Originally Posted by
Skyler
I used to agree with this. I have learned better though. I am not gifted with good genetics. When i started working out as a freshman in highschool, I had 11.5 inch arms, and my max bench was 80lbs. I trained for 4 years before I got up to 255 max on bench, and had 15 inch arms. So even though I had the whole "highest natural testosterone levels of my life" going for me, and I worked out 5 days a week, and used all the protein shakes, creatine, vitamins, slept as much as possible, etc, in the end, it took me 4 years to hit a bench press that most kids at my school could hit, hell, there was even a 14 year old freshman doing 225x5 on bench.
The army taught me a lot though. Not "how to workout" because they don't know anything about it. I learned just how much the body is capable of, though. I learned how well your body can actually handle things that are traditionally called "over training". I learned how much that something as simple as drinking enough water a day can make a drastic difference in your body. So, I decided to stop being so stubborn and thinking I knew so much about lifting. I had grew up lifting with a bodybuilder, and listening to his advice like gospel. So, there were so many things I would bash without trying, so many diets I wouldn't try, so many exercises I was sure were crap, etc.
When I decided to unlearn everything I had been taught, and just keep an open mind, and work my ASS off with countless hours of research from every source available, taking notes, comparing notes, trying new and old things, going through the process of elimination, really LISTENING to my body for the first time, and no longer blindly following what all the "pro's said they do" and the crap in the magazines, everything changed for me.
Since March, I have gone from 162-165 to 210 at my heaviest (about 6 weeks ago) and currently 204. So, from March 3rd 2010 to December 14th 2010 I have gained 40 pounds, and I know it is muscle because I have actually dropped bodyfat. My bench press has gone up 150 lbs (I hit 405 at 201 bodyweight), I hit new personal records on deadlift with 585, all of my measurements are by far the best they have ever been, etc.
So I am now convinced that the whole "good genetics vs bad genetics" thing is just a bunch of crap. Depending on your genetics, you may work harder than others, you may have to do things completely different than everyone else, etc. I do not believe, though, that they completely limit the end results. Too many guys on here (not talking about you, just in general) and every gym in the world are so stubborn, they are so absolutely sure that they are doing all the right things, and they have learned everything, etc and then complain that they haven't made progress in X amount of time, they must have bad genetics, etc.
The bottom line is that your body doesn't know you want to be big, or strong, or lean, etc. It is an honest machine, it gives back what you put into it. It just responds honestly to whatever you do to it. So if you are giving it the wrong instruction, than it doesn't matter how convinced your mind is that they are the right instructions, your body will react the wrong way.
It's like saying "barbell curls are great for calves". You can say that all you want, hell, you might even honestly believe it. You can be absolutely sure of it. So, you do barbell curls religiously, then notice that your calves never grow. Well, to your MIND, which is just certain that you have done all the right things to encourage calf growth notices the lack of calf development, you settle for the easy explanation like "I must have bad genetics, because I do all the right things, and I don't get the desired results".
I don't know, I guess I could rant about this forver, because I am very passionate about it, but I used to be one of those guys who was absolutely sure that I had bad genetics, and I was always so pissed off that I worked so hard and didn't even stand out after years of hard work. I have learned better though. Screw traditional knowledge, screw what the magazines say, screw what the other guys on this board say (no offense intended). Start from scratch, listen to your body in every aspect. Give your body what it requires, and it will respond the way you want it to. I have learned this first hand.
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I mean.. look at my avi.. you would fvck that right???
