Geschatte leestijd: 3 minutenIn response to the article “You Just Don’t Have the Talent,” Frank sent in his personal story.
“Sorry, You Just Don’t Have the Talent”
Last year, I wrote an article titled: “Sorry, You Just Don’t Have the Talent for Muscles.” In that article, I tried to address the differences in potential and realistic expectations. Somewhat in defiance of an industry that wants you to believe that everyone can be super lean and super muscular. Not exactly from personal experience, although I tried to empathize as much as possible with people for whom achieving their goals is much more difficult.
Yesterday, a response to the article came in from Frank, someone who has plenty of experience with this. Because I found his story, a personal perspective, to be a very nice addition to the article, I asked him if we could share it as an article.
“Onepack”
I’m a 50-year-old man who has been bodybuilding for over 30 years. When you see the result, you spontaneously burst into laughter.
In those 30 years, I’ve read and tried everything in terms of nutrition and training.
If I follow the nutrition advice of “easygainers,” I just get fat. By the time I had trained off those extra kilos, I was back to square one.
I have never been able to see my six-pack. I have the infamous but also very well-formed “one-pack” that I just can’t seem to get rid of.
With incredible effort, I can get my body fat percentage just down to 12%, and then I really have to eat very clean all year round. If I try to go lower, “I collapse,” and there’s nothing left of the few kilos of mass that I have painstakingly gained.
I have the calves of a 5-year-old girl. However, they are incredibly strong. Most big guys at my gym don’t want to train calves with me because then they can’t walk for 5 days.
My legs are long and slim. No matter how heavy I squat or leg press, they just won’t get thicker.
“Just Tell Me the Truth Years Ago”
If I train my upper body too hard, I’ll definitely get injured. Real overload training is rarely for me, and my body doesn’t really like exercises with rotation anyway (something you need to keep surprising your muscles).
In short, after 30 years of experimenting on myself, I think I can say that I have the genetic abilities of a stick of butter?
And you know what, I wish someone who knows what they’re talking about had just told me the truth years ago.
A few have the genetic abilities to get as shredded as Rich Caspari, and there aren’t many with the mass-building genes of Lee Haney. Yet some people (especially those who do have talent) think they motivate you by saying you just need to eat more to grow or watch your diet a little better to admire your six-pack.
I’ve been around long enough to spot them. Those people who train hard and really only get some spare change in return. No, it’s not fair (but neither is life…) it’s just the truth,
“But We Can Get Out What’s Inside”
It’s better as a Trainer to say “sorry, you really don’t have the talent, but we can get out what’s inside,” than to completely ruin someone psychologically because they can never come even close to their dream physique.
I’ve accepted it, but it wasn’t an easy road. I’ve always kept training simply because it makes me feel good, but you won’t see me frolicking on the beach in my swimsuit or posing in front of the mirror anytime soon. I usually just put on a t-shirt, then I feel more comfortable.
However, with my clothes on, it’s a different story. With my 1.90m, slim waist, and (for most “normal” people) well-trained appearance, jeans or (size) suit fits me perfectly. The ladies still like to look at me.
It’s all about perspective, isn’t it?
Frank
