Fallen Heros

My topic today is not about the 30 Navy Seals that recently perished, although it was a tremendous loss (I recently read the book "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Lattrell so it was very fresh in my mind). Rather it's about change in a belief system, in this case weight training and fitness.

Back in 2004 I attended a NSCA conference and one of the finest kettlebellers around did a presentation that was very impressive. At the time I had never heard of kettlebells and was struggling to get in two good powerlifting workouts per week. I was strong and slow and felt tired all the time. I wrote down a list of comparisons between me and the presenter. I described him as strong, flexible, trim and fit. My list included somewhat strong, inflexible, fat, with no endurance. I left the conference not feeling good about myself. I was in awe of the people that appeared to be so great and out of reach.

Now it's 2011 and I'm now in my mid 40s. Rather than feeling bad about things, my hope for the future has never been brighter. Huge thanks to FF, MTN, and ATG for introducing me to the Gym Movement protocol. I realize that comparing oneself to others in the trade is not always indicative of your status, but I can't help but look at the blogs of my previous "heroes" and be totally unimpressed with the numbers they are putting up.

Case in point, my former RKC team leader recently posted on his blog that he is doing 5x5 in the KB press with the 24K. He had a video of it and it didn't look very easy. Granted, I have been hampered a bit with a left shoulder problem but I feel I could do this with my eyes closed. With some dedicated work on this I am confident I will be smoking the 32s in the not too distant future. His blog stated he was extremely happy with this number and glad to be moving again. His past was pretty impressive, but what about TODAY? There is no improvement whatsoever, just an attempt to get some "work in" while he's still on the planet.

One of the other RKC team leaders often posts his minimalist workouts. Yes, he is traveling a lot but I have to believe that more work and volume has to be put in to make progress. Maybe he is sandbagging or not showing the whole workout but based on his body comp I really doubt it! I could go back to older posts and see the same numbers being put up, or worse yet a reduction in his lifts. 16K pistols are nothing to write home about (or even post about) - David Dellanave recently did a single with the 56K! It is obvious the stretching, foam rolling and Indian Clubs are not resulting in any great improvements in body comp or strength. Another trainer I know wrote how he recently did 65 swings over 5 sets with the 40K . I could probably do that in one set and recently did 299x10 on the Plateau Buster. Oh, that's right, the PB isn't a real swing:) Two others I used to follow are either injured or don't even bother posting because their numbers are going nowhere.

Note, I am not trying to put any one's numbers down because I have a long way to go. I often feel unimpressive. But because I lift at the Movement Minneapolis I see world records being broken all the time, as well as other amazing feats of strength. Once I begin my new career as a consultant in a short three weeks and can really focus on my training, I am confident that I myself will be putting up some great numbers. Will I be the hero to someone? Maybe to some desk jockeys that are stuck in a rut I could be. By PRing every day I have no doubt.