Is No Pain No Gain the Ultimate Fitness Myth or the Truth? Part 1

No Pain No Gain: Fitness Myth or Ultimate Fitness Truth?
By Tom Venuto
www.BurnTheFat.com

No Pain, No Gain. Is this aphorism just a fitness myth and downright bad advice? A lot of people seem to think so. As a bodybuilder with 25 years of training experience and more than two dozen trophies on my shelf, I have another perspective to offer you. Success with your body and in every area of your life is all about stepping outside of your comfort zone and that means embracing pain.

To reach high levels of physical and personal success you must approach your training, and your entire life, as an endeavor in constant growth. The ultimate truth is, you are either moving forward or moving backward; growing or dying. There’s no such thing as comfortably maintaining.

To grow, you must step above past achievements; beyond your perceived boundaries and limits. That means stepping out of the known, into the unknown; out of the familiar and into the unfamiliar; out of the comfortable into the uncomfortable. You must get out of your comfort zone.

The Late Cavett Robert, who was founder of the National Speakers Association, said something I’ll never forget: “Most people are running around their whole lives with their umbilical cords in their hands and they’re looking for some place to plug it back in.”

Most people are scared of the unknown.  They prefer to stay in that womb of comfort.  When the going gets tough; when the effort gets painful, when the work gets heard, they always pull back into safety.  But the extraordinary people do the opposite.  They know they have to get out of the comfort zone, and into new territory or they will stagnate and die. To be continued in an upcoming post.

Ageless Body-Builder Burns Fat

Tsutomo Tosaka, 74 years old, is another example, like Morjorie Newlin, of how you can't let age stop you from doing what you want.   Tosaka recently won first place at the Japanese National Championships in a field of 9 over 70 year olds.   His win made international news. 

He started lifting weights when he was in his 40s and has won many competitions. He says it is easy to stay healthy if you do some exercising.  He's known as Japan's slickest septuagenarian.  He is just AWESOME!

 

I am not into body-building competitions for myself.  I just like keeping myself fit and having more energy.  I love it that lifting weights keeps you young and that you don't have to participate in competitions to look good. 

Body-building is great whatever your age. Weight-lifting exercises do wonders for your self-esteem and well-being.   It also increases your strength.  Furthermore, when you start to get in shape, you feel just great.  Aren't you worth the benefits taking care of your body?

If you’re curious about how bodybuilders eat and train to get so lean, check out Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat Burning Secrets of the World’s Best Bodybuilders and Fitness Models.

Body-Builder Champion Great-grandmother at 86

I was recently reminded of the time I first saw an article about the body-builder champion, Morjorie Newlin (yes, that is the correct spelling of her name). I was floored.  I could not believe she was 86 years old.  She had no body fat just lean muscles. She was an incredible woman who started body-building training when she was about 72 years old, because she could not pick up a fifty pound bag of kitty litter.

Here she was, a mother of four with children and grandchildren who wanted to stay independent.  She was also concerned about  osteoporosis at the time.  So she started going to the gym and working out with weights.  Of course, the big known benefits of weightlifting and bodybuilding are the ability to burn fat and build lean muscle.

This fabulous woman entered her first bodybuilding competition in 1992 and won.  For the next 15 years she continued to improve and compete in shows that took her to Germany, France and Italy. She won many competitions throughout her "third" career.  Aside from being mom, grandmom and great-grandmom, she was a retired nurse and health-care administrator.

Her amazing story is an inspiration to all.   So dear readers, no more hiding behind excuses like "I'm too old." It will not work!  I had heard of men who were body-builders at later ages, however, Morjorie Newlin was the first woman I knew of.

 If you’re curious about how bodybuilders eat and train to get so lean, check out Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat Burning Secrets of the World’s Best Bodybuilders and Fitness Models.