Let's talk about limits, what they are, what effect they
have on our weight training progress, and how to completely
toss them out the window so we can apply them to workout
programs to gain muscle and strength. First off, what are
limits? The question we really should be asking is, are
they real?
I like to describe limits as completely illusionary. Though
there are such things as limits, the majority of people
today really have no idea what they really are, so in turn,
they create illusionary ones. Let's look at the following
paragraph I took from Randall Strossen's book, "IronMind:
Stronger Minds, Stronger Bodies", which will open your eyes
but more importantly have you think about what limits
really are and what role they play on us:
"In the early 1920's Henry "Milo" Steinborn squatted with
approximately 550 pounds, which, beyond being a record
lift, was viewed as close to man's ultimate limit. Even by
the mid-1950's this standard had only been nudged up to
around the 600 pound mark. Enter the Canadian superman Doug
Hepburn, who squatted 760 pounds in the mid-1950's, a
prodigious performance in the history of strength, but one
which Paul Anderson completely upstaged by cranking out
1160 in 1957...The fact that no one, even with drugs, squat
suits, super wraps and super belts, has yet come within a
hundred pounds of Paul's mark is further testimony to his
colossal squatting ability. Once Paul Anderson had
completely redefined conceptions of leg strength, however,
others followed him into previously untouched territory,
and by the end of the 1960's, there were a handful of 800
pound squatters."
As you can see, as soon as a record, or limit, is broken,
suddenly there is many more people who can match the
previous record. So what the heck is going on here? Once
every blue moon there comes someone who completely smashes
all previous records. He or she is a what we call a leader,
a believer.
When others witness this, they follow. The leader is the
one who believes in himself and has complete faith that he
or she can accomplish anything, and then goes and does it.
The followers just stay back and wait for someone to lead
them, with no belief or intention of surpassing any limits
themselves. The truth is, the limits you create in your own
head are the limits you create in your own reality. Focus
on what you want to do and the heck with what everyone else
is doing and what has or hasn't already been done.
Whether you want to break a personal record or a world
record, you have with you 100% of every single thing you
need to accomplish it. It doesn't matter if everyone in the
world does or doesn't believe in you. You just have to
believe. So what are your limits? Are they holding you back
from your progress?
Next time you write out your weight lifting goals, which I
suggest you do if you aren't already, try not to limit
yourself, especially on your long term goals. If it is
something you really want bad enough, such as bench
pressing 300 pounds or weighing 200 pounds of solid muscle,
you will get it if you believe you will. I believe you can.
In fact, I know you can.
Keep a close watch on the little voice in the back of your
head that may be telling you that you are shooting to high
or that you will never accomplish this or that. It's
nothing but gibberish. Evict your inner doubts. Make it a
formal process if you have to, but whatever you do, don't
ever, EVER doubt your abilities.
Because the amazing truth is, you'll only achieve what you
believe. If you doubt yourself or you don't think that you
can achieve a certain goal or goals, then those thoughts
and those thoughts alone are the only thing holding you
back. Think about that for a while. It may change your life
and how you view everything about it.
----------------------------------------------------
Derek Manuel is the author of the best-selling, "How to
Gain Weight and Build Muscle for Hardgainers". If you want
to learn how you too can gain 20 to 30 pounds of solid
muscle in as short as 8 weeks, or if you just want more
quality information on how to gain weight and build muscle,
please visit http://www.hardgainers-weight-tips.com
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