Blindness to your own progress

[Mdlftr]

I love reading these real-life muscle growth experiences. They inspire me and give me hope,as well as the occasional boner --- all good, right?

Anyway, I wanted to comment how sometimes we are totally blind to our own progress.

I've been working with a trainer for the last 5 years, off and on. The last 3 1/2 years I've been really consistent at going 2 days per week and eating welll and carefully: protein, carbs, limited fats, yedda yedda.

Since I've always been tall and lean at 6'3", it takes FOREVER for me to see any noticeable muscle. I feel like I have to get out a microscope to see anything!

Recently however, I've had two "aha" moments which really psyched me up, one socially, one at the gym.

The social one. I'm at a party for my kid's school. It's a cocktail party for parents to get away from their kids and have a drink. For those of you that have kids, trust me, this a wonderful and rare event. Anyhow, I'm standing with a group of Dads, listening to the alpha gas bag in the group go on and on about his own athletic prowess when HE was in school and how he was on Coach so-and-so's team and blah blah blah. I'm standing there and my mind wanders and I'm staring around the room at the walls, at the other people and I stare over at the windows. We're standing in a brightly lit suburban kitchen which has been remodeled to have lots of reflective surfaces. The outside wall of windows are uncurtained and they are black, being like mirrors. I notice this group of guys, alpha gas bag among them. He's tall and lean, like the basketball-softball-golfer he was/is. He's surrounded by a group of guys of various sizes - short and skinny, medium and stocky, and this one tall guy who's pretty thick. I notice this dude in the glass and I think to myself, "hey,that Dad is pretty thick in the chest-torso-shoulders and he doesn't have a gut. Hmmm. Legs and butt aren't bad either. Who is that?" I look around the room and don't see this guy. I look back at the window. "He looks like he works out. Who the hell is that?" I look at gas bag, who looks really scrawny by comparison - flat and skinny. "This guy and gas bag are the same height, but he's twice as thick as gas bag, the big "jock." Who is this?" I look back in the room one more time. "There's no one here who looks like that." Pause. Wait for it. "Oh. It's ME!"
I check myself out in the window one more time. "Yup. Wow. I had no idea. Time for another drink!" Big internal smile......

Scenario at the gym. I'm working out with the trainer at the gym. He's buff. Asian, BIG arms, always wears black tank tops to show off the guns (wouldn't you?) and black baggy gym shorts, sox and shoes. He's a nice guy and he likes to talk bodybuilding with me. He came close to competing in his youth. He's in his mid-40s now. Still buff and ripped. Anyhow, we're talking about the Ronny Rockel-huge pecs video that I sent around the Forum this week. I sent it to him and told him "that's what I want!" He's um, 'tactful' about the reality of that for someone who only works out 2-3 times per week and is NOT on pharmaceuticals. Also mentioned is that fact that Ronny is 5'6" on a good day, which means he's probably really 5'4" or some such, whereas I'm at LEAST 9 inches taller and weigh 20 pounds less than Ronny.

Anyhow, I'm doing TRX triceps extensions, with bodyweight and getting a good pump in my triceps and sneaking a peek at his arms and doing the mental comparison.
"Hey, am I your tallest client?" I ask.
"Yeah, I think so."
"How tall are you?"- me to the trainer."
"5'8"
"Oh." Pause on my part to think about that one. "My arms are getting a good pump."

"Yes they are. And your shoulders are really getting big. Like a beef roast!"

Here the trainer playfully slaps me on the aforementioned shoulder. Cool! I then go, "Yeah, and my arms finally look like I'm getting some size! Look!" I turn and flex in the mirror. "Hey, put your arm upside mine!" The trainer obligingly raises his massive gun and flexes alongside mine and....we're the SAME SIZE!" WHOAH! Blow my mind and pop a boner!

Looks like all those workouts are finally paying off!


Mdfltr

[CelticMuscle]

and I call it the "familarity breeds contempt" theory and works on the following premise:

"The more often a person sees themselves in the mirror, the less likely they are to notice changes"

[grywlf]

i was working a couple of towns away about 6 years ago and had a cheap 3 bedroom apartment there so i had turn on the bedroom into a gym and was lifting heavy for over a year when i was waiting inline to buy some gas one night and i noticed on the security montier someone in line had a huge back it took my a min to figure out that was me from behind i was pretty proud

[Mdlftr]

Yesterday I put on a blazer I haven't worn in a while. I had to scrunch in my chest to get it to button! AFter that, I saw that the fabric is still pulling around the buttton holes, which are straining to cover my chest! Looks like those bench presses and seated rows are doing the job!!

Big smile!

Mdlftr

[inm]

Originally Posted by CelticMuscle

and I call it the "familarity breeds contempt" theory and works on the following premise:

"The more often a person sees themselves in the mirror, the less likely they are to notice changes"

That's what training logs are for!

[Mdlftr]

Today I wore a suit I haven't worn in a few months, due to a big meeting at work. I put it on and went to button the top button-"ump. Sorta snug here." "Well," I'm thinking, "I'm in a hurry, I just threw on this shirt and tie, I'll bet something is bunched up, which is why this suit jacket feels snug around my upper chest and shoulders."

I get to work and take the jacket off. I have to consciously peel it off my chest and shoulders because it's still sorta snug. I tuck and pull and adjust my shirt, pull the jacket back on, try to button the top two buttons on the three button jacket aaannnd~~ it's definitely still snug!

Did I mention I worked chest last night?

BIG GRIN



Mdlftr

[raven79]

Ahhhh, Tim that was sneaky. Still pumped the next day, very clever!

[theunknown]

Good for you mdlftr. Though I recognized I'm not as consistent as I was before I do remember not being aware of any gains until someone pointed it out, or when you try fitted shirts on and notice the arms are way too snug.