Training Mental Resilience in the Gym

Guest Post - Nat Galloway

People often ask me how I train clients to build mental resilience. The truth? I make them do things that fucking suck.

That’s not punishment. It’s deliberate. Growth never comes from comfort, and resilience is about getting used to doing what you don’t want to do.

Front Squats - My Favourite Example

Many clients tell me they don’t see the point in front squats. My reply is always the same: good.

Front squats teach you how to brace, how to hold position, and how to stay disciplined under load. Other exercises do it, sure, but none of them suck quite as much.

I’ll be honest: I’ve never liked them either. I once front squatted 405lbs for a double, and on the second rep, I passed out because the bar was choking me. Do I still do them? Yes. Because they force me to stay uncomfortable - and that’s where resilience lives.

Doing Things Just Because They Suck

The other day, I did 100 tire flips. Could I justify it as “real-world carryover”? Sure. But the main reason was that it fucking sucked.

I could’ve quit halfway through and told myself it didn’t matter. But then I’d be reinforcing the wrong thing. Instead, I told myself: I am someone who does what I say I’m going to do. So I finished with full intent and effort.

That’s resilience.

How I Use This With Clients

When a client tells me they don’t like front squats, I ask why. The answer is always the same: they’re uncomfortable, they suck, and they’re hard to load heavy. Perfect. That’s precisely why we’re doing them.

Sometimes I’ll set up AMRAPs and tell them straight: I want spotters on either side. Don’t stop squatting until they have to take the bar off you. It’s not about chasing numbers; it’s about seeing what happens when you have every reason to quit, but you don’t.

And I’ll always remind them: It’s going to hurt, but I promise the more you do it, the more you’ll get used to it.

Mental resilience doesn’t come from avoiding discomfort. It comes from stepping into it, front squats that choke you, tire flips that feel endless, AMRAPs that test your willpower.

Every time you finish something you didn’t want to do, you’re proving to yourself: I can handle more than I thought. That’s how you grow stronger, not just physically, but mentally.

So the next time you want to skip the thing that sucks, do it anyway because resilience is built rep by rep, set by set, when you refuse to quit.

I know what it feels like to want to quit. I’ve been there, and I’ve seen my clients go through it too. However, I also know what it feels like to push through and emerge stronger. If you'd like to experience this for yourself, book a call with me or one of our coaches at www.masterathletic.com.

Nat Galloway

Coach, Master Athletic Performance