This isn't about fat shaming. This is about the representation of something we used to stand against. Which was that we applauded people who were exceptional, instead of applauding the norm, or average. We applauded the near unattainable by those who dared to risk everything to achieve it. Not the "I woke up like this" bullshit.
Henry Rollins said, “I learned that nothing comes without work and a certain amount of pain. When I finish a set that leaves me shaking, I know more about myself. When something gets bad, I know it can’t be as bad as that workout. I used to fight the pain, but recently this became clear to me: pain is not my enemy; it is my call to greatness.”
My call to greatness. Truer words have never been spoken. If you are looking to become great at anything— sports, business, relationships, whatever—you need to go through some degree of pain. That’s why so many people settle for mediocrity. They fight that pain. They fear it, because it’s hard and takes effort. People that train hard don’t settle. We are taught that under the bar. We push for excellence with every rep, every time we walk into the gym. We go outside our comfort zones to become better.
"We only focus on performance goals with the added benefit of becoming better people through "suffering for challenges" (which is a horrible way to put it but being uncomfortable should be a natural feeling). It goes FAR BEYOND getting big muscles. It's about being a stronger person, physically and mentally and spiritually. Is this of any interest to you as a person? Do you want to take advantage of becoming more than a body part?
Throw this idea away of associating yourself with the size of the body part and realizing physical challenges give you so much more. Wanting "big pecs" for training is like buying a race car and using it to go grocery shopping. Yeah, it's doing a job but you are missing out on 100% of what it could be."
"This is why I train. Why I push myself even on the tough days. Why I will never "wait for tomorrow" to prioritize my health. Muscle is great. Heavy weights are empowering. Shedding fat makes you feel good. But they are all secondary to knowing that I'm doing what's within my power to be around as long as possible.
That's the end game. It's not about what I see in the mirror. Those are added benefits and part of the fun. But real motivation is knowing that movement is life. It never stops, so you shouldn't either. I exercise to feel alive. It's about what I can do every day, so I don't have to create a universe of "what ifs." It's about being the best version of myself. Not just for me. But for the people I care about most in this world."
"For most of human history, the art of the hero wasn't left up to chance; it was a multidisciplinary endeavor devoted to optimal nutrition, physical self-mastery, and mental conditioning. The hero's skills were studied, practiced, and perfected, then passed along from parent to child and teacher to student. The art of the hero wasn't about being brave; it was about being so competent that bravery wasn't an issue. You weren't supposed to go down for a good cause; the goal was to figure out a way not to go down at all. Achilles and Odysseus and the rest of the classical heroes hated the thought of dying and scratched for every second of life. A hero's one crack at immortality was to be remembered as a champion, and champions don't die dumb. It all hinged on the ability to unleash the tremendous resources of strength, endurance, and agility that many people don't realize they already have."
The modern world is a trainwreck of distractions, debasements and derailments. Between technology, politics, and the economy, the world is like an obstacle course that tests the limits of even the most skilled and disciplined spiritual warrior. The uncertainty of the current global crisis bombards us daily with fear and anxiety that wastes the body, torments the mind, and tortures the soul. Making matters worse, society rewards a mentality of victimhood. To cultivate the Self through proper nutrition, exercise, study and spiritual practice is viewed, at best, as an eccentric hobby—and at worst, a luxury afforded only to the leisurely elite.
This current social climate can leave us feeling dried out and drained. But the human will is an enduring spark that can ignite the dry brush of alienation to burn a flame as bright as the Sun, and the soul is a deluge that fills us with nourishment as nurturing as the Moon. All it takes is dedication, commitment, and discipline. Nevermind about “finding the time”—once you commit to developing the Self, the time will find you.
If you perform sprints and lift consistently, you'll build a superhero physique. Your hamstrings will be thick and powerful. Your glutes will sit high and tight like a military fade haircut. And no other exercise will decimate body fat faster.
Despite these benefits, few people practice sprints. Instead, you see most of them wasting an hour on lame cardio machines, looking like zombies, going through the motions as they wait for their pre-programmed time limit to expire. All this and they've only burned 200 calories. Wow.
Why spend that much time going nowhere fast when you can hit the track, perform real conditioning, get vastly better results, and feel alive in a fraction of the time?