Add show notes here!

Episode 459 – Lift heavy things

• Hi there
• In the previous episode – we talked about the importance of daily movement for our quest for our best self
• Movement and physical activity are good for our physical health – we know this
• But I pose that they are just as important for our mental well being
• And its often the mind that stands in the way from reaching the next level
• I see it in climbing all the time
  • I get to a point on the mountain where my mind cannot grasp the next move
  • My body is strong and wants to figure out a way
  • But its my mind telling it cannot execute the moves my body attempts
• The mind is fickle
  • Its easily distracted
  • Its often negative
  • And its assessments are usually incomplete or totally accurate
• it means well
• it wants to protect us from harm and therefore plays on the safe side
• I often remember my grandmother when I hear my mind telling me everything that could happen
•  
• In absence of facts, the mind makes up stories
• but we don’t have to listen to all of them
• just like we didn’t listen to everything our grandparents or parents said
  • especially when we have a goal in mind that we want to achieve
•  
• We talked about how easily our mind is distracted – which often leaves us ending the day without having accomplished what we set out to do
• physical activity focuses our mind on the given task at hand
  • the next move or step
  • the push or the pull
  • the reach or the grasp
• in the moment of physical activity – our body and our mind communicate and are in sync
  • they are, as my example from climbing shows, not always in agreement, but they are in communication
  • think of a recent run you went on
    • at first your body may feel a little clunky as it is trying to warm up
    • your mind may battle with you – why did you have to drag me out today?
    • But as you keep pushing forward, your body warms up and so does your mind
    • It relaxes a bit – well, maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea
    • You begin to enjoy your movement, the sweat,
    • It feels good to be in motion
    • and it feels even better finishing and looking back at your accomplishment
  • body and mind together achieved it
  • that’s why it feels so good
  • you were present and pushed through
• in todays episode I want to take it a step further
• I usually stay away from specific physical advise as I am not a professional
• But there is plenty of evidence available that not just movement is good for us, but that we also should pick up heavy things from time to time
• Now you may know my affinity for the gym
• Before I ever climbed anything, I was in the gym
• But before the gym, I was a runner
• And I swore I would never set a foot in the gym
• Pushing things up and down seemed outright ridiculous to me
  • Especially when locked up in a room
• Running gave me everything I needed
• I was thinner when I ran and felt more accomplished after each run than I feel now after a weight lifting session
• Injuries forced me into the gym and it took me a while to acclimate
• I don’t like crowds
• Running was my alone time and now I was surrounded by people
  • Running exposed me to nature and fresh air while being in the gym exposes me to all sorts of strange body odors
  • Running – I could do what I want – and wear what I wanted
  • I the gym – everyone seems to look at me
•  
• Its now over 5 years ago that I ran regularly
• I still go for a run once in a while, but not on a daily basis like I used
• But today I cannot imagine life without lifting weights
• And I believe everyone should lift from time to time
• The benefit of added strength is obvious
• But this is not why I am suggesting lifting
• weight lifting has changed my life in area I didn’t expect when I first started
• it is now an integral part of my life and it doesn’t serve a sole purpose anymore
• I don’t go to the gym just for strength and weighloss
• I lift weights because it makes me a better person
• Daily activity, including weight lifting, are critical for my quest for my best self
• And that is why I want to share it with you
• You don’t have to bench press 500 lbs, but if you don’t have an area in your life where you push yourself physically, I recommend you pick up some weights in the gym
• Here is why
• Physical challenges widen our comfort zones
  • You know I am a huge fan of discomfort
  • Discomfort is incredibly important because its only when we are slightly uncomfortable that we learn and grow
  • Physical challenges are rare for most of us
  • We work in enclosed environments and mostly with our heads
  • We don’t utilize our bodies anymore
  • Weigh lifting pushes us to our limits
  • More so than a run or a swim
  • During aerobic exercises, we can always slow down while still continue to perform the exercise
  • But with a heavy dumbbell in your hand – you have no choice than to push it up
  • This pushing when things are hard, when you think you cant anymore, is exactly what we need to do more
  • This physical discomfort challenges not only our body but also our brain
  • This brings me to reason number 2

• A physical challenge teaches us more about ourselves
  •  
  • We talked about this on the previous episode
  • A mental challenge is only with your mind
    • A tough project executed on your computer is only a Battle with your attention and your focus
  • A game of baseball, a hard run or a bootcamp class engage your body and your mind together
  • When you can’t slow down
  • When the weight is in your hand and you are pushing it
  • That’s when your mind is put to the test
  • I face a lot of these mind confrontations while rock climbing
  • But most people are not into extreme sports that push our limits
  • Weight lifting can fulfill that purpose
  • It confronts you with your mind which thinks it can never pick up that heavy barbell, carry it on your shoulders and then lower it
  • By giving it a try you are engaging in that cirrical conversation between body and mind
  • That conversation we hardly ever have in our cushy lives
  • And that conversation which is highly important for our growth as a human being
  • Because we are made up not just of brains
  • We have body that is mean to move and be pushed from time to time
  • As you challenge yourself with heavy things, you not only pushing your muscles
  • You are pushing your comfort zone
  • Your limits
  • And by doing so, you are actually facing yourself
  • That voice of “I can’t” or “I am scared” – when do we every hear it?
  • If we don’t try scary things, we never do
  • I didn’t really know that I am a risk avoider until I started rock climbing
  • When I saw how insecure I was about certain moves, I learned more about myself
  • When I first stepped in the weight room, I was insecure and only worried about what others would think of me
  • If we don’t challenge ourselves, we don’t know what we are made of
  • But once we do, amazing things start happening
  • Which brings me to reason number 3
• Weight lifting increases our confidence
  • It starts the day you walk into the gym, and your insides are screaming at you
    • The smell, the monotony of pushing a machine, the often strange people there, and the often incredible amount of rudeness going on
    • But most importantly, it starts with yourself and your lack of knowledge and insecurity
  • Gyms are intimidating
  • But only when you only visit them once in a while
  • Learning how to use the equipment works exactly like learning anything – you keep doing it and you get better
  • After many years in the gym – the place is like my home
  • I know how things work
  • But when I visit another gym, they might have different equipment I am not familiar with
  • But today I am not embarrassed anymore to read the instructions on the machine or to try it out – like I used to be
  • Every time we add new knowledge, our confidence grows
  • so you might argue that you don’t have to lift weights just to learn something new
  • that’s true
  • but there is another area of confidence that has to do with your appearance
  • whether we are weight conscious or not – we all are aware of our body and its strengths and weaknesses
  • weight lifting changes your body composition like no other sport
  • this takes time – years of consistently working our
  • but my body today looks better and stronger than it ever did
    • my shoulders are straighter
    • my back is more defined
    • my legs used to be just big – now they are strong
    • My arms were always thing but flappy – today they are defined
    • My core has become stronger which has helped me with my balance
  • All of these change are not only noticeable to you
  • People around you will notice and comment on them
  • and there is no better boost to self-esteem and confidence than an improvement in our physical appearance
  • this is not a vain statement – its not about just looking better
  • its about feeling motivated to take life on
  • and we often shy away from risky tasks because we lack the confidence needed to get started
  • we all lack confidence in certain areas in our life
  • its human
  • but the more we build it up, the more it will spill over into other areas
  • strongly believe that I only took on rock climbing because I already had the confidence from the gym – knowing I was strong and can pull myself up if I need to
  • Weight lifting is an easy way to build up that confidence a little
  • Pick up a couple of dumbbells 3x a week
  • And notice how after a few weeks they seem light
  • See how you feel when you walk over to the weight rack – replacing those now light dumbbells with heavier ones
  • Ego boost
  • It feels good
  • And it only gets better from there
  • Confidence changes how we think of ourselves
  • It changes what we are willing to take on
  • It feels good to know intellectually that you have certain skills
  • But I have found that it adds another layer when your achievements show in your physical appearance
  • Not to mention all the health benefits associated with a stronger and leaner body – which you can read in abundance about online
  •  

Which brings me to the last and most important benefit of weightlifting

• It makes us a better human being
• As you transform physically through a more defined body and mentally through increased knowledge and confidence – you become a better person
• I mentioned to you that the gym is not a stand-alone activity in my schedule anymore
• I actually refer to my gym time now as training
• I don’t just go to the gym
• I train
• I train to become leaner overall
• I train certain muscles that help me be a stronger climber
• I train my mind when I push myself so I can become a more resilient person
• And I also work on many other aspects of my personality
• Working out with others on the same room challenges my level of kindness, sociability and patience
• These are all areas I need to work on
• I am training to become a better person by lifting heavy things
• And I suggest the same to you
• The mental challenge combined with the physical one is incredibly powerful
• Unless you are already engaging in a tough physical activity on a regular basis I recommend you start lifting some weights
• There is plenty of information online on how to get started – even at home if you wish to do so
• But I encourage you – get out into a gym
• Yes, your level of fear will be higher – but remember – its good for us to be in discomfort a little
• And when you expose yourself to others, you will have more opportunities to learn and grow
• And eventually – you will set an example
• Others will look to you for advise
• And I don’t know about you but nothing makes my day as much as when I get to help someone else out and see the light on their face
• The light that comes with understanding and clarity

Give it a try my friends

Lift something heavy regularly and see how your body and your mind will change in the process

And look how it will improve all other areas of your life

Much love