The Lost (Yeah You, Gaby)

Hey, I know that some people have a harder time than others at weight lifting. It seems that lately, knowing how to work hard is such a foreign concept to most people that when they get in the gym, they either proceed to go through the motions or need some strict number sequence to follow because they can’t tell how to work hard enough to produce any muscle gains.

I am alien to this nonsense. I had to wake up on Saturdays and mow the yard. My grandmother would have me cleaning out the gutters on her house before I was ever in high school. My dad was a middle school football coach so I watched people playing and training hard since I was a little kid. The bottom line is, we were accustomed to working…and working pretty damn hard. No one had to tell me how to do the same in the gym.

Is that was is missing lately?

Gaby’s posts in my thread leave me in awe at how the human mind works. If this poster is a woman, it would explain more, but since this person has ignored this question many times now, I will simply assume it is not and may be a troll.

First post:

[quote]Hi there Professor X. I read through the thread and I observed you methodology and psychology.
Now I have my problem regarding my biceps and I tough an opinion/advice from you won’t kill me. I have to mention first that I’m training 5 days per week using CT’s concept and his rules and that I’m gaining LBM and I feel most of my muscles exeperiencing rapid strength and size increases.

For biceps I usually go with using mechanical drop sets, constant tension stuff and pump stuff.

The real problem is that triceps strength has increased but not that much for biceps. I did started out weak, curling 5 lbs barbell for 5-6 repsthe first time I started training 2 years ago. Now curently I CAN curl 35 lbs dumbells for 6 good reps per arm. So to cut the long short and to go straight to the question: Should I start to use ramping and cheating to get to heavier weights and forget about fatigue stuff or I need to trash my biceps with more fatigue work?

NOTE: the last time I DID train biceps for strength, 9-10 months ago I got some ugly reddish-purple stretch-marks on my corcobrachialis that’s why I stopped being concerned with strength work but surprisingly I still had minor strength gains because when I stopped focusing on the weights I could curl those 35s for 2 good reps and 4 cheated.

I tought that maybe your opinion would clear out some things to me.

Thanks in advance.[/quote]

[quote]Oh, excuse me for occuping your time but there’s no use. I may have been slightly demotiveted and becoming desperate at the time I posted but now, being able to think clear I can figure this out on my own.

1st up I’m not that good at unilateral work and will (as until now) focus on unilateral stuff.
I don’t get what the standard weight I should be curling at the time (talking barbell stuff).

2nd: I will surely NOT do what you just said. The last time I did employed cheating I got lower back pain and got a wrist to “pop” really ugly.
After that I started going lighter sets (like 90 lbs or so) and doing 20-25 sets per workout. It’s great but after 6 weeks the body gets pretty used to it. Since CT recommended fatigue work, I’m getting the biggest pumps of my life.
You know what I should be talking this much because nobody will listen anyway and I’m NOT “certified” to explain how I train to those who use other concepts than I.

Now I’m sorry for posting that question and taking away your “precious” time of implementing your doctrine and making yourself look all-knowing and all-mighty. I’ve got no more questions for you sir and alo pleas don’t take it personal.[/quote]

[quote]Guys you’re seriously missing my point.

1st up DON’T ask respect from a person unless you give respect too. I felt disrespect coming from you so why on earth would I show the slightest respect, that’s pure logic.

2nd up, you can’t force people to agree with anyone’s principles/concepts unless he choses to do so.
So you told you opinion in regard to my qustion, if I chose not to agree with that you shouldn’t take it so personal. Everyone creates their own reallity in wich they control the outcome of their actions and sets his own ideas into place.

I DO take full responsability for what I’ve done, so I Do belive that weak abs were a part of it (I wasn’t deadlifting at the time), but taking it to biomechanical level, biceps are a tonic muscle group, they sustain high levels of work and don’t have a very good neural connection with the CNS, so sacrificing form and not achiving maximal tension is not the best way to train them in my eyes, at least. That’s the way MY logic goes until I figure out something’s place logicaly and theoretically I you can’t figure it out how it works practically. That’s just my way of thinking.

So seriously I don’t care that much what happens to my post or whatever. I don’t want to convince anybody otherwise the what they know (and organise in their mind), it would be aginst my own principles. I once DID wanted to become like X or CT or any coach, in the regard of sharing information with others, until I asked myself the question “what for”. You can’t interact with people that don’t want you to.

So X don’t take it that personal, if I would have taken serious a lot of stuff people told me, I would have given up training in the last year.

And guys I don’t belive it’s immature to take responsability for you actions and choices.

BTW, X (if you misinterpret agoin you’ll feel insulted again) I don’t have anything against you, but the way you responded and reacted was kind of girlish and immature. You first give a response from above just to make me look inferior (I’m not saing I’m not but always remember that smart people try to be friendly and at the same level as the people they’re talking with) and then you were so offended by my response that you choose to delete it. I don’t care at all (in fact I don’t care if you chose to ignore me and even delete this post too) but what I espect from you is to correct your mistakes and to improve for the whole variety of people that follow you.

AGAIN I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST ANYONE, so maybe this time you WON’T MISINTERPRET MY MESSAGE.[/quote]

I am putting this here because this poster’s posts will be erased in the other thread…basically because the issues he or she has don’t seem to be capable of being answered without electro-therapy.

This was my initial response.

If this poster is a woman, then I may be able to understand the aversion to stretch marks and the time it took to reach being able to curl 35lbs. Otherwise, this still stands.

  1. You have been lifting for YEARS and can only curl the 35lbs dumbbells.

  2. You stopped training arms “for strength” when you got some stretch marks.

  3. You are worried about “drop sets” before you can curl heavier than a 35lbs dumbbell.

Dude, I don’t think I can help you at all.

i ESPECT an explanation for this bullshit.

lol

His hub lists him at 15 and 95% of 15 year old boys are extremely immature.

/thread

But I think this old saying applies: At 18 you think you know everything, but by the time you finish you college you realize you know absolutely nothing.

Please don’t extrapolate this idiot for the rest of T Nation. There are the normal idiots but I do think on the whole here most people bust their ass and make progress.

But yes, I feel dumber for having read that

[quote]therajraj wrote:
but by the time you finish you college you realize you know absolutely nothing.[/quote]

False, most college grads these days think because they did a bunch of fancy book learning they can keep up with those of us that have the same degree, and have been working in the field for half a decade.

Youth is wasted on the young (for the most part.) I can name the names of a couple teenage posters on this site with their shit together light years beyond this guy, myself at that age, or anyone I hung out with.

Blaming youth for his initial question is one thing. Blaming it for his blockheaded refusal to listen to what has been said to him is a personal issue, young or old.

He sure knows all the catch phrases though. Did I see neural adaption in there somewhere? lol

ESPLAIN it damn it!

[quote]countingbeans wrote:

[quote]therajraj wrote:
but by the time you finish you college you realize you know absolutely nothing.[/quote]

False, most college grads these days think because they did a bunch of fancy book learning they can keep up with those of us that have the same degree, and have been working in the field for half a decade.

Youth is wasted on the young (for the most part.) I can name the names of a couple teenage posters on this site with their shit together light years beyond this guy, myself at that age, or anyone I hung out with.

Blaming youth for his initial question is one thing. Blaming it for his blockheaded refusal to listen to what has been said to him is a personal issue, young or old.

He sure knows all the catch phrases though. Did I see neural adaption in there somewhere? lol

ESPLAIN it damn it![/quote]

I have to agree…but it isn’t just the kids.

But this case just stands out to me. I mean, some GUY who can’t lift but 35lbs after training for YEARS? How the fuck does that happen? If I could only lift that much after training for two years, I would think I was fucking up big time. This guy acts like he knows more than everyone else because of it.

How is that possible?

How the fuck do people like this grow up and actually hold down a job?

Sadly, as a NYC high school teacher, I can say that this particular generation of ‘children’ (not all, but a good amount) has no idea that you have to work for things, that respect isn’t automatically given just for ‘being’, and that certain actions are expected, and do not warrant praise.

S

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Sadly, as a NYC high school teacher, I can say that this particular generation of ‘children’ (not all, but a good amount) has no idea that you have to work for things, that respect isn’t automatically given just for ‘being’, and that certain actions are expected, and do not warrant praise.

S[/quote]

I am not looking forward to that generation suddenly entering the workforce. I don’t think we have ever seen anything like this as a society…an entire fucking generation where the parents kept them in the house because they were scared to let them outside

…who also kept them from playing sports because they could get hurt

…who also made their kids wear full protective gear just ti ride down the street on their bike

…where you get gold stars just because you took the test even though you failed

…where a college level football coach can lose his fucking job for basically acting like most coaches did over the last 40 fucking years?

I mean, that shit is fucking scary…and they ALL think they are geniuses who know more than everyone else.

I am being serious…but maybe human kind does need a good plague. It’s been, what, a good 500 years or so?

An instant gratification plague would do this world a lot of good

Condemn the Hive by Lamb of God

Soon come a burning,
Soon come a reaving,
Spare the rod, spoil the child,
Resume the righteous beating.

Hubris has been spoon-fed to you,
On a silver platter,
The weak will run weeping,
Delusion shattered.

No one, owes you a god damn thing.

Bloated with pride, the privileged ones,
A walking portrayal, your life’s fucking done,
Bloated with pride, the privileged ones,
Condemn the hive.

The well’s run dry,
Narcissist fills it with tears of blood.
Poison Juno’s choking lapdog
deepen the cut.

No one, cares what the fuck you think.

Bloated with pride, the privileged ones,
A walking portrayal, your life’s fucking done,
Bloated with pride, the privileged ones,
Condemn the hive.

Say goodbye, worthless beginners,
Severed all reason, in a fractured mirror,
Solid stares, uneven high expectations,
A generations, entitlement, comes undone.

Your life is fucking done.

Your pitiful life,
CONDEMNING THE HIVE,
So feeble inside,
CONDEMNING THE HIVE,
oooooooooooooohhh,
CONDEMNING THE HIVE.

Bloated with pride, the privileged ones,
A walking portrayal, your life’s fucking done,
Bloated with pride, the privileged ones,
the privileged ones

These lyrics seemed relevant. Every time I think of my generation I just have to shake my head. I started working for my mom’s landlording business at age 11-pulling staples from where carpet was removed for $.25 an hour. By 15 I had my own land-mowing business.
I’ve made it through the first two years of college without loans so far. I know that no one owes me anything and I’ll have to earn my way in this world.

I’ve been a big fan of eugenics for years. Look it up, choose your wives carefully.

I’m sure my parents generation think that my generation (I’m 41)are a bunch of layabouts and their parents thought that they were too, no doubt.

My kids generation have it so much easier than i did and they dont know the meaning of hard work, etc etc etc

older people think younger people are lazy, and they may well be right, but it has always been thus and always will be.

I dont see anything to get worked up about

[quote]bluebrasil wrote:

I’m sure my parents generation think that my generation (I’m 41)are a bunch of layabouts and their parents thought that they were too, no doubt.

My kids generation have it so much easier than i did and they dont know the meaning of hard work, etc etc etc

older people think younger people are lazy, and they may well be right, but it has always been thus and always will be.

I dont see anything to get worked up about[/quote]

This isn’t about someone talking about general laziness. These kids are literally not being taught to do anything that would even ever resemble hard work. It is translating directly into issues just like what this thread is about.

I don’t care how lazy anyone thought kids in the 80’s were, they knew how to get in the fucking gym and lift weights until their arms grew and they got stronger. They weren’t devoid of the concept of WORK to the degree that they actually needed to be taught what it even feels like to work hard.

Kids in the 80’s still played outside. They still did manual labor around the house. The same is NOT the case today as more kids spend 5 hours or more playing video games to match the time many of us spent outside.

No, when has there EVER been a period like that in our history where a generation is flat out taught to be given everything and that they don’t need to work for it at all?

They didn’t give us happy faces on tests just so no one felt bad about the F they earned.

This isn’t a case of someone being disconnected.

If you can’;t figure out how to get stronger to the tune of lifting a 35lbs dumbbell by yourself, you are FUCKED in the real world if this translates to larger issues.

gaby must be the dumbest well-read person I’ve ever heard of

I agree with what you say Professor, but it is a common point of view about younger people from the generation older than them. Saying that, Ive no idea how old you are, so I may be dong you a disservice

[quote]bluebrasil wrote:
I agree with what you say Professor, but it is a common point of view about younger people from the generation older than them. Saying that, Ive no idea how old you are, so I may be dong you a disservice [/quote]

I am still early 30’s…which makes me a part of that Generation X I do believe. I am well aware of old people acting like anything they can’t comprehend is just a game. I know many older people who can’t even comprehend our current use of computers and they consider it all “games”.

That is NOT what I am discussing.

These kids are being pampered out of their own survival.

I mean, honestly, I don’t understand how most people in the country aren’t seeing this.

These kids are too fucking fat to join the military…but you reduce this to some anecdote about “those youngin’s”.

Yeah, there is a big fucking problem when our own military has to change how they induct soldiers because the pool of applicants is so out of shape it dwarfs anything seen during the fucking Depression.

but, now contradicting myself, some people, of any age just dont work hard, dont listen to good advice and arent very clever. Perhaps the OP is one of them, most people are at some time in their lives. Ive ignored good advice on many occasions.

our last posts crossed in the ether, but yes, you may well be right.