Yeah I used to look like Ronnie Coleman

Now to look at me in a crowd you wouldn't pick me as a strength athlete..chess playing modern warfare expert yes...strength athlete no.  Notwithstanding this my lifts are ok and 10kgs of pure mass in the last few years means I am doing something right.

My weight room travails provide me a keen appreciation of how difficult it is for the average guy to change their body composition and get stronger. Of course we all know of  naturally strong units that dominate from day 1: Donny Shankle benching 385 lbs at 15 years of age, Andy Bolton squatting 220kg the first time he trained legs, but they are clearly the exception. For the rest of us it's just a long slow slog  and hey that's how it should be. Given the above I have observed an interesting phenomena over the last few years that is really starting to piss me off. 

Regardless of where I am, social occasion, family function or in a work environment if the topic of me lifting weights is somehow raised invariably some slob will pipe up with 'yeah I used to lift'. This is then followed up with some inane commentary Actual examples of  this inane commentary  is:

'Yeh I used to lift but, I didn't like being huge!'

'Yup when I was at University I used to like deadlift 200kg'

'I don't train with weights now, I don't want to compromise my speed?!?' 

Now I wouldn't mind if the person in question half looked like they had trained, but invariably it is generally uttered by someone with the same body composition as our friend below! 

So here is the reality check..I don't care if you used to lift weights, watch weightlifting or once shook the hand of Arnold. I have checked with your family and friends...

YOU NEVER WERE BIG AND YOU NEVER WILL BE BIG ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU HAVEN'T TOUCHED A WEIGHT IN 10 YEARS..... 

So kindly stop indulging in some self masturbatory fantasy about how huge, strong or hardcore you used to be particularly given I had to explain to you what a power clean and deadlift were!

Stay Strong

Thomo