Everyone has heard the saying, “The only guarantees in life are taxes and death.” Well, I have come up with several other guarantees when it comes to training. The first three are slightly “glass half empty” in nature; however, they are the truth. Unfortunately, an incredibly inaccurate picture is usually painted for the beginner lifter when it comes to all things fitness and health. These will at least guide people towards a more realistic expectation. Still, I’m not one to end on a low note, so I also included three stone-solid positive aspects of training as well. Now let’s get to it.
The Bad
1. For the most part, you are all alone.
In a best case scenario, you’ll have a great coach to guide you, all your friends will be fellow fitness enthusiasts, you’ll work in the fitness industry so all of your coworkers will be like-minded, and your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/husband will fully support all of your fitness endeavors (and maybe even go along with you)…yeah right! This just about never happens. Chances are you’re going to be left to your own devices to educate yourself, your friends are going to bitch about you skipping out on stuff to train, all your coworkers are going to be fat asses who brings cupcakes and donuts to work every day, and your wife is going to bitch about you not being home earlier to help with the kids. Hell, my situation is about as close to ideal as it comes. I get to learn from the best in the business with elitefts™, my lifting partners are my best friends, my coworkers are all fellow trainers, and my girlfriend allows me to pursue my passion and goals. But even then, it’s up to me to actively seek guidance from better lifters, to show up to training sessions, to pack my own food, to go to sleep on time, and to put out the needed effort. This isn’t a team sport. While a support system is nice, you’ve got to be the catalyst for your own dreams.
2. Progress is never going to happen as fast as you think it should.
If you have the perfect training program, the perfect diet, you’re on all the legal supplements (and plenty of illegal ones), and your execution is flawless, you’re still going to get impatient. We’re Americans. We want what we want and we want it now. That’s the way we are wired. That’s why weight loss gimmicks will always be an easy sell. Even people who know better still get frustrated when their new program or diet doesn’t result in them gaining 20 pounds of muscle and losing 30 pounds of fat in three months. I had a conversation with one of my members the other day. I told him to stop seeing all of his goals as little three-month blocks and to start thinking about what he wants to achieve in the next three years. His brain literally shut down. He couldn’t process dedicating himself to a single goal for three years. Unfortunately, that type of thinking will usually leave you sitting in front of your computer, looking at pictures and videos of those men and women who actually had the patience and dedication to stick with their goals.
3. You may be happy, but you will never be satisfied.
If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to want a glass of milk. If you give a powerlifter a 1,000-pound squat, he’s going to want a 1,005-pound squat. That’s the way it works, folks. The only thing better than winning the Mr. Olympia is winning the Mr. Olympia eight times…or nine times…or ten! There is a common personality trait among successful lifters in that although they are usually happy people, they are never satisfied. In this game, you will never reach the point where you stop and say, “Ahhh, that’s just right.” You will always wonder how much you left on the platform, if you could’ve gotten a little bit leaner, if you could’ve run a little bit faster... This attitude drives people to great achievements, but it also drives them towards an impossible end. You will never be 100% completely satisfied with your progress.
The Good
1. Being strong is freaking awesome.
When was the last time a group of people gathered around to watch some fat ass eat Cheetos off his belly while watching Pretty Little Liars or a group of whiny women complain about nonsense (actually that sounds exactly like The View)? The answer is never. Now, compare that to the amount of people that will watch the Olympics, the Super Bowl, or even World’s Strongest Man. People have always been entertained by incredible feats of human strength and athleticism. Being big and strong is like being a modern day super hero. People look up to you and ask you to help them do stuff that they assume the average “sac o’crap” can’t do. As much as I may bitch about having to pick up someone’s sofa, at least that someone thinks I’m capable of doing so (and not be in danger of having my spine explode out of my back). And this applies to both sexes. My mom has been lifting for several years and competes in powerlifting—she’s 56. When she goes to the store, she has no problem throwing around a 50-pound bag of dog food. She stands tall and looks healthy and isn’t some fragile old lady that can’t take care of herself…and she deadlifts more than my dad. She’s a badass.
2. People want to have sex with you.
We’re all animals, even the sophisticated ones. We’re all driven to carry on the species in some way. And just like some strange rainforest beetle, we want to mate with those we think will give our offspring the best chance of survival…and that means good genetics. Lean, athletic, muscular children have a much better chance of running away from tigers and hunting than slow rolly pollies. And let’s not kid ourselves, a few muscle lines and curves in the right places isn’t exactly hard on the eyes. Plus, there is a definite transfer of training skill from the weight room to the bedroom. Speed, strength, power, endurance, flexibility, etc. Can I get a high five?! Ummm…cough...okay, moving on.
3. It feels good to feel good.
I’m not going to site a bunch of studies because at this point, this type of information is common knowledge. Exercising and eating right does the body good, DOH! When you teach your body to do what it was made to do, it rewards you for it. You have less pain, more energy, your skin looks better, you sleep better, you have more libido, you think clearer, you’re stronger, and you’re quality of life is just overall better. Now, sacrificing a little health to achieve something great (i.e. putting on some extra pounds to hit bigger powerlifting numbers) is understandable and necessary, up to a point. But for the average person walking around the streets, there’s no need to be such a big ass butterball. Shit man, I know it’s your own choice, but you’re missing out on some pretty amazing things in this one-time carrousel ride we call life. I’m not saying that every person needs to become a fitness competitor, but everyone should be doing something to preserve his or her body—not just for the sake of being healthy, but because it feels oh-so-good.
That’s all folks—the good, the bad, and maybe even a little bit of the ugly. This lifestyle we live isn’t always a walk in the park, but it’s worth it. Even though you might be on your own, you’ve got a bunch of people living right beside you. And, although your progress might not come at a lightning pace, you’ll be able to look back and see how all your hard work has paid off. You might never be satisfied with your achievements, but you’ll be happy you did them and that’s more than most people can say. And who doesn’t want to be strong, feel good, and walk around knowing that the whole world wants to have sex with you?
