Stranger things have happened
Before I left the Seattle seminar, I informed Billy that he needed to weigh 240. He was 220 at the time. Well, he is on his way with his self-proclaimed “Feast Fest”.
Here is a picture of a five egg omelet with bacon, sausage, and cheese, hash browns, toast, biscuits and sausage gravy, and three additional scrambled eggs. Billy brought his lunch pail, cause he’s goin’ to work.
Nice
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Hey Justin,
I’ve been following the linear progression for about 2-3 months, and working on doing things right like in Mark Rippetoe’s book. I train at a “fitness gym” (because they have child care, but I hate the place). I’m 180lbs and 5’9″, not naturally strong. I am at 250 on squat (started around 200), 280 on dead lift (working on 300), and 130 on press ( started at 115). I’m not the strongest guy but I’m working on it.
The other day I was going for a PR on deadlift and this guy yelled at me from across the room and tossed a 45 lbs weight at me. He went on and on about how he much he used to lift and that my weight was “chicken shit”. All this while he was doing leg presses. He told me I was an insult to people like him, tearing up his gym, and making too much noise. This is a guy who does curls inside the squat rack.
A few days later I was looking in my notebook to see what my work set was going to be he yells at me across the gym, “Hey you need me to sign off on that? Holy shit that’s a lot of weight. Man, you might need a spot!” This is while he and his friend were doing press with the smith machine by the way. All this has really discouraged me lately, because picking a fight would cost me my career in law enforcement. There is not a whole lot I can do but keep getting stronger.
I tell you all this to say that it was really hard to ball my fist around a barbell and lift when I wanted to just walk out. I just wanted to thank you for making this website. I know a lot of posts are funny, but a lot of the posts put some fire in my ass to go lift in spite of idiots like him. So thanks, it really helps a lot. OK, I’m gonna go drink some milk.
–Russell
This is an interesting e-mail. I can’t believe that the guy in the gym would be that much of an asshole, but stranger things have happened.
My suggestion to Russell: ignore that silly goon. Get your shit done, and get out. There is no sense in having any kind of altercation. Aside from potentially getting your ass beat (2 vs 1), it would allow yourself to fall into the douchebaggery that he exudes.
Which brings me to an important point that I have wanted to cover for a while. 70’s Big does not equate with cockiness. Any kind of “my penis is bigger” attitude quickly reduces you to a jackass. I don’t want a community that gives off an aura of superiority. I want us to have a community that is enthusiastic about the common goal of increasing strength and working hard to do it. Whether it is Russell, who is squatting 250, or a guy who squats 600, they are equally important to me. Who would want to stay in a community that belittles others?
This has, and always will be, a place to learn. I don’t get paid for any of this. On a daily basis I post on this site, I answer the questions of at least ten people via e-mail, and I go out of my way to help the people in our gym — all of it to make others work hard in order to get strong. I would hope that this supportive helpfulness resonates within this particular community.
Thomas Jefferson puts it much more eloquently:
Gant, I”d be in for the football game/meatfest…I live in Dallas and have been looking for an excuse to head that direction!
Speaking of quotes, which that is a great one by the way, this one is my favorite and can be applied to “the Russell situation”.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” -Theodore Roosevelt
Remember Russell, it”s you gettin” under the barbell, not him.
Take care,
Joe
Oh yeah, AJ makes a good point too. It might be that dude””s way of trying to start a conversation and who knows, he may want to work in set with you.
I guess the point is, try not to be hyper-sensitive when other people talk trash. It””s probably just a little “machismo”. No sweat.
Russel, I think everyone showing their support for you just demonstrates that everybody has dealt with an asshole or two. Some people have nothing better to do then to try and make you feel small, thats their problem. Its a good thing you”re on the road to 70s big, soon it will take a lot to make you feel small.
And Justin, I dig the quote. I am fond of the idea of quiet strength.
Gotta love Thomas Jefferson and Teddy Roosevelt!
I was experimenting with a blender and i found that this tastes really good and is loaded with calories.
Chocolate Whey powder(2 scoops)- 260 cals
chocolate syrup(2 spoons) – 100 cals
peanut butter(2 spoons) – 190 cals
1/2 cup of oats- 150 cals
2 cups of milk 300 cals
1 banana – 100 cals
1100 calories
76g of protein
Oats out, ice cream in.
–Justin
Gant,
I might be able to make it for the 70 sBig Meatfest. I got a wedding in Dallas late Feb. so it all depends how the dates workout.
Russell,
Be the bigger man. Poop in his gym bag.
Justin, here is another good Jefferson quote, one of my favotites.
“Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed one.” –Thomas Jefferson
“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take away everything you have.” -Thomas Jefferson
Gant, I””m probably in, since it looks like I””ll be moving back to Austin before then, and that””s close enough to disallow any excuses.
Russell, keep on lifting.
Justin, dig the quote, but the video creeps me out.
I’m sorry that you can’t appreciate The Muppets.
–Justin
JAB77, dope quote, two words in and i knew the rest.
F-the haters, everytime i squat in excess of 300lbs, someone loads up the next squat rack with “my weight+30lbs” and does 5 knee-bends. im over it.
i like being humble but i refuse to walk through the nautilus room without joking about “why does this room have all the furniture?” does this make me an asshole?
I work out at a metroplex university and get a 50-50 split of “You are going to hurt your knees” and, “It”s good to see someone breaking 90.” When I do power cleans is when I get the funny looks. However, it is a look of, “I think I should be doing that” not, “WTF is that guy doing?”
Seems weird to me that someone would diss someone else”s weights. Although lately I have a hard time keeping a straight face when I see skinny-ass dudes loading the leg press with 500+ lbs and grunting tough with their 75 lb dumb bell bench presses. My suggestion to the guy getting hassled – just keep at it, keep getting those weights up, and pretty soon you”re going to be doing more weight than he could ever dream of and he”ll have no room to talk.
chaos, just out of curiosity, what religion are you that prohibits eating meat?
Gotta be able to brush off the random gym douchers. Today while my roommate and I were doing presses, this guy comes up and says, “you know you can do those on the seated military press?” basically telling us to get out of his way. I said, “yeah its a different exercise. do you want to try a set?” of course, the answer was some mumbling about how he just did shoulders the day before. I just laughed, and did my set. All part of the fun…
Thanks for the reply Justin. I narrowed my stance and did a few reps tonight. It looked like I was squatting bowlegged like my knees didn”t travel over toes but laterally over my foot. I also had bad bilat antero-lateral knee pain. So I took a stretch band measured width of shoulders then put it on floor and marked it w/ chalk got under bar and set up for my rep; lo and behold I was right all along. I think I was overthinking becuase I tend to think I overthink a lot. I think. Thanks again.
I”ve never faced your exact situation, Russell. I have received comments on form, etc., when deadlifting over 500 and squatting 350+. What has always worked for me is “here, why don”t you show me how.” NOTHING scares a loudmouth away quicker than a loaded barbell.
I”ve no doubt if you ask “Douche Mouth” to come over and show how it”s done he”ll have an old injury, just trained that muscle group yesterday, or some other excuse for not coming over and actually putting his muscles where his big mouth is.
You”re doing the right thing, continuing to lift. He is obviously intimidated by someone who is actually STRENGTH training and not “playing at it,” like he is. Be content in the knowledge that he can talk all day but nowhere in recorded history has anyone ever talked a barbell up off the floor. You”re a better man than he and he knows it. Enjoy that and keep it in mind when he starts up. I”d also recommend laughing when he starts up. NOTHING will anger him more and make him feel even MORE insignificant than being laughed at for something he”s insecure about.
Best of Fortune and KEEP AT IT!! You”re on the Right Track!!
tescott – im hindu. thank god i live close to my parents place to eat their high calorie foods.
Russell – maybe “Sorry dude, stop hitting on me, I”m not gay” would quiet him down.
Well, I know the Penal Code in Cali says you can”t arrest a idiot, so chalk it up to be unbookable. Let him talk cuz its obivious he is jealous that you lift with proper form. Also, if he threatens you, follow your policy and introduce yourself with extreme politiness and professionalism.
PD in California
With Love,
springscreeper
Russell, that”s a bummer man but really a guy like that isn”t even worth thinking about. I care about the opinions of guys like that about as much as I care what the Taliban thinks of the double stack filet o” fish at McDonald”s. Keep lifting buddy!
Here”s my post workout shake recipe, it sounds gross but it actually tastes pretty good and I have had good results with it.
1 or 2 yams/sweet potatoes peeled and chopped up (not cooked)
1 bannana
2 scoops whey protein
Cinnamon to taste
1 1/2 cups water or whole milk.
This tastes much better than you”d think and is really good for recovery.