Why Your Workouts Suck..

WillBrink · 05-22-2009, 07:49 AM

I’m now going to write my first “old guy” blog that’s going to start with the stereotype “darn kids today!” intro…so here goes:

Darn kids today! If there’s one thing I don’t understand about the younger generation I see in the gym - doing almost everything wrong - is, they really have no excuses. Back in the day, we had nothing to go on. We had some of the muscle mags, which were generally full of training articles written by genetically gifted drug assisted bodybuilders, and the advice of other clueless people in the gym, and that was it! There really was no solid science at the time, all that great east block training that has flooded the world was kept firmly in the east block, and there was no internet!

Hard as that is to imagine, yes, there was a time when no internet existed. Thus, we really had nothing but trial and error and a few magazines to go on. Today, there is an amazing amount of solid science based training information out there, and yet, I see the same mistakes happening in the gyms I did 20 plus years ago! All the great training information now available out there, much of it free, by the worlds best coaches and others, and yet, little has changed as far as the average kid in the gym still doing it all wrong…. I don’t get it. We had a pretty good excuse why we were clueless, but these darn kids today, really have none….

More perplexing, is the endless threads on the forums with people discussing workouts that are no better thought out or designed then the junk we were stuck with all those years go, seemingly ignoring all the great modern information out there today. No understanding of the basic concepts such as volume, intensity, TUT, periodization, muscle fiber types, etc, etc.

No, you don’t have to be a rocket surgeon to make progress in strength and muscle mass in the gym, but you do need to understand the basics. More perplexing is why people continue to make up their own (usually awful) workout programs that set them years behind (read, spinning their wheels!), vs. simply following the programs of people who have spent their entire lives figuring this stuff out! Why re invent the wheel here? Everyone seems to think they are an expert when it comes to a workout program… and they are not…

There’s a ton of great coaches and programs to choose from. Choose one, follow it to the letter, then move onto others that fit your particular goals (and don’t get me started on the lack of goal setting that is so common…) and over time you will learn what you respond best to, but that takes years of hard work. If I were to summarize why the majority of peoples’ program suck, in a nut shell:

•They are Linear program designs (lack of Periodization!)

•Lack de-training/de loading periods

•Lack of planned progression

•Lack of specific goals

•Fail to match training to goals

•Fail to track specific goals

If the above reflects your approach, that’s why you fail to make any progress and why your workouts suck…

Darn kids today!

Source:

why your workouts suck! | Brinkzone Blog

gtbmed · 05-22-2009, 09:31 AM

Maybe this is a reason people hit plateaus, but I don't think some of these apply specifically to newbies or "darn kids".

I think newbies can gain a lot with a linear, nonperiodized program. The main problems with what most newbies do, IMO, are:

1) Training body parts and not movements
2) Using too many isolation movements and too few compound ones

WillBrink · 05-22-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtbmed

Maybe this is a reason people hit plateaus, but I don't think some of these apply specifically to newbies or "darn kids".

I think newbies can gain a lot with a linear, nonperiodized program. The main problems with what most newbies do, IMO, are:

1) Training body parts and not movements
2) Using too many isolation movements and too few compound ones

I agree, but only because newbies will generally make progress in spite of what they do, not because of it. That does not mean it's optimal. It's clear they could make improved progress doing it correctly. Your reasons 1 and 2 are totally valid, but I see them as additional variables that fall into the "big picture" reasons above. For sure, avoiding the big multi joint lifts in favor of isolation movements, is a common mistake.

ClosingTime · 05-22-2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtbmed

Maybe this is a reason people hit plateaus, but I don't think some of these apply specifically to newbies or "darn kids".

I think newbies can gain a lot with a linear, nonperiodized program. The main problems with what most newbies do, IMO, are:

1) Training body parts and not movements
2) Using too many isolation movements and too few compound ones

Cheers to that, I've seen guys at my school who have been lifting for years and are still using piss poor form. I don't think the problem is 'damn kids' I think it's just ignorance.

**Merkaba** · 05-22-2009, 10:30 AM

AMEN brother!.....AMEN!!!!!!

Wish I could print this out and put this all over the mirrors at the gym.

05-22-2009, 07:49 AM	#1
WillBrink Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: MA Posts: 1,100	Why Your Workouts Suck.. I’m now going to write my first “old guy” blog that’s going to start with the stereotype “darn kids today!” intro…so here goes: Darn kids today! If there’s one thing I don’t understand about the younger generation I see in the gym - doing almost everything wrong - is, they really have no excuses. Back in the day, we had nothing to go on. We had some of the muscle mags, which were generally full of training articles written by genetically gifted drug assisted bodybuilders, and the advice of other clueless people in the gym, and that was it! There really was no solid science at the time, all that great east block training that has flooded the world was kept firmly in the east block, and there was no internet! Hard as that is to imagine, yes, there was a time when no internet existed. Thus, we really had nothing but trial and error and a few magazines to go on. Today, there is an amazing amount of solid science based training information out there, and yet, I see the same mistakes happening in the gyms I did 20 plus years ago! All the great training information now available out there, much of it free, by the worlds best coaches and others, and yet, little has changed as far as the average kid in the gym still doing it all wrong…. I don’t get it. We had a pretty good excuse why we were clueless, but these darn kids today, really have none…. More perplexing, is the endless threads on the forums with people discussing workouts that are no better thought out or designed then the junk we were stuck with all those years go, seemingly ignoring all the great modern information out there today. No understanding of the basic concepts such as volume, intensity, TUT, periodization, muscle fiber types, etc, etc. No, you don’t have to be a rocket surgeon to make progress in strength and muscle mass in the gym, but you do need to understand the basics. More perplexing is why people continue to make up their own (usually awful) workout programs that set them years behind (read, spinning their wheels!), vs. simply following the programs of people who have spent their entire lives figuring this stuff out! Why re invent the wheel here? Everyone seems to think they are an expert when it comes to a workout program… and they are not… There’s a ton of great coaches and programs to choose from. Choose one, follow it to the letter, then move onto others that fit your particular goals (and don’t get me started on the lack of goal setting that is so common…) and over time you will learn what you respond best to, but that takes years of hard work. If I were to summarize why the majority of peoples’ program suck, in a nut shell: •They are Linear program designs (lack of Periodization!) •Lack de-training/de loading periods •Lack of planned progression •Lack of specific goals •Fail to match training to goals •Fail to track specific goals If the above reflects your approach, that’s why you fail to make any progress and why your workouts suck… Darn kids today! Source: why your workouts suck! \| Brinkzone Blog - Will @ BrinkZone The No#1 Science Based Performance, Fitness, and Bodybuilding Resource on the 'net....

05-22-2009, 09:31 AM	#2
gtbmed Greg Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Atlanta Posts: 372	Maybe this is a reason people hit plateaus, but I don't think some of these apply specifically to newbies or "darn kids". I think newbies can gain a lot with a linear, nonperiodized program. The main problems with what most newbies do, IMO, are: 1) Training body parts and not movements 2) Using too many isolation movements and too few compound ones gtbmed's strength journal

05-22-2009, 10:30 AM	#5
Merkaba "King of Cheat Meals" Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: sc Posts: 1,625	AMEN brother!.....AMEN!!!!!! Wish I could print this out and put this all over the mirrors at the gym. Ban 2 1/2 's !!!!!! -------------------------------------------- Some Pics. All Natural

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode