« Book Review: The Progress Paradox by Gregg Easterbook | Home | Book Review: The Golfer & The Millionaire »
Brawn, by Stuart McRobert (book re-cap)
By Samir | July 17, 2010
As part of my efforts to curtail spending, pay off some debts and living a cleaner, simpler, easier life, I’ve eschewed a lot of socialization in favor of spending some quiet evenings with books. It’s good, from time to time, to withdraw from a lot of society and spend time with oneself - I really think people don’t do it enough.
http://www.amazon.com/Brawn-Stuart-McRobert/dp/9963616089
Brawn, by Stuart McRobert
Bodybuilding, like anything else it seems, is a double-edge sword. At its best, it is a powerful tool in human development. It requires diligence, self-reliance, persistence, self-awareness, honesty, submission to the truth, ruthlessness (to discard methods that don’t work, regardless of how much we like them), openness (to try new methods and take calculated risks) and of course, intense discipline. These are all traits that any man would benefit from having, and a huge reason as to why I enjoy practicing it “the gym”. A man forged in the fire of the “pump” is truly a strong fellow indeed - and I’m not referring to physical strength.
Of course, with the hyper-bloated physiques of today, we’ve seen an ultimate corruption of the beauty of bodybuilding. Champion bodybuilders like Andreas Munzer die mysteriously - yet these deaths are not enough for those with a vested interest in fooling the masses to act. Companies sell steroids, chemicals, “fake food” and an entire lifestyle to the average masses, telling them beach bodies and incredible sex lives are all there for the taking - provided one take the sport to such a ridiculous, self-destructive extreme. Why? Well of course, there’s money to be made!
More to the point, Brawn is an excellent treatise by Stuart McRobert on how genetically average, non-drugged people can enjoy the sport. It doesn’t preach, or philosophize, it just gives the straight dope. To resume:
- Most people that are used to sell the “image of the sport” are genetic freaks that are further enhanced by heavy drugs
- For every Ronnie Coleman or Arnold Schwarzenegger, there are hundreds and thousands of guys who killed themselves (both literally and figuratively) trying to achieve the same success, but didn’t because of bad luck, bad genetics, and no access to the steroids no one talks about that are used by champions of today in hush-hush tones.
- Most of the advice champions of today gives is based on their experience with drugs supplementing their training. Therefore, it is useless to most people who are not interested in drugs.
- By preaching methods which are known to only work with drugs such as steroids or human growth hormone pills, these champions are indirectly encouraging drug use - as people will become impatient with lack of results and turn to drugs to get bigger.
- The real heroes are the guys who practice bodybuilding for its own sake, rather than for outlandish shows and who stick to having normal lives outside the sport. i.e., those who recognize the sport is a means to an end, rather than an end in and of itself The others pervert a beautiful sport.
- Genetically average people should stick to basic workouts with tons of rest
It’s a sobering look at bodybuilding and a highly recommend it, especially for the young bodybuilders who may be considering “going for it” without having weighed all of the pro’s and con’s of doing so.
As for whether or not the methods Brawn recommend work, the jury’s out. I’ll try them and get back to you.
Topics: Books / Livres, Strength Training |
Comments are closed.
