Post by Steve Gardener on Aug 25, 2010 9:03:13 GMT
How good could you be?
Reading on a forum about someone’s obvious disappointment at them not yet hitting that magic look which they aspired to I was reminded of the old question which occasionally appears in the muscle media. That of ‘genetic limitation’.
It goes thus: one has limits to the strength, size and shape one may one day achieve. True in and of itself. Now, without a good deal of proper evaluation by an expert in that area or even some general guidelines - there are some numbers one can use online (chest x 75% equals waist and so on) one really doesn’t actually know.
I DO know that I’d have happily awoke one morning if magically transformed into Arnold Schwarzenegger and then later on – it changing over time – into Dorian Yates. Instead, over time, I have made my way to an average 280lbs from around 175 at 18 (I started at age 15 but didn’t keep notes then) and a peak of 299.6lbs a year or so ago. I’ve gone from benching 35 or so kilos at school to 190-kilos for a touch-n-go rep. Finally I went from aspiring to me a Mr Olympia type bodybuilder to a British and European Champion and multi-record holder in, of all things it seems, grip competitions and feats. Not what I planned back 31 years ago.
Now, when I published Muscle Mob, we had a good array of what might be called the ‘old boys brigade’ or ‘the blue blazer boys’. These guys had been former national champions, still judged competitions, ran associations, wrote for and published magazines of their own, ran gyms and promoted competitions. At the time my 20+ years was but a mere half or worse in terms of the experience and journeys some had undertaken. One, Malcolm Whyatt (Nabba, OHF and more), helped us with an biographical piece. The name, which escapes me now, was about his journey. The gist of the three-parter was as much about who he was and what he’d done as what he’d become. But the best part was his words that, at least in training/physical culture terms (bodybuilding/strength/fitness) he suggested that one should ‘enjoy the journey’.
Read that line again. It’s not just a case of being happy when the bicep hits a magic number in size, or your bench goes over 140-kilos or three plates aside. It’s also about learning more about you as an individual. Many forums have posted stories about a member finally making it to the stage and while not looking like a bigger harder version of Zach Khan et al they have transformed themselves. They themselves may have hoped for more but as viewers we are often blown away at the difference and rightly congratulate them.
Now my other reason for writing this is based on the ‘holding back’ I see some do. I fully understand the daily needs and requirements of life. Be they children requiring your attention, mortgages that need paying and the hovering that wont do itself but we also know that many of you only FEEL ALIVE when you’re testing your self in the gym with a barbell.
Can you add a ¼-inch here… can you add another 5kg a side to the bar… can you be a better you tomorrow than you are today? I see far too many people with a little potential almost afraid to get outside their comfort zones. I love them for going to the gym over the pub or watching the box but I get annoyed at what I see as going through the motions. What we do, in all its forms, is HARD! But I am determined almost to the point of stupidity to see how much I can overcome this.
Are you?
How good could you be?
Reading on a forum about someone’s obvious disappointment at them not yet hitting that magic look which they aspired to I was reminded of the old question which occasionally appears in the muscle media. That of ‘genetic limitation’.
It goes thus: one has limits to the strength, size and shape one may one day achieve. True in and of itself. Now, without a good deal of proper evaluation by an expert in that area or even some general guidelines - there are some numbers one can use online (chest x 75% equals waist and so on) one really doesn’t actually know.
I DO know that I’d have happily awoke one morning if magically transformed into Arnold Schwarzenegger and then later on – it changing over time – into Dorian Yates. Instead, over time, I have made my way to an average 280lbs from around 175 at 18 (I started at age 15 but didn’t keep notes then) and a peak of 299.6lbs a year or so ago. I’ve gone from benching 35 or so kilos at school to 190-kilos for a touch-n-go rep. Finally I went from aspiring to me a Mr Olympia type bodybuilder to a British and European Champion and multi-record holder in, of all things it seems, grip competitions and feats. Not what I planned back 31 years ago.
Now, when I published Muscle Mob, we had a good array of what might be called the ‘old boys brigade’ or ‘the blue blazer boys’. These guys had been former national champions, still judged competitions, ran associations, wrote for and published magazines of their own, ran gyms and promoted competitions. At the time my 20+ years was but a mere half or worse in terms of the experience and journeys some had undertaken. One, Malcolm Whyatt (Nabba, OHF and more), helped us with an biographical piece. The name, which escapes me now, was about his journey. The gist of the three-parter was as much about who he was and what he’d done as what he’d become. But the best part was his words that, at least in training/physical culture terms (bodybuilding/strength/fitness) he suggested that one should ‘enjoy the journey’.
Read that line again. It’s not just a case of being happy when the bicep hits a magic number in size, or your bench goes over 140-kilos or three plates aside. It’s also about learning more about you as an individual. Many forums have posted stories about a member finally making it to the stage and while not looking like a bigger harder version of Zach Khan et al they have transformed themselves. They themselves may have hoped for more but as viewers we are often blown away at the difference and rightly congratulate them.
Now my other reason for writing this is based on the ‘holding back’ I see some do. I fully understand the daily needs and requirements of life. Be they children requiring your attention, mortgages that need paying and the hovering that wont do itself but we also know that many of you only FEEL ALIVE when you’re testing your self in the gym with a barbell.
Can you add a ¼-inch here… can you add another 5kg a side to the bar… can you be a better you tomorrow than you are today? I see far too many people with a little potential almost afraid to get outside their comfort zones. I love them for going to the gym over the pub or watching the box but I get annoyed at what I see as going through the motions. What we do, in all its forms, is HARD! But I am determined almost to the point of stupidity to see how much I can overcome this.
Are you?
How good could you be?
