Why physical training is a religion & our bodies are our temples
I often find myself among friends or colleagues wanting to share with them the skin splitting pump I had experienced in the gym the night before, Or the article in Muscle and Fitness I had read and inwardly digested at lunch that made me totally rethink my entire training regime, or the epiphany that I had at 2 am whilst getting up for a much needed protein shake to feed and fuel the muscles I so eagerly nurture in the constant and never ending battle for perfection. However I find myself holding on to these integral pieces of what makes me tick in the understanding that they just don?t get it.
Unfortunately they cant comprehend that adding even the smallest amount of lean muscle mass to our aching body?s is on par with splitting the atom, and why we opt for the wholegrain option at lunch looking on in horror as they consume an army of calories and simple carbs.
But its ok; we are members of the religion of physical training and have already seen the light at the end of the tunnel, we are already out of the starting blocks and on our protein filled journey to its warm glow. We must simply be patient with those who have like many bugs been lured towards a light of a different kind that leads them to an electrifying destination of a different variety.
I refer to physical training as a religion because of its similarities to so many of the recognised spiritual organisations that exist around the world today. As mentioned in The Bible and other religious books, we should love our neighbour? Well just look where you are; on a website that offers advice and guidance to those seeking it for no cost or expectation of repayment. And I can say out of personal experience that if you ask your fellow gym goers for a spot or some advice on technique you will more often than not, get a smile and the help you asked for.
Self control is something we know all about with keeping a strict diet and supplement regime, we often go without the things we lust over such as the weekly donut delivery at work that sees us with our cups of black coffee and 10 o?clock meals while the rest of the office gets stuck in to a fast emptying box and an ever increasing body fat percentage! As well as the nutritional self control, we demonstrate a different variety in the gym with strict form and rep control seeing us getting into ?the zone? and ensuring a truly epic performance of human ability with every work out.
Just as so many religions have scriptures and txt we too have a well documented history and so called ?elders? to learn from although I?m not sure Frank Zane, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronnie Coleman, Dorian Yates, and so many of the greats that I refer to would appreciate being called that quite yet! Never the less they have passed on their knowledge for us to consume and use as fuel to write our own plateau smashing workouts into histories books, and thanks to our very own versions of preachers such as Joe Weider for example, there are a great number of magazines and books to read and quench our never ending thirst for a new rep count or a different angle to attack from.
We experience so many of the same benefits attributed to religion, such as the sense of belonging, gained by being a member of a group of like minded people, either at your gym or right here on Bodyspace. We experience a sense of achievement when we have made progress, and the added self esteem and confidence that so rightly accompanies this often leads to a gain in forward momentum in all aspects of life. Physically we are strong, fit, healthy and efficient, with this comes increased self esteem and a positive mental outlook leading to a good and healthy mind.
Because we have had the motivation and strength of mind to take that first step into the gym or to pick up that old rusty barbell in the garage and persevered until the fruit of our labour first appeared there is nothing in the future that cant be done, or at least tried! So when you next see a lost soul in need of guidance take them to your place of worship and watch them grow!
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Improvise, adapt, overcome!
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