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"Intention--Getting What You Want"

By Mason Ryan McClellan

The mental side of training is one that is often given lip service. Usually focused on the "feeling the muscle" aspect, this glossing over of the mental side will leave you lacking. The true mental side of training is the key to unlocking some of your latent potential.

Mason's article on the "want" involved in your training is an excellent example of the true mental side of training. "Want" will direct your training efforts. And as stated in the article, you give power to what you focus on. Intent, want, focus, drive are all aspects of training that lead and direct our results.

Do yourself a favor and read this article and determine - What is your want?
-Brett Jones, CSCS, SRKC

It is important in life to use our lessons learned for further progress. Many people reading this are kettlebell junkies, training enthusiasts, and addicts. There is not a day that goes by where one of us has not had a new personal record or substantial progress in our lifts. We are on a journey of accomplishments. There are many reasons for our achievements. We could say it is the Forum, a hot insight from Pavel, trial and error. Though, none of these are wrong, the real reason is because of our true want for the outcome and it is the result that makes us feel good. This definitely tracks on the psycho-babble path, but follow me for a moment.

Let's take a 75 pound military press, for instance. In my quest to get that blasted thing above my head did I ever think about why I wanted the lift. No. I just set out to get it done. Guess what, it happened! Sure there were many steps and tweaks to my form and questions that I asked to get to the end result. Yes, they are significant, but only to the effect that none of if it would have mattered a damn unless I wanted it to happen. It made me happy! That is all there is to it. I had a training goal in mind and accomplished it. Simple.

Wow, great Einstein. Let's ponder the alternative. I need to lift that thing because Billy did, or Rob Lawrence did…I don't want to drop it on my foot…I want to be stronger (because I don't want to be weak). These alternative desires are counter-productive. If I worry about what Brett Jones, Mike Mahler and other training mutants can do-I no longer have true want-just envy. That mindset isn't going to lead to progress.

We can all come up with a concrete what (objective goal), there are a million hows (training routines), but here is the kicker why (it only comes from within-the want). This is why we gireviks are successful day-in and day-out with our own progress. We see phenomenal milestones made by others and these milestones help motivate us. However, when it is just you and the bell, focus on staying true to your own wants-and you will succeed. Your why and your intent is very powerful.

This really doesn't have to be drawn-out into a huge philosophical dissertation. Kettlebells are great and effective not only for the exercise factor but in the life-lesson. They don't allow us to contemplate the negative. We just do and do some more until we accomplish the mission. Other facets in life make it easy to play the comparison game, or the should-be game, or the masking-game. I don't see that in my fellow gireviks, some days are better than others but progress is always universal.

Here is where the crossover comes. Kettlebells model life. They are really no different than a job, house, or relationship. They are all just things--objects. But we don't usually approach them the same internally-but intent is everything. Whatever your inner-self wants is what it gets. Good, bad or ugly. You give power to what you focus on. So focus on your successes just as you would for a kettlebell session.

I can do different kettlebell lifts or variations until the cows come home and get better--everyday. There are a limitless number of small success you can find. If you know what your gut is telling you about the reason and it makes you feel good on its own merits, that success is yours. Power to you all, now go train.

About the Author:

Mason Ryan McClellan, is recognized as an expert in kettlebell training for fitness and weight loss in the Twin Cities, MN. You may email him for any training questions and concerns.