The recent story of Army Spc. Benton Thames (pictured above) truly shows the power of the mind.  The full story is provided at the link below:

Soldier stands at attention for hours to watch LSU championship

My brief summary does not do justice to the full story, so please take a moment to read it in full.  Thames essentially shattered his personal best time (and all others) holding the Ready One position with his 9.5 pound M-14 rifle. 

How did he do it?  Well for starters, he was not in training as if this was a sporting event.  He held the position simply because he wanted something bad enough to endure the pain.  His mind made a decision, and his body came along for the ride.

When the mind takes over, this scenario is common.  Unfortunately, many people in this world grossly underestimate the potential of the mind.  For example, many trainers spend long hours researching rep ranges, periodization strategies, and other performance based protocols.  Yet regardless of what answers our research provides, most fail to consider and recognize the power of the mind. 

I’ve known athletes with average natural talent and haphazard training plans who went on to become champions.  Most gurus would claim that they are doing everything all wrong.  But guess what, it is difficult to argue with results.  What produces the results?  The will to win.  The refusal to give up.  The decision to fight through pain and do everything in your power to ensure victory.  The list goes on and on. 

These qualities don’t have anything to do with exercise selection or what form of periodization you support.  When your mind REALLY wants something, you’ll often surprise yourself and exceed even your highest expectations. 

Think about it…  Suppose someone took a loaded machine gun and put it to your head.  If they told you do keep going, you would keep going.  The potential is usually there.  It simply needs a higher power to unlock it.  Extreme desire is one example (ex. in the case of Benton Thames).  Fear is another (ex. if your life was threatened).

Now, I’m not suggesting that we put our lives on the line during each training session.  That is not the point of this entry.  The message is more subtle.  Recognize that you can often do more than you realize.  You don’t need to risk your health, but pushing yourself a bit more than normal is something most could do more often. 

I’ve been called a stubborn SOB for as long as I can remember.  I take it as a compliment.  If I want something, I’m going to get it.  I never believe that I can’t do something.  The analytical part in me would say that I’m not being realistic, but forget about logic.  The mind doesn’t work that way.  When you are TRULY determined, you can often defy logic.  It doesn’t need to make sense.  Think less and do more. 

Just do it!

Ross