What do you train for?
You would assume that with a name like Swole Source, the answer would be obvious for most guys here. But that's not always the case. I've been lifting for 13 yrs with some small breaks here and there, but for the most part, I've always stayed in shape. My longest layoff was actually this past winter. I was out of the gym for a good 4 months. I'm paying for that indiscretion now as I hobble around trying to recover from the abuse I dole out to myself in the name of fitness.
If there's one thing I've learned as I've gotten older, it's that the older I get, the less I know. I've always managed to keep myself in pretty damn good shape without really knowing what the hell I was doing. Sure, I can tell you what all the machines do and how to work them and what exercises to do for what body parts, but as far as WHY.....don't have a clue. The science behind it? Couldn't tell you. I would just show up, lift hard, eat, sleep and repeat. I would get big.
This time around though, it feels different. I feel like I want to define my goals in the gym and act accordingly. Why am I lifting? Of course the obvious reasons are for looks. Let's face it, when you look good, you feel good. Who doesn't want to feel good? Secondary would be the fact that I don't want to be one of these older folks that falls down and then can't get back up. Granted I'm only 36, but still..... Use it or lose it.
I guess my long winded question would be this. Is there any merit to the different lifting schemes out there, or if you just show up and lift, are you going to get results regardless? Things like, if you want to get big, keep your reps and weight between this and that. Of for endurance, lift lighter weight with higher reps. Strength they say keep the reps low and weight high. Etc, etc, etc.
Isn't the very fact of using your muscles to lift heavy shit going to have an effect on the muscle regardless, or is there wisdom in these differing schools of thought? You might think this doesn't sound like someone who has been working out for all those years. Honestly, I've never given it a second thought until now. Go figure.....