When I logged in today, I saw Eric’s article. I like those kind of articles, there are usually some gold nuggets in there. And different people, pick out different “nuggets” from them. McDonalds Lover don’t get wet, not those kind of nuggets.
Anyway, I usually only read CT’s stuff, but lately I’ve spent some time reading other posts and releazed how much I missed by only reading his writings.
Before I go on and make a grand opening with what I learned lately, I would like to say thanks, in no particular order, to Prof X, MODOK, C_C, Sentguy and Scott. I probably forgot a couple. But those are the ones who has influenced me the most and “made me” releaze what a piece of slacker butt I really am. Thank you guys.
Back to the topic now. Yesterday I read something by C_C. He talks about how we have some muscle imbalances (aesthetic ones) - to small arms for the delts and how that imbalance stays the same if we gain another 15 pounds of muscle.
Everything gets bigger, but the imbalance is still the same. And especially if you are a natty bb, then you really have to put a thought into your training - there are limits to how much muscle you can gain and therefore one should really think about what he focuses on. It is not a matter of 5 weeks to fix that problem, it is more a matter of years of prioritized training.
It might sound really common to some of you, but for me it was a huge turning point that affected my exercises selection. Right now I really do ask myself - WHY THE HECK DO I DO THOSE EXERCISES.
C_C - that is bodybuilding - thinking long-term and taking into consideration ones advantages and disadvantages.
So, what is the latest thing you learned about training?
I think I’m right there with you, asking myself “why am I doing these exercises?” Then I remind myself that it’s not always about WHAT movement your doing, but HOW your doing it.
Something I’ve discovered recently is the fact that my left arm is, and always has been, stronger then the right - even though I’m right handed. Anyone else have this?
Probably the biggest thing for me has been that there is nothing wrong with regular split types. Rest days are a good thing.
Also that you will benifite more from using weights that you can handle with near perfect form to failure than weights that although you can lift are barely in control.
And nutrition will dictate a great deal your gains in bodybuilding as much if not more than training.
The last things I learned about training were that you need to get as strong as you can on each exercise, control the weights you use if you want to see growth from them, and truly work your ass off in the gym.
That was a while ago and I haven’t had to learn anything new since then.
I learnt:
High rep squats are much better for quad growth than low reps for me
Nothing beats the deadlift (disclaimer: for me)
Doing a shoulder press to my ears then pressing up is much more easy on my rotator cuffs (thanks professor X)
That if you want to look wide, extensive shoulder training is just as important as back (again props to X)
It’s amazing how much you learn here if you just read rather than engage in TBTvs splits debates which pop up every 2 weeks or so
Most important lesson imo (along with technique/setup, diet etc):
A negative/defeatist mind-set gets you stuck in self-fulfilling prophecy of your own making.
If you’re convinced that your genetics are in-adequate and that all the guys who have achieved more than whatever arbitrary “genetic” limit you’ve placed upon yourself have managed that because of crazy genetics and drugs only, and that their winner-mindsets are also a genetic trait…
Then you’re definitely not going to achieve whatever it is you think can’t be achieved.
Not because of the reasons you think are responsible (you’ll never get close enough for them to be a factor, or even to find out whether they truly exist or not), but because you yourself are essentially making sure you will not achieve whatever goal you consider impossible.
You’re doing the work of whatever is supposedly holding you back. On minimum-wage to boot.
Your genetics won’t ever have to lift a finger to stop you from managing too much.
For me only training ballistic is recipe for grave injuries, to really improve speed of lifts or movement, TUT with heavier weights and more control set the things in balance. Things work in the opposite way too in that if speed/ballistic training is done properly(auto-regulation as CT mentions it) goes onto improve your weight numbers.
Hence slower tempo, controlled , intensive heavy lifting is complimentary to properly executed rhythmic (auto-regulation) ballistic lifting relatively faster but with lighter weights (yet challenging at that speed/tempo).
This I also read in Westside articles where Louie Simmons talks about speed training.
Plus there is no alternative to giving attention(rather letting the air flow free and strong) to proper breathing patterns (as noted by Eric Cressey in the article, glad that he mentioned it) , this really sets the tone for a less imbalance prone athlete/bodybuilder and more powerful lifts. This is directly related to a positive frame of mind.
You have to be brutually honest with yourself…Nobody wants to admit they are not making progress because of lack of effort…
Everyone wants to nitpick every minutia detail of this sport as their solution to a problem…That type of thought digusts me now…People are obsessed with the wrong things…they need to be obsssed about reaching a level of effort beyond their farthest fucking imagination…
I’ll admit right now…my progress is shit because my effort sucked…the effort i put in sickens me now…
You have to be brutually honest with yourself…Nobody wants to admit they are not making progress because of lack of effort…
Everyone wants to nitpick every minutia detail of this sport as their solution to a problem…That type of thought digusts me now…People are obsessed with the wrong things…they need to be obsssed about reaching a level of effort beyond their farthest fucking imagination…
I’ll admit right now…my progress is shit because my effort sucked…the effort i put in sickens me now…
reading posts on here disgust me…[/quote]
Being less melodramatic about it should also help. Coming to the conclusion your effort sucks is one thing, doing something about it is the next. A third melodramatic component will make you more of an emo… Read the post of C_C again and just do something about it.
[quote]D Public wrote:
I gained 10lbs since the beginning of feb when i first had that realization…
We’ll see what being melodramatic gets me in a year from now…
[/quote]
If you haven’t realized that potential earlier on, 10lbs is pretty realistic to gain. But that kind of mindset in my experience will most likely wear you down. A constructive mindset on the other hand… =)