Steroids...Ignorance aint bliss

So when did being completely ignorant become the pastime of the majority? I went to dinner last night and with the opening of the Olympics the conversation turned to drugs sport etc.

Now my view on roids is that my body my choice but with some significant caveats. First I believe that there is clear medical justification for replacement test for a man. In saying that one has to be mindful of potential causality to prostrate cancer but hey if I went down that route I would review the evidence. Second I don't want anyone to be using the gear if they haven't exhausted their genetic potential first and take it from me its rare to run across naturals in your average gym that are anywhere close to potential.

So there I am at dinner and the prevailing view was that drugs need to be stamped out of the Olympics as it is morally wrong. In an ideal world I think that is both a virtuous and idealised view.

Unfortunately the obvious retort is "wake the fuck up". Since at least the 84 'McDonald' Olympics the event has far from resembled the idealistic view of amateurs striving to be their best. Fuck that, the genie is out of the bottle and the Olympics is big business where many athletes will do or take whatever is required.

Here is my proposition I don't care what a small percentage of elite athletes stick in their bodies. I prefer finite tax dollars to be spent targeting meth addicts that break into my house looking for money to pay for their habits. In fact it is stupid to spend millions of dollars targeting a drug when bee stings in the USA kill more people per year than steroid related deaths.

In fact as John Romano once stated elegantly if the roids are so dangerous where are all the damn bodies!

So I must say it was an eye opener to understand still how ignorant most people are on how the gear works though most disappointing to see that ignorance and myth is alive and well!

Stay Strong

Be yourself...just do it!

One thing I cant abide is the unrealistic and unhealthy images that the media perpetuate. It could be androgynous catwalk models, or even worse movie stars starved half to death to get ripped and then having the public think abs are a prerequisite to health and athleticism. 

That's why I love the image/add below a celebration of natural curves.

Stay strong

Thomo

Doesn't matter where or when...just lift!

So right now I am like a pig in the proverbial training at PTC Perth. For the last 3-4 years I have sought an old school powerlifting gym though constantly disappointed by endless chain franchises where heavy deadlifting and squatting were rare and often discouraged.

However since Paul, Dan and Aaron opened PTC Perth the wait is over. Case in point as of this week they have added their 3rd power-cage which brings to total 4 racks for squatting with another plus a monolift to be added!

Now despite the fortunate position I am now in regarding training environment, it is easy to forget that sometimes we have to just make do,at the end of the day its about hoisting weight wherever and whenever you can.

So I finish with this video of a lifter who embodies what it is all about...wooden rack, outside, freezing weather... fuck it...un rack squat....breathe...lift! This guy knows what its about!

Stay strong
Thomo

I salute you Jon North

A slight detour today to the world of Olympic lifting. Often during a week I Google my favourite inspirational pieces before I train...you know something nasty to get the blood pumping before a deadlift session. Often I will trawl the pages of EliteFts for some great black and white shots of monster heavyweights deadlifting, other times I might throw pumping iron in the DVD or Ronnie squatting 805 for 2 reps!

Recently I found myself watching videos of Glen Pendlay coaching the Olympic lifters at California Strength (now Muscle Driver USA since his recent move). I came to this originally seeking a good instructional video to tighten my Clean technique but in the course of these video interludes I have to say the Olympic lifting guys and particulary one Jon North are now my standard pre-workout viewing.

Ok I know my powerlifting friends have just hurled their pre-workout drinks and might even be in the midst of typing me an abusive e-mail but hear me out. Watch their damn videos, each lift is a microcosm of technique and concentration. No casual half reps or desultory sets, you lift in this game,you bring your A game on every lift.

Which brings me to Jon North, when I first started watching I wondered who the crass outspoken annoying bar slamming guy was on the videos. However once I watched a little longer and read the guys blog I started to realise here is a guy not unlike me. The guy genuinely loves the sport, he loves to lift and if in the pursuit of what he loves he might be a little left field then so be it. More importantly Jon is a guy with texture, he has seen shit, been to the bottom and has found salvation in the iron. He and his training crew embody old school they love to lift, they eat, they train they recover and they do it all over again!

So hey I might not be snatching anytime soon in my Wendler 5/3/1 but I will sure as hell be watching every coaching session of Muscle driver USA and Jon North slammin bars. Jon, Donny and coach Pendlay I salute you. Watch below and enjoy!

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

PTC Perth Brought the BOOM to GPC nationals

Looks like the PTC Perth crew  Daniel Sienkiel, Kurt Kambouris and Dan Rucci had success at the Nationals in Caloundra Queensland. 

All of the lads hit PB's and Dan set both national and World records for the submasters. Check out the vid for big Dan's record breaker in the deadlift. My favourite part is the PTC Perth video operator screaming (is that you Paul Rucci!). The orgasmic screaming is worthy of a porn soundtrack (or so I am told ;) all we need is a funky guitar solo in the background! 

Well done lads great lifting and cant wait to see the world record trophy at PTC Perth!

Random Shit Tuesday

A few random things to get off my chest some training related, some not:

1. If 'experts' recommend not to persist with plates under your heels when squatting then why do they not have a problem with raised heels on weightlifting shoes?
2. Sweating heavily and having a constantly high heart rate for your whole training session isn't a prerequisite to elicit a mass/strength gaining adaptive response
3. Decline presses are the closest thing to masturbation in the gym, like preacher curls they serve no purpose 
4. At the current rate of proliferation in ten years time there will be more power-lifting federations in the next 10 years than there are post offices
5. A  method that is highly effective for mass gain is to increase the frequency of sessions but ensure they are focused on  movements with little eccentric component such as Olympic lifts, sled push/drag (check out Glen Pendlay's writing on the subject)
6. You ain't hardcore unless you have yoke (Google Wendler Yoke)
7. If you could collate every piece of information on the internet related to training and magically remove all of the bullshit you would be left with the articles of Mark Rippetoe, Jim Wendler and Glen Pendlay!
8. I have no idea why so many young guys pay ridiculous money for bullshit pre-workout powders. Firstly, most of guys in their late teens and twenties already bomb down so many energy drinks daily (red bull etc): how much more caffeine do they need!! Secondly, watch these guys when they arrive at the gym the first 15 minutes is spent shitting out this mix!
9. Whats with training in shorts and singlet in the middle of a freezing winter...cover the fuck up!
10. If you don't track what you eat and don't get regular dexa scans or caliper tests for body composition then don't tell me your routine works because you wouldn't know!!!
11. If you can find T-Nation articles without reference to their supplements let me know!

Thommo