My Mistakes

I cringe when I look at my past blog entries.  But I guess that's a good thing.  It means I have become more enlightened as I continue with this little hobby of mine.  I can quite safely say that I know more now than I knew back then.

But then again, if I still stick to what I believe 4 years ago it really means I am not serious in pursuing my interest in training.  Some of the things that make me cringe now include:

1. Doing direct triceps work that kill the elbow joints (e.g. skullcrushers) or look so damn sissy (e.g. triceps kickbacks).  I like doing presses now.  Specifically overhead presses.  Badass compound movement that hit your triceps hard.
2. Admiring Jillian Michaels.  
3. Going overly minimalist and training the 'big lifts' only.  It may work for some, but it didn't work for me.
4. Taking too long a rest between lifts.  Now it's a maximum of 3 minutes' rest and that is only for really taxing lifts like the deadlift.  For stuff like lunges and holds, it's 60 seconds' rest or less.
5. Taking weight gain supplements.  I made my biggest gains without the aid of weight gainers.  It's all about proper training and eating sensibly.  All you need to do is just eat slightly above maintenance.
6. Warming up by just lifting a few sets/reps of lighter weights prior to the actual work sets.  I still felt like crap when doing my actual workout.  Doing a quick but dynamic 5 minute warmup does wonders to improve your mobility and fire up your CNS.
7. Never incorporating jumps and explosive lifts (like snatches) in my training.
8. Going all out (i.e. heavy sets and high reps) all the time.  Smart  move if you want to fry your CNS real quick.
9. Thinking that having wholemeal biscuits + milk for breakfast is a sufficient meal.
10. Eating junk food like McDonald's and Sneakers are fair game when trying to gain mass.  I know now to always prefer whole foods.  Junk food may give you the calories but you end up feeling really really sluggish.  What do you expect when you abuse your body like that?

I am glad to have learnt about my mistakes than not to have discovered it at all.  Mistakes are after all, an investment towards my education.  I wished I hadn't had to made them all.  But I'd loath to repeat them.