There are many charlatans in the fitness game that love to play tricks on you.
The one trick they consistently play is when they present very fast (quick fixes) or very unlikely physique transformations.
You have seen the before/after pictures on social media where someone goes from a total zero to a complete hero overnight using the newest, gimmick 30-day workout/diet program.
After seeing this many folks then say “I can do that too!” as they are purchasing the fake hustle workout program. Unfortunately they just got duped.
Behind Closed Doors
When many folks begin to train they want the instant results that the bogus commercials promise. But what the average person does not know is:
[bctt tweet=”Steroid usage, surgical procedures, and photoshop and run rampant in the fitness industry.” username=”fitman83″]• They do not know if the person shown ever even used that training program.
• They do not know if the person shown is using anabolic steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs to improve their physique.
• They do not know if the person shown in the before and after pictures has been heavily photoshopped.
• They do not know if the person shown has had surgical procedures to make their body look more visually appealing.
As a veteran and insider of the fitness game, I will tell you this with 100 percent certainty: if it is too good to be true, then it is too good to be true.
Fake Hustle
Steroid usage, surgical procedures, and photoshop and run rampant in the fitness industry.
The overwhelming majority of fitness models and Instagram “influencers” use one or all of the three to create an impossible physique.
I’ve always said the body has to match the effort.
So when I see an “influencer” with a ridiculous, comic-book physique always doing very easy and undemanding workouts devoid of pain and effort then I already know the truth of how they got that body.
If it looks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, it ain’t a dang mongoose.
How do you think that woman appears as if she has the perfect Coke-bottle frame all year long?
How can she truly have a 23 inch waist and then possess 42 inch hips?
How can she attain that fantasy look when her workouts contain no intensity, effort, or direction?
How do you think that man is big, ripped, and freaky looking all year?
How is he 6’2, 230lbs at 5 percent body fat all while claiming he is all natural?
How can he attain this look when his workouts lack passion and programming?
[bctt tweet=”If it looks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, it ain’t a dang mongoose.” username=”fitman83″]The Truth About Getting Fit
The goal for these con artists is to present an unattainable physique to the masses.
When the masses get seduced by these mythical physiques they go into their pockets and spend money on the “training” programs and supplements that deliver no results.
The real truth about getting fit is that their are no quick fixes when it comes to building your body. It takes time, consistency, and hard work to build your body naturally.
Let’s look below at 4 of the individual elements of the fitness game that will have you on the road to being fit.
1) Getting Strong
It takes time to get strong. You cannot just go from squatting 95lbs to 315lbs overnight.
The fastest way to get stronger is to keep adding weight to the bar in the 3-5 rep range.
Don’t expect to make major leaps every single time you train. Following a progressive strength training program will allow you to make progress for the large majority of your workouts.
But there will be some sessions where you go nowhere with your numbers. The strength game is not linear.
But even if you only added 2.5lbs every other week to a big lift like squats or deadlifts for 52 weeks, you would add 65lbs to that lift.
I promise you that with that with stronger numbers, you will look and feel better.
2) Building Muscle
It takes time to build muscle. You cannot just go from a scrawny scarecrow to a lean, muscular athlete overnight.
The best exercises that build the most muscle are compound exercises. The fastest way to use those exercises to build muscle is to move relatively heavy weights for 3-10 reps for multiple sets.
The main exercises you should use to build muscle are:
• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Lunges
• Hip Thrusts
• Hip Extensions
• Glute-Ham Raises
• Calf Raises
• Bench Presses
• Pull-Ups
• Dips
• Rows
• Overhead Presses
• Pullovers
• Triceps Extensions
• Biceps Curls
• Delt Raises
3) Losing Fat
It takes time to lose body fat. You cannot go from Peter Griffin to the Black Panther overnight.
The fastest way to lose fat is to clean up your trash diet and then to start sprinting.
When you cut out the junk and start to eat like a healthy, athletic adult, you will start to look like one too.
Sprinting is the apex predator of conditioning movements. No other exercise will ramp up your metabolism like pure sprinting.
Sprint 2-3 days each week to kick body fat in the rear.
4) Building Mental Toughness
It takes time to build mental toughness.
An unknown truth is that mental toughness is the most underrated part of getting fit.
Some guys and gals are mentally soft and are always feeling sorry for themselves.
They like to quit the instant things get hard in the weight room or on the track. Unfortunately in most cases that quitting attitude translates to life as well.
Hard set of squats? They quit.
Tough sprinting workout? They quit.
Have to sacrifice junk foods? They quit.
You cannot change from Stanley Soft to Caesar Confidence overnight.
You’ve got to build that self-confidence and belief in yourself through hard training.
Training is just controlled failure. But each time you hop over a hurdle that previously defeated you, you build more mental toughness.
Conclusion
The hard truth about getting fit is that you will not go from out of shape to fit man (no pun) or fit woman overnight.
You cannot give up and you cannot give in when you hit rock bottom. Everybody will hit rock bottom in the gym and over the course of their life.
I’ve lost close family to sickness and disease.
I’ve had brother-like friends that I grew up with die at a young age.
I’ve failed as an athlete.
I’ve been heartbroken.
I’ve nearly folded in business.
And I have had my arse handed to me in the gym and on the track.
In the moment all of these incidents were crushing. But facing them and ultimately recovering from these rock bottom moments helped me develop the mental fortitude needed to continue to push forward.
I’ll holla at you next time.
The People’s Trainer,
Fitman
