Train harder and smarter

[Smont]

Its 5:12 am, ive been up since 1:30 and i cant fall back asleep so i give up. I wanna talk a little about how i view training and how to make your training better.

Ive been playing sports the majority of my life. Mostly wrestling and boxing but i played and started for baseball and basketball and football. I was a very good wrestler but boxing and all the other sports im average at best, i usually relied on just being strong and athletic. Even tho i excelled at wrestling i can admit i was good because i was really strong and decently skilled, but there were many guys i beat that were better and at my best. the few times i did lose were actually to guys that were weaker then my but they knew the sport inside out and they lived and breathed it. Regardless, i think i loved it because its hard and its one on one, no excuses, no1 to blame but yourself and thats where this ties into the weightroom and reaching your goals.

Great progress come from hard work, the problem is that many of you want the result and dont want to do the work. Your always looking for a way to work smarter, not harder. But in order to work smarter, you have to already be working hard. If you have been working out for more then 6 months and you havnt made progress then you havnt been working very hard or consistantly. If you been doing this for years and maybe already used sreroids and your still not getting results its because your not working hard enough.

Ive been out the gym sick for a week and im fighting myself not to go back yet because im still sick and dehydrated a bit.

In my next post im gonna give some tips and things i think/know are necessary ro reach your fitness goals.

My goal is always to help, but this thread is just a post, but this one isint up for discussion. If you dissagree, thats fine, maybe after 4 more years of not making progress you will understand. The sooner you embrace the suck the sooner you will get it.

 

[Smont]

Lots of ppl go to the gym, but lots of ppl dont do jack **** at the gym. Set after set i see no effort, no strain on there face, no sweat, these ppl just go to the gym. You could have stayed home and did push ups and go for a 20min walk and that would sum up there gym effort. These are the guys who think theres a Secret, and your right!

The secret is...... STOP BEING A PUSSY.

You are serching for enjoyment in a endgoal that you will never achieve because training like a pussy hoping the magic supps will do the work only works for the 0.0001% and if you fell in that catagory of the genetically gifted your not reading this right now.

You need to get your satisfaction from the hard work in the gym and the kitchen. You need to reward yourself while you are working out. Because i love trying to push my limit or reach a new pr or whatever the task is then every set can be mentally rewarding, once that happens you look forward to every workout and sooner or later that will spill over into your nutrition.

If you wanna master or be really good at something then you have to master the training for that something. Once you have embraced that suck you can start looking for little tricks to train smarter, like lighter weights and dropsets, tut, and whatever else. But you always need a base of hard work.

So how do you know your working hard, well, you gotta find your limit on every muscle group at least once.

Heres how i try to get ppl to understand.


Next post....

 

[Smont]

Heres how you can start to understand the required effort. If your happy with your progress already then your probably not reading this

Lets say tomorrow is chest and triceps day. Throw your workout out the window just this once.

Go over to whatever your normal first chest exercise is, lets say incline db press and you origionally was gonna do 4 sets of 10 with 75's, great, do it. Not do a 5th set and see whats the absolute most reps you can do. If you can still do 10 more your first 4 sets couldnt have been anywhere near failure, and while failure is not 100% necessary, you need to at least know what failure truly is. So on set 5 you found out you got 11 more, rest 30 secconds and go again and keep resting 30 sec until you can barely do a single. Now pick a seccond exercise, lets say db fly, i gurentee your not doing the sets and reps you thought you could. Focus on a slow negative and a good stretch on every rep and do it in the same style you did the db press. Once you cant do more then 2 or 3 your done. By this point you wont be able to do anything else usefull for chest. So pick a tricep pressdown variation and kill it like the chest sets, you will probably get muscle spasms in your triceps long before you hit failure here and if you could manage more then 10-12 strict pushups after those 3 exercises i would be very impressed. Now the following 2 days i want you to pay attention to how sore your chest is and realize how musch progress you have been missing by not stimulating all those fibers. That soreness is your reward, your not going to always ve this sore but now you have a idea of how little you were actually doing. And after a few months of training with a new Purpose your going to really start getting that satisfaction your looking for.

You gotta train hard before training smart even matters.

 

[Smont]

Im sure il get some ppl in her Challenging the things i'm saying, they will be ignored because this is MY view on this topic, its not up for discussion. While there a many ways to Build a respectable physique, every way requires a base of hard work and Consistency, I dont believe thats even slightly debatable. You can cheat your way through College, you can know someone to jump the line on a job position but if your not the genetic 0.0001% freaks then hard work and consistancy is your only option. You can add stuff to the hard work to further your results, but the hard work has to already be in place.

I hope everyone is Pissed off and triggered now, have a great day!

 

[Potbelly]

 

[GreenMachineX]

View attachment 238689

What is this?

 

[Anabolic66]

What is this?

Is that "Swillin' Your Jelly" ?? (Dylan Gemilli) The SARM scammer?

 

[Anabolic66]

Anyways, great posts by Smont. People in the gym drive me nuts a bit (phones, texting, relaxing on equipment they're not using, hardly training, 1/4 reps, etc). Im older (57) so I just don't get it... (/rant)

 

[sammpedd88]

Im sure il get some ppl in her Challenging the things i'm saying, they will be ignored because this is MY view on this topic, its not up for discussion. While there a many ways to Build a respectable physique, every way requires a base of hard work and Consistency, I dont believe thats even slightly debatable. You can cheat your way through College, you can know someone to jump the line on a job position but if your not the genetic 0.0001% freaks then hard work and consistancy is your only option. You can add stuff to the hard work to further your results, but the hard work has to already be in place.

I hope everyone is Pissed off and triggered now, have a great day!

You’re speaking the gospel. If anyone disagrees then they fall into the pussy category of working out. Hard work never killed anyone. It makes you stronger, mentally and physically. Keep preaching Reverend @Smont!

 

[GreenMachineX]

You’re speaking the gospel. If anyone disagrees then they fall into the pussy category of working out. Hard work never killed anyone. It makes you stronger, mentally and physically. Keep preaching Reverend @Smont!

While I totally agree with working hard, it's still interesting to watch people around the gym who have made far better gains then I have and how their rpe from my point of view is less than 7, and never even sweating.

 

[Resolve10]

While I totally agree with working hard, it's still interesting to watch people around the gym who have made far better gains then I have and how their rpe from my point of view is less than 7, and never even sweating.

I think that can be a complicated thing to dissect. It can be hard to tell exactly how hard someone is working and I'd also wonder how well you can tell what kind of gains they are making.

You'd have to keep in mind if they are new gains will be quick pretty much regardless, it is easier to maintain gains if they've got somewhere quick but stalled, if not that also we don't need to reach failure (although we should know where that point actually is) and that RPE 7-8 can be plenty (maybe even 5 or greater reps from failure depending on the exercise), that that number can be even less for a trained individual (potentially better ability to recruit muscle fibers to achieve muscular tension sooner), you can make up for lack of proximity to failure by extra sets (although that is time consuming and probably not optimal), and that sometimes it may not look like they are working hard but are (some of my sloppiest looking workouts as far as sweat and exhaustion may be the least hypertrophy sensitive and that sometimes people who are good at things can make them look "effortless"). I could go on.

You've been doing well lately I feel, don't worry about others it can be tough sometimes to know "exactly" what is going on with them or gauging exactly what they are doing or how far they've progressed.

 

[GreenMachineX]

I think that can be a complicated thing to dissect. It can be hard to tell exactly how hard someone is working and I'd also wonder how well you can tell what kind of gains they are making.

You'd have to keep in mind if they are new gains will be quick pretty much regardless, it is easier to maintain gains if they've got somewhere quick but stalled, if not that also we don't need to reach failure (although we should know where that point actually is) and that RPE 7-8 can be plenty (maybe even 5 or greater reps from failure depending on the exercise), that that number can be even less for a trained individual (potentially better ability to recruit muscle fibers to achieve muscular tension sooner), you can make up for lack of proximity to failure by extra sets (although that is time consuming and probably not optimal), and that sometimes it may not look like they are working hard but are (some of my sloppiest looking workouts as far as sweat and exhaustion may be the least hypertrophy sensitive and that sometimes people who are good at things can make them look "effortless"). I could go on.

You've been doing well lately I feel, don't worry about others it can be tough sometimes to know "exactly" what is going on with them or gauging exactly what they are doing or how far they've progressed.

Well, I guess I said it wrong. I just meant there are some massive guys (and extremely fit women) who don't appear to be working hard whatsoever.

 

[Smont]

While I totally agree with working hard, it's still interesting to watch people around the gym who have made far better gains then I have and how their rpe from my point of view is less than 7, and never even sweating.

I go to 3 different gyms so the ppl you see very well may be trining multiple times a day, you also have to keep in mind that you run the lowest trt ive ever seen, you have solid numbers on that dose but its pretty much natty. If You are doing everything exactly the same as you are right now and added 600 milligrams of gear you'd probably start making some big jumps in progress. So these ppl could be training multiple times a day and on gear. You also have to keep in mind that a legit body building meal plan will produce ten times the results of a healthy diet.

 

[Smont]

I think that can be a complicated thing to dissect. It can be hard to tell exactly how hard someone is working and I'd also wonder how well you can tell what kind of gains they are making.

You'd have to keep in mind if they are new gains will be quick pretty much regardless, it is easier to maintain gains if they've got somewhere quick but stalled, if not that also we don't need to reach failure (although we should know where that point actually is) and that RPE 7-8 can be plenty (maybe even 5 or greater reps from failure depending on the exercise), that that number can be even less for a trained individual (potentially better ability to recruit muscle fibers to achieve muscular tension sooner), you can make up for lack of proximity to failure by extra sets (although that is time consuming and probably not optimal), and that sometimes it may not look like they are working hard but are (some of my sloppiest looking workouts as far as sweat and exhaustion may be the least hypertrophy sensitive and that sometimes people who are good at things can make them look "effortless"). I could go on.

You've been doing well lately I feel, don't worry about others it can be tough sometimes to know "exactly" what is going on with them or gauging exactly what they are doing or how far they've progressed.

Lots of variables

 

[Smont]

Is that "Swillin' Your Jelly" ?? (Dylan Gemilli) The SARM scammer?

Yes it is lol

 

[Smont]

Anyways, great posts by Smont. People in the gym drive me nuts a bit (phones, texting, relaxing on equipment they're not using, hardly training, 1/4 reps, etc). Im older (57) so I just don't get it... (/rant)

Theres 2 ppl at the comercial gym i go to that Without a doubt are the two hardest trainers there. One is a 45yr old female, shes got a better body then 99% of girls in there 20's and she works hard for it. The other is also a female, shes probably around 30, 5ft tall 100lbs but she is peeled and trains like a fukin bodybuilder. Ive copied her back day before. Its like 40 sets!

 

[Smont]

Anyways, great posts by Smont. People in the gym drive me nuts a bit (phones, texting, relaxing on equipment they're not using, hardly training, 1/4 reps, etc). Im older (57) so I just don't get it... (/rant)

Ya i needed to get a good rant out. Im loosing my mind not being able to hit any of the gyms and i been eating 2 meals a day all week.

Saturday im back to buisness, cant wait! I live in connecticut, around 4 am today it was like 20° and i Put on a sweat suit and went for a walk. Just cause I needed to get out of my damn house and move around. I walk/slo jogged 2 blocks and did some shadow boxing. I probably looked like a nuttjob lol

 

[Smont]

So while i got yall here. Who did a ball buster this week? Or Any 1 set any PR's?

 

[Resolve10]

So while i got yall here. Who did a ball buster this week? Or Any 1 set any PR's?

Nothing crazy, but one of my tester circuits did push my HR into the 190s.

 

[Smont]

Nothing crazy, but one of my tester circuits did push my HR into the 190s.

Yikes, Anytime I take time off from doing my regular cardio and boxing stuff, My first week or 2 back in the gym. My heart rate is ridiculous like that. I know next week when I'm back there. It's gonna be a nightmare and i'm gonna have to really force myself to relax and Ease back into it

 

[Smont]

Sorry for all the extra punctuation marks up top, i'm using talk to text.

 

[Resolve10]

Yikes, Anytime I take time off from doing my regular cardio and boxing stuff, My first week or 2 back in the gym. My heart rate is ridiculous like that. I know next week when I'm back there. It's gonna be a nightmare and i'm gonna have to really force myself to relax and Ease back into it

Ya didn’t really have anything to do with being out of shape only certain time domains and movement combos can get me to peak that high. If anything I can’t get it that high when I’m not in specific shape for certain tasks.

 

[Smont]

Ya didn’t really have anything to do with being out of shape only certain time domains and movement combos can get me to peak that high. If anything I can’t get it that high when I’m not in specific shape for certain tasks.

No i wasnt assuming that. I was just telling my experience. Im never out of cardio shspe from a fitness or bodybuilding view. But actual live sparing for boxing i rarely am in good enough shape to do, im just not built for that. Im good at short explosive ****, wrestling 3×2min rounds is wasy for me, running a few miles no problem ( As long as my ankle allows it). But It takes me a few months to get in reasonable fight shape or the ability to go multiple rounds. You dont just go in and spar. You do a light stretch, you jump rope for 2-3 rounds, shadow box for 2-3 rounds, hit the bag for a few possibly If you're not one of the first few guys in the ring sparring and now its time to spar. When im not in that kind of shape ( Which is most of the time lol ) my normal boxing day is that warm up and then i do a couple skill drills or just wrap it up.

So when I'm not in shape. I basically have to do a full workout. And then go get an in the ring and spar an get worked lol, espically by the lighter guys. Most of the guys around my height are fighting at 155, and 10-15 years younger then me. Theres so much faster then me and they dont gas out nearly That's fast as I do, Especially when i'm over two hundred pounds.

The size advantage is useless in sparring at this point because your not trying to hurt guys sparing and once you gas out your no longer stronger then them, espically if there dancing circles around me.

This is where my heart is ready to explode, I've had lots of times where I can't even get a reading. Not that I'm regularly checking my Blood Pressure after something like that. But i've done it a few times.

If i'm in shape and espically if i go off, cut my food in half and shrink down 20-30lbs its like 150 and im significantly more relaxed. I don't think I could intentionally get my heart rate up 190 without someone pushing me.


I honestly forgot whatvwe were talking about halfway through my responce, I had to go back to the beginning in double check . Sorry for rambling lol

 

[Stacks1]

Well, I guess I said it wrong. I just meant there are some massive guys (and extremely fit women) who don't appear to be working hard whatsoever.

Keep in mind, some people really are genetic freaks. They respond incredibly well to little training. Most of the pro bodybuilders you see are genetic freaks. Even if they never touched a steroid they would look like they were still using them. Look at Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman before they started using gear. They were still freakishly huge.

I think Jay Cutler said that when he first started working out he didn't know what he was even doing but he put on 50lbs in 6 months. He said his legs grew so big he stopped training them for a couple years so the rest of his body could catch up.

It's a small percentage of the population but there are people out there who just respond better to weight training. It must be nice to be blessed with those genetics.

Also, there are people who are already in great shape and are just going to the gym to maintain and don't train as hard as they used to. If your diet is perfect and your training is consistent but lacks some intensity, you can probably maintain.

 

[Smont]

Keep in mind, some people really are genetic freaks. They respond incredibly well to little training. Most of the pro bodybuilders you see are genetic freaks. Even if they never touched a steroid they would look like they were still using them. Look at Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman before they started using gear. They were still freakishly huge.

I think Jay Cutler said that when he first started working out he didn't know what he was even doing but he put on 50lbs in 6 months. He said his legs grew so big he stopped training them for a couple years so the rest of his body could catch up.

It's a small percentage of the population but there are people out there who just respond better to weight training. It must be nice to be blessed with those genetics.

Also, there are people who are already in great shape and are just going to the gym to maintain and don't train as hard as they used to. If your diet is perfect and your training is consistent but lacks some intensity, you can probably maintain.

Great points. Eapically the last one. When im "happy" with how i look it dosent take much to maintain it. I can probably maintain fine on 3-4 45min workouts each week Hitting everything once and really just enjoying training more than anything. I mean eventually, things will start pushing back the other way if i'm not really tight with my nutrition and cardio and I don't at least try to maintain my strength. It takes like 1/4 of my effort to maintain With all other factors being equal

 

[Stacks1]

Great points. Eapically the last one. When im "happy" with how i look it dosent take much to maintain it. I can probably maintain fine on 3-4 45min workouts each week Hitting everything once and really just enjoying training more than anything. I mean eventually, things will start pushing back the other way if i'm not really tight with my nutrition and cardio and I don't at least try to maintain my strength. It takes like 1/4 of my effort to maintain With all other factors being equal

100% agree. If my diet is perfectly on point and my training is consistent, then I can absolutely cut back on the intensity of my workouts and still maintain.

 

[PhantomReaper]

I learned and taught MA's for decades..Weapons and Close Quarter Combat..
It boils down to the "Quality "...of Training..
And,being Smart in the Process..

Yes..we all hit platues(hope that's spelled right) lol
And finding what works for YOU..That's the Task..!!

Great Write Up..!!
Z...