Guidance without Crushing Dreams

A guy at my gym mentioned wanting help with a mass building program that he would start in a couple weeks. Of course, this is as close to ecstatic as I can get so I am pumped to write this program and help him along the way.

One huge problem: him and his lifting partner are going to need to leave their egos at the door. Their squat depth is beyond questionable. Any pressing movement is accompained by the one that isn't lifting grabbing the bar "but not helping" through an entire set of six reps. They were doing weighted pullups with assistance yesterday... you read right, they added weight to their body for pullups but then had their partner assist by lifting their feet... which takes the total weight lifted down. Why not just do pullups without extra weight???

In the attempt to get huge, these guys are going to have the same problem that a lot of guys have... too consumed with the poundage on the bar instead of moving a weight through a full range of motion to get the most muscular benefit possible. I have to bring this up before they begin on my program because when I write a program, I expect to see results.

However, if these guys keep half-repping workouts they are going to be left small, injured, and frustrated. I want to help them... getting stronger and adding on muscle mass is physiologically one of the most inspiring, rewarding things a person can do for themselves, but it has to be done right.

huge guy from animalpak.com

A TRUE Genetic Freak

The article is a couple months old, but mind-blowing to say the least.

Check him out, the human version of the Blue cattle from Bigger, Stronger, Faster

Pre-lift Rant

Here I sit, a year older at 25. Grad school completed, employed at the University of kentucky running a gym... i can hit a set of anything at any time throughout the day, a perfect environment for self-improvement.

I know that my worst enemy glares at me every time I look into the mirror. Luckily, mirrors line the entire free weight section of my gym. Any time I need a swift kick in the butt as far as training goes, at most I make a 180 degree turn and see what needs improvement. The journey I am making with building muscle is never finished... sure I might hit milestones, squatting more, benching more, increasing my terrible flexibility, lowering my body fat percentage, growing taller... ok, maybe not that last one, but I will hit milestones. Those milestones after reached will become standing stones that I will use to propel myself to and through my next goal.

Relatively stronger, abosolutely stronger, you know when it comes down to it I want both. I want to move as much weight with proper technique as possible. I am going to beat Rob from last week. Set backs are only "dedication testers"... you get sick, you pull something, your leg hurts, you didn't get enough sleep, i don't have the time, some body else out there (a lot of some bodies) are lifting harder than I am if I give in to these excuses. I won't...

I strive to be stronger every day I lift, there are no light days. What kind of sense would that make? I deload, but I still use heavy weight. I train smart, but I also train hard... maybe the new phrase should be "TRAIN SMARTER AND HARDER"

this phrase is fresh in my brain from BSP's article today

I turned 25 today, you can bet that I will be stronger at 25 and a week. Enough of this caffeinated rant, I'm going to lift