Am I A Genetic Freak??

Appeared July 28, 2006

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is, “How did you get strong?”

“Were you born that way?”
“Did you take something?”
“Do you know some secret?”

Well, yes, I do know a secret. But it isn’t some secret training routine. Or some secret food to eat or supplement to take, or drugs or anything like that. One of the other criticisms that everybody who is strong and puts out information about how to train gets is this: “Well anything would work for you. Your genetics are so good you couldn’t help but get strong.”

Is that the truth? Could I have haphazardly done any ol’ program and gotten strong? No, it’s not true and that question explains itself. You can’t haphazardly, randomly pick exercises and suddenly find yourself with the key to strength or magically strong. No matter where you start or how good of genetics you come from, it’s what you do after that which counts. No one is born suddenly possessing the ability to lift 1,000 pounds or do 1,000 pushups. Those things my friends take use of the secret.

So what is the secret?

Focused, progressive hard work on real result producing exercises. Effort. Effort means more than genetics. All the potential in the world is nothing without applied effort. Effort means more than drugs. It means more than supplements, more than the perfect training routine or some “secret” exercise. Effort IS the secret.

Where ever you are, if you’re not getting bigger, stronger, faster or more enduring then complaining about it or blaming it on your genetics won’t get the job done. Comparing yourself to others won’t help to get the job done. Genetics is something you cannot control therefore it is a non-factor. You work with what you have, which is always more than you give yourself credit for and become the best you can be.

Intelligent training applied with effort always beats genetics. There are tons of people out there with starting blocks to build with genetically, but they’re too lazy or unfocused, or unmotivated to do anything about it. Results beats potential. Second-guessing that is a pure waste of time. “Oh if he only worked as hard as so-and-so… he has so much potential.” So what!? Potential without the work is an un-measurable and unrealistic concept. You can do what you’re mind believes you can do and what you actually put forth the effort to accomplish. Everything else is hot air. No excuses, no worrying about whether somebody else has great potential or whether you do or don’t. Put in the work and you’ll get the results.

I already told you the secret, now you step up and apply it.