{"id":862,"date":"2019-06-12T15:12:30","date_gmt":"2019-06-12T21:12:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog-new.buckedup.com\/?p=862"},"modified":"2023-10-24T15:08:55","modified_gmt":"2023-10-24T21:08:55","slug":"practice-the-key-to-a-better-physique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/blog\/2019\/06\/12\/practice-the-key-to-a-better-physique\/","title":{"rendered":"Practice: The Key to a Better Physique"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cThe separation of talent and skill is one of the greatest misunderstood concepts for people who are trying to excel, who have dreams, who want to do things. Talent you have naturally. Skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft.\u201d &#8211; Will Smith<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this article, we\u2019re going to address a widely held view of what bodybuilding is and what it entails and how to get a better physique. And then, we\u2019re going to open up the lens of perception to see the bigger picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To many, bodybuilding is considered a sport. To others, it\u2019s considered an art. And to some, it\u2019s considered a science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And yet, despite sharing a relationship with both sports and art, there is a strange disconnect with how a bodybuilder approaches their craft, and how an athlete, scholar, or artist approaches theirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While different in many ways, one similarity anyone considered a master in their field holds is how they perceive their craft; as a skill. And as Will Smith said, skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-bodybuilding-10-000-hours\">Bodybuilding: 10,000 Hours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bodybuilding has been pigeonholed into meaning things like; lifting for a bodybuilding competition, flexing it out, etc., but that&#8217;s not what it actually means. Call me a sucker for the English language, but I interpret words according to their definition, not by what the instafam claims. And, according to the dictionary, bodybuilding by definition is; \u201cThe <strong>practice<\/strong> of lifting weights, exercising, etc. so as to develop the muscles of the body.\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words, it is simply to improve your body, and therefore pretty much any physical activity could be considered bodybuilding. Anyway, there is a reason the first noun in bodybuilding&#8217;s definition is <strong>practice<\/strong>. In order to develop your desired physique you must treat the act of bodybuilding as more than just working out, tearing down muscles, and definitely more than getting a damn pump (although a nice pump is always enjoyable).<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-you-must-treat-it-as-a-skill-one-which-must-be-developed-through-hours-of-practice\">You must treat it as a skill, one which must be developed through hours of practice.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Malcolm Gladwell\u2019s book <em>Outliers<\/em> he posits that the only way to achieve mastery in one\u2019s skill &#8212; whether that be music, sport, art, etc. &#8212; is to put in hours upon hours of practice. 10,000 to be specific. <br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-while-the-rule-of-10-000-hours-has-been-widely-disputed-and-for-good-reason\">While the rule of 10,000 hours has been widely disputed &#8212; and for good reason: <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No matter how much I train, I\u2019ll never be Mr. Olympia (partially because I hate needles) * Full disclosure: I have an extensive collection of tattoos.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No matter how many hours I spend writing, I\u2019ll never be Stephen King <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I know if I continue bodybuilding, I\u2019ll have 19\u201d arms and a wasp-like waistline someday. Likewise, if I continue reading and writing, I\u2019ll eventually make it onto the Amazon Bestseller\u2019s List (NYT Bestseller\u2019s List is so 2009, bro). Click here to learn <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress-556875-3996516.cloudwaysapps.com\/general-fitness\/secret-biceps-blueprint-to-bigger-arms\/\">how to get bigger arms<\/a>!<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apply the 10,000 hour rule to bodybuilding (or any form of fitness), and I guarantee you\u2019ll achieve greater results and a better physique than you even imagined when you started.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-small-progressions-the-compound-effect\">Small Progressions: The Compound Effect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cImproving by 1 percent isn\u2019t particularly notable\u2014sometimes it isn\u2019t even noticeable\u2014but it can be far more meaningful, especially in the long run. The difference a tiny improvement can make over time is astounding. Here\u2019s how the math works out: if you can get 1 percent better each day for one year, you\u2019ll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you\u2019re done. Conversely, if you get 1 percent worse each day for one year, you\u2019ll decline nearly down to zero. What starts as a small win or a minor setback accumulates into something much more.\u201d -James Clear, Atomic Habits<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is why, aside from my predetermined rest days, I do not miss workouts. Every workout, no matter how shitty, is still another hour spent honing skills. Some of my best learning moments in the gym have been on days I didn\u2019t want to train. This is why I always recommend pre-workout as the first supplement a person needs to purchase to help get a better physique (hard to skip the gym when your skin feels like it\u2019s being pricked by a thousand needles).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-and-even-on-the-workouts-that-truly-did-suck-that-felt-like-a-total-waste-i-look-back-on-with-fondness-although-i-probably-didn-t-make-any-gains-that-day-i-accomplished-things-equally-important\">And even on the workouts that truly did suck, that felt like a total waste, I look back on with fondness; although I probably didn\u2019t make any gains that day, I accomplished things equally important:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Proved to myself that I\u2019m the type of person who can push through discomfort<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Proved to myself that so long as I put my mind to it\u2026.FINISH<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Earned my 1% of growth\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If not physically, then at least mentally and spiritually<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Even the worst practice sessions still count as practice, so long as they are deliberate.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sometimes you just have to show up<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, to minimize the bad days, it\u2019s important to supplement properly for recovery. I\u2019d recommend adding in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/product\/buck-feed-protein\">Buckfeed<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/product\/bucked-up-collagen\">Collagen<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/product\/deer-antler-spray-igf-1\">Deer Antler Spray<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oh, come on. You knew a plug was coming sooner or later. <br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-regression-of-modern-day-bodybuilding\">The Regression of Modern Day Bodybuilding<br><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Pumping Iron, there\u2019s a famous quote by Arnold where he explains; \u201cGood bodybuilders have the same mind when it comes to sculpting that a sculptor has. You have to analyze; you look in the mirror and you say, \u2018okay, I need a little bit more deltoids, a little bit more shoulders.\u2019 So they get the proportions right. So what you do is you exercise, and put those deltoids on. Whereas an artist would slap some clay on to both sides. That\u2019s maybe the easier way. We go through the harder way, because we have to do it with the human body.\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ignoring the fact that he clearly has no idea how difficult sculpting actually is (and that were it not for the movie and politics Serge Nubret would\u2019ve kicked his ass that year &#8212; yeah, I said it, come at me bro), Arnold makes a solid point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-to-really-be-a-truly-great-bodybuilder-you-must-develop-an-artistic-eye-a-strong-mind-and-a-ridiculous-work-ethic\">To really be a truly great bodybuilder, you must develop an artistic eye, a strong mind, and a ridiculous work ethic.<br><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The problem, I\u2019ve found, with some bodybuilders today is that so few put in the <i>right <\/i>hours. Sure, they eat \u201cright\u201d, do their cardio, hit their lifts, but they don\u2019t <i>practice. <\/i>What I mean by that is while they put in the work, they don\u2019t actually practice. There\u2019s a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When you go to work, you clock in and out. Even if you\u2019re learning on the job, it\u2019s still not a passionate endeavor geared toward mastery.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When you practice, you approach the task with passion, seeking to improve every session.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Too often, we hire coaches and just swallow whatever routines and meal plans they shove down our throats. There\u2019s no learning, no testing what our bodies respond to both in the gym and in the kitchen, or design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s why so many bodybuilders today &#8212; as opposed to golden age guys &#8212; look like replicas of each other. They\u2019re all following the same workouts, hiring the same coaches, and taking the same drugs. I\u2019m not bagging on hiring a coach, every master has at one point been a student. What I\u2019m saying is that bodybuilding, unlike our current education system, is about learning, not just passing the test (winning the next competition).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-you-train-strive-to-learn-and-grow-not-just-your-physique-but-your-knowledge-practice-and-sharpen-the-tools-with-which-you-build-your-sculpture\">When you train, strive to learn and grow. Not just your physique, but your knowledge. Practice and sharpen the tools with which you build your sculpture.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Absorb everything you can, learn from others, but also question what they have to say. This is your journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember, your physique is your work of art, no one else\u2019s. If you were building a house (with no budget), you\u2019d pay attention to every corner, every column, and you\u2019d make sure it was somewhere you want to live. Treat your body the same way<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/blog-new.buckedup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/deadlift-girl-300x200.jpeg\" alt=\"Fit girl practicng deadlifts\" class=\"wp-image-1070\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-science-the-double-edged-sword\">Science: The Double-Edged Sword<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When prepping for a show, dedicated bodybuilders will spend hours upon hours practicing their posing. And yet, how many of us apply that same mindset to the activity that built a physique even worth posing? Not many. Part of what\u2019s to blame is science if you ask me. There\u2019s always some new study coming out about overtraining, how many hours to train for in a single session, best angle, etc. Science is always there with the new <i>right <\/i>answer, and the optimal route to take for muscle growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, studies have \u201cshown\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Going to muscle failure too frequently leads to overtraining, and hinders growth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dropsets aren\u2019t more effective than straight sets<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lifting fasted will hinder muscle growth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A calorie surplus is needed to gain muscle<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lifting for more than an hour spikes cortisol and hurts growth<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those are just a few. I\u2019ve selected them because they\u2019re the ones I\u2019ve personally found inapplicable to my own growth. If I don\u2019t take at least 70% of my sets to absolute failure in a practice session, I feel like I\u2019ve let myself down. I do dropsets nearly every workout. I lift fasted 90% of the time. I rarely eat over 2500 calories and often eat less. When time permits, I lift between 2-3 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I am 30 years old, natural, and since I decided three years ago that pencil pushers in a lab don\u2019t always know better than me, I have made consistent gains. I\u2019m not the biggest or most aesthetic guy out there, but for a nerdy writer, I do all right. And each year I get a little better physique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what\u2019s even more intriguing, to me at least. A fair deal of the studies I referenced earlier has been disproven in new studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the great Jerry Ward, of bio3training, once said: \u201cWhen Science and Broscience come to a gap (in knowledge), Science stops to gather data. Broscience, on the other hand, just builds a damn bridge. And more often than not, Science catches up later.\u201d [I probably got that quote wrong by a few words. Sorry, Jerry.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-taking-your-practice-home\">Taking Your Practice Home<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes, it\u2019s just about showing up. Every hour of intelligent practice adds up. Every time you train, you\u2019re one rep, one set, closer to your goals and better physique. Each time you keep to that commitment, you\u2019re not only building muscle (and burning fat), you\u2019re also building your character. And really, what\u2019s more important than that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-medium wp-image-585\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/blog-new.buckedup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/abs-doe-min-204x300.jpg\" alt=\"fit body author\" class=\"wp-image-585\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Author: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/loganlpeterson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Logan Peterson<\/a><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cThe separation of talent and skill is one of the greatest misunderstood concepts for people who are trying to excel, who have dreams, who want to do things. Talent you have naturally. Skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft.\u201d &#8211; Will Smith<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":248249474,"featured_media":1065,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[320,19932],"tags":[29971,9227,770215593,24361,943],"class_list":["post-862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","category-life-style","tag-bodybuilding","tag-diet","tag-fitness","tag-practice","tag-training"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/862","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/248249474"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=862"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/862\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=862"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=862"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.buckedup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=862"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}