What has strength become?

Strong? I think not.

What ever happened to the days where being strong was an actual impressive feat. Being strong was a gift, something to aspire to, something that people were not only impressed by but they wanted and longed to be. It was glory, it was Arnold, it was Lou F. mr. original hulk, it was Branch Warren, it was Marius Pujanauski, it was Jesse Marunde. What the hell happened to this phenomenon that everyone in the gym wanted to be strong, and fuck people up. Both mentally and physically. It was a competition of pride, a competition and friendly rivalry to be the best and look at someone else and say, "I can do that." Or even, to aspire to say, "I can do more than that." It was a satisfying thought. What strength was, and what still exists in small amounts today, barely seen may I add, was a gratifying, humbling, goal that fitness embodied.

Even bodybuilders a while ago were strong. Because without anabolics, and supplements, the only way to get huge was to eat ungodly amounts of calories and lift big. I'm talking about lifting ridiculous amounts of weight and pushing yourself to the very edge till your nose bleeds and you feel sick to you stomach. What is the bodybuilder today? A form of a fitness man who indeed does represent the fitness community. But not all are strong. In my experience of having been around countless gyms in many states I have seen few who embody true strength while maintaining a desirable physique. Either they are ridiculously huge and move more weight than a columbian cartel, yet have guts the size of a literal keg. Or you see guys so cut that they look like they are shaped of stone. And yet these "ripped" guys cant even bench or squat their own bodyweight 10 times. Strong? I think not.

I'm not knocking power lifters or strongmen. I respect that sport so highly I could not begin to describe in writing. Nor am I knocking on body building "asthetic" achievers. Yes, abs and biceps look good. Yes, I can see every striation in your back. Great, now show those gawking girls how much you can put up and see if they are still impressed. I was at 24 hr fitness today. I saw a guy who with out a doubt was a bodybuilder. He looked about 2 weeks out from a show. I knew this because he didn't wear anything but an incredibly small half tank. I say half tank top because thats exactly what it was, half. He weighed what looked to be about 240-260, and was about 6 ft tall. 19 inch arms easy. Huge, and jacked. No doubt he walks down the street and people walk to the other side just to avoid him. He jumped on the bench press and warmed up with 135. Average. He soon got up to 225. Put that up about 5 times. On the sixth rep he was struggling. Truly struggling. Are you fucking kidding me i murmured to myself. On the seventh i thought he was going to fail. But he barely managed to get that up to. He took a deep breath and attempted an 8th. The bar failed to rise over 3 inches off his chest and it fell back down. I ran over and came to Shreks rescue. As i pulled to bar up for him, he racked it and said, "thanks bro, almost had that one." I wanted to reply with "no problem weakling." But a simple "your welcome" did the job. I held back my laugh as i walked back to my area. Now this example is not the only time i have seen this type of scenerio. Big or ripped for nothing as they say.

For readers who are not accustomed to lifting staples, 225 for a guy who weighs even 190 should be an average weight to put up. Not saying that everyone should be able to lift this weight ten times, i know there are small guys, but if you weigh anything over 190 then 225 should be pretty easy. I know a guy who is 5'5, 165 lbs, and puts up 225 ten times pretty casually. This brings me to my point. Our society is perpetuating a very shallow image. Aesthetics are what is most important. No longer is being fit synonymous with being strong but it is synonymous with looking good. Dissapointing indeed. I take this stand. I am concerned with aesthetic appeal. However, i feel like if that appeal doesn't come with the satisfaction of being relatively strong then it is not only impractical, it is down right pathetic and a waste of time. Every one has different goals and ideas of physical perfection. I know this. But I feel like our community of gym goers is perpetuating to a very wrong motivation. One of sole shallow attraction. What is big biceps without triceps? What is a big chest without a big back? What is muscle tone, without muscle strength? What are huge arms without legs?

Also today I managed to get in my leg day. God how I love leg day. I was never a fan before, and I do not claim to have spectacular gains in my legs but oh how I look forward to it. Leg day is like giving a woman good oral, alot of work now but you will be rewarded later. I live for pain that leg day insures. As some may know, I am a regular at our schools "fine state of the art" fitness center. But I have recently started to go back to 24 hr fitness for convenience. As I treaded to the squat rack to pound out some sets I noticed a good amount of dust on the weights and the rack itself. Dust means one thing, non-usage. I expected to have to wait for this was the only squat rack in the whole place, yet there was none, and I come to find that it is collecting dust in the corner. This is a testament to our ever growing popular culture.

This is what I am an advocate for. I am an advocate for strength. Both ridiculous strength and aesthetic appeal. I commend guys like Ronnie Coleman, and Layne Norton. The olympian and the natural. For they are both strong and still maintain a desirable appearance. I am an advocate for deadlifts and rows. For big benches and squats. I am an advocate for 100lb+ dumbbells and loading that bar up so much it bends in your grasp. I am an advocate for size. For completeness. For symmetry. For arms, and legs. I am NOt an advocate for laziness. Not for ripped abs with tiny arms and back. Not for bi's without tri's. I am not an advocate for the ability to push 405 but at 30% body fat. I am however, an advocate for fitness...an advocate for powerlifting if it helps with other things, an advocate of bodybuilding if that form comes with practicality, an advocate of high intensity workouts if it is reasonable, an advocate for olympic lifts if they help trap building and balance, and an advocate for everything being strong. As Biggie (who was obese by the way) once said, "And if you don't know, now you know nigguh."

Deuces.