The Uncommon Path To Natural Bodybuilding Success

There are so many voices in the natural bodybuilding community (and yes, I'm aware that by writing this article I'm adding one more). I remember when I first decided to shift gears from training for sports to natural bodybuilding. The first few days of research were so intimidating and daunting that I almost quit right there. It was just unbelievable to me how there were so many sources of information. All of that information froze my ability to make a decision. As if analysis paralysis wasn’t enough, everyone was saying something different!

After those initial few days, I had an epiphany (or so I thought) as how to wade through all the noise. "I'll just use the most popular workout/diet/supplements. That will ensure I get the soundest advice and save time in the process." The months that follow this epiphany will seem like a broken record to anyone who has been in the iron game for any amount of time. Solid gains in lean mass and losses in fat mass ensue for a few months, and then, stagnation. Desperately seeking more mass, I decided to follow the most popular advice: massive amounts of calories followed by huge cutting phases. Needless to say, it took me about a year to undo the amount of fat mass I put on my frame. All of that hassle for a few measly pounds of muscle! I'm not here to tell you that I have found the secret training split/diet/supplement that will melt fat off of your frame while adding slabs of prime beef. I am here to implore you not to take the same road that everyone else takes in fitness. The wide and smooth path may be comfortable and safe, but it marches strait into the heart of mediocrity.

Think about what natural bodybuilding was when it started out. It was about being the healthiest individual possible, both inside and out. Looking healthy was the manifestation of being healthy. It wasn't for the masses in its original form. Look at it now. The majority of people fall into the Monday through Thursday lifters. They eat high protein and low fat diets while shoveling in high glycemic carbohydrates that contain little fiber. They train according to workouts that either are too easy to cause any major adaptation or so intense that they burn out (most don't recognize this state, and think they need to crank up the intensity even more to keep the gains coming). Then to top it all off, they use supplements that make extravagant promises and deliver minimal results at best. Once the average bodybuilder thinks they are at the top of their natural limits, they begin to ponder, and unfortunately, begin to use anabolic steroids. I can hear the people reading this article saying "Yeah, well I am very strict with my diet and training, and I only take this and that supplement because they are proven to work". First off, let me congratulate you on being strict enough to stick to something that yields minimal results. It takes a special kind of person to have dedication to something with a small return on investment.

The point of the matter comes to this: don't be common. Research the bodybuilders and fitness gurus who say things that go against the commonly held beliefs. Look into other areas of knowledge (natural health for example) for a deeper and broader understanding, and then apply it to your individual bodybuilding goal. Realize that just beyond the common is the extraordinary. If you want to be at the very height of fitness, you have to go underground. I can't tell you who to listen to. Average people desire to have things given to them instead of working for it. Besides, the journey is just as important as what you find at the end. The elite natural bodybuilders understand that. If you don't want to be another mediocre "bodybuilder", you know what to do. Get out there are do it!

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