Goal Making - Predisposition vs. Predestination

I've came across this section from a book entitled, 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss, that would truly help everyone in setting up their goals and motivations.

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Predisposition vs. Predestination: Don't Blame Your Genes

The marathoners of Kenya are legendary.

Kenyan men have won all but one of the last 12 Boston Marathons. In the 1988 Olympics, Kenyan men won gold in the 800-meter, 1,500-meter, and 5,000-meter races, as well as the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Factoring in their population of approximately 30 million, the statistical likelihood of this happening at an international competition with the scope of the Olympics is about one in 1.6 billion.

If you’ve been in the world of exercise science for any period of time, you can guess their muscle fiber composition, which is an inherited trait: slow-twitch. Slow-twitch muscle fibers are suited to endurance work. Lucky bastards!

But here’s the problem: it doesn’t appear to be totally true. To the surprise of researchers who conducted muscle biopsies on Kenyan runners, there was a high proportion of fast-twitch muscle fibers, the type you’d expect to find in shot-putters and sprinters. Why? Because, as it turns out, they often train using low mileage and high intensity.

If you are overweight and your parents are overweight, the inclination is to blame genetics, but this is only one possible explanation.

Did fatness genes get passed on, or was it overeating behavior? After all, fat people tend to have fat pets.

Even if you are predisposed to being overweight, you’re not predestined to be fat. Eric Lander, leader of the Human Genome Project, has emphasized repeatedly the folly of learned helplessness through genetic determinism:
People will think that because genes play a role in something, they determine everything. We see, again and again, people saying, “It’s all genetic. I can’t do anything about it.” That’s nonsense. To say that something has a genetic component does not make it
unchangeable.

Don’t accept predisposition. You don’t have to, and we can feed and train you toward a different physical future. It is possible to redirect your natural-born genetic profile. From now on, “bad genetics” can’t be your go-to excuse.

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Now with "bad-genetics" off of the list of excuses why some of us have a body we hate so badly, we can focus more on getting fit with a newer perspective - a perspective in which change is truly possible, and it is only up to YOU to start and change everything.

-Mr. Muscles

So, You Wanna Lift Weights?

Have you ever decided to lift weights only to realize that you have no idea what to do? Or, have you been lifting weights for some time now but you don’t see any results? Well, you’re in luck! Mr. Muscles will be teaching you how to properly lift weights. It is important to have a proper form whenever you’re lifting weights for two reasons. The first reason is for your own safety. If you don’t have proper form, you may drop the weight and may cause serious injuries. The second reason is to get maximum results. Even if you’re lifting heavy weights but you’re not using proper form, you won’t see significant results. After knowing these two reasons, let’s begin with some basic forms.

Breathing:

Proper breathing is necessary in order for the body to maintain its stamina. This also pumps up the body whenever you’re lifting heavy weights. The proper form of breathing is the same for almost all exercises but may vary for some exercises. The general idea is to inhale before or while the weight is going down and to exhale while pushing the weight. I will discuss proper breathing for every type of exercise I will mention.

Bench Press:

Lie down on the bench with your eyes are at the same level as the bar. Your shoulder blades must be clinched and your chest must be out while lying down. If the bar has small rings to indicate where to put your hands, put your pinky on the second ring. If the bar doesn’t have this, place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width with a distance of about one hand on the bar. Grip it tightly but let the bar rest on your palms. Slowly pull the bar down, inhale through your mouth and let the bar tap your chest. As you push the bar back up, exhale through your mouth and if the weight is a little heavy, push your feet on the ground maintaining your position.

Dumbbell Shoulder Press:

Grab a bench and set the incline until you are in a comfortable upright position. Sit down and keep your chest out while you clinch your shoulder blades. Grab the dumbbell from the floor and gently place them on your thighs. Kick one leg first until the dumbbell is over shoulder level and do the same with the other one. The dumbbells should be head level. Push the dumbbells upward and exhale while doing this. Let the dumbbells tap one another and slowly go back to the ready position while inhaling. Your elbows should be 90 degrees more or less

Lateral Pull-down:

This is a machine exercise. Sit down on the lateral pull-down machine and keep you chest out and clinch your shoulder blades. Set the weights to the desired weight then grab the handle and hold it at the wide grip part. Slowly pull the handle down towards your chest and exhale while doing so. At this point, your body should be leaning a bit back at almost 100 degrees. Then go back to the ready position while inhaling at the same time.

Bicep Curl EZ bar wide grip:

Grab the ez bar and place your hands at the wide grip area. You must be standing straight while keeping your knees slightly bent. Your elbows should be in front of your body not behind it. Lift the bar with a curling motion. Your forearms must be the only ones moving keeping your elbows straight. Exhale while you lift the weight and feel your biceps tightening. Slowly go back to the ready position and inhale while doing this.

Squats:

Stand at the bar rack and place the bar behind your head and above your shoulder blades. Your hands must be placed wider than shoulder-width at the bar. Keep you back straight, chest out and butt out. Your feet must be at shoulder-width or slightly wider. Your toes must be pointing forward. Inhale first then slowly squat until your knees are a little less than 90 degrees. Keep your back straight and butt out as you go back up and exhale while doing this.

These are the proper forms of lifting weights for these exercises. If you are still unsure, ask a trainer and always have a spotter when lifting weights to avoid injuries. Build a better physique with these proper forms. 

- Mr. Muscles

The Basics - A Good Lifestyle

1) Get a good night's sleep - It is through sleeping that the body fully rests and repairs damaged cells. Sleep replenishes the body, so be sure to get at least 8 hours of steady sleep in a day. Having 8 hours of sleep but having very late still won't give you a quality rest. Start reshaping your body clock. Early to sleep, early to rise!

2) Hydration - Water is your basic need so be sure to have plenty of it! A person would require an average intake of 8 glasses a day. Water helps body organs work normally. Do remember, when you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated!

3) Eat right - A balanced diet would be best to go about your day. Eat at least three times a day. Each meal should have your "go, grow, and glows". Your body also needs to be served with fruits and vegetables to help it cleanse itself. Skipping breakfast is unhealthy and it MAKES YOU FAT. Breakfast is the most important meal and it is where most of your energy for the day comes from. Skipping breakfast forces you to eat more during lunch and dinner. The calories gained from those meals will not be entirely burned and will settle while you sleep! Cheat your way out to reward yourself once in a while to keep you going.

4) Make exercise a daily habit - Have proper exercise routines for at least 30 minutes a day to maintain your shape. Household chores are good ways to exercise your body, too. Studies show that doing household chores lengthens your lifespan by a few years.

5) Never back down - Most people just chicken out. Make sure you don't!

- Mr. Muscles