Maybe its just me, but if I don't want to do something, I just say it. Simple.Wanna go see a jazz band play? No, I'm good. How about some gardening? No thanks.
So it is extremely frustrating to me when I am training someone or helping someone with their training and they give a myriad of excuses on why they couldn't finish a workout or that they missed their reps on an exercise. It is amazing to me, it's so foreign to me that it makes me want to puke when I hear them. I love the one where folks say that they didn't have time to finish. Listen, just say that it wasn't important. Why didn't you have time? Proper planning? Do not text, don't surf the internet, don't worry about your water bottle, do not talk in the hallway at work, skip lunch, skip dinner, drink a shake, Just say that you had to finish because you had something that you wanted to do more than training. It's fine, just don't use the damn "time" excuse,or train when you do have time. That friggin' dinner date was more important than your deadlift? Ok, cool. SAY IT. Then I wanted to train but it was hot and then I decided that my meals weren't right for the day so I would probably be weak anyway and the phone kept ringing so I was distracted and then I didnt have the right outfit and then the stress from my meeting that was coming up the next day was on my mind so my deadlift just didn't feel okay, and I have vacation coming up so my bench suffered. Really?
As soon as I have time, I need to get back into the gym. No, you won't. Because you will never have time. Say it. Seriously, let it come out of your mouth. You just don't want to do it. There, now you are honest with yourself.
How about the "I don't have the money to train." excuse.Oh yes you do, because when you really examine what you spend your money on, you definitely have the money. I charge monthly what it costs for one good meal at a restaurant. I trained at a gym in Maryland the other day that costs 25.00 a month. What's that? Two 12 packs of a good beer? Its your health, dumbass. I think that you can afford it. Or just say it. You don't want to do it.
One of my best friends in the world is still my best friend because he never makes excuses about training. He just says he isnt training and that's that. He trains when he wants to train, he eats what he wants, he laughs when I get on him about him not training. But he says it, not today, I don't want to train.
Sure, there are reasons for not getting a training session in at the exact time that you were slotted to train. Emergencies come up. Then you end up consolidating a training session later on. That's cool. But you know if its REAL or just you being soft. Unless someone is in trouble, a loved one or a pet(especially a pet), you probably could get it in.
How about the one where folks just can't lose weight no matter how hard they try? You mean that someone actually grabbed your hand, dipped it into a jar of M and M's and stuffed them into your mouth? Oh, it was stress? Stress is getting shot at or watching your kid go into surgery or getting chased by a Grizzly, not your mother-in-law coming to visit. Author Jim Goad said one time(paraphrasing here) "Don't ever feel guilty about what you have done, because you know why you did it." So there you have it, don't beat yourself up about those cookies, you wanted to do it, so you did, or you really didn't want that squat that bad so you bailed. Harping on it doesnt help, you just didn't want it.
I have to get back to the time excuse. I train a few medical doctors. One is an Infectious Disease doctor and he is extremely busy. He make trips to Africa to work with AIDS patients. He trains in Africa. He does his rounds working with patients daily back here at home, and then doesn't get home until 7 pm every night, but he always gets his training in, no matter what. Never once has he said that he didn't have time. And he is busy, he could make all types of excuses.
Anyway, enough ranting. I have to figure out how I can get out of training today. After all, I am so damn busy and tired and stressed out that I can't focus and Silva won so I am upset and I have a meeting next week and my dog needs heartworm pills next month and my wife wants me to spend more time with her and...
