Check your ego at the door

It is funny to me, one of the things that initially gets us to work out is one of our greatest road blocks, the ego. As a young lad starting my career as a trainer I was very shy to try new things at the gym in fear of looking like a moron. My gains in training were stifled because I wanted to think that I knew everything and was the best at everything. In my wiser years, I have learned that in all honesty no one really cares if I look a little silly doing an exercise, the odd thing is that people started copying those exact exercises I felt silly doing. Most everyone gets comfortable in their routines or are scared to ask questions but the gym is your most valuable resource in learning. If your bored with your routine and want something new, check out what others are doing and how their bodies are responding and ask questions…trust me, most people would love to give an advice. On the other side of the ego there is also the “How much can you bench factor”; a lot of people come into the gym and try to throw up the weight they did in their glory days. This is backwards, you have to rebuild your stabilizers and get your form down first. I see people throwing around weight they shouldn’t and I always want to say something but usually don’t…ego thing. If you’re rounding your shoulders on chest day, or throwing your shoulders forward on arm day it’s too much weight. If you’re not pushing from the heels on leg press or squats, too much weight. Get your form down and don’t fear asking questions, the gym is the first place you should check your ego at the door.

My “egoless” workout

Kettle bell switches 20 reps into dumbbell clean and press into hanging leg raises 4 sets each

decline curls, side lateral raises, and kettle bell cross body raises 3 sets each

finishing off with barbell shoulder press to the front and barbell curls 3 sets of each

Nutrition:

Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal and 2 tblsp. of flax seeds and blueberries

Mid morning breaky: 8 egg whites and 4 pieces of bacon and sauteed spinach

Lunch: 1 chicken breast and roasted sweet potatoes and sauteed spinach

afternoon snack: 2 scoops syntha-6 protein powder and 1 hand full of almonds

Dinner: Flank steak salad with baby greens, avocado and beets