Adonis Spotlight:Tales from a True Insider — “Why Average Is Ok”

Tales from a True Insider

 

Today’s special post is the latest installment of the Golden Eye for the Adonis Series.   Because it’s Friday and The Goal Is Frequency (TGIF) we are shining the Adonis Spotlight on one of our community members.

I’m pleased to announce a special guest post from Eric Weinbrenner.  Better know by his True Insider Handle, “eweinbrenner.”

 

EWeinbrenner: True Insider and One of our Top Bloggers in the Community

Eric Weinbrenner: True Insider and One of our Top Bloggers in the Community

The Adonis Community truly is an awesome resource to help answer the questions of those just becoming familiar with the AGR Program.  Veterans of the community are more than happy to lend sound advice and support one another in their journey to “Golden.”

While browsing the community earlier this week, I happened to stumble across a Blog of Eric’s and was simply blown away by his content.

Here is a sample blog entry from eweinbrenner that has transformed into a guest post!

 

 How to Look Awesome: Why “Average” is OK

When it comes to building muscle and getting in shape-being “average” is OK. Getting-and staying-in great shape is also a lot easier than most people believe (or would like you to believe). Before you disagree and point to the bazillion articles on the web arguing that building an awesome body is full of complicated formulas and endless hours in the gym–Let me explain.

First, we need to define a few terms, or perhaps ideas, that are essential to understanding–terms and ideas that nearly everyone in the fitness industry (fitness “gurus”, your average meat-head, and perhaps even you) tend to ignore.

The first idea that needs explanation is “building an awesome body.” There are many different ways to say this, some choose to express the idea by “building muscle” or “losing fat”, but these all really mean the same thing–trying to achieve a certain look.

What is an “awesome body”?

I would suggest that 99% of guys out there are working out, primarily, to build an awesome body. Or, at the very least, that’s why they started working out.
It would make sense, then, that people know what an awesome body looks like–considering this is their primary goal for working. Surprisingly, the idea of actually qualifying what an “awesome body” looks like  is extremely difficult to nail down–but I have found it really comes down to two images of male body perfection that are presented as “ideal” in the fitness industry.

As part of my thesis during my undergrad seminar course, I evaluated a few of the sales letters for the top selling online muscle-building products. Included were products by Mike Chang, Ben Pakulski, Zach Even-Esh, and Rusty Moore.

I chose these specific products because I think it is a good representative of the fitness industry and the authors are names that most fitness-junkies will recognize.

To avoid re-hashing a 25+ page paper (and boring you to death), I will break down my findings to this precise statement: There are two forms of an “ideal” or “awesome” male body portrayed in the fitness industry. One is the roided-out, massive bodybuilder look and the other is the more lean, athletic look associated with hollywood actors.

Most guys who workout consistently tend to use one of these images as their ideal-look–whether subconsciously or consciously.

My take is that most guys do NOT want to achieve the look of the “roided” out bodybuilder, but rather would prefer the lean, athletic look (which is, of course, what is exemplified within the AGR community).  Sure, there is a certain dominance that makes the idea of being  “massive” and “insanely huge” appealing, but when being honest, most will agree that this is not what is attractive to women or something they truly desire to look like.  Brad Howard has also provided numerous examples of data that support this idea that more muscle, or bigger muscles, isn’t equivalent with being more attractive or respected.

I go into all of this detail to define what I believe constitutes an “awesome body”, because I want you to be aware that you are likely, on some level, to be bombarded with conflicting messages about what your ideal body should look like. 

This is important because I know what it feels like to constantly feel like you should have bigger muscles, weigh more, or look like a roided-out bodybuilder in order to be a “real man.” I struggled with this for years, until I finally realized that wouldn’t be my best look, or even what I want to look like. I have simply been misled by the ridiculous marketing of what I consider a dark-side of the fitness industry.

Your Best Body

I have some news for you–news that some consider unfortunate, but I would suggest is actually freeing: If your goal is to look like the huge bodybuilders that grace the covers of fitness magazines and are placed alongside internet articles of all the major online fitness sources; you need to do 1 of 2 things (or both):

1. Go back and be reborn with different parents–preferably those of John Cena or The Rock.

2. Take steroids.

Number 1 is obviously not going to happen, so that leaves the second option–steroids. I personally have never taken steroids and never plan to, so if this is something you are interested in, please go find someone who can provide information related to that.

So… the vast majority of us will never look like the guys in fitness mags…. should we just give up?

Absolutely not.

In fact, this is one of the most freeing realizations one can have, because building your best body–your version of “awesome”, is so much easier than what it takes to pump your body full of steroids and spend every waking hour in the gym.

Most of us not only don’t want to be as big and massive as bodybuilders; most of us don’t even want to be bodybuilders–we just want to feel confident when we go to the beach and take our shirts off. You don’t need to be “bodybuilder lean and muscular” to turn heads at the beach and look awesome–and achieving levels that are good enough to do so doesn’t take nearly as much work as many believe.

Dedication and consistency?  Definitely. But directing one’s whole life to training and obsessing over everything you eat or dropping hundreds of dollars on supplements each month? Not even close.

Many of the complicated formulas, expensive supplements, and marathon workouts are things that may matter if you are trying to get “insanely big” and compete in a show–but are not necessary to build an awesome looking body naturally.

Why Average is OK

So when I say crazy things like: “being average is OK”, I’m referring to “average” in terms of the fitness industry–and I’m being completely serious.

Let’s say Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his prime, is the ideal physique–the top-of-the line “awesome” that every man could aspire to; getting 80 or 85% of the way there is still awesome–and that’s all any of us will be capable of naturally and without committing every aspect of our lives to all things fitness.

This is confirmed all of the time in the AGR community. Look at any of the past contest winners or any of the guys who have reached Golden–do they look awesome? Yes, absolutely- but do they have the level of muscular development of Arnold or pro bodybuilders? Typically, no.
The vast majority of of guys who reach Golden would still be considered “average” when compared to a pro-bodybuilder if we buy the idea that being “massive” and “stage-ready” is the ideal look, as is often portrayed in the fitness industry.
So… is this a rah-rah, “you’re special in your own way” call that everyone is OK just as they are and no one should push themselves to get better? Am I telling you to embrace mediocrity?
Definitely Not. 
This doesn’t mean we stop setting goals or stop striving for improvement–it just means we keep things in perspective. It seems that all too often guys are reaching Golden AI measurements and still feel inferior–when this is the case, it may be time to refocus on what we are really trying to achieve and trusting in the system that will deliver YOUR best body.
The guys here at AGR have done a great job of reframing what the ideal “look” is, but we need to continually remind ourselves that we are NOT trying  to achieve the look that is often heralded as perfection the fitness industry
 
When looking at most of the images that we consider male-body perfection and look at to see if we “measure up”–pictures that are taken in perfect light by a professional photographer, when the person who is in the picture spent days preparing specifically for that photo shoot, and in pictures that may, or may not be digitally altered–and then feel inferior when we look in the mirror–it’s no wonder most guys feel like they suck at fitness and need more dedication, more supplements, and more time in the gym with the “perfect” workout.
But instead of responding by feeling inferior, we should respond with a sense of freedom–freedom knowing that we don’t even need or want to look like those guys–and that “average” is OK.
eweinbrenner's Transformation Pics

eweinbrenner’s Transformation Pic
So when I say crazy things like: “being average is OK”, I’m referring to “average” in terms of the fitness industry–and I’m being completely serious.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Wow Eric! Way to raise the “Adonis Bar” for the rest of us. You touched on a lot of great points in your post.  From avoiding “goal hi-jacking” to affirming the source of a man’s true  sense of  self-confidence when it comes to having an awesome body.

We look forward to hearing more from you in the future!

Well that’s all for now, hope you enjoyed the Adonis Spotlight.

Have a great weekend!

T.G.I.F.

your brother in Iron,

Allen Elliott | Adonis Transformation Coach

P.S. If you want hear more from Eric you can reach out to him in community here. 

Training or Simply Moving?: Coaches’ Corner w/ Jason Haynes

Today’s post is our latest installment of a new series called the “Coaches Corner.”  Our Adonis Transformation Coaches will share their knowledge, experience, and best practices to help ensure your successful transformation.  To continue the series, our topic  comes from none other than AGR Pioneer,  Jason Haynes.

When it comes to working out, how do you check the block? Are you training or simply moving?

When it comes to working out, how do you check the block? Are you training or simply moving?

 

                                      Training or Simply Moving?

I know an extremely popular topic for trainers, coaches and just fitness blogs in general goes along the lines of “Are you training or just working out?”  In some ways this is, admittedly, a similar one..to be fair, there is only so much you can say about the topic.

I suppose the motivation for this post is seeing something on a corner of a community where I currently work my day job.  See, I currently work labor/construction (have to provide for my family as soon as we arrived in the US, after all) and the communities I am stationed at are quite rich.  As such, it is not uncommon to see groups of neighbors gathered together for early morning….uh…”exercise time.”

Granted, I don’t stand around and watch these gaggles of what are normally housewives for too long as I have work to do, but it’s not uncommon for me to pass by their general vicinity several times over the course of several hours.  What strikes me as funny is that they are so absorbed in their topics of conversation that they seem oblivious to the fact that they are not only in the same places as they have been for the prior hour or two, but many of them are doing the exact same thing as well.  Things like:  the woman who is stretching her calves on a curb is still standing there “stretching” her calves…same position, same curb, same place in the circle, and SAME CALF!!

They are usually decked out in all their apparrelled glory:  matching jogging clothes with matching shoes and whatever gadgets and gizmos that they want strapped to them.  Now, I have no problem with getting training gear…even to the point of <gasp> matching…but when the gear is only worn and not actually used for the purpose it was intended for…well, then I have to pull a “ridiculous” card on this training foul.

I mean, come on.

TRAIN OR REMAIN THE SAME!

TRAIN OR REMAIN THE SAME!

 

Hey, I am totally for people exercising just to get moving and get outside.  If someone actually does it for health purposes, I am all for it.  Good for you.  If you choose to train with running or whatever and don’t even touch a weight because your are not interested in building muscle, then I will actually support you in your endeavor.

At least you are DOING something. Movement is good.  Weights are better, but still…good for you.

Granted, this is just exercising…not training.  Again, if you want to exercise for the reason of simply moving and getting the “ol” heartrate up, then go for it.  I’ll even encourage you.

Don’t expect me to go on a run with you, though.  I am not interested.

See, my time to train is limited and I need to spend it wisely, focused, and staying on target with my goals, which are not the same as yours (in the context of the people who exercise for health/movement purposes only).

This situation, sadly, is not limited to only the housewives running club…which never seems to actually get running….it also happens in the gym, unfortunately.

Warning:  I’m about to go “inhuman mode” on ya.

Someone once called me “inhuman” for my dedication to my training and caloric discipline.  But you know what?  That is what is NEEDED to succeed with transforming your body.

Look,I have under 40 minutes to devote to training each day.  Yes, I could get up earlier, but at this point if the number “4” is in the hours spot of the clock, it just isn’t happening at this point. For some reason, 5AM sounds better to me than ANYTHING beginning with a “4” and then “AM”after it.

Usually I have under 30 minutes to train…sometimes 40, but not often.  I don’t have time to play around and linger.  I need to get to work with the weights.  I am not there to “exercise” or to “move” or whatever…I am there to keep the muscle mass I have and to gain as much more as possible while I still can.  My age is not working in my favor in this equation, so it’s even more imperative to get busy and stay focused.

Put on the game face…get busy.  Time’s ticking.

I see people lollygagging and simply wasting time.  You may think “maybe they are talking between sets,” but I have yet to see a good training program (with the exception of some powerlifting templates) that has 5-10 minute resting periods and, quite frankly, the poundage of the weights they use does not put them in that category…far from it.

Which leads me to conclude that they are simply moving weight to “get moving” and to use their muscles.  You know what?  Good for you, dude!  Good for you, dudette!  At least you are doing something other than nothing.

But as for me:  I need to know that I would be sweating if the air conditioning in the gym wasn’t set at freezing, I need to feel my muscles burn, full well feeling each intended muscle targeted.

I am not there for “health” reasons.  Health improves naturally with a fit body.  Train properly, as with the AGR Systems, and your heart gets a good training session in as well…no need to do cardio if you don’t have the time or desire.

Yes, it’s not easy to make friends at the gym with my training mentality…I simply cannot let myself slide into their ways.  Nothing personal against them…but I have two places of work:  the gym and my job.  I am at neither one with the goal of socializing and making friends…I have a job to do and I will get it done.

Yes, there are are some tips and tricks and mindset things involved in this process as well…and your AGR Premiere Coaches are ready and willing to share those with you to help you get to your goals.  With another AGR Transformation competition coming up within a few weeks, now might be a good time to get started with your transformation.

Many guys don’t get started with their competition until it is officially announced…only to have to deal with traps, pits, problems and other issues that come up naturally during life and training.  By getting started early, you can encounter and adjust to these issues in order to ultimately conquer them.  AGR Premiere Coaching can certainly help you with these things as well as many others, including the accountability that so many of us are needing.

If you have not purchased the AGR systems, why not?  Get it here.

Even top athletes…the best of the best…have coaches to get them to the top of their game.  If even the most elite athletes know the value of a coach, there is certainly something to being coached.   Check out our AGR Coaching program.

Look…guys…ladies…there is a time and place for things.  If achieving your ideal body is something important to you…if reaping the benefits of a healthy and strong body appeals to you, don’t waste your time.  Get the program, get help, get focused, and get busy.

Train Hard, Train Smart.

Jason

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

Jason Haynes is one of the oldest members of the AGR community and has been around since he participated in the first and second AGR Transformation Competitions, of which he placed second and first, respectively.  Having found a system that he is confident in and that works, he has faithfully stuck by it ever since.  Now in his 40’s, Jason enjoys living the life of maintaining his physique easily and with little effort, thanks to the AGR system and tools provided.  He is also a coach in the Adonis Premiere Coaching program and desires to help anyone to achieve their fitness goals.

 

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes | June 2014

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes | June 2014

 

 

Distractions: Coaches’ Corner w/ Jason Haynes

Today’s post is our latest installment of a new series called the “Coaches Corner.”  Our Adonis Transformation Coaches will share their knowledge, experience, and best practices to help ensure your successful transformation.  To continue the series, our topic  comes from none other than AGR Pioneer,  Jason Haynes.

 

DISTRACTIONS

For the past 10 years or so all of my gym experiences been either at home gym or at small hole-in-the-wall dungeons during off hours when not many people go there.    I don’t know but I like to train solo with not many people with his minimal distractions as possible (sidenote:   if you’re ever gonna play music for a visitor to your country just because it’s in the native language of the person that doesn’t mean it’s a good choice for listing music.   I had someone once play “I’m a big big girl” while I was deadlifting!  I mean, I was on that last grinding rep when the song came on.  I just felt my testosterone flee from me and I dropped the weight).

Anyway, coming back to the US has been a trip in so many ways and certainly the gym is among one of the most interesting ones.  In my previous blog I talked about just the over abundance of highly caloric and tasty foods that you can find readily in this place, but today I’m gonna focus on the gym itself.

So here I am in Southern California.  There is a wide array of gyms and plenty of choices…most of them are open at good hours.   The place I go to is pretty much ok… it’s cheap, serves my purposes, the weight of the dumbbells go high enough, and there’s a wide assortment of machines.  So, that’s good.  At the time I go there (at about 5:30 in the morning) only a few guys are in the weight section…and these are the guys who are there are to work out.

Or are they?  A few…yes,but the others…I am not so sure. (Another blog post, maybe).

 

iStock_000028970566Small

“It’s been a process of learning NOT to be distracted by what I see around me.” – Jason Haynes

Anyway, the first time that I stepped into that place to work out was just a shock.  As I said in the beginning of this blog…the last 10 years was simple and effective.  Nothing but weights and the occasional TV in front of the treadmills.  So…I walked in the gym, and I I just stood there staring at what was nearly unbelievable to me.  I felt like I was in a panorama of big flat/plasma screen TVs…each one tuned into a different station.  I hadn’t even begun to lift a weight yet and there I was transfixed on over a dozen screens.

It was so distracting.  I think my 45 minute workout must have taken about an hour and a half because all I did was get constantly distracted.   One TV station had Big Ten football, on another one is the all sports station, yet another one had UFC fighting (oh wait no that’s every day..but on that particular day they were doing prop airplanes flying through a slalom course of probably hundred foot tall pylons.  Up until that point, I thought that stuff was only in video games).

It was reedicyoulous!

If my memory serves right:  six TVs along the cardio stations, three other TVs along the left side, there’s at least four along the right side and then there’s two or three along the other side of this building.  Each one is turned to a different station, granting a great opportunity for…say it with me..

Distractions.

"Each of the coaches there has worked hard, achieved the golden ratio, and maintained it.  We have some insight and tricks than can help you stay focused and get on track, if necessary." - Jason Haynes

“Each of the coaches there has worked hard, achieved the golden ratio, and maintained it. We have some insight and tricks than can help you stay focused and get on track, if necessary.” – Jason Haynes

It’s been a month since I’ve been going here to the gym (in fact I just renewed my monthly dues this today).   It’s been a process of learning NOT to be distracted by what I see around me. I think it was pretty easy to learn it, actually, as I have had many years of no distractions and have adapted that mindset.  I don’t know if I would have adjusted as easy if I had not had all those years behind me.

I have to tune out because I only have 30 minutes to get my training done so I pretty much ignore what’s going on around me. Yes, I am still cordial an courteous and everything else according to social convention, but I just can’t allow distractions to interfere.

Man, that UFC program that always plays at my training time REALLY challenges my focus, though.

I have to keep a mental countdown in my head every time of every second.  I don’t rely on stopwatches anything like that but the risk is always there:   a distraction.   Distractions that come in many shapes and forms….it could be people, things people do,  it could be TV sets, it can be people doing weird exercises (don’t let maybe that’ll be my next blog post).

Most of us who have normal jobs and families and commitments…our time in the gym is precious and cannot be divided amongst other things around us when we’re there.  We are there for one reason:   to train, to push our muscles, to push our limits of strength and to attain that coveted golden physique.

Distractions are everywhere…inside AND outside the gym.  Each set of potential distractions carries it’s own challenges and solutions.  If you would like help to work through your distractions and challenges, check out the AGR Premiere Coaching program.  Each of the coaches there has worked hard, achieved the golden ratio, and maintained it.  We have some insight and tricks than can help you stay focused and get on track, if necessary.

Train hard,  train smart.

Jason

Wishing vs. Wanting: Coaches’ Corner w/ Jason Haynes

Today’s post is our latest installment of a new series called the “Coaches Corner.”  Our Adonis Transformation Coaches will share their knowledge, experience, and best practices to help ensure your successful transformation.  To continue the series, our topic  comes from none other than Adonis Legend and AGR Pioneer, Jason Haynes.

Take note on what he has to say about the difference between…

 

Wishing vs. Wanting

Wishing” is a desire to have that outstanding physique, but without the effort, sacrifice, and discipline.  It’s kind of like a “It would be nice if” kind of thing…like if a genie “zapped” them with a great physique, then it would be great, but they would not do the work and effort involved to achieve that wish.

“Wishing” is a desire to have that outstanding physique, but without the effort, sacrifice, and discipline. It’s kind of like a “It would be nice if” kind of thing…like if a genie “zapped” them with a great physique, then it would be great, but they would not do the work and effort involved to achieve that wish.

 

The words “want” and “wish,” unfortunately, are used interchangeably these days.  Now, perhaps this is not a new phenomenon and it may well have been true for generations or even millennia prior to this amazing “new” discovery by yours truly, but that does not negate the fact that it’s true.  Truth be told, I’ve often said this many times but this is the first time that I can remember that I have written about it, although I am quite certain that I am not the first nor will I be the last.

See, these two terms are quite different, although they have some similarities.  Now, for those of you reading who get technical and instantly think of all the different definitions of these words and their uses depending on their function in the sentence and what-not…don’t.  Just hear the core issue of what I am saying here.

 

Now, both terms show desire for something…”I want to get a great physique” and “I wish I had a great physique.”  Both have an object for their desire:  a great physique.  Yet…there is the difference between the two phrases.

“Wanting” is when someone is willing to put the sweat…the effort…the sacrifice…the discipline…into the endeavor to achieve a great physique.  These men and women know what they desire and put in the hard work to achieve it.  They want something and go for it, not making excuses for not doing it.  It takes sacrifice…and pain.  Certainly there is sweat and some days of disappointment…but they want it, so they push onward with discipline and determination.  Some may call them “in-human” or even “machines,” but darn it, they get it done and reap the rewards for their labors!  They do what needs to be done.

Period.

Now, “Wishing” is a desire to have that outstanding physique, but without the effort, sacrifice, and discipline.  It’s kind of like a “It would be nice if” kind of thing…like if a genie “zapped” them with a great physique, then it would be great, but they would not do the work and effort involved to achieve that wish.

These folk like to daydream about having a great physique…perhaps squish their fat or skin together at their abdomen to see what a 6-pack looks like in a mirror…then smiles with satisfaction (as if it was true) and returns to whatever they were doing before.  Excuses abound and nothing is ever achieved.

I am convinced that a lot of guys out there say they “want” an outstanding physique when, in fact, it is merely a wish.   Oh sure, they say that they “want” one, but without putting in the work, it is merely a wish confused for a want.

 

See where I’m going with this?

As another example (not training related), a good friend of mine (guys who read my blogs on the AI Forum should get an idea of who this is from one or two of my very very old blogs) said he wanted to learn Chinese.  The man who was talking with him, who was very fluent in the language by the way, asked him “So what are you doing to learn it?”  He had no answer…he had taken ZERO steps to learn the language, to which the man he was speaking to said “So, you really don’t want it, do you?  You are only wishing for it.”

And he is 100% right!

Get it?  If you’re not actually taking steps toward a goal, it is not WANTING it…it is merely WISHING for it.  Wanting requires a plan, hard work, dedication, discipline, and consistency…notice that all these words require ACTION!   Put these things together, and your WANT will become true for most things…but especially for a healthier, better looking physique which can be accomplished by anyone who puts the work in.

John Barban has done the actual work of planning into the Adonis Golden Ratio program with information and tools for anyone who puts in the honest effort to achieve a great physique.  A free forum (Adonis Community) is provided where like-minded men truly help and encourage one another to achieve their goals.

The team at AGR has even provided access to personal coaches who eat, sleep, and live this lifestyle every day and have done so for YEARS, to help you achieve your perfect physique!  They have each undergone their own transformations and can help you to undergo yours and come out victorious.

In short, AGR is the complete package to get you to where you want to be.

However, even with all these things in place, it is still up to YOU to make the efforts to discipline yourself and put in the effort.

YOU are the one who has to get to the gym in all kinds of weather and all kinds of situations…

YOU are the one who has to take control of your nutrition.

YOU are the one who has to discipline yourself and push yourself in the gym.
We have a great deal of resources for you at AGR…but ultimately the fact is:  You get out of it what effort you put into it.  AGR makes it as simple as possible, but you are the one who has to do all the work from here.

Do you wish for a great physique?

Or do you WANT one?

Decide and act accordingly.

 

Until next time,

Train Hard.  Train Smart.

Jason

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

Jason Haynes is one of the oldest members of the AGR community and has been around since he participated in the first and second AGR Transformation Competitions, of which he placed second and first, respectively.  Having found a system that he is confident in and that works, he has faithfully stuck by it ever since.  Now in his 40’s, Jason enjoys living the life of maintaining his physique easily and with little effort, thanks to the AGR system and tools provided.  He is also a coach in the Adonis Premiere Coaching program and desires to help anyone to achieve their fitness goals.

 

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes: May 2014

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes: May 2014

Stay On Your Original Flight Path: NEW Coaches’ Corner w/ Jason Haynes

Today’s post is our first installment of a new series called the “Coaches Corner.”  Our Adonis Transformation Coaches will share their knowledge, experience, and best practices to help ensure your successful transformation.  To start us off, our topic  comes from none other than Adonis Legend and AGR Pioneer, Jason Haynes.

Take note on what he has to say about how to….

 

Stay On Your Original Flight Path

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“My purpose is to encourage each reader to remember their goal, check to see if they are on the right path to achieving it, and if off track, to get back on the path to achieve it.” – Jason Haynes | Adonis Coach

Back in 1983, Korean Airlines Flight 007 unknowingly strayed into prohibited Soviet airspace and was shot down by a Soviet fighter jet over Japan in an extremely tragic event.  The flight originated in New York and was to land in Seoul, South Korea via Anchorage, Alaska.  Everything was fine and on track until the doomed flight took off from Anchorage.  See, the plane was supposed to be on a heading of 220 degrees but actually headed off on a heading of 245 degrees due to a variety of factors regarding autopilot and beacons.

28 minutes after takeoff it was tracked at 5.6 miles (9km) north of where it should have been.

22 minutes after that, the flight was about 14.5 miles (around 23 km) north of where is should have been.

Slowly it kept drifting off course until it reached about 400 miles off course and was shot down just north of Hokkaido, Japan.  It had actually crossed Russian lands called the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Korean Airlines Flight 007 wound up 300 miles (400km) or more off target, depending on which source you quote.

Now the purpose of talking about this admittedly very-simplified version of a tragic historical event in an AGR blog is not intended to bring up old wounds of the cold war, nor to even talk about anything about the tragedy or controversies that surround it. Instead it is to demonstrate how being just a little off of your exercise “flight path” can bring you FAR off course from what you started out to accomplish.

See, we all got into weight training for one reason or another…and, most likely it was the same for you as it was for me:  seeing an impressive looking physique with wide shoulders, shredded abdominals, powerful back, sculpted chest and chiseled arms.  Simply put:  it was purely based on look.  It looked darn impressive and we wanted to look that way too.   The source of the image may have been comic books or cartoons, movies or video games or whatever…the source of the image doesn’t really matter, for all intents and purposes.

It was purely about the look, if we have the courage to be totally honest with ourselves as we look in hindsight.

(I mean, would comic book or action heroes have as much appeal to us if they were big fat slobs but had the same incredible strength?   Think about it…why do the vast majority of them have the same general look of leanness and muscularity…complete with a “V-Taper,” I might add?)

So what in the world does this have to do with “staying on the flight path?”

I’m glad you asked.

Remember…just as being a degree or two off on navigation will eventually lead you far from your intended destination, so it is the same with training.  Around the AGR community, we often speak of “goal hijacking” where we become convinced by someone that their way is the best way and that their goals are the best goals…and we totally forget why we started training in the first place.  Getting off our “training flight path” takes us away from the goals we desire most.  Soon we may find ourselves totally off course.

It happened like this for me:  I started by wanting an impressive looking physique so I started training for it…then soon after, when I started showing some good results, people started asking me “how much do you bench” (or another similar question) which, in my ego to not be out-done, led me to pursue getting stronger just for the sake of putting up larger numbers.  Soon, it became…”Boy, athletes are strong…so it’s time to train like one” (even though I had a 9-5 job and a side job and would never be a professional athlete).  Then it became:  “Boy, if I really want to get strong, I need to get into powerlifting.”  And, lo and behold, in order to get stronger at powerlifting I needed to put on a lot of weight in order to get higher numbers.

 

So what happened to the original goal I had set to achieve?  I had initially set out to have a “superhero” look but there I was easily 50 pounds too fat and even worseI had totally allowed my “flight path”  to get hijacked. 

 The only superhero I looked like was maybe Blob.  Haha.

(By the way, I am not slamming powerlifting or any other type of training at all.  If that is your goal and your desire, by all means go for it.  My purpose is to encourage each reader to remember their goal, check to see if they are on the right path to achieving it, and if off track, to get back on the path to achieve it).

 

What was it that drew you to weight training?  If you are like me then it was the powerful look that can be achieved with the AGR Systems.    It is the best “flight path” I have experienced to achieve the lean, muscular look that I easily maintain even now in my 40’s.  Have a plan and stick to it…and the AGR Systems is one of the best ways there is.  If you would like to have someone help you “plot your flight path” through the turbulence, check out our Premiere Coaching Program.

 

(OK, I’m done with all the references to flying now.  😀 )

 

Train Hard.  Train Smart.
Jason

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

Jason Haynes is one of the oldest members of the AGR community and has been around since he participated in the first and second AGR Transformation Competitions, of which he placed second and first, respectively.  Having found a system that he is confident in and that works, he has faithfully stuck by it ever since.  Now in his 40’s, Jason enjoys living the life of maintaining his physique easily and with little effort, thanks to the AGR system and tools provided.  He is also a coach in the Adonis Premiere Coaching program and desires to help anyone to achieve their fitness goals.

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes: May 2014

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes | May 2014

 

 

 

 

Phi-Life Series: Muscle Building & The Anabolic Continuum

Today we bring you another podcast from our phi-life series.

Phi-Life is a series of podcasts where John Barban and Brad Pilon discuss their ideas and concepts on the topics of muscle building, fat loss and health. In a nutshell they are just thinking out loud and recording it for your benefit.

Today’s topic: Muscle Building & The Anabolic Continuum

 

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Where are you in the Anabolic Continuum?

 

Muscle Building is one of the most elusive goals of  bodybuilders and gym-goers alike.  Furthermore, it has puzzled scientist’s in research studies who have been unable to effectively control and/or determine the results of a muscle-building research study.

When it comes to muscle building, it’s important to identify where an individual is in the Anabolic Continuum.

The Anabolic Continuum takes into account the several factors that determines your potential for muscle building. A few factors for example are: height, weight, age, and years of training experience.

Your ability to build muscle follows a very logical progression. Specifically, with your response to weight training.

Today John Barban and Brad Pilon will discuss further intricacies of the Anabolic Continuum, as well as provide some tips and suggestions to ensure you remain on track for your training and muscle building goals.

You will also learn and discover:

  • What are confounding variables and how they can impact a research study
  • The difference between responders and non-responders in research studies
  • How to predict your lean muscle mass
  • How to determine where you are on the anabolic continuum
  • Are you in the right place in your weight training life
  • Is there a specific way that you should be training
  • What are the knowns and unknowns when evaluating an individual for a research study

Listen to the podcast here:

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