I've been in the U.S. Army now for 8 years, 5 months, and 9 days... but
who's counting? Since hitting puberty, I've always been a heavy-set guy,
and never a huge fan of cardiovascular training. Any of you reading
this likely know that this isn't a great thing for someone hovering between
a Mesomorph and Endomorph body-type; though I believe if I'm being honest
with myself and you all, I'm likely leaning a bit more towards Endomorph.
I've struggled throughout my Army Career to find a work-out plan which
allows me to do very well on my PT test, while at the same time keeping my
strength up. Balance all of this with the Army Body-Fat composition
testing, and you have a recipe for a migraine, I assure you.
I've tried all of the training programs recommended by the super "Hooah"
guys within the Army, like running countless miles every day, which led to the
inevitable joint damage that every big guy in the Army knows the pain of.
After realizing that running 5 miles every day was not a sustainable
training program, I turned to the Army's new favorite extra-curricular PT
program: that's right, Cross-Fit. While Cross-Fit helped me to lose close to
50 pounds, my overall strength as a power-lifter was plain laughable. I
maxed my PT test, and talked about how circuit training could help the whole
world fix their weight and become healthier. Then it happened: my first
shoulder injury. While I tried to work through the injury after some
recovery time, this was only the first in a long line of injuries which I
sustained from an unsustainable program. While Cross-Fit may be a great
program to get people in shape, it is also a recipe for disaster. I
guarantee that any person doing that program for long enough will inevitably
hurt themselves, unless they have no competitive drive whatsoever. I tried
some variations of the program, even going so far as to just do circuit
training with my own pace and counts applied, but my motivation was dead. I
was weak in what I wanted to be strong in, and strong in things I couldn't
care less about. Who doesn't want to bench-press a house? Who doesn't want
to squat a Mack truck? I grew up with idols like Arnold Schwarzenegger and
Hulk Hogan. I was never much of a fan of the tiny guys in the wrestling
ring, and who ever saw an action movie in the 90s with a guy who didn't have
muscles!?
I needed to reach my goals, and I wanted a sustainable program that was
enjoyable and gave me the strength and look that I desired. I decided after
a time to go back to the basics from high school power-lifting. Bench-press,
Squats, and Dead-lifts would be my measuring tape for my strength increases.
I would do sprints and, of course, running in the morning for PT in order to
maintain my run time. Shortly after making this life-altering decision, I
ran into a guy name Paul who started to guide me in how to build a solid
work-out plan based on these goals. It took weeks, not months, for me to
start seeing the results I was looking for. Swollen arms, tightened chest,
toned core, and my back exploding. Just a month after starting my new
program, I had a PT test, which I managed a maximum score in every event.
Push-ups are laughably easy, sit-ups feel like a breeze, and with my basic
PT sessions, the run was no problem at all even with almost 6 lbs of muscle
growth.
Bottom-line is this: you don't need Cross-Fit. You don't need circuit
training or running 50 miles a week. If you want to get "swoll", get "swoll"!
With the right training program, proper motivation, and a proper diet you
will reach your goals in no time. You can look like a monster and meet the
Army standards; don't let excuses from people who don't like to pick heavy
things up hold you back. We are human beings, we are animals by nature, and
if you want to look like a savage, then you can do that while maintaining
your ability to be an effective killing machine. Don't let the opinions of
sheep hold you back from being the wolf that you dream of being. Everybody
wants to be a body-builder, but don't nobody want to lift no heavy
weights.
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