First let me say Happy New Year, peace love and joy to everyone! I hope you all bring to this new year all of your love to each of your lives which in turn makes this world a place of prosperity. I have learned that the new year (or anything else for that matter) cannot bring YOU anything. YOU must bring to it, whatever it is. So bring it on!
A few months ago I attended a wonderful Learning Annex lecture with my CIO brother Jayson given by Keith Ferrazzi author of Never Eat Alone. I learned a lot about opening up, that business and pleasure really do and should mix and that in life you don’t get what you don’t ask for.
In the spirit of his book, I sent Keith an autographed copy of my book and invited him to train at Serious Strength next time he was in NYC. He did and remarked that he enjoyed the training and felt very good afterward (this is something that most people remark about Slow Burn training – that it builds you up without beating you up!) But before the training session, while we were discussing the productivity of Slow Burn strength training, he looked me up and down and in good spirit flat out said "How come you’re not big?"
I was taken aback.
Keith is already in great shape. He is a fairly tall man and has very good genetics. By contrast I am only 5’10" and have a small to medium frame. To paint a picture, if I was a boxer I’d be a welterweight. Keith would be a light heavy weight. Different frameworks entirely.
So, how come I’m not big? If Slow Burn is as good as I say it is why am I not massive? The answer lies in our genetic makeup.
Have you ever encountered a kid who can do math a lot better than you can? Have you ever met a person who can draw amazing things naturally in a split second that would take you years to learn how to do if ever – and they never took an art course? I have blue eyes. However, if I stood next to Paul Newman my eyes wouldn’t look so blue.
All of the above has to do with genetics. Not everyone can have big bulging muscles. Most people can’t, especially women. In fact, you need to possess a VERY rare set of genetics in order to have a bodybuilders body – just like Paul Newman’s blue eyes or Stephen Hawking’s brain. How rare? Perhaps only one half of one percent of all the people on Earth possess the genetics for a Greek god like body. However, because there are ~8 billion people on Earth, one half of one percent of 8 billion is millions of people. So you’ll see quite a few people in the gym or at the beach looking exceptional. But more often than not they look exceptional despite their exercise regimens, not because of them. God rolls the genetic dice and as my daughter Georgia says "You get what you get and you don’t get upset."
There are things in life that you just can’t have. Due to my slight frame and "normal" genetics, Slow Burn strength training (along with a low carb diet) has made me look fit, strong, and lean at 44 years young. In fact, most of the people I meet remark how fit I look and that I must workout a lot to be in such great shape. But big and powerful? Nope. Sorry Fred, it ain’t in the genes.
So the take away message from this blog is this – with a sound, consistent eating regimen, preferably one that is low in refined carbs (and carbs in general), high in fat and protein and calorically correct, along with 2 weekly strength training sessions (preferably Slow Burn strength training for safety and effectiveness) you will radically transform your physique and experience all your genetic makeup will allow. Most everyone following this simple yet challenging plan can transform themselves perhaps not into Greek gods and goddesses, but into looking "maaa-velous."
