Topic: What percentage of people do you think grossly overestimate their results?

[Jesster]

I'm not saying on here, but on other sites, and the internet as a whole. Everytime I go through a forum I'm reading about the guy going from 2 pullups to 10 in a month. Adding two one arm chins in a month. Dips from 5 to 18 in 3 months. Benchpress from 200 to 300 lbs. in a year. I do know one case of putting 60 lbs. in a summer on the towel bench, but that involved steroids.

Not to mention the people who claim they go to failure on the same exercise all day long, EVERYDAY, and that is why they are progressing like maniacs, because they work the same exercise 4 hours a day. "Deload? What is deload? ****!" I think a lot of people are juicing, and/or making outrageous claims. Some probably to promote themselves as a testimony to other peoples' systems. Sorry if this seems like a whiny rant about the small stuff, but these people are misleading newbies everyday for their own self-promotion and ego, and possibly causing young people all sorts of injuries. It is wrong.

I'm proud to say that I don't see much outrageous b.s. when it comes to Olympic lifting. Most people report gains that make sense, and best of all, training programs that lead to real gains without the injuries.

[dabrock]

You can never prove anything on the Internet unless the person has a public record or you personally know them. I tend to believe the stuff you've described as much as I believe a dating profile.  However, I can say honestly that I've had some tremendous gains in 3-4 months that would sound much like what you described above but I'm a deconditioned, trained person who was on a comeback and even though what I've gained sounds impressive on the surface everything is still well below my PRs. I've also seen other people in the same situation do the same so I know I'm not a special case, just one that is unusual but reasonable when you know the background.

So I guess some of these could be possible if the person is just deconditioned and making a come back or on some serious drugs. I'm sure much of it is a lot of talk too. It can lead to some very unreasonable expectations for the young and naive but this type of locker room bull certainly isn't new and will never go away.

[Jesster]

You can never prove anything on the Internet unless the person has a public record or you personally know them. I tend to believe the stuff you've described as much as I believe a dating profile.  However, I can say honestly that I've had some tremendous gains in 3-4 months that would sound much like what you described above but I'm a deconditioned, trained person who was on a comeback and even though what I've gained sounds impressive on the surface everything is still well below my PRs. I've also seen other people in the same situation do the same so I know I'm not a special case, just one that is unusual but reasonable when you know the background.

So I guess some of these could be possible if the person is just deconditioned and making a come back or on some serious drugs. I'm sure much of it is a lot of talk too. It can lead to some very unreasonable expectations for the young and naive but this type of locker room bull certainly isn't new and will never go away.

Some of these people have videos, too. Like a diary. Still it is hard to believe. I know one guy had claimed to be detrained and then set a PR in two weeks. Essentially a 7% increase in strength in two weeks on a 4 day a week plan that didn't even stick to his original outline. Although it would be approximately a 2% increase from his personal best. We are talking about someone who has been training for over 5 years, not a beginner. No taper, just ramp up the intensity and bam, PR. I think some people are fudging these videos.

One other person I was referring to in my original post, claims to have a pushy dad, and talks of stretch marks from training. Hmmm? He also likes to promote people to do his heavy volume (4 hour workouts. Five hours or more for other people to complete) workouts and post how they feel afterward. I think this kid is on the juice, and just f-ing with people. Sadly, people listen and start to feel like they need to follow his routines, which may not even be reel. I've tried to talk sense into some, but they are like, hey, he is proof it works. I'd love to fill his "prescription" with corn oil, and see him become his own example.

[Judas]

Its the internet. The internet is the virtual reality we were all promised in the 80's.. but with hotter chicks. Best you can do is (well, the BEST is not to care...) some research, find videos, find results ov comps, etc. But my advice would be to just assume its all real and adjust your standards. When i see some kid lifting 200lbs more than i can my instinct is to call steroids, but i know better. I get accused ov that often, and always by perfectly capable people who are afraid ov work or are too stupid to train correctly. When i see some 280lb 19 yr old olympic squatting over 750lbs (random theoretical example... haha) my mind goes right to "Steroids..." but just as quick i check the thought. What if he's not? What if he's clean? If he is clean and i assume drugs then i just created a powerful limit for myself, and the lame ass excuse to fuel it. I have to assume that he is clean, otherwise i'll KNOW i could never squat 750+ without drugs. And what if i could? Well, assuming other lifters have done it clean means i could possibly (though i'm off to a late start...). Assuming other lifters need drugs to do it would mean that i would also, so what would be the point in pushing myself...???

This rationalization has its limits however... I wont be assuming i could out-lift Mariusz Pudzianowski on just creatine and whey powder anytime soon...

[Zach Wheeler]

Unless you do it in competition, it doesn't mean ****

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

I have come to the realization that some folk are just freaks.  Some are geared differently than others - drugs or not - it's just to be accepted, not revered or envied, just accepted.  Some use a lot of drugs.  Some use a little bit.  Some use none.  I honestly don't care which "camp" they're in.  I just enjoy the sport, the fun, and the training. But I don't like liars or people who claim to be in one camp when in fact they are not. 

The examples used by Jesster above, are good examples of folk that perhaps finally got some good training in during a short time frame.  Or it could be something else?  I don't know.  I kind of like to keep my thougths to myself on that and enjoy the fact that this sport and training in general is fantastic in it's own right.  No matter what goes in someone's body. 

I believe we all have certain genetic gifts.  For example, I'm a gifted puller, but it has not translated into OL; it helps me immensely with my hobby and for that I'm thankful.  I'm not going to give up the training for my hobby, and my hobby, to be one in a hundred that can pull 800+ in the 242lb weight class.  It's just not worth it to me.  I've invested to many years of hard work to do that.  And I'm getting old now.  And this wasn't something that came to me overnight.  It took 25 years of hard work.  Yet, i bet I could barely bench press 330.  Same genetics that made me a gifted puller, make me a super mega crappy bencher by comparison.

I guess I look at all folk and say "good for you whatever you do as long as your happy and can look at yourself in the mirror and be proud."

That's all that matters to me.

All the best,
 Arden

[dabrock]

I have come to the realization that some folk are just freaks.  Some are geared differently than others - drugs or not - it's just to be accepted, not revered or envied, just accepted.  Some use a lot of drugs.  Some use a little bit.  Some use none.  I honestly don't care which "camp" they're in.  I just enjoy the sport, the fun, and the training. But I don't like liars or people who claim to be in one camp when in fact they are not. 

I don't think it really lessens the fact that a person is lifting a car even if they are taking chemicals to do it. The fact that they can do it is impressive in itself but I certainly agree there needs to be transparency. To be able to do what some of these guys do in this and other sports requires genetics, hard work and dedication no matter what their drug bill or else any kid could make it by just juicing. It would be great if we could at least admit publicly that it is part of the sport so it could be dealt with better for the health of those involved.

I've never used so it has always limited my potential but I don't hold grudges for those who do. If I was in a position that a needle in my ass was the difference between stocking shelves and making millions I know what I would say, "Pass the alcohol swab, Doc!"

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

That making millions part makes a lot of sense to me.  That's a harsh realization of the bottom line that any of us who toil on platforms or in my hobby/sport (or for any real true hobbiest) would genuinely laugh out loud because it simply "ain't ever gonna happen."

The genuine issue, as I see it, is the negative stigma associated with it.  No one is going to admit it.  Sure, it's easy to sort out this and that and speculate. But in reality, unless there's a test/competition that tests/etc we are doomed for speculation.

I would prefer to simply enjoy and not speculate. 

Oh, and let me tell you something,  Not having used should never be seen as limiting one's potential. 

I have been training my arse off for over 25 years; a few of those years were tainted with just pure ignorance on my part.  But I've made more progress, strength and health wise, in two years under the watchful eye of good coach, than I did in the previous 23 (including the aforementioned 2 years of ignorance).  I feel so stupid for not having gotten a real coach sooner.  I honestly feel like I wasted 22 years of "what could have been."  But I'm not regretful, I see it as part of the learning process and gradual "evolution of the athlete."  If that makes any sense?

Planning, regimentation, forced deloading, forced loading, planned diet, yoga, joint mobility, self myofascial release, etc has changed my life in the past two years. Really opened my eyes to the possibility that I can genuinely continue to progress into middle age and beyond. 

I am genuinely excited about it.  Just takes the right person to make it all click.  For that I feel blessed.

All the best,
 Arden

I don't think it really lessens the fact that a person is lifting a car even if they are taking chemicals to do it. The fact that they can do it is impressive in itself but I certainly agree there needs to be transparency. To be able to do what some of these guys do in this and other sports requires genetics, hard work and dedication no matter what their drug bill or else any kid could make it by just juicing. It would be great if we could at least admit publicly that it is part of the sport so it could be dealt with better for the health of those involved.

I've never used so it has always limited my potential but I don't hold grudges for those who do. If I was in a position that a needle in my ass was the difference between stocking shelves and making millions I know what I would say, "Pass the alcohol swab, Doc!"