Don't follow the Big Guy!

A concept that I learned early is not to confuse correlation and causation especially in the gym. Case in point, if you are an average young skinny guy and looking to get strong and pack on the beef what is your best move?

Well I would say get off your ass and go see Paul, Dan and the lads at PTC Perth. In 5 mins they will have you squatting, deadlifting and benching your way to strength and gains. However most of you aren't fortunate enough like me to have access to a great facility right on your doorstep. If that is the case your next best step is to get a copy of Mark Rippetoes 'Starting Strength' and 'Practical Programming' and jump on a three day a week linear progression routine packed with the big three lifts.


Unfortunately what actually happens in this scenario is our skinny friend looks around picks the biggest guy in the gym and says not unrealistically, 'Hey he's big I'll do what he does!' Now that strategy is perfectly feasible if you train at Westside Barbell, EliteFts, PTC Perth etc where quality lifters gather. However if you are stuck at one of the many run of the mill commercial gyms then our new impressionable kid starts the inevitable slide to poor habits and wasted time. 


If you chart progress as closely as I do you will often note that many of the 'built' guys were naturally muscular before they commenced training. As a consequence the delta between their starting point and where they are today is quite small, more importantly what they are doing today isn't what got them their size in the first place.

Our skinny friend however doesn't recognise this disparity and unfortunately copies the 'big' guys routine or worse still asks them for advice. This results in the usual hodge podge of half truths, stupidity and myths packaged as training lore. Do these sound familiar:

• 'weight doesn't matter man, do slow reps and feel the burn bro'
• 'Man...ya gotta hit your chest from all angles!'
• 'do preacher curls to build that peak'
• 'yeh squatting in the smith machine is the same as free weights'
• 'Don't deadlift it's dangerous for your back'

Even worse the split routine most of these guys are on is frighteningly similar: Mon-Friday Chest, Front delts and Biceps....legs every second leap year!

When I am unfortunate enough to overhear this I just think to myself...

Shout out to Dan Siankiel, Kurt Kambouris and Dan Rucci at the GPC nationals this weekend, here's hoping for big PB's for all!

Stay Strong!
Thomo