Getting back in the groove.

I know everyone has their ups and downs, especially in the world. Our lifestyles have to almost consume who we are to allow us success. With that said, that means how we bounce back from a "rut" is what makes a big difference. What drives you guys to train, eat, and sleep this lifestyle? What have you done in the past to recover from a hard time with this lifestyle?

I want to hear some opinions! It seems a lot of people lately are either getting injured or are so consumed with their life that it been setting them back. Let's give our brother and sisters some ideas to bounce back full force and keep killing shit!

I was out of this lifestyle for many years until I started back a little over a year ago. I hit 30 and realized I was a shadow of my former self and had gotten skinny fat. I decided to hit it again and once I got in the groove I decided to set my sites on doing a show. Knowing that I have a goal to reach is what motivates me. You have to set a goal, even if it's not a show. Knowing that you're doing this for a reason will help you to push harder and not fall into a rut.

I'm just coming back from almost two months out due to injury. My biggest problem right now is talking days off now that I'm going again. Life is trying to creep in hard and I need the gym to keep my head clear, but my body needs a few days off. Maybe I need to do something out of the box like do a spin class or something on my "off" days

This is great EOD, I'm not necessarily in a rut, and am actually really happy with where I am at training-wise/physically. But I am having bad problems at the house, and they sneak their way into my diet and gym time every once and a while. I'd love to hear some advice and experiences of our brothers and sisters on here. Subbed for sure, great thread EOD!

The one thing I wish I could go back and change is that I have let life events get in the way and at times have not been able to maintain that laser focus required to be a top tier bodybuilder. Whether it was a job change, home purchase, divorce, relocation, death in the family, all these things hemmed me up in the past and took me away from training for some period of time. Bodybuilding has been a part of my life to some degree since I was 15 years old. It's in my blood. I grew up idolizing Arnold and Lou and have been infatuated with muscle for as long as I can remember. Although I have been sidetracked at times, I always have come back to it. I find as I get older I have more of a sense of urgency to train now. I believe it's what I live for. It's the one thing in life that provides me a sense of calm and truly makes me happy. There are times where I didn't feel like going to the gym but once I got there the drive immediately came back to me. I can honestly say I have never left the gym feeling like I cheated myself or did not have a productive workout. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't lift. It's either a part of your life or it's not, simple as that.

I am now 31 years old and up until I was 23 I was very over weight. At 275 lbs and in no shape at all I had a circle of friends that loved the gym,I began to workout with them and would always admire this other group of three guys that were just huge and ripped,I used to think man I would give anything to look like them and never thought it possible. 9 years later I am bigger and harder then those guys ever were and still think back to that time because it drove me every day. I've competed and looked better than I ever thought it possible. The last few years I've had a couple injuries but recently I completely tore my bicep tendon off the bone(distal bicep) I just had surgery this week and I'm out for three months! I have been thru way to much and have been doing this for way to long to let this beat me,I'm eating all my meals,all my shops and doing all the therapy needed to recover and return a better stronger me,I still train legs and am walking daily. The key is will power!!! Have the willpower and nothing can stand in your way!!!

These are some awesome answers. I agree you either have it or you don't. I find picking a goal every 6 months or so, and living for that goal helps a lot.

I am coming back after nearly a year off due to a spinal injury from a car accident i was in. I was unable to train at all and lost nearly 50 lbs. It was the darkest period of my life. I became addicted to prescription painkillers and began to slip into a downward spiral due to depression. The iron was always there for me no matter what i was going through. I could go to the gym, get lost in the steel and sweat and all my problems seemed to slip away for awhile. When that was taken away from me there was a huge void in my life that i filled with pills and booze trying to cope with the inability to train. I nearly lost myself along the way.Who i was, the goals i had, it seemed like a part of me had died! After surgery and months of rehab i was cleared last week to train again. I went to the gym the other and just sat there and looked around trying to regain my focus. It was awkward at first but it was almost as if the iron welcomed me back. In some strange way it reassured me that everything i lost over the past year can be recaptured. My self-esttem, my confidence, all the strength and muscle mass i lost. It whispered " it can all be yours again!" I finally have the one true constant back in my life. The one thing that i know will never judge or leave me. THE IRON! This week i will be embarking on a new journey and chapter in my life. I know it isn't going to be easy and i know i need to keep my ego in check and realize that i am physically no longer the person i once was and take it slow. In my mind i want to hit the gym and just kill shit right out of the gate but i know that would not be a wise decision. I have learned alot about myself over the past year, and as horrible of an experience this was it truly only made me stronger! I know i will have certain physical limitations for awhile but the one place i have no limitations is in my mind. I can and will regain all i have lost! wish me luck on this journey Brothers and Sisters. I want to wish anyone who has had a injury or any other type of set back good luck on your own personal journey's. WE CAN DO THIS!

I have been on and off training for 6 years. Mostly off....

At the beginning of this year I realized I'd let myself get skinny fat at 72kgish at 5;11"... I lost someone close to me that made me realize life is so short....

I decided to change my life and stop being lazy... I became a morning person, I wake evey day at 4am sharp and head to the gym. I train and eat towards a goal.

My three year goal is to be a pro in exactly three years time. Year goal is to build 15kg lean body mass every year from now till then.

So far since February/March this year, I've run 1 oral cucle and 1 injectable cycle. I'm now on a cruise of 250mg a week since October 2nd.

I bulked till 95kg by 15 September. Decided to cut down, now I'm 88kg at 10-12% bf with top 4 abs clearly visible, I've put on at he very least 12-15kg of clean muscle since feb this year.

I plan to keep going cruising and blasting untill I reach my goal. No one can stop me, I literally spend hours a day listening to positive motivational music and speech complication I keep my mindset on the goal and push myself past the limit, due to this I've had 3 injuries but I've worked around them and now only my lower back bothers me on and off but that's something I just put up with.

Write down your goals brothers, stay focused, stay hungry. Realize that on your death bed you want to be able to be honest with yourself and really know thT you pushed yourself and reached your full potential in this one chance we get at life.

You don't get another chance none of us do so why waste it? Be the best at whatever you do. Work harder then everyone else, be different. Be unique.

I bet you the man that thought of creating the wheel was laughed at by his neighbors and thought of as crazy, look at what he accomplished, think different. Be all you can be bros.

Natty out


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