John, do you think Woody Strode and Herschel Walker have superior genetics?

[John Peterson]

Hey Friends,

I just received an e-mail from a man asking me if the reason Woody Strode, Herschel Walker, and Ricky Henderson all had such superior results with Push-Ups and body weight exercises is because of their genetic make-up.

Answer: NO! Granted, each man may have had excellent genetics and I am not arguing that point. But each of these men worked extremely hard doing anywhere from 500 to a thousand or more Push-Ups and other body weight exercises each day. Their results were due more to their hard work than anything else.

To further underscore my point, take a look at my own friends and students that will be shown in ULTIMATE PUSH-UPS FOR THE AWESOME PHYSIQUE OR VIRILITY 10 You'll see that their superior results are due to the hard work that they have put in. EXAMPLE: My good friend Greg Newton once suffered from busted-up weight lifter syndrome(And no, that is not John Peterson putting words in Greg's mouth. The words are his own.) By his own admission, his joints ached and he had a distended abdomen due to having followied Perry Rader's Squatting routine as a young man to the letter. After diligently applying himself to our methods he developed a body that is a 'spot on' dead ringer for Charles Atlas's Physique. His pains are gone. His body has become chiseled, lithe, and athletically reshaped while his energy and strength have gone through the roof. Same is true for his beautiful wife Lori. Is their success due to genetics? Only partially. In both instances, they have made the very best of their genetics through hard work with our methods. The same is also true for many other friends that you will see pictured.

Bottom line: I don't want any of you, my friends, using 'genetics' as an excuse to not excel and develop into the best possible you. Doing so would be to short change yourself. It would be like me whining about having had polio. So what!Big deal! It just gave me more motivation to overcome. So don't short change yourself friends. Become the person you can be through diligent self application of the TRANSFORMETRICS TRAINING METHODS.

---John Peterson

[MikeNY]

John I agree, genetics is just the posssibility and the man does the work. Each example you quote they all worked hard. Now are they are geneticly lucky? The answer is no, the hard work they did paid off with results!

[hollyweed88]

I like to say those people are genetically gifted. That way I have a good excuse to be nowhere near their great shape. It sounds good and allows me to be lazy. Unfortunately, I have found out, I am only fooling myself. It is not easy to be that dedicated to the task of building a great body. I fall down on the path often.
Now that I want such lofty standards, a lifetime of poor eating and no exercise has made it virtually impossible to achieve such great heights in body beauty. I must settle for the best I can be, with the effort I am willing to give or am able to give.
I am wiser now, I hope all you younger Americans wake up sooner than I. Stamp out obesity in our country.

[kelbiz]

It's important to 'play the hand you are dealt' and never quit. Too many people start working out and quit after a little discomfort or if results don't come quick enough.
This isn't a contest. It's what you do to benefit yourself.
When you see a physique like Woody Strode's or Charles Atlas', you're seeing the end result of NOT QUITTING. It's not taking the easy way out that makes a champion.
What makes ORDINARY different from EXTRAORDINARY? It's adding that little EXTRA.

Jack

[Kevin Nickerson]

What is our potential?And our we willing to put the hard work in to achieve it,so many people make excuses so they don't have to work at it.or if you have to work at achieve what you want they ask if there is muscles in a bottle.The magic word is WORK,and the will to do it.How many of us actually realize are genetic potential?Only those who don't make excuses.I wont be the next Woody Strode,Hershel Walker but that shouldn't stop me from being the best I can be!Sorry for the ramble-Kevin

[Greg Newton]

I want to underscore what John has said. Woody Strode, who was an Olympic athlete, Hershel Walker, and even John Peterson are what I deem to be elite atheltes with more than a modicum of athletic potential. Although, I'd have to say John is what he is from training the right way from his youth.

In terms of strength, speed, aesthetics, balance, coordination, flexibility, and agility, I tend to have average genetics. Being average is not a bad thing, because what you can do with average genetics with the right combination of hard work, the right diet, and the right exercise is astounding. And, I must say that your efforts don't have to be in the elite category either. For some, fifty pushups can be just as productive as 500.

That is why I want to particularly encourage Hollyweed. It is never too late to turn back time. A few years ago I considered myself washed up as an athlete, but now I am doing things I've never done, even at what I considered to be my athletic peak in my late twenties.

[Nathan]

Hey John,

I have to say before I started to exercise I thought I would always be extremely skinny and just plain weak. So I really never tried to exercise and get strong mainly because of the stupid genetics excuse. But now I now that I can accomplish anything I want to! So please don't anyone say that I can't do this or that because I have a really bad set of genetics. Because you never will with that attitude. Just get up and do this best you possibly can and you WILL succeed (No Ifs, Ands, or Butts! ). Anyway John great post and Thank You for helping me realize I can do whatever I what to. Again thank you.


---Nathan Clay---

[illuvitar]

Not to question the work ethic of Woody Strode, Herschel Walker, or anyone else who has achieved a great physique through hard work, a never say die attitude, and a good system. But, some guys do have a genetic gift that can take them places that other's won't be able to go.

For instance, my good friend JD was born fast, strong, and lean and athletic. He NEVER works out, eats junk, and hasn't slowed down yet. If I used his system I would be 50 lbs overweight, tired, and not able to pick up my kids. Genetically we are different animals. If JD had the work ethic of a Herschel Walker, or the drive of John Peterson who knows where he might be right now. We might all be watching him on Sunday afternoon.

Now, I am not advocating JD's system in the least, but I will contend that this is an issue of BOTH/AND. There are lots of guys with great genetics who waste them, and there are lots of guys with genetic obstacles who work against them to achieve extraordinary results.

Yet we are all constrained to a certain extent by our genetics. Don't think so? Try lengthening your femur like Lance Armstrong for more torque on your pedals, or shortening the length of your biceps tendon to allow for rounder biceps.

All the best,
Illuvitar

[Greg Newton]

Good points Illuvitar. Most people don't have the drive to excel or to live up to their genetic potential. Too, we are limited by our genetics! If I could look like anyone, it would be Woody Strode. But, not being a 6-3 African/Creek/Cherokee Indian, I'll settle for looking more like Charles Atlas or Jack Lalanne or John Peterson. Speaking of Atlas, while genetically I might resemble C/A, or so I've been told, I certainly don't have his strength or endurance (yet).

[keith james]

Hi John

I would have to agree with what you have stated about genetics. Yes okay people will have different height, weight, hair, eyes, etc.

BUT we all have the same muscles and bones, even if they are a different size.

We can all achieve a great looking physique if we train reguarly with what we have been given, our own bodies.

I have noticed in the bodybuilding magazines that they put a big emphasis on the word genetics, because to stop the inoccent public looking into the steriod area, where we all know that ALL pro bodybuilders are on, no matter what they say. We all know that they are in the business of selling magazines, products that their athletes endorse.

just another quick item that i have seen in the magazines in which a certain company sell supplements that their athletes are endorsing, knowing full well that they are not natural.

Sorry if i have ranted a bit, just all train naturally and with your own machine, and live in the best of health.
All in the best of health.

KEITH JAMES.

[kelbiz]

Truly, genetics play a part but nothing will ever replace determination, hard work and guts. That's the person who knows right from the start that their only 'edge' is never quitting, trying harder and giving it their all.

Jack

[JoeJustice]

I think that genetics play a role in everything, but they aren't the deciding factor. For example, I like to play guitar, but I'll never be as good as Chet Atkins no matter how much I practice. I enjoy riding my bike, but will never be able to beat Lance Armstrong in a race. And similarly, I'll never look like Arnold Schwarzenegger circa 1979 even if I train exactly the same way and have the same pharmaceutical aids. Of course, that's why we have competitions, to see who the best is! If we all had equal chances at being the best, why would there be competition?

That being said, I'm with John 100% on the use of genetics as an excuse. And it's not just in fitness either, more and more people use genetics as an excuse for behaviors from binge drinking to womanizing. I think it's just easier to blame externals then to look in the mirror in the morning and say, "My life is my fault"

Take my friend Nate The Golfnut and compare him to me. Do we have different genetics? YES! Take a look at him before he started training and me before I started training and the difference couldn't be more profound! Two guys on totally opposite ends of the physical spectrum. But as time marches on and we both train more and more, isn't it funny how similar our bodies begin to look? Well, we still have the exact same genetics at the end of the day that we started out with, so the only difference is what we have actively done for ourselves. Our choices have and will continue to make the difference not our genetics.

Now if I can only hulk-out like Tim The Peacekeeper... :tongue:

-Joe

[JoeJustice]

Illuvitar,

A bit off topic, but your friend JD reminds me of what Jack Welch calls "A Winner". A Winner is a person who has just fallen into their success without much effort on their own part - good genetics, wealthy and active parents, or just plane good luck. He warned against hiring a winner because they often look very good on paper but once hired as soon as they come up against any kind of adversity they fold because they've never had to deal with adversity before.

-Joe

[illuvitar]

Great comments guys,

Absolutely no point worrying about genetics, and equally there is no point in kidding yourself about them. Many a man has been fooled into deadlifting or benching dangerous amounts of weight because 'if you just put your mind to it you can do it'. I see it as being a bit more complex than that. A person can also easily injure themselves doing bodyweight squats or pushups because they are following someone else who did 1500 a day and they are determined, by golly, to do the same. I think that JP does a good job of encouraging his friends to use their minds as well as their bodies in the pursuit of fitness...so let's do him proud.

All the best,
Illuvitar

[Kevin Nickerson]

DESIRE-You can have excess to the best training program,exercise equipment ect,and you have no desire then your prone to failure,only you you wont call it your failure but the failure of the exercise program and the equipment becomes a towel rack.Success starts between the ears.The will to win,the desire to succeed,the urge to reach your full potential...these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence-Eddie Robinson-Excuses are nails used to build a house of failure-Don W and Wilder and Bill Rechin-Kevin