THE SUPER HERO

The reality is that at some point in our lives we’re all asked to be someone’s hero. Some of us will rise up to the call, and others won’t. Others will look to their left and right and wait for someone else to stand up and take control. Which one will you be?

This being a site dedicated to building a great body – both from an aesthetics perspective, and a health and performance perspective – let’s talk about how to become a superhero with out training, shall we?

What does a hero look and perform like?

He trained his mind as rigorously as he did his body to become as effective as possible. He cut the fat, literally, but also learned to embrace that which he feared most. In doing so, he became a LEGEND.

Heroes have muscle – you can’t avoid this. They’re strong. They’re looked to for their ability to help others from a physical standpoint, but also an emotional standpoint. They’re looked to because of their courage and their physical ability to put this courage to use.

So how to we train our bodies to be like that of a superhero?

Here are two simple steps:

1. Train in a way that will help you become stronger, and more athletic.

Seems simple right? But it isn’t always that simple. Ideally you want to be incorporating some heavy lifting in with some circuit training. You’re not simply bodybuilding, but you’re also not simply powerlifting. You need to strike that fine balance between the two, but also incorporate athletically focused exercises into your routine as well.

You’re training to build skills, but also power, speed and strength. The result will be a lean, muscular, and athletic body.

2. Embrace that which you fear.

This can be a very simple thing. We all hate pain. One thing Lance Armstrong gained from having cancer was the ability to actually enjoy pain. He said that he had no choice when he was going through chemo: he either enjoyed the pain, or he let it get the better of him. When he got back on the bike, he took this enjoyment of pain with him.

That is my challenge to you: learn to enjoy pain. Embrace that which you fear. Where you’d normally quit at rep 7 with 100 pound dumbbells on a bent over row, push to rep 8 or 9. If you normally go 95% on your sprints, push it to a true 100%.

This might seem like a simple thing, but it’ll help you in other areas of life as well – it’s helped me in a big way. I decided to really learn how to enjoy pain when I was boxing. I now bring that focus and intensity to my workouts today, and that same mental toughness to my work as well.

Embracing pain is something that will separate the good from the great, and Mr. Armstrong showed by winning 7 Tour de France titles. After all, it’s only pain. It’ll be over soon, but the effects of pushing through something that would normally force you to quit will stay with you for a lifetime.