The Story Inside Your Head...
I don't do much bro science bruv
Coz..well just look at me.
If you are unsure about what Bro Science is...its stuff like this:
"The best activities for your health are pumping and humping"
"Ask not what your country can do for you...ask does your country even lift?"
"If the door says push...pull it. Its not a direction its a challenge"
"Flexibility...you mean the ability to flex"
"In between sets....its not a rest for me...its a rest for the weights"
"I don't have weekdays on my calender...only strong days"
Broscience is basically men being men about stuff. Like stupidly egotistically men about stuff.
Like so egotistical...its amazing they are able to walk through doors.
And as one of my friends said to me the other day...
"Adam...you aren't a mans man"
To which I replied:
"Oh no you didn't"....And wiggled off....
So last night I was working with my client Nicola (the one that is now famous due to her #buildyoursassy! video)
And we saw a guy in the Gym being BRO.
Said BRO was trying to lift a 30kg Dumbbell as he did a One Arm Dumbbell Row.
To say his form was off...is an understatement.
Even Nicola...who god bless her is lovely...but does not know lots about lifting was wincing at the sight of this BRO's spine twisting as he shoulder shrugged a dumbbell in the row position.
Am I ratting this dude out? Of course not.
I actually went up to him and said...in my most mans man voice
"eh hem...BRO....drop the ego...lose 10kgs and lift properly - your spine is taking a hammering"
I feel like I spoke on his level.
BRO laughed at me...as if I didn't really know what I was talking about...and finished his set off...
Then walked up to the Dumbbell Rack...and picked up a 25kg and a 22.5kg.
He then put the 25kg down...and carried on lifting with the 22.5kg.
I was very proud.
So lets look at the mindset of BRO.
1. He thinks that the number on the Dumbbell is where others are going to judge him from
2. He doesn't care about the complexities of actual lifting...he is focussed on the result
3. What he thinks matters really doesn't...and what does matter he thinks does not.
Poor Bro.
Firstly...we all get things wrong in the gym <<<< there is nothing wrong with that.
But my point is this:
The story of what you tell yourself is always 1000 times worse than the truth of experiencing it.
Especially if you are the kind of person who struggles with self-esteem.
My mother always taught me a lovely lesson when I was a child.
When I believed I was ill...or really REALLY didn't want to go to school...because of:
Bullies
Headaches
Stomach Aches
Elbow Aches
Aches I don't even know what they are called...but the existed I promise
She would always tell me...
"It will be fine once you are there" and dammit....it always was.
What you think about yourself is nearly always the worse version of the story.
The best way to counter this is to expose yourself to that fear time and time again until you realise that it is not as bad as you thought.