If You Think You Can or Think You Can't You're Probably Right…

If You Think You Can or Think You Can't You're Probably Right...
By Rachel Cosgrove, Author of The Female Body Breakthrough

I was working out and I had a set of 10 box jumps at the end of my workout.I did the first set of these no problem, flew up and landed softly on the box. Then the second set, I did one and my office manager came around the corner and said, "Show off! I couldn't jump to that box. I have a mental block."

I said to her- "It is completely in your head. You must be thinking that you can't do it so of course you can't do it." Then I... with the thought of, "you must have been thinking that you can't do it..." in my head go to jump on the box and completely miss by not jumping high enough and practically tripping myself.

My office manager thought is was hilarious but I thought it was such an amazing lesson that you have to have your mindest right when you head into a workout. If you have negative thoughts floating around in your head while you are working out, every rep you do you will not do as well as you can. Now it is obvious on a jump like this but it may not be so obvious on a lunge or a row but if your mind is not giving that movement 100% and doing everything to focus and lift as much with perfect form as you can you will be cheating yourself out of better results. Interesting isn't it?

I think it was Henry Ford who said, "If you think you can or you think you can't you are probably right..." So true!

So I want to challenge you to enter in to each workout with a focus and attitude of challenging yourself to see what CAN you do. Keep focused, positive thoughts in your head and get the most out of every rep leading to a more effective workout, more calories burned and faster results!

About the Author
Rachel Cosgrove is the author of The Female Body Breakthrough (published by Rodale November 2009) and is a fitness professional who specializes in getting women of all ages into the best shape of their lives. She owns and operates Results Fitness with her husband in Santa Clarita, Ca. She has a BS in Exercises Physiology and earned her CSCS from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She has competed in fitness competitions, triathlons and powerlifting. She has also been featured in Women's Health Magazine, Muscle and Fitness Hers, Shape Magazine, Fitness Magazine, Men's Health, Men's Fitness and Oxygen. For more information on Rachel visit www.rachelcosgrove.com.