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Inside-Out Transformation: Feeling Good Comes Before Looking Good in Fitness Training

Writer's picture: Daniel McKeeDaniel McKee

Fit woman lifting a barbell

In the fitness world, a powerful concept often goes overlooked: you will feel good before you start to look good. This idea underscores the profound connection between internal changes and external results. Any transformation, especially in fitness, begins from within and manifests externally over time; like a plant receiving clean, pure water daily in its roots eventually shows the effects in the petals of it's flower.


The Immediate Benefits of Training


From your first training session, you should notice a positive shift in how you feel. This isn't just wishful thinking; it's rooted in how our bodies respond to physical activity. You trigger neurological improvements when you engage in functional training—exercises to improve performance. Functional training, the foundation of which is the major barbell exercises, is exceptionally stimulating for the nervous system.



Man benchpressing


The Role of Neurological Stimulation


Absolute Strength exercises like barbell Squats, Bench Presses, and Deadlifts require the body to produce its highest levels of Force and develop the highest levels of neural integration. Absolute Power exercises like Snatches and Clean & Jerks enhance neural firing rates and optimal sequencing for power. Since these lifts represent the maximum outputs for force and power in humans, they are naturally the exercises where the most Work (Force * Distance) can be accomplished. This production of Force and Power and the capability to do Work defines the concept of function.


Endorphins and Hormonal Boosts


As you progressively improve your body's neurological function through training, you will experience increased levels of endorphin release. Endorphins are the body's natural mood elevators, often called "feel-good" hormones. Alongside endorphin release, training enhances the hormonal levels in your body by improving the endocrine system's function. Better endorphin and endocrine systems contribute significantly to feeling good, even from the first session.


Progressive Overload and Its Rewards


Each time you train, you make minor improvements, requiring progressively heavier weights to make you "feel good" like after the first session. As you lift heavier weights, your body adapts, leading to muscular hypertrophy—an increase in muscle size. This process improves your body composition and enhances your physical appearance. The gradual increase in neural stimulation from heavier weights also develops muscle tonus, giving your muscles a "hard" look. So by seeking "feeling good" from training we naturally find our way to looking good.


The Comprehensive Benefits


When your endocrine system operates at higher levels, the benefits are comprehensive. Your skin, hair, and eyes all gain a healthy glow, reflecting the improvements happening inside your body. Consistently engaging in activities that cause significant endorphin release ensures you feel and look happier.


The Path to Looking Good


If you feel good from training, you are on the right path to looking good. This internal transformation indicates that your body is responding positively to the exercise. It's important to remember that these changes take time to become visible externally. Patience and consistency are key. As you continue to train, the internal benefits will gradually become more apparent in your physical appearance.



Fit, happy woman


Conclusion


In fitness training, the journey to looking good begins with feeling good. From the very first session, the positive effects on your mood and overall well-being are indicators that you are on the right path. Embrace the internal changes and trust that, with time, they will manifest externally. Any transformation happens from the inside out, and feeling good is the first step toward achieving your fitness goals. And remember there is no way to train with as much Force, Power, and Work as with a comprehensive Barbell program. If you aren't training with a barbell, you are leaving a lot of feeling and looking good on the table. So, get to bar, start training, stay consistent, and enjoy the journey of becoming the best version of yourself—inside and out.


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