I am now going on my forth year of serious lifting. I work and live in Russia and travel back to home in Florida about twice a year. The snap shots of the Gold’s gym where I work out in Florida really say it all. When you see people everyday, you don’t notice change (or lack thereof), but when you see people (kids especially) once every six months, you can really see changes.
· 90% of all the guys in the gym are still lifting the same weight.
· 5% are juicing seriously and have gotten truly huge.
· 5% are really looking good.
When I posted my pix on the members’ board, I got flamed. There was a strong opinion that I juiced to get my results. One dude was actually kind of pissed that I didn’t “admit” to juicing. I started thinking-- why am I getting results and why do only about 5% of the people at Gold’s get results?
When I was in Florida a couple of weeks ago, I took a look around and tried to “break the code.” I think I have it and was wondering if you bros have noticed the same thing.
1) Most people talk way too much. They talk for so **** long between sets, it is amazing that they get a work out at all. I do 6 sets of ten reps for three exercises every time I go to the gym. I work out exactly one hour. That is an average of 3 reps a minute the WHOLE time I am there. (I am including warm up here). I listen to headphone. I rarely say ten words in that hours. (Uh, you done here?)
2) The weights seem to be selected at random. The guys are doing lat pulls with 200-250 pounds, rocking back and forth, almost hitting their head on the floor. Or put so fricking much weight on the bar that when they’re doing curls, the only muscle not working is the bicep! They jerk around for 2-3 sets and then go talk to somebody. Or the guy easily pushes 220 pounds for ten reps, walks around for a half hour and then pushes it for ten more. No wonder people aren’t sore after their work outs, they don’t recruit new fiber. He can push 220 until the cows come home and he won’t get one gram of growth. I bet you have seen it yourself. Says he is on a plateau. Will probably die there. Pick the guy with the body you really want and watch how he lifts. I’ll bet that he uses total range of motion using a weight that you think you could do! The difference is your movement is choppy and jerky and he moves it cleanly and fluidly. Plus, he adds a bit more weight each time. Come back in six month and he won’t have a gazillion pounds on the bar, but there will be another 10-15 and he will be moving just as smoothly.
3) I have heard people say that they just don’t sweat, but I don’t believe it. If you are pushing 90% of your one rep max six times and then really try to do it again in 120 seconds, you will sweat. You may not push it all six times, but if you put your guts into the attempt, ooops, you will break a sweat. You have to! Strain causes the body to overheat, sweat is nature’s way of cooling you down. If you aren’t sweating- you are not pushing the envelope and you will not have growth/change. Look at Coleman, look at Cutler. They are stronger that you and I will ever be, but they sweat like hell. Why? They are pushing weights that are around their max for that number of reps for that exercise.
4) It all boils down to intensity. The 5% of people (and a most of the juicers, but not all) that go to the gym with a plan, do it and then go home. You have to push yourself to get changes. Only you really know how much you can do. If you go to the gym ready to kick a$$ for a hour four times a week, you WILL completely change your body in a couple years. Not in a couple weeks, it will take you years of work and a change in life style.
The cool part is that the results come fast and easy in the beginning. The hard part is having to dial up your intensity every time you hit a new plateau/level.
Want to change your body—shut up and lift!
