T Nation

Interesting Training Questions

#1

How long have been training? Of that total time, how long have you been training correctly (based on your current set of standards)?

After you have answered those two questions, think about this: For the time in your training period that you were training "incorrectly", what would you have preferred?

a) An experienced veteran to correct all your mistakes, thus accelerating your body's growth and bringing you closer to your goal. [That means that today you would be closer to your goal than you actually currently are]

b) Or do you prefer that you made your mistakes, so that you learned how to understand your body, so you learned skills such as adaptation, research, etc. Basically all the skills trial and error have given you thus far. [That means that today you would still only be as close to your goal as you currently are]

Please pick a letter and explain why.

#2

My first year and a half was filled with incorrect training and nutrition but I still managed to get excellent progress because I was a newbie. I would have to say b for me, just because I like to do things on my own.

#3

I’ve only been training for three years, and this past year has by far been more productive than the first two. This has nothing to do with personal drive or effort; I credit my recent progress solely to knowledge learned from consistant reading of this very internet forum.

With that said, I have to go with option A.

#4

with some one more experienced than me helping me out, im sure i’d get taught a thing or two in the process, so i choose option A (the advantage of learning and having help).

#5

A.

#6

For me it’s like asking a 14 year old to drive standard by themselves without looking up on it at all, sure they may get it in time, but why the hell wouldn’t you want someone to teach you.

That person isn’t going to teach you everything, you’ll still have to look up things and do your own research, my answer would be a resounding yes to option A.

I’ve been training for about 4 years, and correctly for about 1.5 to 2.

#7

Definitely the first option.

I was too new, read too many forums, tried too many exercises and didn’t stick to the Big 3 and really didn’t realize it until a year later I looked back on my progress and was dumbfounded.

#8

Ummm…which one lead me to better results now???

That one.

#9

B.

You’ll never forget the mistakes and (often-times) painful lessons – makes you appreciate things much more…

#10

interesting responses, i still see a mixed trend though

anyone else care to comment?

#11

It’s been a combination of A and B for me. I’ve learned a lot at this very site, but I’ve also made some mistakes along the way which I’ve learned from.

#12

I think you’ll always make mistakes, doesn’t matter who teaches you.

#13

A

I made the mistake of wasting 2 years of training on usless isolation movements and always trying to get lean. A big waste of time for sure.

Back then I was just thinking “man i just have to do this for 3 months…”. Now I realise that I have to work my ass off for years.

#14

If I could go back in time to that dingy old State University gym, where I trained way too long, way too frequently, while getting too little sleep, and eating the poor food choices at irregular intervals,… I’d smack myself senseless.

S

#15

my first 18 months in terms of training and nutrition were pretty bad. but like it’s been said, i was a 14 year old kid with pretty good genetics and would have responded no matter what. i remember doing the same exercises workout after workout never varying them or the order in which i did them.

my diet was even worse but i still managed to put on 30 lbs. i do remember doing 2-3 forced reps for every single set of every single exercise. at 40 i’d probably shrivel up if i did that! but at 14-15 it helped build a solid base that has never left me.

#16

[quote]1morerep wrote:
my first 18 months in terms of training and nutrition were pretty bad. but like it’s been said, i was a 14 year old kid with pretty good genetics and would have responded no matter what. i remember doing the same exercises workout after workout never varying them or the order in which i did them.

my diet was even worse but i still managed to put on 30 lbs. i do remember doing 2-3 forced reps for every single set of every single exercise. at 40 i’d probably shrivel up if i did that! but at 14-15 it helped build a solid base that has never left me. [/quote]

well, you just suck then :slight_smile:

I do agree that at 15 you looked pretty good…no gayness intended.

#17

[quote]PF_88 wrote:
1morerep wrote:
my first 18 months in terms of training and nutrition were pretty bad. but like it’s been said, i was a 14 year old kid with pretty good genetics and would have responded no matter what. i remember doing the same exercises workout after workout never varying them or the order in which i did them.

my diet was even worse but i still managed to put on 30 lbs. i do remember doing 2-3 forced reps for every single set of every single exercise. at 40 i’d probably shrivel up if i did that! but at 14-15 it helped build a solid base that has never left me.

well, you just suck then :slight_smile:

I do agree that at 15 you looked pretty good…no gayness intended.[/quote]

Ya’know, I always respected 1morerep’s avatar pic, but never really checked his profile pics. Dude was damn diesel for 15 years old!

S