I spent a better part of last night thinking about just how I can demonstrate the importance of commitment in the weight room without spitting off boring scientific facts when I realized a perfect example was going on in my gym. I’ve written before about Cody Reed and the success he’s had while training with me. Recently Cody has only been coming once or twice a week to lift rather than his usual three days. Although we spoke about this being ok because he’s spending more time on the mat (which is where we thought his time would be better spent at this point in his life), he is still at a plateaued state because of it. Meanwhile, his teammate from Walton, Evan Boyd, has been coming to lift consistently since January. If he can’t make it down for a workout, I send him something he can do in his school’s gym. As a result, he’s made steady progress in all lifts. The one I’m most excited about is his bench. His bench has gone from a 205 to a 250 in a little over 5 months and I’m expecting him in the next couple of weeks to break Cody’s 265lb bench record which has stood for nearly a year. Just goes to show you the importance of commitment in the weight room, marriage, and life in general. Until next time remember- strength is a matter of a mind made up.