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 Dr Buff
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| The Competitor's Creed - "I AM A CHAMPION" |
| 04.21.2012 03:50:30 | |
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I AM A CHAMPION!!!
As we enter this competitive weekend ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to have blogged our journey to the stage for you. But I am more honored to take the stage WITH you. There is another honor to be bestowed upon you, though. That is the answer that comes with the question…
WHO ARE YOU? YOU ARE A CHAMPION!
That’s right, and I need you to remember that all throughout this weekend. This is written for you…YOU are the I in I AM A CHAMPION! Read it as such. Take the words to heart. Your journey is complete this weekend. You have reached the promised land. You have accomplished what you set out to accomplish. Be proud of that. The outcome is out of your control, but know that YOU ARE A CHAMPION. Know that you have achieved what many dream about but only few achieve. Carry yourself with pride. Hold your head up! As you read the words below, take them to heart. Tell yourself, “This is ME!” Because you, my friends and fellow competitors, are ALL champions…enjoy!
I AM A CHAMPION!!!
I will conquer what has not been conquered. Defeat will not be my creed. I will believe what others have doubted. I will always endeavor the prestige, honor, and respect of my fellow competitors. I have trained my mind and my body will follow. I will be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.
WHO AM I? I AM A CHAMPION!!
I will acknowledge the fact that I may not be victorious but I will never surrender. Weakness will NOT be in my heart. I will look to those who have brought me into this world, and to those who have trained me, and I will draw strength from them.
WHO AM I? I AM A CHAMPION!!
I will gladly go out onto the stage of battle and I will move, grove, and do everything I can do, and I will reach this field of battle by any means at my disposal. And when I get there, I will arrive confidently and violently. I will rip the spirit from my competition and leave it on the ground, because (s)he cannot stop me.
WHO AM I? I AM A CHAMPION!!
In my corner I have comrades. Comrades that have been with me through thick and thin. Comrades who have been with me from beginning to end. Through sacrifice, through blood, through sweat, through tears. Never will I fail them. Never will I let them down. Never will I abandon them. Because of them I have prepared myself. Because of them I am ready. Because of them my competition does not know my heart.
WHO AM I? I AM A CHAMPION!!
No one will deny me. No one will defy me! And no one will tell me who I am or what I can be. Belief is my creed. Belief will change my world. Belief has moved continents and countries, and put man on the moon. And it will carry me through this battle.
WHO AM I? I AM A CHAMPION!!
Defeat, retreat – those are not in my words or vocabulary. I do not understand those definitions. I do not understand when things go wrong. I do not understand mistakes. I do not understand quitting. I do not understand giving up. I do not understand failure. But I do understand this. I understand victory and I understand never surrendering. No matter how bad things go, my heart and my mind will carry my body when my limbs are too weak.
WHO AM I? I AM A CHAMPION!!
Today will be that day. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month, but right now, right here. In this arena and on this stage!
WHO AM I? I AM A CHAMPION!!
History will remember me. And I will not have to worry about history being kind. I will define myself. I will set my own limits. I will write my own praises. And no one will tell me what I can or cannot be. I will never go home, not without giving everything I’ve got. And when this battle is over, I will hold my head high and proclaim that I AM VICTORIOUS.
BECAUSE WHO AM I? I AM A CHAMPION!! WHO AM I? I AM A CHAMPION!! WHO AM I? I AM A CHAMPION!! WHO AM I? I AM A CHAMPION!!
David "Dr. Buff" Patterson, MPE, CSCS, CSTS 253-576-4859 - Mobile http://www.TheDrBuffExperience.com http://www.facebook.com/drbuff http://www.facebook.com/TeamBuffedBods http://www.facebook.com/thedrbuffexperience "Tell me you will...tell me you won't...don't tell me you can't!"
Tags: champion | Mindset | victory | victorious | Emerald Cup | discipline | drive | Determination | focus | Visualization | Dr. Buff | David Patterson | inspiration | motivation | commitment | training |
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 Julie
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| Three Weeks From GOLD |
| 03.30.2012 00:16:51 | |
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Just 3 weeks until it’s time to hit the stage. As I sat down to write this post I was planning to give an update on me and how things are going on my end but then I realized I don’t really have anything new and exiting to report. I’ve already told y’all what my days are like, how my training goes, etc and nothing really has changed. At this stage of the game it’s “heads-down”, nose-in-the-book mentality for me. What I thought might be helpful is to share some of my strategies for getting thru these final weeks and days. I remember the last two weeks before my first contest and I thought for sure I was going to die. I didn’t. And now, going into my 10th competition, I have developed some techniques that help me power through. As you all know, I have a ton on my plate, I juggle a lot in my life and I don’t have the luxury to let anything slide because I’m close to contest. First of all: Stop talking about how “hard” it is. If you label it hard, if you post it on your Facebook status how “hard” it is and how “tired” you are you are making it your reality. Stop. I’m not saying you should tell yourself it’s easy because it most certainly is not. But rather than say how hard it is, just remind yourself…”I am strong. I have what it takes. I’ve got this.” And it will be your truth. Secondly: Your world is small right now. The only people who understand you are those who understand the sport, either as competitors themselves, past competitors, or those individuals who are extremely close to competitors (ie: spouses, significant others, etc). Don’t expect your friends to understand and while I’m sure they love you dearly, don’t expect them to care a whole lot that you can only eat tilapia and broccoli (which, btw, if that’s your diet…so sorry!! Focus on your prize! This is different for everyone. For me, the Gold Tiara is definitely a prize I’m after but it’s actually my secondary goal in this competition. My primary goal is very personal, so I’m not yet blogging about it but I will post contest. My primary goal is what keeps me going every day. It’s what has me excited to wake up and kick my tired ass on cardio and finish off the day doing more of the same. It’s what makes me happy to go to bed sore and tired and wanting MORE! Figure out what your primary goal for doing this competition is and then give it 100% of your focus and discipline and don’t settle for anything less. When you repeatedly and consistently remind yourself of your goal and the end result you want to achieve, it makes it easier to deal with the challenge of pushing through these final stages of prep. Do NOT let your body run the show. Train your body to be powered by your mind and then use your mental strength to push your body to places you never thought it could go. If there is one thing I cannot stand hearing people say is…”Oh, I can’t” (most often said in a pathetically annoying whiney voice). Sure you can. If you want to, if you decide to…you can do anything. But you cannot be afraid of that four letter word…W O R K. That is my Three Weeks From GOLD mojo for y’all. Keep on pushing. Don’t let your body rule your mind, make your mind rule your body. Stay focused, stay excited. You have come this far…SEE IT THRU!!! (PS…If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend reading Napoleon Hill’s Three Feet From Gold) BE RELENTLESS…Refuse to surrender!!! ~Julie~ Fearless, with cape in hand…RELENTLESSLY pushing to the GOLD tiara! www.juliemichaelsontraining.com Twitter: @IrieFitGirl Tags: Julie Michaelson | Emerald Cup | Bodybuilding | Figure | Bikini | focus | Determination | contest prep |
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| Julie
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| My Zone |
| 03.27.2012 05:43:37 | |
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I have a hard time putting into words how incredibly focused I feel right now about the Emerald Cup. Being my absolute best on April 20th is my heart’s desire right now. I will accept nothing less from myself than giving 100% of what I can possibly give. I am prepared to dig deep. I am prepared to push myself beyond what I perceive my limits to be. This contest is about me. This contest is my personal VICTORY. (But that’s another blog for a later time) For me, this competition is not against the others on stage with me. This is a competition with myself. To keep my focus on MY competition, I have decided to eliminate unnecessary distractions for the next 24 days. What does this look like? First of all, I deactivated my Facebook account. I have a lot of competitors on my Friends list and honestly, seeing all the posts and pictures and posting my own updates and photos is not only a distraction, but a huge time suck when my time is at a premium. I’ve already gotten a few messages asking why I defriended people. No one has been defriended, I just don’t exist on Facebook right now. Everybody relax…I will be back and we’ll still be “friends”! J Secondly, blinders, baby, blinders! I have my “do not disturb” face on in the gym. Headphones. Hat. No offense to anyone but this is my signal…I’m here to train, not talk. My training partner is really skilled at blocking unnecessary contact from me. He’s kind of like my gym bodyguard. Thanks Joel! I am also extra careful that I am not taking on any new projects that do not support my Emerald Cup goal or the success of my business. It’s just 24 days and it’s very important to me to give this everything I’ve got. I think this is the first time I can say that everything about this contest is PERSONAL. I don’t need cheerleaders. I don’t need anyone to believe in me. I don’t need approval from anyone else. That’s not to say I don’t VERY MUCH appreciate all the support I receive…I absolutely do!! What I’m trying to say is that I’m not dependent upon external sources to drive me to success. For the first time in my life…I believe in myself. And that is all I need Be Fearless. Own Yourself. ~Julie~ Fearless, with cape in hand…believing in ME while I RELENTLESSLY pursue the GOLDEN tiara! www.juliemichaelsontraining.com Twitter: @IrieFitGirl Tags: Determination | Goals | focus | Emerald Cup | Figure | Julie Michaelson |
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| Julie
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| Stacking Strength |
| 03.23.2012 22:30:21 | |
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One of my twins woke me up at 3:35am this morning because her blanket had fallen on the floor. The twins share a room and sleep in loft beds, so I couldn’t really use light to see as I didn’t want to wake the other twin and they, of course, can’t get down and get their dropped items themselves. (rolling eyes) So picture me scrambling around on all fours on the floor trying to feel for a blanket that’s actually still in her bed and I’m still pretty much asleep. Then she announces…”Oh here it is! I have it.” I pout, tell her that was mean and crawl back in bed. When I looked at the clock and saw that I only had about 20 minutes until my alarm went off I decided to wake up. I laid there reading emails on my phone still half asleep. When I opened my inbox I saw there was an email from Elaine and I swear it said “Stacking Strength.” I thought…”Oooooh Elaine, that’s goooood!!!” And then as I read the email I saw it didn’t say anything like that…anywhere. Next email…junk from Kohls…”stacking” sales or something like that. Well, needless to say, I still liked the “stacking strength” idea. It’s true. This is the time when you have to find every ounce of strength, stack it all up and power through the next few weeks. It ain’t easy, but I’ve found the most rewarding things in life take hard work and have the greatest payoff in the end. So, I am totally okay with sucking it up and stacking strength and getting to the end! Where does my strength come from? Well, I overheard my children having a conversation yesterday and I thought I would share it with you because this is one of those instances that replays over and over in my mind…when the going gets tough…this is the kind of thing I hear in my head and it keeps me going, makes me dig deep and push harder and want to be better…the best me I can be. Because there are 4 really important people who are watching everything I do. And I do mean everything!!! So yesterday I overheard my 8 year old son talking to his 5 year old sisters… Brenden: “I’m stronger than both of you combined. But mom is stronger than all of us put together. Actually mom is the strongest person in the WORLD!!! And….(dramatic pause by 8 year old with little sisters gazing up in awe)…she has TROPHIES!!!” Heather: “And she has CROWNS too!!!” Hannah: “She’s gonna get another crown she said.” Last night when I was doing my second cardio session on the stepmill I was really having to mentally power through. My body felt tired and everything was burning. But I thought about what my son said and I thought…”What if they knew I was supposed to do 40 minutes and I quit at 38? What would they think? They would ask why I stopped and what would I tell them? What if they look out here (they were in the daycare) and I’m not working as hard as I could?” Powerful little people, huh?! In their eyes, I’m a superhero and I’m absolutely NOT going to give them any reason to think otherwise! Figure out what makes you GO, what makes you push through when the going gets tough. I remind myself over and over when I’m trying to push myself through a tough day, a tough workout, a tough cardio… My MIND controls my body, my body does NOT control my mind. I believe I CAN and I absolutely WILL do what is necessary. 4 weeks…make your mindset that of a champion…ALL THE TIME!! BE FEARLESS. OWN YOURSELF. ~Julie~ Fearless, with cape in hand…RELENTLESS for that GOLD tiara! www.juliemichaelsontraining.com Twitter: @iriefitgirl Tags: Julie Michaelson | Emerald Cup | Bodybuilding | Figure | Bikini | Determination | focus | drive |
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| Julie
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| Digging Deep & Pushing Thru |
| 03.13.2012 05:41:12 | |
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It’s that time…5 ½ weeks to go and it’s time to really dig deep. I have this knack for being able to push myself relentlessly when there is something I really want, a goal that I am passionate about and determined to achieve. So even though it hurts, even though my body is tired, I push myself even harder. This whole spring forward thing hit me pretty hard yesterday morning. Because of my schedule, my children, my life…I get to “sleep in” every other Sunday. That’s it. Twice a month. And I use quotes when I say “sleep in” because it’s hard to call 7am sleeping in, but it’s about as late as my body will go, being accustomed to waking at 4am regularly. Yesterday when my alarm went off I hit snooze 3 times. The 3rd time I realized…”You have to get up. NOW!!! If you don’t get up now you’re not going to be able to get your full time in on cardio. Get UP!!!” (this is me yelling at myself in my head) My oldest had to be in Bellevue for cheer practice early yesterday morning and cardio had to get done first. I didn’t have the luxury of hitting snooze again. This morning was better, but my body is definitely feeling the “pains” of contest prep. It’s taking my legs a little longer to “wake up” and they are getting tired and wanting to slow down before it’s their time to do so. Notice I said “wanting”…just because they “want” doesn’t mean I let them “do”. This is where the mentally strong will survive and the mentally weak will not. Our bodies are controlled by our minds and if we don’t have mind control, well, in this game you probably aren’t going to last very long. I have a little mental game I play with myself when I train, especially in regards to my cardio which always seems a little harder to push through than the weights do. I always know how long I’m going to go before I start my session. Maybe it’s 60 minutes, maybe it’s 70. Whatever it is, my rule is I never do any less than what I’ve set my mind to before I started. I don’t get to change plans mid-way through. None of this: “Oh, I’m so tired today I’ll just do 45 minutes instead of 60.” That doesn’t happen in my world. And if I say I’ll do 60, I will do at least 60:01. If I get to 60:01 and I’ve burned 453 calories, I keep going until I hit 475. I like to round up to the nearest “25”. And there’s the point when my body is so depleted that my legs feel like they may just give out at any moment…this is when I force myself to pick it up, to go harder, to push through. This depleted feeling is my fat resisting, so I push back. Like hell if I’m going to let some stubborn body fat slow me down. Nope, it’s BURN TIME! Whopping my own ass works well for me. I’ve mastered my mind and have developed mental strategies that get me through contest prep. I do the same thing with my food. I have a plan and I follow the plan. Hmmm, that looks good…is it on my plan? It’s a simple yes or no question. Yes it is, eat it. No it’s not, put it down. Part of the mental game is learning to emotionally detach yourself from food (something that is particularly challenging for us women) and instead learn to view food as fuel. As someone who has struggled with eating disorders most of my life, this is a huge feat for me to have mastered and I believe that contest dieting can either exacerbate or heal your disordered eating habits. I chose to heal myself through this process. I still have my challenges and struggles now and then, but being mentally aware has really helped me. If I have a client who I feel struggles with disordered eating of any kind, I will usually suggest we work on getting them emotionally healthy around food before diving into contest dieting. If you are a competitor who struggles with this and finds that the diet makes it worse for you (whether it feeds your obsession to eat or your need to restrict yourself), you may want to consider dealing with the underlying issue before you compete again as it becomes a vicious cycle. Wow, I took a little tangent there…sorry about that. After re-reading I was tempted to remove it, but hopefully it will prove helpful to even one person reading this post. I know that eating disorders are prevalent among female competitors. Get healthy, then compete! Back to digging deep and pushing through…tonight I’ll be training legs. I’ve already given my training partner a heads-up that I’m dragging today due to low carbs and that I’ll need the extra push. I’m mentally prepared for 5 ½ weeks of feeling like crap. I know that my “pain” means that I’m on track and that makes me LOVE the pain. Remember people: we’ve all made a choice to do this. It feels miserable if you’re doing it right but that is absolutely not permission to have a crappy attitude and to be a bear for everyone else to be around. YOU are in control of your attitude. For your sake and everyone else’s make it POSITIVE!!! Here’s to embracing the “pain” of contest prep!! “We must embrace pain and use it as fuel for our journey.” ~Kenji Miyazawa ~Julie~ Fearless, with cape in hand…always RELENTLESS for that GOLDEN tiara! www.juliemichaelsontraining.com Twitter: @iriefitgirl Tags: Julie Michaelson | Emerald Cup | Figure | Mental Strength | focus | Determination | contest prep |
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| Dr Buff
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| Super Bowl or Super Feast? |
| 02.01.2012 13:24:30 | |
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The rapper-turned-actor, Ice Cube, once said in one of his songs from back in the day, “Y’betta check yo’self before y’wreck yo’self…”. That’s my advice to many of you this coming Sunday – Super Bowl Sunday. For the majority of the world, Super Bowl Sunday is a day of eating, relaxation, trash-talking, eating, watching the game, entertaining, eating, yelling at the guys, yelling at the refs, yelling at (and gettin’ your head knocked off later) your wife…and let’s not forget the most important thing…eating! Ahhh yes…Super Bowl Sunday…having the guys come over, throwing some steaks or burgers on the grill, opening up the bags of Lays Chips, Doritos, Cheetos, Fritos, and all the other O’s, along with nuts, dips, beer, coolers, wine, alcohol, and anything else your ethnicity adds in. For many, it’s the life – the day that’s bigger than Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Mom’s Day, and all the others combined. But for the competitor…nada… Well…lemme rephrase…for the SERIOUS competitor – for the competitor who understands the task at hand and knows what he or she needs to do – for the competitor who has committed to achieving his or her all-time best look – for the competitor who understands sacrifice – for the competitor who has said over and over and over again, “This is MY show…”…nada - Super Bowl Sunday is just another day. Personally, I’m gonna watch the game, but I’ll watch it at home all alone. I don’t mind. It doesn’t bother me. I haven’t watched a Super Bowl game with family or company in several years for a couple reasons. One, I like to WATCH AND LISTEN to the game. Do you guys know how hard that is with a room full of black people milling about? We are LOUD! Especially when we’re in a social environment! Don’t believe me? Just ask Elaine Craig or Tony Ruggiero what they thought the first time they came to one of The Dr’s house parties…they were like, “WTH…these people are CRAZY!” That’s how we roll. We have fun. And we’re loud. And because of that, I don’t want ‘em in my house when I wanna watch the game. I love my peoples but I like peace and quiet when watching the Super Bowl so I can hear everything, especially the commercials. I remember one year I had a bunch of people over. The noise level was so intense I went into my bedroom, closed the door, hooked the headphones up to the TV, and watched the rest of the game in there. That’s just me. I don’t need the social interaction to enjoy myself. If you can be kinda quiet and be into the game, you can come over. If you wanna talk the whole game, I’m not the guy for you. Two, the Super Bowl is a complete and total food fest. Every time I either held a party or went to a Super Bowl party, it seemed to be more about the food than the game. With 11 weeks to go this Saturday, there’ll be some of you who definitely need to stay home! You know who you are. Don’t think you can go over to your partner’s/girlfriend’s house and not eat or drink anything and just watch the game like a good little boy or girl…yea…right… You know you’ll be in that dip faster than a pig in space. It’s been my own personal experience and from talking with so many competitors that days like the Super Bowl are ‘traumatic’ to say the least, for many. I know I want to eat. I know I’m GOING to eat. That’s why it’s easier for me to stay home. Even when I took my own food I cheated. To me it was like Thanksgiving…there’s absolutely no way I was gonna be around all of that food and not touch one single bite. And once I started, I gave in to my Thanksgiving mantra, “I’m gonna eat ‘till I get sick…”. Now there’s a select few of you that can tolerate the food and not give in. Not me. And if you know you’re in that category as well, then my recommendation would be to stay home. It’s not worth it. Once you go into the pool you’re gonna end up in the deep end real quick! All joking aside, Super Bowl Sunday is a great day for friendship, camaraderie, and peace of mind. We gather, we enjoy each other’s company, and we party. Nothing wrong with that. But know who you are. And know what you will and will not do. If your mental discipline is not that strong, my recommendation is to forego the fellowship and enjoy the game in the privacy of your own home. I’d hate to see someone ‘blow it’ this Sunday by pigging out thinking they’ve got enough time to dial in when they were sitting on the cusp to begin with. Don’t make your work any harder than it has to be. But if you do choose to party like a rock star and eat like Oprah Winfrey, then be ready for one of two things…harder work or a butt-kicking at the 30th Anniversary Emerald Cup! You’ve been warned…peace… The Dr. David "Dr. Buff" Patterson, MPE, CSCS, CSTS 253-576-4859 - Mobile http://www.TheDrBuffExperience.com/wordpress http://www.facebook.com/drbuff http://www.facebook.com/TeamBuffedBods http://www.facebook.com/thedrbuffexperience "Tell me you will...tell me you won't...don't tell me you can't!"
Tags: setbacks | training legs | Thoughts | Mindset | Goals | Determination | eating | Super Bowl | nutrition | control | focus | discipline | Dr. Buff | David Patterson | Bodybuilding | Emerald Cup | Craig Productions |
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| Julie
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| Got Obstacles? |
| 01.19.2012 02:47:29 | |
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“Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal.” ~Vince Lombardi It’s no secret: I am NOT a fan of the snow. For various reasons but the top 2 would be: being trapped indoors with 4 children for several days and not being able to work. For people without children a snow day sounds blissful. Come hang out at my house for a day with my foursome and you’ll probably wish for rain to come and wash away the snow STAT!! I will say that the snow has been a nice excuse to sleep in the last couple of days. I should qualify that I use the term “sleeping in” quite loosely. I have been up by 5:45am every day this week. But it sure beats my usual 4am wake up time. The roads and the gym have been empty and it’s actually been kind of nice.
Something I notice among clients and gym friends and people in general…when the daily routine is thrown off by something like a snow day, not only does the workout often get sacrificed, but almost more importantly, the nutrition goes by the wayside. If you are preparing to compete in the Emerald Cup in just over 13 weeks, now is not the time to allow yourself to be derailed by a little snow! It’s really important to stick to your nutrition plan, eat all your scheduled meals and don’t use the snow as an excuse to “junk out.” This week feels a lot like a holiday…but it’s not. It’s important to remind yourself of that, stay focused on your goals and stay on track. Have you allowed the weather to impact the quantity and/or quality of your workouts? You shouldn’t. Where there is a will, there’s a way! You might need to find a ride to the gym, you might need to find a way to do your cardio at home. But trust me, if you really want it bad enough you WILL find a way to get it done. What’s stopping you and more importantly, WHY? Use this time to rest, while still keeping your nutrition and training on track. The next 13 weeks will be grueling if you’re doing it right so take advantage of a little down-time to get some extra sleep, sneak in a nap or just get more prepared for the days, weeks and months ahead. A goal that you are committed to achieving will not allow room for any EXCUSES!!! Stay focused and recommit yourself if you need to…and if you’re heart’s not in it, give yourself permission not to do it! ~Julie~ Fearless, with cape in hand…committed to the GOLD Tiara!! www.juliemichaelsontraining.com, Twitter: @IrieFitGirl Tags: Emerald Cup | Craig Productions | Figure | focus | Julie Michaelson | Goals | Mindset |
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| Jen B |
| The Dreamer Vs. The Fear |
| 11.11.2011 00:28:21 | |
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Anyone else's mind do this to them? I know mine does, and I've been reading, and journaling to overcome it. I have always loved training my body, have put to much focus on that and not enough on my mind. Take a minute to think about your strength not physically but mentally. What do you do to defeat the naysayers of yourself and others?
Dreamer: Check it out, Emerald Cup 30th Anniversary!! Jen do you know what this means...You could finally make it to the stage and your first competition could be at the 30th anniversary of the Emerald Cup!! Its a coincidence, I'll be 30 next year in 2012...2012 is the year of 30!!! Ok, I need to start training now, I have a lot of work to do and need to take it slow. I just started the Isagenix 30 day system and am feeling GREAT! Were on the right track, now a coach!! The Fear: Haha...right Jen. Here you go again, the thoughts overtake you with excitement and I will crush you! You have looked for coaches before, remember how expensive they are? How are you going to pay for that, supplements, suits, music, dance classes, choreography, plane tickets, you see the list doesn't end. Dreamer: If I have not shaken this dream yet I will not let it go. The fight in me is more than I can explain I will do this I WILL!! Ok, lets find a coach... The Fear: See I told you...your looking for coaches, nobody near here, nobody that is going to put the time into you and stay on your back every step of the way. And do you see those price tags...sorry Charlie just not gonna happen. Dreamer: Ok, ways to come up with competition funds? *Thinking*...I will find a way, I have come to far to not find a way and will not let this stand in my way. I wonder if anyone would be willing to invest their time in me to see me succeed? To know where I'm coming from and help me blossom into what I am about to become? Prayer and passion can take a person a long way, and I am digging deep into both right now! Stay positive Jen, it will work out. The Fear: Your hillarious...who is going to take the time to help you, nobody knows who you are, your not a known competitor. If they do know you its because you have tried to start with them and then your body shuts down and they see you quit. No way are they going to reach out and push you! Its not time Jen, its not time. Dreamer: I am tired of hearing its not time. When is it time? So many things in life are never "in time". What I feel in my heart, in my soul, that is what is time. And I know I feel different now, I know I feel strong. My mind strength is growing and its carrying my body further as well! I am a strong woman with motivation and drive out of this world! Some can't believe at what I have done and will do to achieve a goal, to live a dream and inspire others along the way! This is the time! Patiently waiting for my green Emerald Cup bracelet to arrive, I will wear that puppy day in and day out! And one lucky audience member will catch it when I chuck that baby off the stage during my debut!! Check it fear, you are dead, I will catch you and tear you apart! The Fear: Right...to be continued... Tags: Figure | Bodybuilding | Washington Ironman | Emerald Cup | Craig Productions | setbacks | Journey | Thoughts | Mindset | Determination | Goals | goal setting | Fitness | Visualization | Dreams | focus |
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| Jen B |
| Check me out on YouTube |
| 11.11.2011 00:02:43 | |
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After working for hours trying to figure out how to embed a YouTube video into the blog here I have realized I cannot figure it out...or maybe my patience has just worn out! So here is a link to a YouTube video I did explaining a bit about where I'm at and where I am heading. Its a history of my journey thus far and a precursor of so much to come! Please check it out HERE. But be aware, I am a goofball and have a very dry sense of humor...hahaa ;) Tags: Figure | Fitness | adrenal fatigue | isagenix | Emerald Cup | Craig Productions | fitness routines | competitors | mind | strengthFigure | Ironman | training legs | setbacks | energy | vision | discipline | focus | training partner | disciplined | focused | night show | persistence | commitment | choice | challenge | personal training |
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| Dr Buff
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| Nothing Great Comes Without Sacrifice! |
| 05.02.2011 05:57:53 | |
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Jack Sandberg, a friend and fellow competitor who resides over in Spokane, posted a short motivational/inspirational video on FB on the bodybuilding mindset and lifestyle. You can watch the whole thing at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-GBxpLQsek&feature=youtube_gdata_player. More than just watching the video and seeing the swollen bodies and listening to the music and getting all pumped up over the incredible physiques, I chose to listen to the words they’re saying. Is anything coming out of their mouths that make sense or is it just rambling gibberish. To be perfectly honest, this one was a good one.
If you’ve been a reader of my blog for any time now, you know that I’m into the psychological component more than anything else. Everything starts with your mind. We conceive in our minds. We believe in our minds. And then we go out and ACT on our thoughts in our mind. In the video, Kai Green spoke words of truth – truth that I’ve been saying for years and years. Truth that any athlete with the competitive mindset possesses. Truth that we hear a lot, read a lot, and possibly even quote a lot on FB these days. But speaking the truth and living the truth are two different things. Do you just speak the truth or do you live the truth?
After my last blog I received a text from Big Joe Derousie. I typically don’t get very many responses. My blogs aren’t designed for or written for responses. Many times I’ll even tell you I don’t want a response. I’m more of the ‘in your face’ person – I want you to think about what you’re doing, and even question why you’re doing it, even if it makes you feel a bit uncomfortable. I want you to dig deep within your soul and ask, “Is this what I really want? And am I truly ready to work…no…bust my BUTT for it?” I want you to ‘get it’ – to get the fact that this is not easy, and many times this is not necessarily fun, but the reward at the end is oh-so-sweet even if no other person gives you accolades or compliments you for a job well done. I want you to understand that “The challenge is from within, the opponent is yourself, the reward is private, and the victory is having met the challenge!”
Joe’s text read, “Hey Dave, its Joe DeRousie. Just read your last blog. “To be number one you have to train like you’re number 2.” Bro, first thing I thought of was losing to Roger [Baker] by 1 point at the 09 [Emerald] Cup. I looked great, but was still 2nd. That loss was the best thing that could have happened to me. It pushed me to another level that allowed me to bring that dominant physique to the stage in 2010. I could have just tried to roll with the momentum I build in 09, but wanted to leave no doubt whose show it was last year! Everyone still wants to know what I did to make such a jump in a year. You said it perfect: hard work, discipline, determination, drive desire, focus, and commitment. Can’t beat that stack if you tried!” Well said, Joe!
Kai Green, who is, in my opinion one of the most creative bodybuilding posers out there, had some great lines. You could hear the feeling, the emotion, and the passion in every word he spoke. I listened to him several times and finally decided to transcribe his words and put them in this blog.
Kai’s first quote said, “You need to get to work in accomplishing your own dream – fulfill your own goals. There’s something to be said for the person that stands on the side of life watching other people live it vs. being the person that’s out there doing a damn thing.” Truer words could not have been spoken. You can put up all the quotes you want on FB, but if you’re not working, then you’re not doing. And if you’re not doing, then you’re wasting time! Are you TRULY doing everything you can to make yourself YOUR best? If you set the bar, then dang it, at the very least jump up to it. Better yet, jump OVER it and then reset it! That’s what Big Joe did. I have no doubt that Joe will be successful at the national level, and then the pro level. He doesn’t just talk – he acts!
Jay Cutler (at least I believe it was Jay as they didn’t show the person talking but showed a quick clip of Jay…) said, “There’s no secret to it. If you wanna get bigger, if you wanna get stronger, the only thing holding you back is yourself.” I’ve got a couple of signs in my gym that ties in to what Jay said. The first one is, “The greatest challenge you’ll ever face is your own mind.” The second one says, “The only obstacle preventing you from achieving your goal is the belief that you have obstacles.” Are you guys gettin’ this? I’m not trying to motivate you – I’m trying to get in your head – to get you to understand that you, and only you, are ultimately responsible for the physique that steps onstage. Your trainer is a tool, a resource, a means to an end, but if you put all your trust and faith in your trainer and don’t do your part…well…it’ll show onstage. This leads us to our third quote by Kai…
“You have to save your own life. Nobody’s gonna be your savior for you. So we have to do what we have to do no matter what it is!” Putting this on ‘paper’ just doesn’t have the same impact that viewing it does. That’s why I posted the link. When I watched it I found myself nodding in approval. When Jeff, my workout partner doesn’t show up, I still train. When life situations arise, I handle my business and then I train. Regardless of what happens, I train. I am the master of my destiny. You are the master of yours. Handle y’business!
Finally, Kai ends the talking part with the following quote, “Champions are an example of what happens when you aspire to leave the plane of average thinking…when you dare to dream and you dare to go after that dream and you make these thoughts and ideas become something more than a dream.” We all have to have that internal push, people – the drive, determination, discipline, desire, focus, sacrifice, and commitment. We all possess the power to dream…we must dig deep for the power to succeed! Peace…
The Dr.
Personal Training Systems “There Are No Shortcuts!” www.personaltrainingsystems.net www.facebook.com/ThereAreNoShortcuts This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Mobile: 253.576.4859
Don't give me excuses...give me results!
Tags: discipline | drive | Determination | desire | focus | sacrifice | commitment | motivation | inspiration | succeed | Dr. Buff | David Patterson | Dave Patterson | The Dr. |
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| Diane
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| Hang On - Finish Strong! |
| 08.27.2009 04:40:06 | |
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Well, so far it has been an AMAZING day!! I was able to sleep in till 7:00am today!! It sure felt great!! I woke up and headed straight to LA Fitness for some am cardio. I kicked butt on the elliptical :) I kept my intensity high and burned A LOT of calories! Whoo!! Let's just say I was drenched in sweat by the end. It feels so great to leave the gym knowing that I did the best that I possibly could. Then I headed home to get ready for work...I made my delicious egg whites!! I seriously STILL crave eggs!! I'm really hoping that this craving lasts all the way until the Ironman. I even stopped by the store on my way to my parent's house yesterday to buy a bunch of eggs...I wanted some sooo bad that I couldn't wait until I got home later that night to eat them. Silly I know...But whatever :) So yesterday's workout was awesome. It was chest. We did a heart-pumping workout that consisted of 9 different chest exercises. We did three exercises together, back to back. We finished our last set up with 30 sec push up holds....Boy was I shaking!! It's tough to hold a push-up position for even 15 sec after doing all the different chest exercises that we did. Overall, it was GREAT! I was sweating and pushing myself as hard as I could...Can't get much better than that! I finished up with 20 min of interval training. While I LOVE listening to Christian music such as Third Day, Casting Crowns etc, I always listen to a couple specific Rage Against The Machine songs when doing intervals. It's weird since Rage is VERY different from my normal music, but it gets me moving fast for my intervals. It's funny how we all have certain music for different types of workouts. Overall, I'd have a very difficult time living without music. After I got home from training I ate some more egg whites mixed with ground turkey breast...delicious. Basically I'm right on track. I'm busting my butt every single day to make as much progress as possible. While I can't always SEE the progress I'm making, I know that I'm making it. It's such a great feeling to be completely confident that prep is going exactly how it is supposed to go! I'm rockin' it and cannot wait for the show! I'm excited to see all of my fellow competitors as well!! There are so many amazing girls that I have met through competitions and I thank the Lord for putting them into my life. They are all so inspiring and we all create a great support system. Thank You Lord! Anyways, I better get back to work! I'm heading to the gym after work for back. Whoo! Then back home I go to prep my food for the rest of the week. Then I'll head to LA for a final cardio session today. I'm adding on another session at night. This will help me to burn that last bit of fat before the show. **When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on so long in the first place** - Unknown. It's too late to turn around now. For all of you Ironman competitors out there...We're ALMOST there. It's going to get tough pushing through this last month of prep, but keep in mind WHY you have decided to compete in the first place. This will keep you moving...Keep you lifting...Keep you running...When you REALLY don't want to. You've come this far...Finish Strong! Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE! Diane
Tags: Washington Ironman | Bikini | focus | Chest | cardio |
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| Dr Buff
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| Fear is an illusion... |
| 08.06.2009 14:13:56 | |
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America, my legs HURT! Yesterday’s workout was intense, and the pain is definitely talkin’ to me, but I’m lovin’ it. Whoever said no pain, no gain got it right, especially when it comes to weight training. Heh, heh, heh...at my party, my friend – he likes to refer to himself as “Pretty Ricky” - was clowning the bodybuilders who were there. One of the things he said was, “Yea, boyyyy, I felt like working out the other day...I laid down until that feeling went away!” I’ve heard that joke many times before but the way Rick said it cracked us all up! Tags: discipline | drive | Determination | focus | work ethic | hard work |
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| Dr Buff
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| Training Partners - Love em or hate em...you need em! |
| 07.25.2009 14:41:26 | |
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America, I'm pissed! No...not for anything personal (that ain't nunya biz anyway...). I'm pissed because I missed two days in a row due to this nagging arm injury. It's getting better but I decided to take today off as well so I'd be back for sure on Monday. "Make Haste Slowly" I always say. BTW, here's something I heard a while back that was pretty humorous. The first time you hear or read something and you repeat it, you give credit to whomever you heard/read it from - "As so-n-so says...". As you continue to use it, giving credit changes to "I heard..." or "I read...". In time you've said it so many times that it changes to "As I've always said...". I don't have a clue as to where or when I first heard "Make Haste Slowly", but I've been using it so long that it's mine now! Don't hate! Tags: focus | discipline | Determination | training | training partner |
