A Confession

[quote]Tex Ag wrote:
chutec wrote:

  1. the site doesnt give a clear indication of where to start

When you sign up you are instructed to read the stickies in the Beginners section. I did (perhaps I am a geek). If the question is answered there than either the questioner did not read carefully or was too lazy to read the stickies.

When I started lifting I got Arnold’s book for $3 and read it. I did bodyweight exercises and practiced some basic movements in my dorm using whatever I could find, backpacks, can of beans, broomstick, etc. After three months I went to the gym and implemented what I had read about and learned. When the big guys started to say hi to me (that took a couple of months) then I started asking questions. See, I figured I had to prove myself first. I am starting to believe that must be a peculiar personality disorder.[/quote]

This is the Youtube generation. Most of these jackasses think their every sneeze and fart should be filmed for the world to see and comment on. People like that believe their whole lives are worthy of more attention than they are actually worth. They wouldn’t consider proving themselves because they likely already think they deserve praise simply because they exist.

Confession: I hardly worked my legs when I first started training. BIG mistake. I looked so retarded after 3 months.

Advice to any noobs reading: In the beginning, spend DOUBLE the time on your legs and back that you do on your chest, bis, and tris.

Now squatting and dead lifting are things I do all the time.

[quote]Professor X wrote:

<<<People like that believe their whole lives are worthy of more attention than they are actually worth. They wouldn’t consider proving themselves because they likely already think they deserve praise simply because they exist.[/quote]

This is the result of the education/parenting obsession of the 80’s and 90’s – building self esteem. Even the social scientists now think it wasn’t such a good idea.

When i was in highschool i refused to squat below parallel (except for comps) cause i liked to have an audience

[quote]andersons wrote:
Professor X wrote:

<<<People like that believe their whole lives are worthy of more attention than they are actually worth. They wouldn’t consider proving themselves because they likely already think they deserve praise simply because they exist.

This is the result of the education/parenting obsession of the 80’s and 90’s – building self esteem. Even the social scientists now think it wasn’t such a good idea.

[/quote]

I don’t see how anyone could have ever thought it was a good idea. If little Billy is flunking out school because he won’t study, he doesn’t deserve a cookie for it or to be told how “SPECIAL” he is.

I had a patient yesterday, ten years old, who clearly had some sort of attention deficit disorder of an extreme degree because even talking to him was like talking to one of those little strips of news info that flash under news stations on tv. You had to keep changing the subject just to keep up with how lost and rambling his mind was. Mind you, his mother didn’t seem to even attempt to correct any of his behavior. She just smiled and rubbed his leg gently as he grabbed my instruments and kept jumping out of the chair for no reason.

My mother would have kicked my black ass.

I think of this every time I see some kid who is clearly a rank beginner as they post pictures of themselves on this forum. When I was growing up, I would have never done that. I felt I needed to actually earn that type of respect by actually building some muscle first.

I have little hope for how that generation is going to cope with real life that doesn’t praise their every random action.

I see a lot of nervous breakdowns in the future. Maybe I should have been a psychiatrist.

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I see a lot of nervous breakdowns in the future. Maybe I should have been a psychiatrist.[/quote]

I was thinking this the other day. However, as much as I like helping people, I’ve realized how much of a choice it is for people to wear their victim badge and receive some sort of perverse psychological reward from that sort of attention. I certainly don’t claim infallibility, but… fuck am I disgusted. I’d like to clarify that I’m not talking about socioeconomics, ethnicity, etc. What I’m saying is: if your parents made an effort to get you to school, feed you, and clothe you, you have little to complain about. Although, in light of this thread being about confessions, I confess to being a real fucker when I was younger :slight_smile:

Back when I was in college (I sound like a ranting old man!)… we didn’t have the internet to get access to all of this info. I worked at a GNC, and would take all the unsold muscle magazine so my roomies and myself could get all the ‘best’ info and get humongous -lol.

It was during this time (early/mid 90’s) that the first Metrx bars came out. I recall bringing one back to my apt, and my roomates and myself gathering around this damn bar cut into thirds, and explaining “this, gentleman… is called a ‘protein BAR’” -lol. It was also during this time that MuscleMedia 2000 came out which shed a welcome light on the fact that all those buff dudes we saw in the other mags were so loaded up on steroids that there was no way we could do their routines and look like they did. This was when I stopped training 7 days a week, eating tons of bagels thinking I needed the calories, and finally started makning some gains.

S

[quote]Dirty_Bulk wrote:
When I was 15 and first started lifting, I did full body workouts every day for a whole summer.[/quote]

What, was there a copy of Muscle Revolution lying around? :wink:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Tex Ag wrote:
chutec wrote:

  1. the site doesnt give a clear indication of where to start

When you sign up you are instructed to read the stickies in the Beginners section. I did (perhaps I am a geek). If the question is answered there than either the questioner did not read carefully or was too lazy to read the stickies.

When I started lifting I got Arnold’s book for $3 and read it. I did bodyweight exercises and practiced some basic movements in my dorm using whatever I could find, backpacks, can of beans, broomstick, etc. After three months I went to the gym and implemented what I had read about and learned. When the big guys started to say hi to me (that took a couple of months) then I started asking questions. See, I figured I had to prove myself first. I am starting to believe that must be a peculiar personality disorder.

This is the Youtube generation. Most of these jackasses think their every sneeze and fart should be filmed for the world to see and comment on. People like that believe their whole lives are worthy of more attention than they are actually worth. They wouldn’t consider proving themselves because they likely already think they deserve praise simply because they exist.

[/quote]

You’re so cynical it’s hilarious.

[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Tex Ag wrote:
chutec wrote:

  1. the site doesnt give a clear indication of where to start

When you sign up you are instructed to read the stickies in the Beginners section. I did (perhaps I am a geek). If the question is answered there than either the questioner did not read carefully or was too lazy to read the stickies.

When I started lifting I got Arnold’s book for $3 and read it. I did bodyweight exercises and practiced some basic movements in my dorm using whatever I could find, backpacks, can of beans, broomstick, etc. After three months I went to the gym and implemented what I had read about and learned. When the big guys started to say hi to me (that took a couple of months) then I started asking questions. See, I figured I had to prove myself first. I am starting to believe that must be a peculiar personality disorder.

This is the Youtube generation. Most of these jackasses think their every sneeze and fart should be filmed for the world to see and comment on. People like that believe their whole lives are worthy of more attention than they are actually worth. They wouldn’t consider proving themselves because they likely already think they deserve praise simply because they exist.

You’re so cynical it’s hilarious.[/quote]

Sounds that way, BUT…There is quite a bit of research in the social sciences and especially in education that the constant rewarding for expected normal behavior has had consequences, such as individuals thinking and demanding praise for merely being. So yeah, PX hits it on the head.

[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Tex Ag wrote:
chutec wrote:

  1. the site doesnt give a clear indication of where to start

When you sign up you are instructed to read the stickies in the Beginners section. I did (perhaps I am a geek). If the question is answered there than either the questioner did not read carefully or was too lazy to read the stickies.

When I started lifting I got Arnold’s book for $3 and read it. I did bodyweight exercises and practiced some basic movements in my dorm using whatever I could find, backpacks, can of beans, broomstick, etc. After three months I went to the gym and implemented what I had read about and learned. When the big guys started to say hi to me (that took a couple of months) then I started asking questions. See, I figured I had to prove myself first. I am starting to believe that must be a peculiar personality disorder.

This is the Youtube generation. Most of these jackasses think their every sneeze and fart should be filmed for the world to see and comment on. People like that believe their whole lives are worthy of more attention than they are actually worth. They wouldn’t consider proving themselves because they likely already think they deserve praise simply because they exist.

You’re so cynical it’s hilarious.[/quote]

You’re so oblivious it’s hilarious.

[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Tex Ag wrote:
chutec wrote:

  1. the site doesnt give a clear indication of where to start

When you sign up you are instructed to read the stickies in the Beginners section. I did (perhaps I am a geek). If the question is answered there than either the questioner did not read carefully or was too lazy to read the stickies.

When I started lifting I got Arnold’s book for $3 and read it. I did bodyweight exercises and practiced some basic movements in my dorm using whatever I could find, backpacks, can of beans, broomstick, etc. After three months I went to the gym and implemented what I had read about and learned. When the big guys started to say hi to me (that took a couple of months) then I started asking questions. See, I figured I had to prove myself first. I am starting to believe that must be a peculiar personality disorder.

This is the Youtube generation. Most of these jackasses think their every sneeze and fart should be filmed for the world to see and comment on. People like that believe their whole lives are worthy of more attention than they are actually worth. They wouldn’t consider proving themselves because they likely already think they deserve praise simply because they exist.

You’re so cynical it’s hilarious.[/quote]

I am not a cynic. I consider myself a realist (with a deep personal focus on spirituality). If you can’t observe with your own eyes how that attitude has affected many people raised that way, you must not get out much.

My parents didn’t praise poor or substandard work. In fact, they demanded excellence because I had it drilled into me that I had more potential so I should act like it.

If that is hilarious to you, you may need to check yourself. Your perspective may be a bit off.

I think Prof X has rough exterior, but usually makes a valid point. I just don’t think he’s into sugar coating stuff…which might come across as being cynical to some.

The current business model of criticism is to 1) say something good, i.e. praise, 2) give critique, 3) say something good, i.e. praise

So if you see a kid hurting himself squatting, instead of say “You form is horrible” you now must do something like this. “You are making a great effort, look just like Ryan Reynolds. You spine is supposed to be in your skin. But you are making it your own, work it.”

See the difference?

Sugar coating is empty calories.

[quote]Digity wrote:
I think Prof X has rough exterior, but usually makes a valid point. I just don’t think he’s into sugar coating stuff…which might come across as being cynical to some.[/quote]

I find myself agreeing with Prof X’s style more and more. I especially like how my opinion of him has absolutely no bearing on him. He’s right: demand excellence; don’t set up artificial barriers for yourself.

[quote]ovalpline wrote:
Digity wrote:
I think Prof X has rough exterior, but usually makes a valid point. I just don’t think he’s into sugar coating stuff…which might come across as being cynical to some.

I find myself agreeing with Prof X’s style more and more. I especially like how my opinion of him has absolutely no bearing on him. He’s right: demand excellence; don’t set up artificial barriers for yourself.[/quote]

My only problem with Prof X is that he’ll jump on you the minute you say or do something that he considers “out of line”. It can be a bit draining being around people like that…even if they’re right most of the times.

However, I’ve picked up a fair amount of useful information from him when he does so. The thing is, given the amount of experience he has I find that most of the shit he hears people say on here seems in some way, shape or form to be “out of line”. Anyway, hope that made sense…

My 0.02:

Prof X may be a bit abrasive, but he’s A) usually right, and B) has, at least in the realm of bodybuilding, earned the right to do so. His results speak for themselves.

-Ending the Prof X lovefest here and getting back on topic-

I was lucky enough to always have coaches who knew what they were doing teaching me when I started lifting. My biggest issue was diet. As a high school kid playing multiple sports and lifting 5 days a week, I was probably lucky to get 100 g of protein a day. I just didn’t know any better. Cereal for breakfast, fruit and a sandwich for lunch, crap for snack, and no real good protein source until dinner.

Small wonder I didn’t start to see dramatic gains until years later when I started to eat properly. I still play “what might have been” had I known about proper diet back then. I seriously think my newbie gains were maybe half of what the could/should have been (because of poor diet and a lingering injury, but that’s another story).

The newbs today have so much great info at their fingertips it makes me jealous.

[quote]Tex Ag wrote:
The current business model of criticism is to 1) say something good, i.e. praise, 2) give critique, 3) say something good, i.e. praise

So if you see a kid hurting himself squatting, instead of say “You form is horrible” you now must do something like this. “You are making a great effort, look just like Ryan Reynolds. You spine is supposed to be in your skin. But you are making it your own, work it.”

See the difference?

Sugar coating is empty calories.[/quote]

I’m in a business college. I know what you’re talking about. You’re brilliant.

[quote]Dirty_Bulk wrote:

I bring this up because I’m trying to put myself in the place of some of the noobs.

When I was 15 and first started lifting, I did full body workouts every day for a whole summer. Because of stuff like this, I try to be understanding to beginners, and in real life I think I’m rather helpful.[/quote]

You too? My Sears weight set came with a whole-body workout program, but said nothing about frequency. I was only 13 and totally clueless.

Consequently, I did about 175 workouts the first half a year I had those weights.

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Tex Ag wrote:
chutec wrote:

  1. the site doesnt give a clear indication of where to start

When you sign up you are instructed to read the stickies in the Beginners section. I did (perhaps I am a geek). If the question is answered there than either the questioner did not read carefully or was too lazy to read the stickies.

When I started lifting I got Arnold’s book for $3 and read it. I did bodyweight exercises and practiced some basic movements in my dorm using whatever I could find, backpacks, can of beans, broomstick, etc. After three months I went to the gym and implemented what I had read about and learned. When the big guys started to say hi to me (that took a couple of months) then I started asking questions. See, I figured I had to prove myself first. I am starting to believe that must be a peculiar personality disorder.

This is the Youtube generation. Most of these jackasses think their every sneeze and fart should be filmed for the world to see and comment on. People like that believe their whole lives are worthy of more attention than they are actually worth. They wouldn’t consider proving themselves because they likely already think they deserve praise simply because they exist.

[/quote]

Everyone gets a trophy was such a great idea.

I know plenty of people my age who act like they need attention every damm minute of the day.