Gateway Drugs
Deadlifts are a helluva drug. Don’t get me started on barbell complexes or 400+ lb. farmer’s carries.
Very seldom do we start with the hard stuff, though – much the same as a freshly scrubbed youngster is unlikely to picture themselves in a back alley with a needle in their arm. It’s something more innocuous at first. Perhaps a stability ball plank or a wall slide will get things going. It’s all downhill from there.
One of our members trains at a real boxing gym. You know, one of those old-school places that seem appealing when you see them in movies because you can’t smell them. He was recently lamenting the fact that he got started at a far “softer” place that wasn’t really producing fighters.
There’s something he was missing, though: he may never have set foot in his current gym if he hadn’t grown into it. Having been through similar experiences, I told him to be thankful.
At sixteen, I was blessed with almost as much natural muscle mass as I was coordination. This was approximately zero, in case you were wondering. I knew that I wanted to study martial arts but didn’t know where.
Is this the story where the plucky teenager is taken under the wing of a wise, old master? No. It’s the story of a teenager who trains at a shitty place where nobody ever spars hard and later emerges with minimal skill.
Sounds terrible right? It might have been the best thing that could have happened to me.
If I’d gotten my ass kicked on the first day, I might never have gone back. Instead, because of my soft entry point, I trained diligently, learned coordination, grew stronger and learned to push myself. And yes, I eventually went on to train someplace real.
I’m not suggesting that anyone deliberately seek out a candy-assed place to train; there are, after all, good places that will gently ease you into doing things right. Of course, eventually, you’re going to have to toughen up – there’s no way around that.
Here’s the thing: you don’t have to turn into a bad-ass on the first day – or even during the first several months. All you need to do is push yourself hard. The rest will take care of itself.
Bang Fitness works under the assumption that, while not everyone is born a bad-ass, everyone can grow into one. If it takes a little candy to get the ball rolling, then so be it.
GG
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This is such a great article. Starting out at BANG will also greatly reduce your chances of getting hurt in the gym, something that happens when you go all-out on day one.
I’ve trained hard and I’ve sat on the couch. Geoff has taught me the value of moderation. Come in and train 75%, more often.
I’m just plain old getting better results than ever. Yes my near-perfect nutrition has a lot to do with that, but that’s been a four year project.
Just do your best, get a coach, and improve a bit each month. You will reach your goal.
Kb
17.08.2010, 5:30 pm