ARNOLD SPECIAL MOTIVATION The mind always fails first, not the body. The secret is to make your mind work for you, not against you.”MATTER Arnold talks about training the biggest “muscle” of all recurring theme in ll my traning articles isthe importance Of the mind as it relates to taining, working a muse, devel ‘ping your physique, and achieving your bodybuilding goals \Withour mastery over the mind you wil never have mastery lover your body: As Thave std many times, unless you under stand the power of the mind in developing your muscles, you will not sue: ceed. Desire, motivation, and setting goals all start with the mind, as does visualization — how you imagine your body looking one dag. IF your mind is not focused oa what you need to doin the gym, you cannot concentrate on ‘working your muscles properly [Aeays femember that the body does what the mind tells eto do. IF your ‘mind does not want tit heavy weights and: your body will not doit effectively. You wil > through intense workouts, zo through the motions, but you'll never do the kind of heivy tmining necessary to properly develop your body. The mind always fils fist, not the body. The secrets to make your mind work for you, not agains you, Heres an example to demonstrate what I mean about the power of the rind. I remember one time when I was in the gym doing squats with Franco Columbu. Franco, as everyone knows, is one of the strongest bodybuilders of all time. ‘This particular day he got under 300 pounds, squatted down, and coulda’ get back up. We had to grab the bar and help him patie on the ck. On that day 500 pounds for even one rep was appar ently too heavy for him, Ac the same moment as we were helping him retack the weight, gtoup of Telian-American kids from New York came in, “Wows” they said, ‘there's Franco! Hey, Franco! They were great fans, and were looking for ward to watching him work out — but Franco had just filed in a it and scemed likely to miss itagain on his next ty He was obviously feeling a itl humiliated. His ego was taking a beatin He doesnt often fail with a it well within his lif apabiltes. Knowing this, I took him aside and told him, “Franco, these guys think you'te the king, You can’t fil with thar weighe again or they're going to go home and tell all thei fiends thar the great Franco Columbu eannot even squat 500 pound” He looked at me with his big eyes, realizing he was on the spot He went out onto the street and spent litle while psyching himself up, taking deep breaths and concentrating om the if, He stalked back into the ‘gym, grabbed the bar, and instead of doing the 6 reps he was supposed to do with the 500 pounds, he did 8!'Then he walked avay eoolly as if it were nothing, www.emusclemag.com / MARCH 139MOTIVATION Probably the biggest difference between the champions I've known over the years and the guys who always stay ata beginner's level is their ability to concentrate, to push themselves hard exch set, and t0 train with: out fear. Sue, the champs probably do have ‘more physical talent than the average per- son, but T have known many bodybuilders with great genetics who never won competi- tions because of the weakness of their ‘minds, their inability o concentrate ptoper- Jy, or their lack of confidence in theit ability 10 reach their goals. On the other hand, 1 have known people with less than ideal genetic abilicy who went on 0 win major Uitles through sheet desire, determination and perseverance ONE STEP AT A TIME You can't simply go to the gym and say, “Someday 1 want to be a pro boxiybuldler” of “Someday I want to Jook like Arnold” Thae's ‘00 vague. Ie too far down the road, too much inthe future, That’ a long-term goal. You need small, daily goals to give your workouts mean ing and intensity. For instance, if you did 10 chins the lst back workous, you know you need and 12 the time afier that. If you did bench presses with 200 pounds for 10 eps last chest workout, the next chest workout try 205 pounds and see hhow many reps you can get. Keep working uns you ean do 205 for 10 reps — and then ada ‘more weight to the bar again, Trying to beat ‘what you did in your previous ‘workout gives each sesion special meaning, Thats what bodybild ing is all about. Training, progres sively — always adding weight to the bar or doing more reps with the same weight, or both — i the ‘nly way to keep making improve- iments. If you do not train pro- gressively, you are just spinning your wheels Fonget sugary junk foods. Rat the right foods, ake supplements and practice proper nutiton. Get ‘enough sleep and rest for recovery and recuperation, Maintain a pos: tive attitude, and the long-term goals will take care of themselves. Tused to visualize myself becom- jing more and more like Reg Park, who was my bodybuilding idol when T started eaining. Although 1 as tall and skinny without any to try for 11 the next time you train Joan Bi Maintain a positive attitude and the long-term goals will take muscle mass or size (while Reg was ma beyond belie), I helieved that one day wa bbe huge too. I could imagine it happening e ‘ime I trained at the gym and everynight in bs jnst before I fll asleep, The mote I focusel this image and worked and grew the maw saw the real possibilty of being like him. I convinced that you become what you ti about most. Dwell on acgative thoughts ai you fai, Dwell on positive thoughts and yx ‘succeed, Experts used to say a man couldn't clean at jerk more than 500 pounds Several lifters ca lose. In fact, atone time the record was 4997 pounds, less than half a pound under the maa 500 burret. Thea Vasily Alexcev of the fra Soviet Union lited $01 pounds at the 1570 Wis ‘Weighting Championships in Columbus, Oi care of themselves.” Within one week both Serge Redding [Belgium and Ken Patera of the USA also if ‘more than 500 pounds. Why? Because oaa’ ‘Alexeev had eliminated the mental 500-pous) barter, they knew the it wes possible. You should see regular progress when yu work out, If you dont, there is a probla somewhere. Find out what itis and correct ‘You should also be constantly evaluating yout physique for its weak points. Ate your cakes ‘00 small for your thighs? Is your chest too bi for your shoulders and arms? Are your lovee pees two big for your upper pees? Ate yout ‘waist and hips too wide? Ts your back too sha low? Is it wide but nor thick, or thiel but at wide? Do your biceps lack peak? Are you fig buroo smooth, or ur but need more massa Size? AIL these kinds of questions are impoe ‘aot, Remember, wou are trying to build the pes ect physique, where every pat isin proportion and balance. Symmetry is your ultimate geal ‘with musculatty and mass a close second.