Fitness: The Callousing of The Body or The Fortification of The Mind?

The clanging of the iron, the texture of the chalk, the sweat dripping off from your face, the muscles bulging with the stress on them– these are some of the things that happen in a one-hour intense gym session.

I have always found it amusing when people in my community post their gym sessions. Most of the time, they post updates when they are going through a phase of depression or mental exhaustion. Most of the time, it is because of a break-up which makes it even more amusing.

I have dealt with issues of my own and have seen people fight their way out of it and also succumbed to the daunting pressure it exerts. There is the guarantee that personal trainers give to their clients that they will shred fat and be lean on one side. On the other hand, there is the possibility of failure and the client’s lack of consistency

Most of us have known these barriers to fitness but these are just the tip of the iceberg.

On Working On Your Goals

It is not just your palms that get calluses but your mind as well. It happens only under one condition — when the mind and body are aligned towards a common goal.

This goal cannot be getting fit within a short span of time or a therapy to ease out the stress from our 9 to 5 job. The synergy that occurs between the mind and the body is vital. Oftentimes, it’s difficult to attain which is why most fail to realize this.

To analyze this, we need to start from the cause and that is why people go to the gym or begin to do some form of physical exercise to keep them active or moving. The answer separates the crowd from the group of people I belong to.

Unlike physical targets that are easy to map and attain within a given time frame, narrowing your vision towards a happy self is difficult. It requires channeling your emotions at a definite path.

Unlike most self-help celebrities who think stoicism can be the solution for all the mental problems, I believe it could be the other way around with a twist in itself. As nomads, our emotions have brought out the best and worst of us all these years.

In order to focus the unpredictable energy of our emotions, the best way is to point them at a target so that it can destroy it and bring peace to the mind. In this case, it is the physical work that one does in the gym or the strenuous marathons that one runs until their calves scream to stop.

This is evident with the examples of men who belong to the labor class. Most of their work revolves around muscle-demanding activities rather than sipping a soda behind a computer.

The difference between these two states is obviously evident as well. The amount and quality of sleep, the time they spend with their peers and family, their mood swings and their anxiety levels show distinct variations.

About Consistency

If anyone asks me advice whether to join the gym or not, I would tell them that if they are able to withstand the first month in the gym and stay consistent, then they can continue on their path. The consistency factor is where the mind shifts from the stagnant state of blaming for their mishaps and takes the difficult route. In this case, to get in shape.

The mind gets tested to its fullest potential. Every day for the next thirty days and after that, it maps itself. It realizes that such physical pain is endurable and with that, the body becomes convinced.

I personally vouch that heavy lifting is better than any form of physical exercise (some claim jiu-jitsu is the best which I have no experience of). It requires self-talk and a good level of persuasion of the mind to make the body face difficult tasks.

Interestingly enough, the tendency for us to add another 10 pounds the next time we try it is because of the mind’s persuasion of the body to push beyond its physical limit. If the body is your machine, then the mind (engine) should be in good form for the machine to run efficiently all day.

Final Thoughts

With the wrath of technology taking over almost every sphere that one could possibly think of, it is important to stick to the activities that remind us our physical aspect.

To endure suffering is to go through the worst phases of life. It is up to the mind to lead the body to path of fortification. Many fail to realize this and coming across a person who is well-built on the outside but unable to bear his boss firing him from the company is not uncommon.

If you want to start, ask yourself if you really want to go through a path you have never been before. Let the mind be the guiding lantern and allow yourself to realize your barriers to fitness.

Getting a Greek god physique is a reasonable goal but unable to withstand your heartbreak with that physique will look absolutely pathetic. The world is now dwelling with people who pose with their body to impress others but can’t endure the hate they get from the same people.

If they are mindful of their pursuit and consider their gains as a byproduct of the pursuit, life would be a whole lot more meaningful and stress-free.

See Also: 5 Ways To Use The Mind Muscle Connection For Better Workouts