Re: Advice to others on Getting Started?

[Guest guest]

Winters wrote:

< Can anyone offer me any advice about what advice I can offer in a situation

like this?>

Rosemary Wedderburn-Vernon:

> Having " been there, done that " on many occasions, and, like you, wishing

>to help people, especially since I achieved such wonderful results from my

>resistance training efforts, my best advice is: Save your breath!

>

>I don't know how many times people have come up to me with all sorts of

>complimentary comments, then asked for advice. But when I would tell them

>what I did and how to get started, their eyes began to roll and they became

>dazed looking, no matter how short and sweet I made it. There was a marvelous

> " Atomic Dog " on Testosterone written by Shughart in December of 2000

>entitled, " Merry Christmas, Bob. " If you haven't read it, it brings this

>subject home. The link is:

> < http://t-mag.com/html/136tc.html

>Chris' humor is harsh and he takes no prisoners and shows no mercy, as so he

should!

Rosemary,

Not exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to hear, but I have the

uncomfortable feeling that you're right. Thus far, the only ones who've

broached the subject with me a second time are the ones -- fortunately only

a small minority -- that have gotten the " you need to start exercising "

speech from their MDs and want to know what I've done as part of their

information-gathering. It's the others I was asking about...

But thanks.

Winters

at or about 40°27'00 " N 80°00'00 " W

aka Pittsburgh, PA, USA

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the coutenance of his

friend. Prov. 27:17 (NKJV)

[Guest guest]

Winters <winters@...> wrote:

> Notwithstanding the fact that my BF% is still far too high, I've

> been complimented recently for " losing weight " by people who've

> noticed a change. A couple of times, the ensuing conversation has

> included them saying something to the effect of, " Well, I've been

> wanting to get into the gym and lose some weight, but I need to

> lose ten pounds first. "

What is that supposed to mean? Do they mean that they'd be too

embarrassed to go into a gym looking out of shape? Or do they

honestly think they need to lose weight before they can put on

muscle?

> (I've been guilty of this same you-have-to-get-into-shape-to-start-

> getting-into-shape thinking myself in the past, so no contempt

> toward others is meant.)

I honestly don't understand it, but I have had situations where I had

to get back into shape before I could get back into a sport I

enjoyed. If you're not in shape, some sports are just too punitive

to enjoy.

> The ones that don't shy away from the idea of lifting, tend to

> want to do endless reps of five-pound dumbbells. The standard

> " too bulky " objection is often raised...

Laughing out loud at that one helps, followed by " all those college

guys have been trying to get 'too bulky' since high school, and they

can't get there; what makes you think you'll bulk up? " .

It also helps to point out that a small child weighs 20 lbs, for

instance, or that a big bottle of water is close to 50 lbs. That

makes those 5-lb dumbbells seem silly.

Matt Madsen

Irvine, CA

[Guest guest]

On Wed, 8 Aug 2001, Matt Madsen wrote:

Winters <winters@...> wrote:

>> Notwithstanding the fact that my BF% is still far too high, I've

>> been complimented recently for " losing weight " by people who've

>> noticed a change. A couple of times, the ensuing conversation has

>> included them saying something to the effect of, " Well, I've been

>> wanting to get into the gym and lose some weight, but I need to

>> lose ten pounds first. "

>What is that supposed to mean? Do they mean that they'd be too

>embarrassed to go into a gym looking out of shape? Or do they

>honestly think they need to lose weight before they can put on

>muscle?

I never asked for clarification, but I can remember getting the feeling that

with some it was the former, with others the latter.

Amusingly enough, no one's asked me about it for the last several weeks

(read: " since about the time I posted that message " ). Coincidence? Or

maybe it's just that the last few weeks at work have neatly derailed my

gym-going and it shows? I'd like to chalk it up to coincidence, but...

>> (I've been guilty of this same you-have-to-get-into-shape-to-start-

>> getting-into-shape thinking myself in the past, so no contempt

>> toward others is meant.)

>I honestly don't understand it, but I have had situations where I had

>to get back into shape before I could get back into a sport I

>enjoyed. If you're not in shape, some sports are just too punitive

>to enjoy.

Back when I was young(er) and had no sense, I thought a certain level of

fitness was required in order to work toward attaining a certain level of

fitness. Ridiculous, but I believed it. Why, I couldn't tell you.

Now that I'm a little less young and have a little sense, I agree with what

you're saying: You have to get into shape for particular sports/activities,

but you don't have to get into shape to generally " get into shape. "

>> The ones that don't shy away from the idea of lifting, tend to

>> want to do endless reps of five-pound dumbbells. The standard

>> " too bulky " objection is often raised...

>

>Laughing out loud at that one helps, followed by " all those college

>guys have been trying to get 'too bulky' since high school, and they

>can't get there; what makes you think you'll bulk up? " .

Good point.

>It also helps to point out that a small child weighs 20 lbs, for

>instance, or that a big bottle of water is close to 50 lbs. That

>makes those 5-lb dumbbells seem silly.

I have tried the, " Just pretend you want to look like one of those

musclemonsters and work accordingly. When you get where you want, switch

from a growth program to a maintenance program. " argument. It hasn't met

with much success. Maybe I should apply increasing-resistance principles to

my examples: Have them think about a 10# bag of potatos, then a 25# bag of

dog food/kitty litter, then...

Winters

aka Pittsburgh, PA, USA

As iron sharpens iron, so a man

at or about 40°27'00 " N 80°00'00 " W

sharpens the coutenance of his friend.

Prov. 27:17 (NKJV)