Barbell Lessons

"200 pounds is always 200 pounds."
- Henry Rollins

Henry Rollins, from the bands Black Flag and Rollins Band, has a great story about about how lifting weights changed his life. I'd encourage you to read that story here. Or listen to him speak on this topic on his podcast here.

In both, he talks about be this nobody, a picked on, beat up, scrawny kid. But one teacher took an interest in him. This teacher taught him how to lift. Henry was to train daily, and hard. And he was told not to look in the mirror at himself for four month while training.

What happened in the training was more than physical. Sure, he developed muscle and was clearly stronger. But the biggest gain was his confidence. He walked the halls a little taller, he was actually picked for sports teams - not as a last resort. He wasn't picked on nearly as much. What he learned from those early training days was invaluable. And it happens to many people who begin training. They realize that the gym is the most truthful place there is. The iron (or rubber if you're using bumper plates) will never lie to you. You can't just say you lift x amount of weight. The weights themselves will tell you whether you can or cannot lift x amount of weight. You can't hide from it. It only takes hard work. Everything that you have accomplished in the gym is earned. You can't cheat success in the gym. It's life lessons. Everything worthy is earned through hard work. And it must be proven every day.