"Body Type Weight Training - Are You Heading for a Collision?" 

Learn how body type weight training helps you avoid the perils of a shoreline collision. 

When Two Worlds Collide

I have a rib-tickling anecdote for you. The following story appears in Stephen Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" and made me chuckle when I first saw it.

Released by the Chief of Naval Operations in October, 1995, the radio transcript features the conversations of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland.

Here it is:

    Americans: "Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision."

    Canadians: "Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision."

    Americans: "This is the captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course."

    Canadians: "No, I say again, you divert YOUR course."

    Americans: "This is the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, the second largest ship in the United States' Atlantic fleet. We are accompanied by three destroyers, three cruisers and numerous support vessels. I demand that you change your course 15 degrees North. That's one-five degrees North, or counter measures will be undertaken to ensure the safety of this ship."

    Canadians: "This is a lighthouse. Your call."

I'm sure you'll agree, this tale of the pompous aircraft carrier captain getting his comeuppance (and some well-earned mud in his eye) at the hands of a plain speaking lighthouse is a hoot. But how true is the story? No-one can say for sure. Yet what I can tell you, is how this anecdote might be able to help your weight training.

Want to see how? Let's take a peek into your genes.

Your Immovable Object

It's an inarguable fact, that your genes largely dictate any fitness gains you might wish to make.

They control how you respond to activity, dictate your body type, and command whether you are a fortunate easy gainer (super-responder) or one of life's unlucky hard gainers (non-responders) who experiences negligible benefits from exercise.

In short, your genes are your very own immovable object. 

And just like the lighthouse in our story, this immovable object of yours won't respond to threats and bullying.

Who cares if you train like an animal in the gym? What does it matter if you follow a super-strict diet, forsaking all junk food in pursuit of a Hollywood physique? Your genetics - such that they are - doesn't give a damn. Just like the aircraft carrier captain with his vast American fleet, you are powerless. Attempting to bomb and blitz your way out of trouble is foolhardy and doomed to failure. Try it, and you are sunk.

Body Type Weight Training

So what can you do?

Don't fall into the "one-size-fits-all" fitness trap. Instead, pay attention to your genetic endowment and personalize your efforts in the gym accordingly.

Body type weight training begins by tailoring your volume as we talked about in training frequency for mass. Just one single adjustment often means the difference between avoiding the perils of a shoreline collision and steering safely into clear, untroubled waters.

Like the lighthouse said: "Your call."


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