Dont Be This Guy

There is a sacred tradition in the gym. If you don't know this then it's time you learn it. Never, NEVER make fun of somebody in the gym working out. The fact that they are in a gym, at all, puts them in the 90th percentile. That should always be respected. There. I got the formality of decorum out of the way.

There are few things that expose a man and cut him wide open for the world to see his heart and soul. Golf is one. I have never seen a scratch golfer who also wasn't successful in many other things. But the people who show "first tee jitters", well, more often than not the rest of their life is consistent with the whiff or 20 yard topped drive they produce. Weight lifting is another. It's the weights, your workout approach and attitude, and YOUR BODY. You got the physique, then I don't care what your approach, attitude or weight amount lifted is, you got GAME baby. Unfortunately for far too many people, the reverse is also true.

It's a shame that youth and inexperience is wasted on the young. One of the benefits of being my age is to have the wisdom to know what I don't know and to act accordingly. Nothing embarrasses me more than to see someone take themselves entirely TOO seriously. I much prefer to see someone in the gym goofing off, socializing or doing things incorrectly and have the body to match the behavior, than to see the guy (yes usually a guy) acting like he is the "trainer to the pros" with his own workout, but then doesn't have the body to back it up. I point this out not to try and save you embarrassment if you are this guy but instead to say wake up and realize you are really "this close". And I KNOW the difference because I used to be "that guy".

There is a very fine line between confidence and arrogance, as well as insecurity and humility. If you are going to be successful in weight lifting, to the extent that you actually build new muscle and alter your bodies appearance for the better, you HAVE TO know the difference. Successful lifters are confident and humble. YES, HUMBLE. Assholes who think they are successful are arrogant and, at their core, insecure. But a lot of the people like this are very close to having it right. They do come to the gym, often, and work quite hard during their workout, and often times have a decent body to show for it. Their problem is because of their attitude, being more concerned with "style over substance", they lack the inner strength to really give the "sincere effort" that successful lifting demands. They are under the illusion that "by acting the part they ARE the part", but it just doesn't work that way. It's a little like playing a cool tough guy in a movie, doesn't mean that is who the actor really is, but people watching the movie might think that's how that actor really is, therefore the actor themselves, because of how they get treated, start to think it's who they are. But see, like golf, in weight lifting you can't fool people. Your body, your physique, tells the truth. Lets look a little deeper at what I mean by all this, starting with confidence verses arrogance.

I never get under a weight that in my head I don't think I can lift. That helps me be successful. In other words, if my personal best is 300 lbs and I have 310 loaded, you are damn right I know I am going to lift it. Why? Because 260 used to be my personal best and I went up to 270, then 285 and now 300. That is what weight lifting is about, lifting more weight, eventually, than you could before. I have done it many times before so I know I can do it again. Am I always right?

Ah, no.

But in my mind, I am going to lift it. Today. Right now. But if I don't, then next time, for sure. I also know that if my best is 300 than loading 375 is probably going to be a mistake. Unless I am arrogant, and THINK I have a great body and worlds of strength. If I am that guy, I'll load the bar, bring over a spotter, make a scene, scream, grunt, yell, use terrible form to not do the lift without help from the spotter on the first rep, jump up and strut around the gym as if I just set a new world record. Now, if this guy has Jay Cutler's physique? Fine and dandy!! But if he looks like me, or God forbid, worse? That's a guy who will never even have my body, little lone the one he thinks he already has, until he trades in his arrogance for some cool confidence.

I KNOW what I can lift and what I am going to lift. And I don't need you watching, helping, or best of all, EVEN KNOWING about it. That's confidence.

Humility. Where or where is the humility in this world. Sack dances, end zone celebrations and mugging for the ESPN camera has ruined sports. Anything worth celebrating, ISN'T! It is most likely what you were supposed to be trying to do. As Nike said "JUST DO IT". And unless you are on a stage wearing a "banana hammock" keep the posing to yourself. As well as telling me how much you lift, or lifted before the "injury", or are going to lift. Do you think I am BLIND? I am LOOKING at you. Again, you got Jay Cutlers body, you can tell me (and when I say "me" I am referring to any person in general) anything. BUT, if you got Jay Cutler's body you DON"T NEED to tell me anything dude. I got eyes. But if you don't? Who are you trying to convince?

Clearly yourself. That's insecurity.

Humility is especially important in weight lifting because the game never ends. No matter what you do today, you have to do that again next time, or better. So feel good about where you are, but be humble, and know that tomorrow is another day. I stopped trying to "impress" people a long time ago because it serves no purpose. You are simply laying your own insecurity out there for all to see. People who don't lift will make every excuse there is to not give you the respect you are begging for ("I just don't have time to work out", "I wish I had your genetics", ect), and the people who do work out, and are humble and confident, will respect you for how you LOOK, they know how hard it is to look that good, not for what you SAY, so saying stuff to impress only makes you look insecure and weak.

Again, if you have to tell me how much you lift and pose and strut around the gym so I know how good you look, then your body isn't doing the talking. Of course, "Jay Cutler" can tell me and anybody else, ANYTHING!

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Copyright 2007-2008 Steve R. Robbins. All rights reserved.