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Chances are you’re not in as good of shape as you’d like to be. You’re a little overweight, your arms aren’t toned enough, or you have skinny leg syndrome (see below). Chances are, once you actually take the leap, set down the remote, and head to the gym, you’re doing the same routine every time.
SLS - now affecting 1 in 2 frat bros
The physical and psychological commitment of going to the gym is hard enough for most of us, so once we’re there, we fall into the same habits and find ourselves on the same machines, doing the same exercises. Guys head strait for the bench press and girls head for the treadmill. It’s comfortable and easy and even though we finish without sweating or actually doing any real hard work, we feel good because at least we showed up.
This mentality is flawed. Time is valuable and we’re only as strong as our weakest points. We’re only as skinny as the fattest part of our ass. When we’re in the gym we’re devoting minutes of our precious day, minutes that could be spent elsewhere, to getting bigger, faster, or leaner. If we do things we like to do at the gym, eventually our body adapts and we go nowhere. Then the worst thing of all happens: we’re wasting time.
Dave Tate
Dave Tate is was one of the greatest power lifters in the sport. His best lifts include a squat of 935 lbs, a deadlift of 740 lbs, and a 610 lb bench press. That’s a total of 2,205 lbs in the ‘big three lifts.’ The guy is enormous.
Early in his career, Dave found himself at the IPA Worlds - a massive event in the world of power lifting. Dave set his opening squat attempt at 860 lbs. He’d squatted just as much several times before, so he felt the weight would provide a good starting point before attempting the heavier stuff.
Dave prepared himself mentally as he stepped into the rack. He conjured up all the rage he could muster and pushed. Nothing happened. The weight didn’t move. Dave tried again and still nothing. The bar was glued to the rack. Dave’s anger grew even more. He was determined to move the bar but on his 3 and 4 attempt it still wouldn’t budge from the rack. Dave was done and his coach Louie Simmons knew it. He told Dave to step down from the platform and not risk an injury.
Dave sulked away from squat rack dejectedly. He couldn’t understand it. His training and preparation had been top notch. He’d put in his hours at the gym and felt great during his training sessions. His work up until the event had been a breeze. Simmons informed Dave that this was exactly why he had failed.
“You know what you need, Dave? You need to do those things you suck at. You’re at a point where your weaknesses are killing you, and you’re doing nothing to address them. Your legs and upper back can easily squat a grand, but your abs and lower back can’t squat 860 pounds.”
Dave suddenly realized that Simmons was right. The weak points are what had caused him to fail. He loved his squat and leg routines but he hated working his abs and lower back. But it was ab and lower back work that were going to push him over the edge and allow him to squat heavier weight. In order for the body to work properly, everything must be in balance.
For the next six months Dave trained his abs and lower back 4 days a week without exception. The result? At nationals, he squatted 900 lbs. But Dave didn’t stop there. He upped his abs and lower back work to 6 days a week. At the IPA Worlds the next year, he set his personal record, squatting 935 lbs on his third and final lift.
The Big Picture
Chances are you’re not Dave Tate. Chances are you’d never want to look like Dave Tate or care to lift as much weight as he can. But you have to respect Dave Tate. He’s reached legendary status in his profession of choice. He didn’t settle for average. He strove to the be the best. We can all learn a lot from people like Dave Tate.
Dave realized a goal by correcting his weaknesses and doing things he didn’t like to do.
No matter what your goal is in the gym, you have to do things you don’t necessarily like to do if want to go anywhere. The things you love to do are likely doing very little for you. Our bodies adapt quickly to any routine - usually within 4 weeks. You still might be able to see results, but your progress will be much slower if you stick to the exercises that are easiest for you. If you’re going to be in the gym in the first place, you might as well make it worth your while. ‘Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.’
When you’re in the gym next time, do one exercise you absolutely hate to do. You’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something great when you’re done.
genious.