Comments on: Why your workouts suck!

By: John

John — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 14:50:37 +0000

Will,

I find that it’s not just the young but the majority of folks training at gyms( I use the word training loosely). I see maybe 10% working out using a training log to track what they are doing and the rest are just lifting weights.

It’s like I tell you to go to some place but I don’t give you directions. Sure you may find it on your own but it would be much faster if you had a clear cut idea on how to get there.

Without a log how do you know if you are truly progressing? I lost my log which had the last 4 months of my training and I was lost.

Great article BTW.

John

By: Aymen

Aymen — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:09:02 +0000

great post thanks

i personally think that most people don’t even have a fitness goal. after all how can you explain why people are still doing the same workouts despite not getting any results. anybody serious about building muscle can do so and like Will said there is no lack of good information these days

By: Will Brink

Will Brink — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:06:18 +0000

Darren, fair points. The good news is, there's no one right answer to training per se. The bad news is, as you point out, there's a lot of bad and or conflicting info out there. Great info can be found via people such as Poliquin, Staley, Waterbury, Tate, King, and others, and are easy enough to find on sites like Elite Fitness Systems or their respective personal web sites.

By: Darren Munday

Darren Munday — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:02:52 +0000

I agree with Matt, (I’m 41 and so can be classed as an old codger).

It’s all well and good stating that:

“All the great training information now available out there, much of it free, by the worlds best coaches and others, and yet, little has changed as far as the average kid in the gym still doing it all wrong”

…but where do the kids find this “great” information Will? (and don’t say “on my website!!” good though it is! ;o) there is so much conflicting training info in the ‘net today that it’s nearly impossible to sort the wheat from the chaff? Had I been 20 years younger at this point in time I would have constructed my own programmes by now frustrated by the lack of results and conflicting training info from the internet “experts”. Just my £10 worth! Keep up the good work! Regards, Darren.

By: Matt Gilman

Matt Gilman — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:01:05 +0000

I think the problem the younger generation has to cope with is information overload.
There is this one program that promises super muscles in 4 weeks and they follow it for a bit until they find that program that promises them the same results in 3 weeks.
Much stuff is just a big scam nowadays.

By: David Doane

David Doane — Thu, 21 May 2009 23:50:25 +0000

Hey Will

I have been in the retail supplement industry since 92 and the uptick of the younger, newer lifters wanting a quick fix, Test Boosters, is amazing. I mean there has and will always be the group that wants that fix but it seems 8 out of 10 guys that come in are more interested in the Test boosters than the protein, multi’s, basic nutrition and training knowledge I try to espouse onto them. Damn kids think they know it all.

Peace

By: Will Brink

Will Brink — Thu, 21 May 2009 23:15:49 +0000

Gene, it's important to note that as we age, it's not about "massive muscles" per say (though personally I would prefer to have/keep a muscular physique...) but keeping the all important muscle we have, because no matter how good your genetics, everyone loses muscle mass as they age unless they work hard and smart to protect it. For more info on that, read my article on Sarcopenia, and how to prevent/treat it.

By: gene

gene — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:56:51 +0000

“Rocket surgeon.” Great one! Next it will be “brain scientist”!

I’m an older guy, and have never done weight training before. I must have better genetics than I thought, since I’ve enjoyed pretty good health (but a tiny physique) all my life. Since I started pushing, pulling, dragging and sometimes lifting some dumbbells, I’ve noticed that my genetics have improved a lot.

My main goal is to be healthy, not build massive muscles. Still, this was a good reminder to pay attention to form and have a good plan, something that has not been given the attention around here that it deserves.

Darn old codgers!

By: Will Brink

Will Brink — Tue, 19 May 2009 11:16:06 +0000

Kevin. If you are 52 and thinking HRT, yes, you will notice a reduction in aches and pains and an improvement in bodycomp and strength. I recommend all men 40 and above be tested yearly. Read my article It’s In Your Blood for more info.

Rick. I have been in the gym 25 plus years and I am still learning, and only fugured out the Hybrid program for example more recently as you know. I’m still reading and learning too, so people that have been training a few years who think they can slap together an effective program will usually get sup par/sub optimal results…

By: Makster

Makster — Tue, 19 May 2009 07:26:14 +0000

I agree with your article totally. I think that peple can design their own program that will work, but most can’t. I have been lifting for about 8 years steady, and still won’t make my own program.

I rely on experts like you to make a program that is successful. You have studied and learned the right way to set one up to avoid injury and acheive success.

Your Hybrid program is a prime example. It has always given excellant results. I would never have come up with anything like that.

One other thing I hear a lot is how people take a program and “tweak” it. I think it is best to fallow it to the letter to acheive the best results.

Rick