Success in the Gym

Why are some people successful in their fitness goals while others are not? I think there must be a test to determine this, and the test probably has nothing to do with fitness.

Think about yourself and how you handle life in general. How do you deal with problems, with surprises, with schedule changes? I think that the way you conduct yourself out of the gym will determine how you conduct yourself in the gym.

If you are someone who is afraid of venturing out to a new restaurant, afraid to eat something you have never tried; if you are someone who never likes to take a new “short cut” just to see what it looks like, and how it turns out; if you are someone who is reluctant to wear a different color or style clothing than usual because “people might stare”…..you probably won’t be very successful in the gym.

I am in the gym a lot, I watch people every day and I make up stories about all of these people in my head. My stories may or may not be correct, but those people are stuck with them aren’t they LOL!

I talk with people quite a bit and this usually occurs as we are on a cardio machine, somewhere I am not found for long extended periods of time. They typically ask me what I do to look the way I look. It’s not something that I can sum up in 20 to 30 minutes, but I try to give them a quick answer anyway, I find that usually they don’t  listen, not really, really listen, they hear what they want to hear.

I will tell them first get off the damn cardio equipment and lift weights, heavy weights, it needs to be difficult! If this were easy, everyone would look good wouldn’t they? They usually nod their head and ask more questions and say they will do just that.

But where do I see them day after day after day? Back on the cardio equipment. I think because it’s familiar and they are comfortable. They don’t like the “unfamiliar”.

I see two women on the stairmill a couple times a week; they set the thing for an hour! Now these are not competitors and don’t look like competitors. I am assuming they are women who want to lose the “jiggle” of their hips and thighs and maybe some of the belly fat. But they have been doing this for quite some time, and I haven’t seen any changes.  They climb on, walk at a slow pace for an hour and talk. I suspect they are a bit intimidated by the rest of the gym, by the weights. I also think they like things the way they always have been, they are "comfortable".


Today I saw a big tall guy, I love to watch him because he squats and squats low and heavy. Today I watched him as he just added plate after plate after plate, and he slowly lowered himself all the way down, and he wears black tights too… Last time I looked he had three 45 pound plates on each side, so that means he was squatting 315. I think I would like this guy.

Now if you are someone who loves to venture out to new restaurants, take new routes to old places, wear whatever the hell pleases you and, sometimes wear something wild just to get a rise out of others, then I bet you are very successful in the gym!

The mentality required is one of “can do”; confidence; lack of fear; need for excitement, zest for life; someone with a passion for living, a person who does not back down easily.

A successful person in the gym is typically someone who knows what they want, and are willing to do almost anything to get it.

What kind of person are you?

If you want to change how things are working in the gym, change your life outside of the gym first.