In a recent conversation with a client, I was asked what I thought were the most important qualities that help a person succeed in an exercise program.

Without hesitating I said, "There are two things that every trainee needs to know how to do - and both are mental. The first is called "listening to your body." The second is called "telling your body what you want it to do."

Now, think about this for a moment. It would be easy for me to say, "Do 100 Hindu squats, 50 Hindu pushups and a back bridge each day - that's the secret." And truth is, if you do those exercises, you'll succeed in a big way.

Yet, there is something "foundational" that anyone who wants continual success needs to understand. First, your body is talking to you all the time. It's telling you how it feels. It's telling you if it's tired, injured, too hot, too cold, unbalanced, stressed out, too tight, full of aches and pains ... or ... "on top of the world."

Your body is constantly talking to you. Question is, do you ever listen? If not, you're ignoring the messages in which your body is leading you toward what it wants to do - as well as all the signals that tell you to be careful.

I remember the day I was gung ho mixing dips and pullups and Hindu squats together during a workout in the gymnastics school where I often train. The first couple rounds went well and I was looking great. Then all of a sudden, I wasn't feeling the best. I needed a longer rest, but I refused to take it. I was ignoring my body's signals.

I jumped up to do another set of dips and something didn't feel right but I refused to pay attention. Next thing you know I felt a sharp twinge of pain in my shoulder.