What you need to know if…

You are a weight lifting newbie…

1. Start with the basics. Don’t try Ronnie Coleman’s workout because you won’t feel shit. You need to wake up your metabolism and the mind-muscle connection. Do 3 sets of 12 to 15 for each major muscle with a rest of 60 seconds between each sets. Do that for 6 to 8 weeks and then you have two choices, hire a trainer to make you programs, or just read what ever you can, considering your training age. Ex.: you have been training for 3 years, your training age is exactly that.

2. You will gain fast at the beginning, but only if you do what you have to. Eat protein, veggies and fats, every meal, which should be at least 3 to 4 times a day. Yes, everything you do will bring you results because your body craves it, but it will slow down, there will be adaptation.

3. It won’t get easier. Since adaptation will be knocking on your door soon, you will have to bust your ass a bit more, that’s only if you get passed the first year, which most of you won’t, it’s sad but it is what it is. I don’t know many people who started training and kept it going for at least a year.

4. Do your own shit. It doesn’t matter what your pumped up friends tell you, it doesn’t mean that you will have the same results. You might try it, but keep in mind that you are not the exact copy of your friends, so what works for you might not work for them.

5. Respect experience. I am not talking about your pumped up friends. Look for people who had results. Not only with them, but with other people or clients, it speaks volume and you will probably hear the experience when you talk to them. Look for the no-bullshit approach.

6. Read as much as you can. When you start training, fitness mags are good. Simple and short information. Try it out and take notes, it will be useful in the next few years.

7. What you do now has an impact on the rest of your life. Stamp that in your head…with a shovel…

8. re-read #3

9. Please, no curls in the squat rack…

You are an advanced trainee

10. You should be with at least a year or 2 under your belt. If your lucky, no injuries and a little muscle mass got its way onto your frame. You should also be thinking that you are plateauing, which you are not, you are just lacking a new program.

11.You keep on doing what you like and started taking out what you dislike, which is a big mistake. Those huge lifts you don’t do are actually what you should be doing.

12.Don’t forget the basic lifts like benchpress (which I’m sure you do like hell), squats and deadlifts.

13.I have to introduce to you your new friend, the pull up. I know you saw some freak do them in the gym, but you should do them as well. It is one of the greatest upper body builders around. It’s hard? you can bet your ass it is. I told you it won’t get easier, well, at least it shouldn’t…

14.If you had or have injuries, take care of them now, it’s going to get worst.

15.You got a trainer! Well done. As long as he/she doesn’t look at you do cardio for 30 minutes, you should be fine.

16.Your readings should have evolved to less magazines, and more experienced trainers. The web is good but its easier to read contradicting shit. Look for reputation, results again in numbers, not only a picture of his profile with a six pack.

17.You might be considering getting certified. Good for you. Start with the basics again and learn from the best. The investment is well worth it. However, how you got in shape is not enough to be able to coach people. Get certified.

18.You still train more than an hour each session? Don’t go past an hour from now on, your adrenal glands will thank you soon enough.

19.The good thing is that you already figured out that it will always be a challenge. The fact that you kept this habit in your life for more than a few years speaks volumes. You know that it will never end, that you will always crave it and that it’s a quest, not just a goal.

You are an old timer weightlifter

20.You are still on a quest

21.You figured out almost everything you need to know about yourself, physically and for the lucky ones, mentally. You have learned how to deal with a lot of problems, physically and mentally.

22.Since you know a lot, you probably forgot a lot as well.

23.Even though you went back to the basics years ago, you seem to forget that you are not a 20 anymore. Fortunately, those who realize it, don’t give a shit about the new trends and the little fresh trainees and their personal best.

24.Understand that if you have a bad or shit workout, it’s only a bad workout. On to the next one. Don’t expect to recuperate the way you did in your young times, even if you do everything right.

25.The best supplements in your case are still the basics, fish oils, multivitamins and some kind of joint support formula.

26.Never stop moving, and mostly, do resistance training. The only thing that makes your bone strong is when you put pressure on them. The only way to do that is weightlifting. Calcium and walking won’t do shit.

27.Get to the gym 30 minutes, 4 to 5 days a week. That’s all you need. Stop moving, you’ll die slowly.

28.If you are the lucky one, you’ll have no meds. If your doctor suggests that you take some, consider taking charge and reverse these health concerns.  Do what you have to, eliminate what you have to and prove that living a healthy life goes a long way.

-29.What’s the point of saving money for retirement all your life  if you can’t take advantage of it when the time comes? Stay active as long as you can and you’ll be able to use your hard earned money and take advantage of it with your loved ones.

30.Lead by example. Show the younger trainee how you did it. Maybe give some hints here and there. What I have learned is that the best ones will always go back and look at what was done before. They can learn from other’s mistakes and realize the importance of experience. I personally keep an eye on new trends but when I speak to someone of experience and listen even more. I look at old timers like an open book and if I ask the right questions, I get the right answers.

Last but not least, when it comes to health and fitness, tell people what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. It doesn’t matter how conceded you may seem, it doesn’t matter how some will be offended, but what matters is they will remember you when they have figured out that you were right…

God bless every single one of you…

Eric