I Hate You

Ok, let me explain. All of my life I have competed in sports that involved physical interaction between competitors; including 4 years of college football. Every Saturday I would line up and stare 11 grown men in the eyes and convince myself that I actually hated them, that they were somehow standing in the way of my dreams and that I wanted to physically hurt them (not injure), but yes, HURT them. I actually made myself hate them for that day. I had to; everyone of them was doing the same with me.

There are not many conventional fuels for training better than anger and the threat of physical harm. It makes training easy in a sense. Watch film, watch more film and then watch it again, lean your opponent, learn to dislike him and then learn to hate him. Now take it to the weight room... visualize that man in front of you, throw on the plates and lift, lift, lift, lift, puke, lift and lift some more while constantly telling yourself that he is outworking you at this very moment and you better keep pushing! Come Saturday, there he stands, just a few feet away. Now is the time, he is no longer a nagging visualization in the front of your mind, he is now here in the flesh and you can unleash everything that has been building up to physically break him down as thousands sit and watch.

Needless to say, physique competitions are a little different for me. They are actually quite anti-climactic in a sense. Once the day arrives, there is very little that can be done and I am certainly not there to hurt anyone...... it is actually quite the opposite; everyone is pretty damn nice and I have met some amazing people through competition. I have leaned to live with, accept and embrace this.

However, during everyday of my training, there are constantly about 6 faceless men outworking me every step of the way in the forefront of my mind. I cant visualize the actual competitors because I usually don't know who they are going to be and it ultimately doesn't matter. These imaginary competitors are always doing more than I, even on my best days, never letting me settle. I hate them... but I owe them everything. They are my new Saturday opponent and I hate them...... so I don't have to hate you.

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Comment by Everette Henderson on March 22, 2010 at 2:22pm: Lucas, That was on another level. I can definitely identify with wanting to destroy your competition, but this is very different. The faceless six keep me going as well. I keep reminding myself of how hard you guys are training and it keeps me going. I can count down the seconds when doing some low intensity cardio and never stop or let up because the faceless six didn't stop with 5 seconds left. You do face them and destroy them. Unlike on the field, you leave them in the parking lot or at the airport before you make it to the show. We've had to learn to leave those faces behind so we can enjoy our accomplishment of just making it to the stage.

Comment by Jason C Powell on March 19, 2010 at 8:36pm: I hear you, Lucas! I was there at one point in my life…I learned though. With no battle at hand, what is a warrior to do?? I decided MY fight would that of conquering myself…my own demons, my own fears, my own “haters” tearing at my flesh from behind…

How does one do this??

I use all the strength an tools I have gained over the years, grab one ledge higher not allowing the blood from my weathered and worked hands to bother me…then, I take a deep breath, reach behind me….and pull up the people behind me. I make them better people.

Now…I win. No politically driven trophy or kudos will replace that. The power gained from helping them…guiding them, advances me through the days and keeps me reaching higher.

I choose to blaze the path no other can.

Comment by Quan Ngo on March 19, 2010 at 4:32pm: Wowza...If the above doesn't reach someone, then they must not have a pulse! Great blog Mr. Irwin.