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Good Advice For Young LiftersA Letter to My Younger SelfBY Jim Wendler from T-Nation.com ![]()
You've been lifting for about six months now. I haven't been watching you (that's a bit creepy), but I know what you've been doing. See, I'm you and you're me. I'm you more than 20 years from now. I've got the scar on my upper cheek to prove it. This letter is for your benefit. I'm going to bestow some wisdom on you and it would be in your best interest to follow it. First, don't cut your hair. Ever. Let that mop grow no matter what Dad says. You're going to lose it, so enjoy it while you can. Second, I know you're obsessed about weight training and football so let me give you some advice. Here are the things I want you to implement in your training, no questions asked. I know you're a stubborn fool and hate to be told what to do, but please read and take heed.
|
Exercise | Sets | Reps | |
A | Squat | 3 | 5/3/1 |
B | Bench press | 3 | 5/3/1 |
C | Dips | 3 | |
D | Chin-ups | 3 | |
E | 4-Way nec | 3 | |
F | Sit-ups | 3 | 20 |
Exercise | Sets | Reps | |
A | Power clean | 3 | 5/3/1 |
B | Deadlift | 3 | 5/3/1 |
C | Incline press | 3 | 10 |
D | Barbell curls | 3 | 10 |
E | Back extensions | 3 | 20 |
Exercise | Sets | Reps | |
A | Front squat | 3 | 5/3/1 |
B | Press | 3 | 5/3/1 |
C | Rows | 3 | 10 |
D | DB press | 3 | 10 |
E | 4-Way neck | 3 | |
F | Sit-ups | 3 | 20 |
Just so you know, all those people you train with in high school? None of them keep up with training. But don't stop writing them workouts they'll never use; it's great practice for later in life. Trust me.
Now during the football season, I want you to cut your training down to two days/week. You can continue to train three days/week during basketball and track season but let's recover a bit during football. The in-season training will now look like this:
Monday
Squat
Bench Press
Assistance work
Wednesday
Deadlift
Press
Assistance work
For assistance work, I recommend doing back extensions, sit-ups, chin-ups, and dips. If you have time and energy for more, go ahead and do whatever you want. Don't think that training only two days/week is too little. You're running seven days/week and wear pads/hit four days a week. This is very stressful on the body and you'll be surprised how strong you'll get when you train smart and train with purpose.
You probably won't believe this, but the trend today is either being ridiculously fat and awful or skinny and weak! There's this new pride in the world and it revolves around being physically pathetic. I'm glad you take pride in your mind and your body. Like Dad says, "It's important to be strong here (as he points to his head) and strong here (as he points to his arms)." The two go hand in hand and help build one another.
The reality is that you're too skinny. I know you need – and want – to gain weight, so here's the secret:
I also hope that you start reading a lot on diet and write a book on it. It doesn't matter what it contains as long as it's got a good name and some ridiculous claims; people will fall for anything but common sense.
There's a famous actor in the future named Will Smith. In his speech to kids, he
said (to paraphrase): "If you want to be successful, you need to do two things.
You need to read and you need to run."
Now of course there's a deeper meaning to this than hitting the treadmill and reading John Grisham, but I'm here to teach you, not feed you. You're educated, so you figure it out. I trust Mrs. Screbneck gave you the tools to decipher that one.
Run.
You already do it but don't stop. Run sprints. Run hills. Run miles. You don't need to run every day but it wouldn't hurt. You run tons of 40-yard sprints. Keep doing it. You run Sanders Hill – set up a tent and live there. It's one thing to be strong as a football player but if you can't move, you're worthless.
Let's face facts. You aren't the fastest person in the world. And you certainly aren't the biggest. So let's make sure you're in great shape. Let's make sure your legs are strong to grind out the extra yards or pull down a tackler.
Thank God you play both ways – the current trend in football is what's known as "platooning." This means more people –not necessarily the best ones – get to play. Or everyone is too out of shape to play both ways. It's like Dad says, "Put the best athletes on defense and make sure they can play offense too."
People ask what to do for agility work – that's what playing sports is for. You don't need that obnoxious agility ladder. You've been playing sports since you could walk. Basketball, wrestling, football, track, swimming, cross country – you think an agility ladder or some ridiculous drills are going to somehow mirror the work of a sports practice or the spirit of competition?
I know you're smarter than that.
And please don't ask Dad for that parachute. Run the damn hill.
Don't be so anxious and don't worry. There are going to be a lot of
times where you're going to feel helpless, powerless, and the future seems
hopeless. Remember how we talked about The Process? Just focus on doing the Right
Things the Correct Way.
People get too wrapped up in the goal and not the events that need to happen to reach that goal. The goal seems so big, so far away. And they get frustrated. And they quit.
You do not quit. You never have. Mom and Dad made sure you didn't quit. This will serve you well in all areas of life.
Read more. Write more. Train more. Keep your head down and don't worry that your bank account is empty. Don't worry that you don't have a car or a computer – you can write on scrap papers found in the recycling bins in college hallways. The important thing is to write and read and train.
When you write, your thoughts become alive and take form. They become real. You know why no one writes the Great American Novel? Because they're too scared to put pen to paper.
When you read, your mind expands. Your dreams become bigger and your words become more colorful.
When you train, your body becomes taut and hard. And when you train hard, your mind must overcome the physical pain to overcome and move on.
All these things go hand in hand. Never stop creating, moving forward, and kicking ass. Discard the negative and trust your heart.
And most of all, don't get married. At least not the first time.
Submitted by DMorgan on Wed, 09/19/2012 - 2:06pm. | Related Articles
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