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View Full Version : Lessons in the art of pain.



Mr.Chaos
12-06-09, 10:42 pm
It has been a long while since I have taken the time out of my busy day to post. I had to live through a few things so that I could speak from experience as opposed to speaking from a philisophical point of view created from my own intellectual fabric.

For some this life is a number game. How many sets of this weight or how man reps of that weight. How many lbs of body fat vs. how many lbs of muscle. Percentages and calorie counting etc. etc. etc. Dont get me wrong. The number game holds some weight when your life revolves around steel plates and bars. It is reminiscent of a prison. Numbers of days and months and years behind the steel and concrete edifices that restrain and hide one from the world outside. Interesting that the two in description are so similar.

For a long while I was chasing a number my self. I had a goal of weight. I wanted to weight a certain amount. I focused on it because weight meant size, and size meant strength and power right???? or does it?? I am not to sure about that either.

Somewhere between point A and point B. My focus on the scale grew less and less. In the middle of this journey I began to think about quality mass and athleticism. The intensity of workouts grew out of control and I became more comfortable learning from my brothers who have served in this pursuit long before it crossed my mind. This thing became more complex and more intricate. Where once I wanted to be able to put up three plates (and I have done that and more) I have learned from the old timers who have passed this tradition down to me that sometimes 7 lbs of lean mass weights more heavily than 25 lbs of just mass.

I thought about this revelation with care. As the old saying goes a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. It struck me that this thought was a sign of maturation within the sport and that I was finally on to something, I had finally found a focal point for my training and could spend some time enjoying my task as opposed to learning about it 24/7.

As with all things. This sport has been invaded by the power of the cash cow. I open magazines and for every 1 page of actual information there are 8 adds proclaiming that one product is the cats pajamas and will turn your body into a hulk of lean muscle mass.

Iam the apprentence of a man that goes by the name of Ogre. He is a hulking man in his mid 50's. I lift with him and listen to him. The funny thing about listening to him is that he is always complaining about the pussies that have diluted this sport. He speaks of days when a protein shake consisted of 4 raw eggs and a steak and when NO meant drinking alot of orange juice. I think that some of his rants are valid, however, I dont know if the game has changed that much.

Lifting is one of the last honest sports. Either you work hard or you dont. It is fairly cut and dry. To reap the results of the pain you must impress the pain upon yourself. A man can not step into a gym one day and through the politics of the Corperations that run it become a star. The athlete must be a body of proof. A living justification of hardwork.

Above and beyond all of the products we take and the labels that are carefully placed on our tee shirts. Consistant hard work and discipline is what will ultimately make him an ANIMAL. The beach boy clubbers who work their arms and pecs three days a week will never really be accepted by those of us who are true to the tradition of bodybuilding. They have not endured the pain and turmoil leading this life has offered us. They are seperate and vein.

I suppose my post wont get many reads as those of us who are true students of this game are scarce. I could care less. For the one or two who actually read this post and are able to take a piece of mind from it, that is my aim.

Brothers, we have lived through days and times that many will say are best forgotten. I choose not to forget, because it is those days when my legs screamed in torment that made me the man I am today. Honest and willing to work to achieve greatness in whatever I pursue. It is those days that they will say I shall forget that have given me the stregnth of mind and character to be brutaly honest with myself as well as those around me. The goal is simple gents. We are here to make something out of the meek existance that we were offered at birth. We came from the ground up and as is tradition we will pursue this awkward greatness with intensity and tenacity untill death pulls our grasp from the bar.

To all of the real ANIMALS of the world, to every skinny kid with a dream in every city: Stay true.....

-Mr.Chaos