The Mind Fuck: Staying balanced in the Fitness Industry
The Mind-Fuck
Anyone who has competed in bodybuilding understands this concept. About four weeks out, when the reality of the show starts to come into focus and we really need to take it to that next level, we usually get skewed into a semi-delusional state. We begin to see ourselves how we feel and not how we look, which is to say, in this circumstance, not aligned. When our perception is out of alignment with our reality, life gets very strange, almost like living on the brink of a dream, or more appropriately a nightmare. Have you ever noticed within this window everything that can go wrong does go wrong? It’s like Murphy is following us around and playing practical jokes on us around every corner, during every thought and every decision.
Because of the sheer amount of performance enhancing drugs (if that’s your thing), and the amount of stress we place on ourselves in these types of circumstances, with cardio, posing, training, reducing carbohydrate intake, and still dealing with everyday life, stress is at an all-time high; we become disillusioned and emotional. Even though our diet and training are impeccable, focusing on the competition so much will inevitably bring stress at an unusually high rate. This affects our brain, therefore our thoughts, therefore our reality. When our thoughts are focused on the future, and we strive to be perfect on one single day in the future, anxiety ensues. We are caught up in distraction every minute of every day. This creates a breeding ground for cortisol secretion, bacterial imbalances, tension, and holding patterns. This time frame is CRITICAL to enable yourself to slow down, relax, and CLEAR YOUR MIND. This ability is what separates the extraordinary from the ordinary. This is how Arnold Schwarzenegger stayed in control of his top spot for so many years and why he is so successful.
This principle can be adopted to every area of life. In fact, I use the disciplines and philosophy that made me great a bodybuilding to use in every aspect of life. These are behavior patterns, the way we are in the world, the way we are in the mind. With an unbalanced mind, everything else will follow, and the same is true for the opposite. So, how do we strive for balance in the world, especially in a vanity driven world like to fitness industry?
The way I have done it is using methods to “disconnect” from the beta brain waves that take over when we become too stressed. When we are unable to shut the mind down, our physiology and biology respond in kind. Some methods to unwind and stay balanced:
Listen to Binaural Beats. These frequencies are used to activate specific brain waves that in turn will reduce the activity of beta waves, which take over when we are stressed. Optimally we want to be in an Alpha or Theta state as often as possible.
Get a massage. A massage can extract tension from the muscle and fascial tissue. Improve blood and lymph flow, and get you back into the present moment. This will also enhance recovery ability rate and time as well.
Meditate, do Yin Yoga, or simply get into nature, optimally a combination of the 3. This will inevitably become a natural state of being as you balance out. These methods are the most direct to create balance in the body and mind. Strengthening the diaphragm, opening up the fascia throughout the body and flushing the lymphatic system are some of the major aspects that will balance your vibration.
Use Red light therapy, Brain Photobiomodulation, Cryotherapy. These methods will shock the cellular tissue into balance, optimizing mitochondrial function, removing toxins from tissue and dramatically increasing recovery ability for the body. These methods also have incredible immune enhancing effects and anti aging effects as well.
Get EMF protection at your home. EMF is becoming more of a problem as the wireless networks become stronger and denser. We are basically being microwaved with nasty radiation. This interferes with the natural energy flow and production in the body and brain. EMF protection at home allows the body to get a break and recover from being blasted with radiation. A great way to actively protect against this is PEMF therapy. If you do not have access to this there are EMF protection devices available to purchase that is more of a passive approach. Ofcourse optimally both will work best.
