“Comparison is the thief of joy”
Was just about the only worthwhile thing Jess learned from her multi-year dalliance with what can be fairly described as a Christian cult.
(It was one of those American-style evangelical churches that used a rock band and a jeans-wearing pastor as a cover for their manipulative, exploitative, and downright abusive practices).
Terrible source notwithstanding, it is a good teaching.
Particularly when applied to the extraordinarily muscular physiques and superhuman feats of strength you see online.
Why?
Two reasons:
1) Those posting this stuff are usually in a position to devote their every waking moment to the pursuit of health and fitness. And,
2) Most of them are on drugs – if not now, then at some point in the past. (And I’m convinced some of the muscle and strength boosting effects of PEDs persist, at least in part, long after one gets “clean” – if not forever).
Hence, comparing yourself to these people in any way, shape, or form is very demotivating when you have a life outside the gym and are committed to staying natural.
Comparison can even push you to train too hard, too often and adopt an unsustainable diet in the pursuit of trying to get what they’ve got.
Burnout and injury follow.
Ultimately, you have to be realistic about what’s possible in your specific circumstances, which is almost always less than you think you can achieve. But that’s not to say you can’t achieve some pretty remarkable things, provided you knuckle down and do the work.
At the very least, you’ll get stronger and more muscular than you are right now – both things that are conducive to living a healthier, happier life and becoming more useful in general. (Yes, I’m aware that’s a form of comparison, but if you can’t see how it’s different to using PED-Heads as your measuring stick then you’re beyond help).
Anyway.
While we’re on the subject of you getting stronger and more muscular, I’m looking for a handful of men who want to build muscle and strength without inserting needles into their bottoms.
I can’t promise specific results because everybody is different.
To qualify you must be:
1) Male.
2) UK based.
3) Training regularly.
4) Brave enough to admit you don’t know everything.
5) Bold enough to commit to a solution now and not at some indeterminate point in the future.
If that’s you, email the word TRIGGERED to phil@philtyreman.co.uk, and we’ll take it from there.
Thank you,
Phil Tyreman