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Discipline of steel #21

Real abs, daily choices, self-limitations, and reps for the mind.

Hey Warriors,

Are you fed up with people talking about mindset and how it is the key that can supposedly bring you everything you want?

Sorry but it’s my turn today!

However, I’m going to be very down-to-earth in my approach.

Because there is a scientific and logical way to explain the law of attraction, and that’s the only explanation I’m interested in.

First, I guess I don’t need to convince you that you have a subconscious mind.
And you can call it intuition, a gut feeling, or just luck, but the fact is it has saved you many times, it warned you when you needed it, and it’s even driving you home safely while you’re thinking about what to have for dinner.

It’s real.

And this is why you must feed it positively, set the right goals, and believe in yourself.

Because whether you know it or not, it is making a lot of decisions on your behalf, every day.

And it is how you “attract” things.

By making unconscious but determining decisions.

So shift your mindset about fitness, now.
You got it, you can do it, you will get there.

Go and attract the best shape of your life!

PS: you still need to work out. 🥲

If you need any help with your training, please let me know by replying to this email and I’ll share my answer with everyone.

Now let’s start! 💪

1. A real exercise for real abs.

Core strength is one of the most important things in calisthenics, sports, and actually… life!

But you’ve never seen me do a sit-up.

Is it because they’re not effective or because I don’t like them?

Answer: I don’t like them because they’re not effective.
Unless your goal is to waste your time and ruin your back.

What about people who do 1,000 a day?
(C. Ronaldo is not one of them, google it.)

The fact that they can do 1,000 a day should be enough proof for you to understand it’s not an efficient exercise.

And if you can only do 10, my point still stands.
Short range of motion, low carryover, not functional, bad for the back.

So here’s a much better core exercise for you if you’re a beginner, which also comes in many variations for even the strongest of you.

“Enjoy!”

Click this link for the full YouTube video and instructions.

2. Daily crossroads.

Throughout the day you make choices.
Easy or hard - comfort or growth - staying the same or improving.

Like crossroads where you have to choose a direction that either makes you better or worse, and there's never a neutral path.

It's the food you choose to eat, whether you take the stairs or the lift, doing that workout or not...
Every decision is a chance to keep your promise to yourself and influence who you are becoming.

Very often it seems like a small detail, so you must always remind yourself the stakes are high.

Even if it's not noticeable, a single decision can determine if you will go to bed better or worse than yesterday.

Life constantly challenges you, sometimes in subtle ways.
It is your duty to respond and make as many positive choices as you can, so that you go to bed with a positive balance, and in better shape than yesterday.

3. You don’t know your limits.

Most of what you think of as your limits come from how you see yourself.
In other words, your limits are subjective.

When you learn to give less credit to your own opinion about what you can or cannot do, you can finally free yourself from stagnation.

You might think this doesn’t apply to the limits of your body, but these are just as subjective as any other kind of self-limitation.

Set lofty goals like doing a handstand, and take the first step in training for it.
The first thing you’ll learn is that you are already capable of doing things you thought you couldn’t.

As you progress and push the boundaries of your actual physical abilities, you will discover something else.
Your limits are not only subjective, they are temporary.

Nobody knows what you are capable of.
And if you continue on this path to body mastery, you’ll soon realize that not even you can ever find out all the things your body can do.

Because progress never ends, and limits are always pushed further.

4. Reps for the mind.

Photo by Ambient Cinematics

The only “muscle” you train during each and every workout is your mind.
And it should be half the reason why you exercise.

Each physical rep is also a rep for your willpower.
In fact, the greatest change many people experience on their fitness journey is actually inside.

A year of working out can truly transform a person, and the shift in character carries over work, relationships, and more.

This also makes you more resilient.
Life will always throw challenges at you. The more you move forward, the more it does.
It is Life’s nature.

Physical training prepares you for that too.
There is no strength without a strong mind and high self-control.
And every time you manage to go a bit further, you grow stronger.

So the next time you face adversity, welcome it with calm and tell yourself “this is what I trained for”.