Bodybuilding Health : Unleash the Power of Your Mind To Achieve Your Natural BodyBuilding Goals

If you're reading this article, we are of a like mind in at least one regard: we both want to achieve our fitness goals to have our dream body. Taking the body you were given to your maximum natural bodybuilding potential is on the forefront of every person crazy enough to dedicate themselves to bodybuilding. Maslow would call it self-actualization, the army would call it "be all that you can be"... but we just call it a Tuesday back workout. Obviously there are hundreds of facets to attaining your idea of physical perfection. Diet, training and supplementation are no-brainers as far as importance is concerned, and truth be told if you can dial-in those three pillars, you'll get a long way towards your goals. However, there is an aspect to bodybuilding that transcends these very important pillars, and is completely intangible.

This aspect is the power of your mind. First and foremost, understanding how integral your brain is to bodybuilding will change your physique quicker than any diet, workout plan or supplement will ever do. Only the best of the best ever fully realizes how vital the mental aspect of bodybuilding is. The mind saturates all aspects of bodybuilding, and can make or break any physique. It is so important that in my opinion, it should be the first thing trainees attempt to master, as it will positively affect every other aspect of your life. Your mind manifests itself in three major ways:

1. Attitude - Your attitude is controlled completely by your mind. You are the one who decides whether your workout is going to be ordinary, or so intense that the only thing you can do is collapse on the ground and smile. Your attitude determines if you are going to stick to the diet, or convince yourself with enough lies that one (insert unhealthy food here) is okay. It is so important to realize that reaching the pinnacle is a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week endeavor that is not for the faint of heart. This type of attitude is difficult to obtain to say the least, let alone maintain over the course of a lifetime. Fortunately, you can transform your attitude with knowledge.

Increasing your knowledge base is the best way to impact your attitude. Simply following a workout is all well and good, but delving into every aspect of your training splits will yield so much more. Confidence blooms from knowing that your training is completely thought out, your diet is spot on for your goals, and your supplements are adding exactly what is needed. Knowledge is the key to unlocking that "take no prisoners" type attitude that separates the beginners and intermediates from the advanced.

2. Focus - Once your attitude is set in stone, the next thing to conquer is focus. Knowing how to focus will take the intensity and results of training to unbelievable heights. Focus is very easy to spot in the weight room. Unfortunately, you can't just outwardly copy focus and achieve the same results. Focus is mainly internal. And inside the confines of the human mind lay the deepest form of focus in the muscle-mind connection. For example, the bicep curl is a very simple and recognizable exercise yet most trainees never focus enough to take the exercise to the next level. Your brain has to leave your head and take up residence in your biceps. Envision each bicep as mechanical pistons with perfect form. Activate every muscle cell using the power of your mind. Envision the myosin and actin latching onto each other and fully contract each and every sarcomere (this is where the knowledge comes into play). Once you put yourself fully into the movement, you can make even the most rudimentary exercises skin-bursting intense.

3. Vision - Put simply, vision is that intangible goal in all of our minds that we are striving for. Natural bodybuilding without vision is like driving without a road map. You might end up where you trying to go eventually, but the odds are just as good that you'll end up in the boonies. The main problem most new trainees have is that they think they know what they want to look like. However, without the attitude and drive, vision is nothing more than a dream.

Attaining a true vision of your future physique is difficult. First and foremost, you must have at least a sub 10% body fat level to understand what your body can transform into. Once there, study your physique in the mirror. Determine your body type, taking into account strengths and weaknesses of every body part. Then study other natural bodybuilders with similar characteristics to understand what is possible for you. Once you clamp down your ideal physique, pin it to the front of your mind and situate all parts of your training, diet and supplementation to reach that goal. That vision will adapt and change as your body metamorphosis continues, but always have that vision in the front of your mind.

So, is it impossible to achieve a great physique without engaging the mind? You may achieve some of your goals but you will not realize your full bodybuilding potential. I'm sure every one reading this article can name one person in their gym that seems to nonchalantly cruise through their workout and boasts an impressive physique. But mastering the incorporation of the mind to your bodybuilding odyssey will give you infinitely more satisfaction than just going through the motions (not to mention the body of your dreams). Now get out there and learn!.