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Illuminati
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Madcow,
Do you really believe that there is such a thing as "genetic limit?" I've never fully bought into this theory. Maybe there is some sort of "genetic limit" when it comes to size, but I dont believe that there is such a thing when it comes to strength. I think it has more to do with training, desire and determination.
Let me use the all famous bench press. The average Joe Schmo can't bench press over 315. Once they reach that limit, and get stuck there for a while, they might tend to think that they have reached their "genetic limit" because they can't get any stronger, but it is merely a excuse. Joe Schmo probably doesn't have the right training program that would push him to bench press over 315. Joe Schmo becomes content to think that he is at his "Genetic Limit," until one day, his friend Joe Schmucatellie comes along. Joe Schmucatellie introduces Joe Schmo to a new way of training, and, over the course of the next few years, takes Joe Schmo's bench press from 315 to 405. Joe Schmo stalls out for a while on the lift, and becomes, once again, content that he has reached his "Genetic Limit," until one day...well you get the picture. Joe Schmo's problem, is not that he has reached his "Genetic Limit," but that he doesn't have that inner drive, or the right training program that will allow him to continue to get stronger.
Could the same thing be said about BBing? It may be a little far fetch to think that someone could reach the size of a Coleman or a Cutler naturally. But, again, take your averge Joe Schmo the Gym Rat. Does this person, who weighs an amazing 200lbs with 15-20% body fat, have that inner drive that is going to make him realize his dream of weighing 225lbs, and being below 8%body fat? or are they more content at saying that they are at their "Genetic Limit" because they are lazy and dont want to put in the work that will get them where they want to be?
I think that far too many times, people set a mental barrier in their head. They say "Gee, 315, that's a lot of weight on the bench press." They get under the bar, think about the weight, and can't get the weight off their chest. If you read anything about some of the people that hold, or held, a world record (Brent Mikesell, Mike Miller, Ryan Kennely, Scot Mendelson, Ed Coan) they all have the same mind set. When they get under a weight, they dont think about the weight, they dont even look at the weight. All they know is that it is there, and that they have to move it. I can almost guarantee you, that if Scot Mendelson had thought to himself that 700lbs was a lot of weight to be bench pressing, then he would have never would have been the first person the bench over 800. Do these guys use anabolics, your guess is probably the same as mine, I'm just using it as an example of someone who doesn't set mental barriers.
Do you really believe that there is such a thing as "genetic limit?" I've never fully bought into this theory. Maybe there is some sort of "genetic limit" when it comes to size, but I dont believe that there is such a thing when it comes to strength. I think it has more to do with training, desire and determination.
Let me use the all famous bench press. The average Joe Schmo can't bench press over 315. Once they reach that limit, and get stuck there for a while, they might tend to think that they have reached their "genetic limit" because they can't get any stronger, but it is merely a excuse. Joe Schmo probably doesn't have the right training program that would push him to bench press over 315. Joe Schmo becomes content to think that he is at his "Genetic Limit," until one day, his friend Joe Schmucatellie comes along. Joe Schmucatellie introduces Joe Schmo to a new way of training, and, over the course of the next few years, takes Joe Schmo's bench press from 315 to 405. Joe Schmo stalls out for a while on the lift, and becomes, once again, content that he has reached his "Genetic Limit," until one day...well you get the picture. Joe Schmo's problem, is not that he has reached his "Genetic Limit," but that he doesn't have that inner drive, or the right training program that will allow him to continue to get stronger.
Could the same thing be said about BBing? It may be a little far fetch to think that someone could reach the size of a Coleman or a Cutler naturally. But, again, take your averge Joe Schmo the Gym Rat. Does this person, who weighs an amazing 200lbs with 15-20% body fat, have that inner drive that is going to make him realize his dream of weighing 225lbs, and being below 8%body fat? or are they more content at saying that they are at their "Genetic Limit" because they are lazy and dont want to put in the work that will get them where they want to be?
I think that far too many times, people set a mental barrier in their head. They say "Gee, 315, that's a lot of weight on the bench press." They get under the bar, think about the weight, and can't get the weight off their chest. If you read anything about some of the people that hold, or held, a world record (Brent Mikesell, Mike Miller, Ryan Kennely, Scot Mendelson, Ed Coan) they all have the same mind set. When they get under a weight, they dont think about the weight, they dont even look at the weight. All they know is that it is there, and that they have to move it. I can almost guarantee you, that if Scot Mendelson had thought to himself that 700lbs was a lot of weight to be bench pressing, then he would have never would have been the first person the bench over 800. Do these guys use anabolics, your guess is probably the same as mine, I'm just using it as an example of someone who doesn't set mental barriers.
]in certain activities and have less success in others is obvious, but the idea that one could arrive at an exact point of performance that just couldn't be improved upon due to genes alone is a notion I don't accept as valid.
Logic might demand that we each have a limit but it isn't going to help us find it.
