It is a growing cry within the gym; a glance of need from those wanting help. In regards to weightlifting, most of you have been learning from your mistakes for years, whether it be from your days of training for high school football or maybe the hours you spent in the gym practicing gymnastics. Well, guess what? You have a gift, albeit unpolished silver, but that gift should not be buried in your own pride. You see, proud people cannot help others because they are too proud to get over the amount of plates clanging on the bar that they’re grasping.
Currently, as a member at a Gold's Gym in southern California, I have noticed that few people help each other or even talk to one another in the gym. It seems that some of us have gotten too busy with worrying about looking the best, and we walk about with arrogance because we possess "super secret training" knowledge. I mean, God forbid you shared any of that with someone. You might save them years of stupid hamster wheel insanity. Can I say something? You used to be that fat hamster. Yes, you used to be that hamster until one day you met someone from Whole Foods who actually knew what he was doing, and he took his time to change your thoughts on life and on training. So, now you are indebted to show the same mercy you were given. A person may not deserve it, but what made you deserve it? Nothing!
People are hungry for someone to tell them what to do. There is some good information online, but let's be honest...how much did you learn from actually reading and not doing?
The pain is why you and I are afraid, isn't it? We are apprehensive to share our thoughts and philosophies because we realize how inadequately informed we are the longer we stay in this iron game. The more we push through the pain of the appropriate training methods, the more we see our physiques change, don’t we? I have found a fear of pain within myself, but I have found that getting through what I ought to be doing is actually helping.
A fear of pain for progress is the greatest hindrance today in the gym. To realize that you have been doing something wrong for some time is humbling, but to not learn from it is pure arrogance. I write this with the assumption that others feel the same and are noticing a greater call today to help others get healthy. Health...how hard is it to eat God’s food? I mean, is it that hard to follow what people have already done a thousand times over and what is written down in plain sight for you? Come on people, this stuff isn't that hard. You can change, but don’t be saying that you want to change while you are drinking wine between breaths. It is annoying!
Let's continue with the word pain here. At this point in time, it is painful to read some things on good websites. I’m not going to name names, but brother, if you don’t have muscle, don’t venture into bodybuilding articles. Be very careful who you are listening to. Information is stolen, chewed up, pooped out, and then given to you as truth.
Lift weights and look in the mirror.
Get back to God's garden and help someone do it right.
Take off your iPod and love someone with your gift.