores, just beach and ocean- all you can do is RELAX)…But I digress. I think there comes a time when being so attached to a vision, a game plan, a hobby you love that keeps you healthy… can turn unhealthy if you’re not careful. What’s my point? I went in the gym a few months ago when these topical feelings were still lingering, and consequently…felt completely detached. I can’t tell you how many times myself, or people I know have talked about feeling really off that day, got to the gym regardless… and turned it into one of the best days in the gym they could remember. Happens a lot. There’s nothing I like better than crushing those negative thoughts with some heavy ass weight and making something of it. However, it was wasn’t like that last time. So I made the choice as I planned on taking this week off to allow for total recuperation, nothing was coming back… and I knew progress would only be stalled. This game is about improvement, no matter how small the increment, being stubborn and unresponsive to warning signs will only cause a setback in the end.

What a weekend! The Mid-America Pro Am in Evansville, Indiana was an experience of a lifetime. Team Norton was all systems go with Layne, Isabel, Tommy, and many more behind us the entire day. I can definitely second Raphael’s comments in the results thread. I’m just glad I got a chance to witness first-hand why there is so much respect and acclaim for Layne and company and it was a blast to be around such a quality group of competitors on our team.

The show was incredible, for my first show I think I was spoiled with having everything taken care of for color as we all met in Ben and Alberto’s room as Layne volunteered to apply dozens of coats of dream tan in all it seemed like, and give advice whenever asked. Isabel even bought food just to make sure everyone was covered there. Things really flowed smoothly with all the support, my expectations were already exceeded. The show was incredible. The hard work everyone put in definitely showed.

I won the Novice men’s tall and collegiate class. The feeling was indescribable. It felt great to know that the judges felt I deserved to win, but either way I knew I did all I could and I learned a ton in the process. Luckily we were in Layne and Mike’s hometown so they knew the the place to hit for pizza. We all met up there, had an awesome time before calling it a night, I could probably write 10 pages more, but I think I’ll save that for another time .

Today was back on Peaking after a short depletion yesterday. I was so tired, it was easy to deplete and just rest for the most part. I took a walk outside to get the blood flowing, but nothing drastic. Legs today with my biggest carb day of the week. I know what to expect in certain areas now, which is great. It feels awesome to be back on peak week so soon, I couldn’t be happier to compete again in 5 days. I need to be done thinking about this past weekend so I can bring my best on Saturday, then I can relax for a little as I’ve planned a week long trip in Aspen the week after my second show. The lodge I’m staying at has an incredible gym I’m looking forward to getting at. In the meantime though I’m set on bringing my best this Saturday. It should be a great ending to an awesome season!

Welcome to the Bodybuilding.com BodyBlogs. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!