A Talk With Kent: Realize Where Your Abilities Come From

I talked to my best friend Kent about how weight lifting can become a negative thing in ones' life. Kent has played nine years of football including one year of college football.

The reason he didn't continue to play all four years if his college career was because of football injuries and some injuries he sustained from weight training. Weight lifting was Kent's identity throughout high school and into college. But then something changed.

TGH: When did you first start weight training?

Kent: I messed around with it in junior high, so, 8th grade. I didn't consistently start lifting weights until 9th grade of my freshman year of high school.

TGH: When did you really start seeing huge improvements in lifting?

Kent: Second half of my freshman year of high school.

TGH: Can you see a specific point in your high school years where you had become obsessed with weight lifting?

Kent: Second half of my sophomore year of high school.

TGH: Is there something specific that you can point out that shows that you were getting on the wrong track?

Kent: I had a inner pride that really started building.

TGH: Do you think that pride was affecting the way you treated others and/or the way you acted?

Kent: Well, maybe not so much the way I treated others, but I kinda got this macho viewing of myself and carrying of myself.

TGH: Did you realize that weight lifting had become an overly important part of your life in high school or did you come to that epiphany in college?

Kent: In college.

TGH: How did you come to that realization?

Kent: I tore some muscles from some over exertion in weight training. And it made me lose something that was very important to me for awhile. Plus I got a carpal tunnel in both of my wrists. And I really just had to step back. I realized that I can only do what I've been given the ability to do.

TGH: Where do you think that ability comes from?

Kent: Theres no question that it comes from God and not myself.

TGH: I take it you weren't really considering that fact during high school?

Kent: No, I didn't really, I mean I wasn't cocky, and because of that I think that I thought I was okay.

TGH: What advice would you give to people who want to get started in weight lifting?

Kent: If you want to be a successful weight lifter you have to realize that nothing replaces hard work. If you wanna get big or you wanna get in shape you have to work hard. It doesn't matter what supplements you take. Stick with the fundamental lifts; there's a reason they're still around.
Never put to high of a value on it and never get arrogant about your ability. God is the one who gave you that ability and He can take it away just as fast as he gave it to you.

Thanks to Kent for taking time to talk and being honest about how even weight lifting can become something that drags you down. A good reminder to all of us that our abilities come from God and that he can take away those abilities if we allow them to become to important to us.

Lift hard.

The Thomas Jones Arm Workout: A Test of Patience

This past week my friend Kent got me to start the Thomas Jones arm workout with him.

For those who've never heard of Thomas Jones:currently he is a star runningback for the Kansas City Chiefs, and being the guy carrying the ball he has to have strong arms to keep it safe from the defensive lineman and linebackers. He has developed some of the most impressive arms I've ever seen, and seeing that his arm workout is available, I thought, "Yeah, why not?"

I started the first phase of the six phase program with Kent the other day, and the it was the toughest arm workout that I have ever done!

My arms were toast when we were done and it only took us 20-25 minutes.

The first phase of this workout is to isolate and develop the brachialis, the muscle underneath the bicep. Many body builder/ weight lifters forget about this muscle and I'm thinking I fall into that category.

Although my arms were thrashed, I couldn't really see the pump like I normally do after an arm workout. My "unseen" muscles were the muscles that took the beating. I could barely pick up a 30 lb. dumbbell that day!

After that workout, I thought, "Boy, my arms are beat and I can't even see any pump. This is lame. I don't wanna go through this killer six week long program. This is going to take too long, just to get big arms."

Then I corrected myself. I wasn't having a patient, positive attitude about this. I had to make a change.

My previous post was about taking patience in acquiring strength and muscle and I was despairing about the time it was going to take to go through this program!

That first day of the Thomas Jones workout taught me to walk my talk and practice patience.

For more on Thomas Jones and his massive arms: http://stacktv.stack.com/video.aspx?videoID=686946529001_373

Sources for Thomas Jones photos: http://dontmesswithtexans.com/tag/duane-brown/
http://www.operationsports.com/forums/pro-football/208464-yearly-thomas-jones-pic.html

An interview with Rob: A Need to Succeed

At a first glance at Rob Kohlhaus, he might appear just as an average guy. And he is. However, Rob has taken his dedication as a weightlifter/trainer to the football field leading a D3 college football team as their motivating captain.
Rob shared a few thoughts on lifting and what drives him to be dedicated.


TGH: "When did you first start lifting?"
Rob: "After my freshman year of high school football."

TGH: "Did you ever get out of lifting and then find it difficult to get back into?"
Rob: "No, I have basically lifted at least three times a week since I started. But when I take a break I can't wait to get back into it."
TGH: "I know how that is. I'm the same way."

TGH: "Who or what do you think has been your biggest motivation when it comes to staying in shape?"
Rob: "To become a better athlete. Also I saw how small I was compared to other football players and I realized that to succeed I need to outwork everybody else."

Keep workin' hard. Get that drive to outwork everybody else and push yourself to new goals.