This Is A Huge Breakthrough For Me
I realized something pretty significant the other day. I don’t hate leg day anymore! What the heck? How did that happen? Not that long ago I would have rather been smothered in honey and hog-tied next to a fire ant nest than do legs. (Mmmmm, honey!) It’s not an exaggeration to say I loathed doing legs. When I’m done working my upper body it feels amazing. Not only does a pump make you feel great but you look so much bigger! I’ve heard people describe the pump as an endless carrot on a stick. You see yourself with a pump and want that size but when you get it you don’t stop getting bigger when you’re pumped up.
It’s totally different when I’m working legs. The exercises are far from enjoyable and I don’t feel good or bigger when I leave the gym. As an added bonus you get to hobble out of the gym with as much grace as a peg-legged pirate! Blech! (Or should I say “Arrrr Matey!!!”?)
I started to find that I was dreading leg day every time it would approach. As I was actually doing legs I spent the whole time flooded with negative thoughts. “This sucks.” “I hate this.” “When is this going to be over?” Not only was it affecting my performance but it was making leg workouts seem like they were taking FOREVER.
I tried an experiment a few weeks ago. Every time I felt a negative thought bubble to the surface when I was doing legs I would stop it dead in its tracks. Don’t think about it. Just shut the frak up and do your work. I was surprised that this simple change immediately helped in that legs days didn’t seem like they were seven hours long anymore. I was even more surprised weeks later when I found myself thinking “Hey, I really don’t mind that I’m going to do legs today.” It was as if a giant weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m nowhere close to saying that I like leg day. I can safely say that I tolerate it. For me that’s a big deal! Instead of whining about it like a big baby now I look at leg day as a character builder. It’s hard work, it sucks, and the vast majority of the general population wouldn’t want anything to do with it. Yet week after week I do it and now I do it without complaining. At least tonight is International Chest Day. Now that’s fun! 
March 17, 2009 at 8:04 am
I think most people at least start off hating legs, which is why so many people only do upper body. I do legs and do them with intensity, but I still confess to HATING SQUATS.
I do them though.
March 17, 2009 at 8:11 am
I actually like leg day. Alot of times I will circuit train and do my leg workout in 20 to 30 minutes. It may be because my legs are my body part that is naturally good looking. Now back day is something different. I hate back day.
March 17, 2009 at 8:23 am
I LOVE doing squats. I’m not kidding.
Playing head games makes a huge difference in my workouts too. I was bummed out yesterday, but made myself go to the gym and put in the best workout I could. I kept telling myself to push as hard as I could and didn’t give myself a chance to think about how much it sucked to be at the gym.
I felt much better afterward.
No whiny babies allowed in the gym!
March 17, 2009 at 11:25 am
Good for you man.
March 29, 2009 at 11:48 pm
*sniff, sniff* My little monkey is getting so big! *sniff, sniff