As a man you have to always be evolving and becoming more than you were. There is no stagnation only forward movement or retreat. As a man you’re thought process and way of life should evolve over time. Sure a constant base will be there but it will become more refined with time. Over the years my mindset and thoughts about different things have changed and evolved including my ideas about fitness. One thing that I’ve turned almost completely around on is training for aesthetics versus training for strength.
I was once of the mind that training was for “strength” (of course meaning gym strength). That to have muscles that we’re as fat people like to say “all show and no go” was pointless or even feminine in a way. However looking back now I’d say that training for aesthetics makes a hell of a lot more sense than training for “strength” (again meaning gym strength). Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that getting stronger shouldn’t be part of your training just that aesthetics should be the number one focus for your weight training. And here’s why.
The Utility Of Aesthetics Vs Strength
I’m all for being strong but there is a big difference from gym strength and usable strength. Yeah don’t get me wrong getting stronger on the deadlift, overhead press, squat, and the like will certainly translate to everyday life at least to an extent, however there are better uses of your time in the gym than adding 50 lbs to your deadlift without an increase in muscle. Here’s the fact of the matter looking strong (meaning having muscle) has more utility than being strong in the gym in life. The fact of the matter is that looking like you lift will do more for you in life than actually being able to lift lots of weight.
You’re better off looking like a natural body builder than you are being as strong as a powerlifter. What is the use of strength? To make use of it in the real world? Here’s the thing a couple weeks of manual labor and couple months in the ring will make you real stronger and be able to apply your strength in a more effective way to combat than the strongest powerlifter or strongman can. However looking muscular immediately makes men more respectful of you, more intimidated by you, and more likely to follow you not to mention makes women more supplicating to you and willing to follow you (mostly because they want to bang you, which is an advantage, don’t pretend like it’s not).
Bodybuilding For Weights, Combat For Real World Application
This is why I recommend that you adopt a bodybuilding style routine in the gym and then do combat training for cardio (nothing will condition you like fighting, and I mean nothing) and real world application. After all isn’t powerlifting and strongman just getting fat for a sport no one cares about? (I’m kidding and stole this from a meme). Look good and function good. The gym has less application to things then you would think. A guy who can bench 400 lbs or squat 600 while certainly better off than a guy who can’t would get whipped by an amateur boxer or practitioner of another combat sport at the amateur level.
And he would get outworked by your average day laborer. So what is the point of all that strength? Combat and manual labor do way more for real world stuff than specializing in powerlifting or strongman does. So again why I recommend bodybuilding for your gym time and then combat for your real world application of that strength. Wouldn’t your rather look great and be able to kick ass instead of look okay and be okay at kicking ass? Again this is something I’ve done a 180 on but find far more effective.
Best Of Both Worlds
I just find the bodybuilding for gym time and combat for real world application to be far more effective as far as getting the most benefit from time spent. With this setup you get the best of both worlds. Look tough and actually be tough. Anyways you do what works best for you but this is what I have found works best for me. Bodybuilding style workouts and eating combined with combat training. Be big, muscular, and be able to actually do something with it. To each his own, but I’d recommend at least trying this out.
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-Charles Sledge
