Michelangelo was once asked the secret of making his beautiful sculptures. He replied that he just chipped away the part of the stone that wasn’t the sculpture to reveal the angel within. I frequently get asked a series of questions in the gym from a couple chaps I see every now and then, these questions in particular:
How long have you been working out?
How long did it take you to achieve that muscle development?
What kind of rice do you eat?
How much chicken do you consume a day?
What do you think about gluten?
Have you heard of the Paleo diet?
How much cardio do you do?
What if I fast for a couple days, will that do the trick?
Now by all means I am nowhere near my end goal, but I was asked if I could talk a bit on this subject because it would help you guys out and that’s all I aim to do. I am fortunate to have realized early on that in order to reach my desired physique, I would have to train day in and day out like it depended on it. This is particularly difficult to do with all the distractions and stresses of life, in an out of the gym. To be honest, I did not know a whole lot about working out, nutrition, or the work ethic required to reach my goal (translation: I didn’t know jack Sh*t), but I was determined to learn. I’ve always been a bit obsessive with hobbies, and sure enough once I started working out I submerged myself into it. So much so that I wouldn’t look in the mirror like all the other chaps in the gym obsessing over their reflecting image.
6 months, 12 months, and then 18 months went by and I was still working out everyday like it was my first. Old sweats, wrinkled t-shirt, scuffed shoes, hat on, ear buds in listening to Metallica, grunting and sweating like I was on a mission. That’s when I noticed some of my gym acquaintances started approaching me to ask me some of the questions listed above. I was perplexed, I didn’t know why they were asking me considering that some of these guys had been working out a lot longer than me, and others were a lot bigger than me in my eyes. In between exercises, I would glance across the gym out of curiosity to see what these guys where working on. I noted that the same guys that just picked my brain on nonsense would be checking out the girls as they walked by or obsessing over their biceps as they flexed in the mirror, comparing themselves with other guys nearby.
That was the answer, the answer to the question they failed to ask. They needed to refocus their energy on what they were doing. Instead of lollygagging, they should be focused on their goals. Look, I get it. Some girls wear provocative clothing and walk around the gym like it’s a night club, while other guys flaunt at them in the same manner. But that shouldn’t distract you from your personal objective. If you set time aside to drive to the gym to workout for an hour, knowing that you have other responsibilities and obligations just like the rest of the world, don’t fuck off! In the long run you are only letting yourself down. When you step in the gym, nothing else in the world should matter. For that hour you should be solely focused on the objective for that day. Regardless of what your ultimate goal is, whether it’s weight loss or gaining muscle, don’t worry about getting there by tomorrow. It wont happen! Be patient.
There is nothing I hate more than hearing someone regurgitate the words: “You’re lucky” or “It’s all genetics”. I just absolutely hate it, why? Because, yes genetics has some say in it, but that does not mean that you cannot become the best version of yourself. To be clear, there are three body types, and I’ll add images below to illustrate the difference, they are: Ectomorphs, Mesomorphs, and Endomorphs.
Endomorphs: Guys with a sturdy, round bone structure: wider hips, stocky limbs, and a barrel-shaped ribcage.
Mesomorphs: Guys with a broader, triangular bone structure: narrower hips and broader shoulders.
Ectomorphs: Guys with a slighter, rectangular bone structure: longer limbs, thinner bones, and a flatter ribcage.
Regardless of what category you fall under, you can beat your odds with hard work and dedication.
MY TWO CENTS:
I don’t mean to sound like one of those corny inspirational frames that say Teamwork or Perseverance with an image of a mountain behind it. But the truth is that you are bound ONLY by the limitations you place on yourself! That’s it. End of story. It’s true. Look, we all have problems and personal issues we can use as crutches but in reality they are only limiting you from becoming the person you want to be and living the life you want to live!
-Juan Lugo-
MyFitnessGo™💨💨💨
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