Jonny Parr Training

First off, i'd like to start this blog post off with a big congratulations to my friend Andy Tsang for his performance in the Scottish Western District Olympic Lifting Competition (85k weight category). Andy's lifts included the Snatch (86k) and Clean and Jerk (110k). This gave him a lifting total of 201k which was enough to come first place. This is a massive achievement and what makes the matter even more impressive is that it was his first competition. Unfortunately I couldn't be there, but me and wee Becks send our big congrats.

      

         (Above is a video clip of Andy training - Snatch)

What is particularly interesting about this scenario is that Andy is completely self educated with regard to all Olympic Lifts. In other words, he has taught himself how to perform these advanced variations of weight training. You would be hard pressed to find more difficult training exercises in the gym than the likes of Snatches and Cleans.

To have the technical know-how, dedication and discipline to train in such a manner got me thinking about what gives or helps him stay motivated to train day in day out. Andy has trained for years and always enjoyed more challenging lifts such as those Olympic but it occured to me that he never started to push himself to his physical limits (which he still hasn't reached yet) or to competition standard till he owned his own facility (varsity gym*) and created his own ideal training environment. Does environment help motivation? Does environment build confidence and self-esteem? Does environment help you reach your goals? Ultimately, does environment lead to better results? I for one think it definately does...

The picture above is of wee Becks deadlifting the equivalent of her bodyweight (for reps). She never believed she could achieve this until she was in a positive and motivating environment. Through some guidance (neutral spine blah blah blah), reassurance (your back won't break) and encouragement (mainly shouting foul abuse), she achieved this feat during her first session of trying. In fact she actually thrived and her hamstrings and spinal erectors could testify to that the next morning. Anyway, my point to this story is just to examplify what the correct environment can do for you. It really is that important.

The facility Becks trained at when learning to deadlift was the Varsity Gym* in Glasgow. I trained at this facility for years and can honestly say that it is hands down the best facility I have ever trained at due to the following reasons:-

• The friendly 'family feel' atmosphere the facility produces due to like-minded people/members who train there
• Incredibly motivating atmosphere (PBs are a regular occurence)
• Loud ass motivating music (besides the 'crap-rap')
• Best equipment available (no smith machines, no BOSU balls, just real tools that get results)
• Technical Advice on Hand by Owners/Trainers Chris D and Andy T

Here are some clips of training in this facility.

                          (Tam 2 Board Press)

     (Platinum Fitness Training...now Varsity Gym)

                         (Me Box Jumps)

Getting results is hugely important to me and of course countless other people. In this type of facility, you are able to get results while also building strong friendships and feeling a sense of togetherness. Being surrounded by 'like-minded' people will push you to physical limits you probably never thought possible. Why is this the case? As Tim Ferris is forever saying, If you want to be sucessful (in any aspect of life, not just fitness) then it is better to surround yourself with similar 'like-minded' people who tend to be motivated, driven, and supportive. All the success as it were is far more likely.

My Qatar Fitness Experience

I moved to Qatar in September last year as a PE Teacher and Personal Trainer. During this time, I used multiple gyms to train at in order to satisfy my fitness craving. In total, I trained at 8 different gyms usually due to it being a facility I already trained my clients at. Another method I adopted was the act of 'bullshitting'.  In other words, I simply told security etc that I lived in their compound so had the rights to use their gym. This actually worked. In fact, I didn't pay a single penny to use any gym facilities bar one (which I only used a few times) for 10 months and in a bizarre way, i'm pretty proud of that fact. Blagging your way through matters can actually become something of an art

The actual facility I used the most was a quiet compound gym which had enough basic equipment to get my required results. It also had a few gym-goers who were motivated and driven for results similar to me. From a motivational perpective, I have no doubts they helped me with my training both during the session itself and the lead-up (actually getting to the gym). However, my gym numbers did suffer and this was confirmed when I returned to the Varsity Gym in the summer and my numbers increased again. This is the reason I feel the gym environment you train at/in is so important.

Now I know other factors may have affected my gym performance such as stress, weather etc but I can recall so many times training with little to no motivation. I was simply going through the motions but due to stubborness and discipline I got though my workouts in any case. I have no doubts that if I was in a more motivational environment with more motivational people, my results would have been so much better.

On the Lookout

Now I have left Scotland, i'm hoping to find that one varsity-type gym. I love visiting new gyms where I can meet new people, share training ideas/experiences and simply just be in a good training environment. This is more difficult than most people imagine. I will post and report on the many gyms/facilities I intend to visit. I'm pretty sure i'll be able to find a wee cracker somewhere, but time will tell..

Jonny

*Apologies if the hyperlink to the Varsity Gym does not work...their website is under maintenance...plus they're lazy and ICT inept