It's been 12 years since what many people consider to be one of the biggest events of their lives. A lot has changed since then. A lot will continue to change. While the specific what of that date is important, I think the bigger what now is even more important. "Never forget" is a catchy slogan, but "remember" is a better one because it has wider applicability. There are many things to remember and many ways we can benefit from remembering. This is especially true in our training.
Great, but how does this help me?
Remember: patience is one of the best tools for growth.
I have been very, very blessed over the years. I've had the privilege of training in 31 different gyms across 9 states and 4 countries. I've done crunches at hole-in-the-wall pits and I've run treadmills in sunlight multi-million dollar fitness studios. I've used brass ez-bar curl supports from the 60's at Vessells Fitness Complex in Rolla, MO (www.vessells.com). I swear, that place was more museum than gym- and I loved every single second spent there. I've done midnight deadlifts with German lifters at Geilenkirchen. More awesome memories.
I started 2005 at 6'1" 150lbs and ended 2009 at 6'1" and 216lbs. I've done four bodybuilding competitions to date. One day I'll get the much coveted sword. There have been ups and downs, highs and lows, gains and losses. But at the end of the day the biggest training partner you have is patience. That's exactly what I tell people: folks come up to me at the gym and ask how I got the way I did. I always tell them "patience, but balanced with a healthy dose of impatience". This might sound contradictory at first, but it's not. Too much patience makes you complacent. That's bad. Too much impatience brings mistakes. You need a balance, yes, but ours is a sport with a time span. Be able to make good strides but run the long race.
When I was starting out I took a three-stack supplement from Animal. I took liquid amino acids. I drank protein shakes like most people drink water. That was impatience. I didn't know what an amino acid was. I didn't know how protein worked. I certainly wasn't working hard enough for the supplements to have any effect. I saw big men advertising these things and thought that if I did them too I'd grow. I threw hundreds of dollars a month down the drain with absolutely no return. In the end I realized how stupid I was being. Lesson learned: don't be impatient.
Gains are what we want. As a hardgainer I know this more than anyone. You look in the mirror and see not what you are but rather what you're not. You're not wide enough. Your arms are too small. No calves. I get it. I've been there. But remember- be patient. Remember what works and what doesn't. Remember why you picked up your first weights. Remember the reason you walked into a gym for the first time. Never forget the reasons that drive you to get bigger and stronger and more confident and use them to patiently grow. I promise you- easy growth is easily lost. Hard won growth is there to stay. In the end, you'll be a better person for being patient. In the mean time lift heavy, eat well, and stay strong.
If you'd like to learn how to do the Big 3 (Deadlifts, Squats, Bench) from the best of 'em, check out
Got a question or want to talk about something specific? theironfilings@gmail.com
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