Is the Gym a Meritocracy?

[Never1AShow]

Yeah, I know about genetics and all, but the first thing I learned when I entered a gym was that I was weak.  The second thing was that it did not have to stay that way.  Patience, hard work and perseverance put me ahead of 95 percent of the people there regardless of genetics.  Just showing up and working hard towards a goal.  You get stronger, build endurance, build grit and mental toughness.

I think this is why so many here are so focused on the drug issue.  But that really only matters for the very few doing competitions who are mostly already working out hard.  I'm not advocating a "just the finishing touch" lie mentality.  That mentality, however, giving all credit to drugs and genetics leaves out a huge amount involving simple hard work and perseverance.

Many many many good life lessons to be learned in the gym.

[Irongrip400]

WTF is this shit doing on a bodybuilding board? Post this shit in the training section. The G&O is reserved for tranny threads, WYHI threads, WYHI tranny/trick threads, politics and racism. Take this shit elsewhere.

[NordicNerd]

Yeah, I know about genetics and all, but the first thing I learned when I entered a gym was that I was weak.  The second thing was that it did not have to stay that way.  Patience, hard work and perseverance put me ahead of 95 percent of the people there regardless of genetics.  Just showing up and working hard towards a goal.  You get stronger, build endurance, build grit and mental toughness.

I think this is why so many here are so focused on the drug issue.  But that really only matters for the very few doing competitions who are mostly already working out hard.  I'm not advocating a "just the finishing touch" lie mentality.  That mentality, however, giving all credit to drugs and genetics leaves out a huge amount involving simple hard work and perseverance.

Many many many good life lessons to be learned in the gym.

I remember when I first set foot in a rather hardcore gym 20 years ago, at a young age and I started out as one of the weakest persons there. At the gym where I train now, in Norway, there are just a couple of stronger guys than me, but that is mostly due to the population training there. I went to a gym in Houston and was dwarfed by all these juiced guys (probably). 

But I didn't care- as you grow older, being able to train consistently requires a mindset where the meritocracy is about your own relative merits. There will always be bigger guys- you need to focus on where you are and being realistic and not depend on comparisons with others. Otherwise you will end up with disillusionment and macho-training. To me that is one of the best learning experiences I've had.

NN

[JackScribber]

Yeah, I know about genetics and all, but the first thing I learned when I entered a gym was that I was weak.  The second thing was that it did not have to stay that way.  Patience, hard work and perseverance put me ahead of 95 percent of the people there regardless of genetics.  Just showing up and working hard towards a goal.  You get stronger, build endurance, build grit and mental toughness.

I think this is why so many here are so focused on the drug issue.  But that really only matters for the very few doing competitions who are mostly already working out hard.  I'm not advocating a "just the finishing touch" lie mentality.  That mentality, however, giving all credit to drugs and genetics leaves out a huge amount involving simple hard work and perseverance.

Many many many good life lessons to be learned in the gym.

How about you just go to the gym without giving a fuck how you compare to anyone in there? Or are you not secure enough to be your own man?

[Never1AShow]

How about you just go to the gym without giving a fuck how you compare to anyone in there? Or are you not secure enough to be your own man?

How do you know what is heavy or strong or fit or in shape without comparing to what others have done?  It's natural to compare yourself to others.  You don't tell runners to just run by themselves and never run a race.
You may eat turds all day long and if they taste good to you then more power to you.

[Coffeed]

Approved.

[Never1AShow]

Another thing I like about the gym is that you really cannot fake it.  Either you can bench 315 or not.  There is a bench right there to prove any claims.  People post synthol loony pics here all the time but they are the very very rare psychopaths out there.  Never seen anything like that even in Golds Venice.  If you are in there training hard the others doing the same see it and eventually respect develops.

When the squat bar drops the bullshit stops.