What we all should learn from bodybuilders

It is hard not to be impressed by a body builder. They the healthiest, most attractive and hardworking group of individuals you will find. But beyond these external features there is much more to body building and the individuals pursuing it. There is a whole different lifestyle and ethos of living from which we all, entrepreneurs and other, can learn so much and make our lives much better. I am sharing a few things that I feel we call should definitely learn from body builders

1. Quantifiable goals – whether it is gaining muscles or losing weight a body builder always sets quantifiable goals and works around them. He knows exactly how many kilos he has to lose and then only he starts the activities. Even if it is as trivial as 6 he knows how many abs he wants. He will constantly log and monitor his stats and check for deviations. I am a firm believer of “What cannot be measured cannot be managed” and I feel that quantification as much as possible should be done.
2. Impeccable planning – If you are serious about your body and you have defined your goals you will have to have a proper and detailed plan of action to achieve those goals. You will define the daily routine and diet in granular details to the last bite and last rep. An experienced body builder will also accommodate some scope of adjustment based on the intermediate observations and deviations but those still are planned. Anything that is meticulously planned is bound to succeed.
3. Religiously follow routine – you cannot get a good body if you do not follow your plan religiously. Body builders are very particular about their diet, the quantities and the timings as well as their workout plan. They will workout in the exact same order and on exact same time as it is mentioned in the plan. This kind of commitment is something that we all can do with. Planning is easy, its only words. The real metal lies in the execution and consistency.
4. Push yourself to the limit – if you want to have a great physique we not only have to get out of our comfort zones but also push ourself into that painful zone where the body is almost about to yield and one more rep is just not possible. And yet a dedicated body builder will do 2 more reps. He knows that it is these 2 reps that count. As entrepreneurs we do push our self to the limit at times but far too rarely. But beyond the limit is where the heavens lie. As they say in the gym – pain is just weakness leaving the body.
5. Importance of rest – You will not get a good body if you workout 24 hours a day. When you workout your muscles break and then get reformed when you are resting (crude explanation). So the real muscle-building takes place when you are actually resting. All body builders know that and just like their workout are very particular about their rest. They know the importance of a good nights sleep and the importance of that 1 break in their schedule. They do all this to avoid fatigue and stress. In our lives it is called burnout. No one wants to burn out.
6. Meritocracy – A gym is almost always a meritocratic society. Everyone has to earn their place and respect by showing their metal. Fellow body builders will only accept you and respect you if they see you pushing yourself. Else you are just one of those distractions hogging the treadmill posting “At da Gym” on Facebook. In my last post I wrote about entrepreneurs being far too kind and accommodating towards fellow entrepreneurs even when they have not earned it.

Found this post helpful! Subscribe to my newsletter here !

Like the post? Why not share with others.