Visualization blog

Hello CFDers and friends! I haven’t written a blog in a while, and while I can always use the ‘I’ve been soooooo busy….’ excuse, we all know that time can always be made for the things important to us. It’s just been on the back burner for a few weeks, and I decided to come out of hibernation with a thought that’s been on my mind for a while now. The topic is basically about visualization, but I’m going a little more unconventional with it….

The way I think about the process of visualization is that it’s something you do right before performing a task to ensure (or increase chances of) success. Let’s say you need to make that shot in basketball, or succeed that new clean and jerk PR, or paint a picture. Before you even begin, you have to visualize it done correctly in your mind’s eye. To give the example in a context that I can relate to, let’s talk about that clean and jerk. I have to first see myself complete the lift in my mind before I even attempt it. Footwork, hand position, the pull, receiving the bar, etc. If you see it and (here’s the important part) ACTUALLY BELIEVE that you can pull it off, your chances of success are much higher—at least from my personal experience. If you visualize a failed lift, a missed shot, etc…you are more likely to screw up whatever it is you’re trying to do. This isn’t a new or original concept, but I thought I’d discuss it briefly before making my next point.

I think visualization happens way more often than we think it does, but in a ‘less-conscious’ way (for lack of a better explanation). This is going to start sounding a bit philosophical, but start watching people move on their day-to-day activities and how they interact socially. I think you can tell a lot about a person by how they carry themselves: their attire, their walk, their posture, how they interact with people they know vs. people they first meet…you name it. Anyone who says you can’t judge a book by it’s cover has clearly never been to an airport!

Is it possible to think that we become most like the person we think we are in our own minds? How do you identify yourself? Does your subconscious mind view your identity as ‘the asshole,’ or ‘the shy girl,’ or ‘the fat dude,’ or ‘the skinny girl?’ I’m a firm believer that you will tend to fit into the mold that you shape with your mind. Sure, that’s easy to think about when it comes to attitudes, but what if it also counted towards your body image? How likely would it be for someone who always thinks of himself as ‘the skinny guy’ to put on 30 pounds of muscle? Or for a guy who identifies with himself as ‘the dude who will always be fat’ to begin the already-difficult process of changing his body composition for the better?

I’m sure a lot of philosophers would maybe not be impressed at my non-scientific hypothesis, but I wonder if there isn’t some substance to it. I don’t think it’s too far-removed from visualization. I watch some people carry themselves, and it’s so obvious to me that they identify a certain way. They are, in a sense, ‘visualizing’ themselves walking into the room as ‘the fat guy,’ or ‘the skinny girl.’ Of course I’m not suggesting that they’re constantly repeating descriptions of themselves in their heads, but subconsciously, many of us do define ourselves and identify a certain way. I wonder if, in order to make a physical change to the body, you have to first make the self-image changes in the mind in order to be successful. Maybe until you subconsciously stop thinking of yourself a certain (unhealthy) way, you might have to make yourself have CONSCIOUS thoughts about how you’d like to identify or describe yourself!

So now I’ve returned full-circle and I’m actually talking about fitness again. If you need to make a change, I think you have to make the change with your identity first. There’s a reason I refer to my clients as ‘my athletes.’ If you don’t see yourselves as being athletic, and you make your mind up before you even start moving that you’re weak, you’re slow, you’re fat, etc….then you’re very likely always going to be that way! However, if you make up your mind that you want to be stronger, be faster, etc., and your training and lifestyle support those changes, I have a feeling that your chances of success will be much higher than someone whose mind didn’t take the first step.

Of course, I’m talking about healthy changes to your fitness and lifestyle, and not advocating that everyone should be a fitness model or fit into a size zero (whatever the hell that means). Please don’t misinterpret my blog as saying that everyone’s ugly and we should all aspire to be more beautiful people or some crap like that. Anyone who knows me knows that my definition of fitness is performance-based and in relation to your bio-markers, not on aesthetics. I do, however, believe that if you want to change how you look or how you move/perform or how you feel, you have to start viewing yourself as your goal, not as your current state—especially not some distorted image of yourself. I am not a dualist; I think that the mind and body are one in the same. If you want to make changes to the body, you must first have the correct mindset to support those changes.

–Coach Phil