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 By: Darin Steen
You and I are very similar. Even if you are not a competitive bodybuilder, you still are a bodybuilder. I want to look good on stage against other competitive bodybuilders and you want to look as good as you possibly can on the stage of life. For a competitive bodybuilder, the problem usually arises the 12 weeks or so before the contest. Every other aspect of our lives fall by the way side. I know from first hand experience that you eat, drink, and sleep bodybuilding. And I know nothing but competing drug free for life; so I can only imagine what the drug boys go through when you throw all the baggage of that dark world on top of the pile of responsibilities. But it doesn't necessarily have to be that way. Because there's a way to rev up your practices, achieving more in nearly half the time you're working out now -- and doing it drug free. That frees up some time for other areas of your life. Even if you are presently single and out on the prowl as that "Alpha Male", trust me, there will be a time when you want to attract the lady into your life who is going to be "the one".
And being balanced is not something that we bodybuilders are good at turning on and off. It is like building up your biceps; it doesn't happen over night; you need to string lots of workouts together before you have some good sized guns. So you single guys might as well start now. Being balanced in all the areas of our lives also draws others to us as well -- not just a soul mate. And one thing I have learned for sure is that we will not go very far in life by ourselves; we need help to get what we want. Remember what you've been taught since childhood: you reap what you sow in this life. It's just the way it is.
  Click To Enlarge. Being Balanced In Our Lives Draws Others To Us As Well. If this sounds like it may be too much to ask for, let me assure you that it isn't. And how I know that it isn't too much... because I transformed my life -- and I want to help you change yours as well. But I have to be truthful for you. For years, it just wasn't gellin' for me. I almost lost not only my finance and my career, but also my family. One day though it was as if a lightning bolt struck me and I finally figured it all out. I finally became more skilled at balancing all the aspects of my life without losing focus of the bodybuilding.
And in fact when I finally was able to balance the other areas of my life, the bodybuilding aspect finally fell into place as well. It was if the jigsaw puzzle that had been my life, had all the pieces in place -- and the picture was complete. Perhaps part of it came with experience. But the other parts came with a large measure of desire -- desire to have a satisfying family life... the desire to build and enjoy a successful business life. But let me clue you in to a secret... It isn't easy. I could lie to you and tell you that one day -- poof! -- it just fell into place. But that isn't what happened. If you want the balance, you'll have to work for it. I had to work hard to get it all in one place. And it only happened because I put in lots of blood, sweat and tears.
But today I can honestly say I have the best of all the worlds. And what's more important for you, you can too! Holding all the aspects of a life together is tough no matter what your profession is. But I believe that it's even more difficult for us bodybuilders. Just look around you. Just about every big-name bodybuilder you see appears to be lop-sided in some area of his life. I've figured out exactly how I did it. And you can do it too. It's really only a three-step process. Sounds incredibly easy, doesn't it? Well, in some ways it is. As long as you have the burning desire to attain this balance, you'll find that is motivation enough for you.
My suggestion to you is to find someone that you want to be like and follow their lead. I have to be frank with you; almost every big name bodybuilder I see seems to be very lopsided in their life. When you find someone you admire, who seems to have the balance you want, begin to learn as much about his habits as possible -- then copy all of his good habits. He's obviously doing something right.
One technique that works well for my clients and myself is visualizing what we want. I believe that, using our mental and emotional powers by goal setting, visualizing, meditating and using positive affirmations are the keys for anyone and everyone to achieve their most cherished goals. I am not talking about hoping and wishing, like the "Law of Attraction". In my opinion, it's not quite that easy. You got to pray. And then move your feet. You can't expect somethin' for nothin'.
Fourteen years ago, I was an average drug-free-for-life competitive bodybuilder. I had placed first in a couple of regional contests in the NANBF and had been following the pros for a few years in the magazines. One day I cut a picture of one of my idols; a WNBF pro by the name "Big Joe Patterson" (he was about 5'11" and had 20 inch guns at about 3% body-fat) out of the magazine and put it on my fridge. Beside it, I put a cut out of me. Every morning for a couple minutes I would imagine myself on stage against him. In the "theater of my mind", I visualized myself standing next to him in a contest.
And it worked for me; 12 months later I was a WNBF pro.
 Click To Enlarge. It Worked For Me; 12 Months Later I Was A WNBF Pro.
My jaw dropped at the end of the show when he placed first and took overall (for the second year in a row). I placed 14th in the heavyweight class. I figured out real fast that guys who look big in clothes, almost always look small on stage. Most of you are good at visualizing on the muscle during an exercise; now just take that same idea and put your mind into your relationships; your businesses and finances, your spirituality; or any area that you want to grow.
This may sound incredible to you. But, you can get the same job done in the gym in half the time. In fact, that's the basis of my new 12-week body transformation video series. Right now I'd like to share some of the techniques that have worked for my clients and myself.
Some of the best physiques in the world show me that periodization works But that's not all. You'll want to include some unique, time efficient weight training routines. Skip the 5 sets of 5 while you're resting for 5 minutes in between each set; just so you can lift a heavier weight. That's old school techniques. Heavier weights do not necessarily equal more muscle. I have heard some advocates of the narcistic bodybuilding lifestyle defend their "old school"-time consuming techniques of spending 2-3 hours in the gym per day (as their social time.). Trust me; I can see the benefit to that. It's a nice start. But the problem sometimes arises that we are building relationships with other people that are out of balance toward our fitness and our fat loss lifestyle.
Trust me, I love the environment in a gym. I am the biggest advocate for being lopsided toward fitness & health techniques. That mentality served me well for many years, but now it is time for me to move on.
 Click To Enlarge. Now It Is Time For Me To Move On.
So if you want to balance the rest of your life, with your bodybuilding career; I know that you can have the best of all worlds. In fact, because of how strong your mind, will, fortitude, persistence, and spirit have become through the experience of bodybuilding, and competing; you will become unstoppable when you channel your new found strength and discipline into other areas of your life. Be Well, Your Healthy, LifeStyle Coach, Darin Steen (aka "The Chicago Kid")
Darin L. Steen; ACE NASM CPT
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