Today it was Abs – Back – Biceps. After my workout I realized that I had played with my ego during the session. I often see people trying to lift too heavy but insists. It’s clear that it’s the ego but to impress who ? I don’t know. Many people advised me to let my ego to the locker room to avoid unnecessary injuries and I agree with them.
But today it happened something different. There’s a guy in the gym who is taller than me and has more mass. The 1st time I saw him, I was impressed by his physical and then with time we start a little talk. Now I know he will do his 1st Deadlift competition soon.
The next exercice I had to do was standing biceps curl then I look for the barbell at 99 lbs (45kg). The barbell was behind him, I ask him if I can use. He replied: « Go it’s too heavy ». He did standing bicep curl with a barbell at 44 lbs (20kg). And then in my head I begin to say : « What he can’t lift it, serious ?!?! ». I replied « Don’t worry soon you’ll be able to lift, me too at first I couldn’t ». I take the barbell and I do my 4 sets of 10 repetitions (with difficulty). I know he saw me and his friends also.
Then I imagine lots of stuff in my head : « Yeah it’s a show-off, I’m stronger than him, etc ». Then I remembered that he was preparing for a Deadlift competition. It’s necessary to have powerful biceps to Deadlift ? NO. And I calmed down because a tennis player doesn’t have the same training as a football player !
In Deadlift, it’s clear he’s better than me then why I should believe I’m stronger than him when we haven’t the same objectives. And yes, it’s my ego was activated when I saw that I lift more than him with standing bicep curl. I train only for me and my opponent is myself, not others. I have to learn more to help others rather than believe I’m superior than them, that’s how I build my solid legacy.
Ah, ego can be really vicious and you ? Did you feel ,one time, superior to someone because you could do something better than this person ?
-Steph