By Riley Nowlan (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: November 26, 2014
Many people find that no matter how hard they try, staying healthy and active will always be a challenge. The key to success might not be as hard as people think. An interview with Morgan Hodge, a strength and conditioning coach at Engineers Bodies in Port Moody, helped prove this theory true.
He divulged that his position as trainer and coach goes beyond the physical. He says, “I am more of a counselor or psychologist, as opposed to a trainer.”
The best approach for some people to get motivated is to be dragged to the gym and getting screamed at until they’ve abandoned their lazy ways. This isn’t the best way for everyone. Some people require different techniques to get properly motivated. A nurturing and encouraging approach instead of the up-in-your-face drill sergeant approach is more fitting for some.
Morgan had not alluded to a specific exercise combination or calorie count that would equal that perfect body. Instead he believes clients need to make their minds strong in order to reach physical strength.
“I follow two principles: pursue excellence and the notion of ‘getting your mind right,’” Morgan explains.
He says that everyone should be trying to pursue excellence. As we reach one goal, we should create more. This really makes sense; even if we fail in our fitness goals, we should continue to make new ones. You may not be in the amazing physical shape you see with bikini competitors, but exercising is not only to look good, but to feel good. You can achieve better endurance and physical strength the more you keep at it.
Morgan wishes more people accepted the journey. There will be ups and downs, successes and failures, but with a strong mindset and a longing for excellence, goals will be reached.
“It’s going to be fucking hard! It’s going to take a lot of hard work and energy, and you will feel like quitting many times,” Morgan sympathized. “But if you have worked on getting your mind right, and respect the journey of excellence you are on, then deep down you will love every second of it.”
The tips to success taken from the conversation with Morgan are the following:
1) Train your mind. When we give up on a workout, we blame it on the physical. Our muscles are sore, we are tired, but we are a lot stronger than we allow ourselves to believe. When we give up, it is because of a weak spot in our mindset. It’s not our body lacking endurance.
2) You gotta move! It’s what we are made for. Exercise should be our go-to mood enhancer, yet most of us reach for the remote or computer instead. Life is about growth and experiences, not screens and fast food.
3) As Morgan would say, “Once people understand and respect it’s a journey, not a destination, then they will be successful in their fitness goals.”
The secret has been uncovered, and truthfully it wasn’t a secret at all. The things that lead to success in fitness are the things that lead to success in any aspect of life: a clear, focused mindset, acknowledgment of the journey ahead, and a desire to pursue excellence.
