tiramisu
17-10-2009, 04:42 PM
Of course the whole interview is worth reading but I'd like to focus on yet another guy who says he got big by eating big rather than clean.
Lately I've been having some real challenges with eating clean and growing.
I can do 225 @ 5' 9" - 10% but adding clean calories if anything has just sped up my metabolism.
I'm getting stronger and the muscle shape is visibly improving but the scale refuses to move even with a couple of grams of aas and 4-5k calories a day.
I am starting to believe that there is a point where serious big eating may be the best solution to the problem.
-------------------------------------------
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/jim2.htm
Interview with Jim Wendler, Part II
By Jason Ferruggia
For www.EliteFTS.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason: What is any strength coach’s most important responsibility to his or her athletes?
Jim: To prepare the athlete for their given sport. Some may say injury prevention, but it’s hard to get injured sitting on the bench. Remember that a strength and conditioning coach is only one piece of the puzzle, but still an important piece. The key is have the athletes ready to play at their highest possible level for their game/match, etc. This could mean a ton of different things, but the bottom line is if the athletes are ready for their competition, and are as physically and mentally ready as possible, then you have done your job.
Jason: What does it take to be a good strength coach or trainer?
Jim: I’m going to first say that I have been out of the strength coach/trainer game for quite some time. So I’m not an expert by any means. But looking back, and talking with coaches on a regular basis, I think the most overlooked thing is NOT education but communication. I know a lot of people that can tell you everything and write a book or article on it, but what happens when 30 swimmers show up unexpected and the head swimming coach wants to train forearms? How do you approach it? How do you approach a misguided sport coach? How do you maintain your integrity without telling the coach that he’s a moron? This is the key to communication. A coach that believes in his program is terrific; how he is able to effectively manage all the people around him (and for a strength coach there are a lot of people to deal with) and foster relationships that promote trust is the key.
Jason: Well put. If you were going to outfit an athletic training center what equipment would you get in order of importance?
Jim: The most important pieces would be a rack w/ a chin up bar, bench, a bar, plates and a set of dumbbells. A lifting platform would also be great. I think med balls are a terrific tool for athletes. Once you have the basics, then you can start branching out into more specialty items such as a glute ham raise or a 45 degree back raise. The key to setting up a training center is look at your philosophy and build around it.
Jason: Some guru's tell us that it's possible to gain huge amounts of muscle and still eat extremely clean and stay under ten percent body fat all year. What's your opinion of this?
Jim: I don’t think that’s possible to gain huge amounts of muscle without the use of G.H. and anabolic steroids. This is especially true for an advanced athlete that eats very clean. For most people, that’s just not reality. There are genetically gifted people that can do this, but let’s be honest; how many people do you know that can achieve this?
Jason: What are some of the best weight gaining foods out there?
Jim: In my experience, large amounts of red meat, milk, and a lot of rice and potatoes. This has always worked for me. It’s just a matter of doing it, which isn’t always the easiest.
Jason: Do you have any weight gain tips and tricks you could share?
Jim: This is what I did to gain a ton of weight. It’s not healthy, but it worked. Breakfast: 1 lb of ground beef plus 2 cups of rice
Snack: Weight gain shake
Lunch: Whatever – usually another 1 lb of beef
Snack: Weight gain shake
Dinner: 1 lb of ground beef plus 2 cups rice
Snack: Weight Gain shake
3 A.M feeding: Weight gain shake
I felt like crap doing this but I got strong as hell.
Jason: How does being on steroids affect your ability to train? Should your volume be higher or lower and what other considerations must be made? I know there are many common misconceptions here and would like to hear your opinions on them.
Jim: I find this issue to be strange. First, most of the “research” on anabolics was done on bodybuilders. They train their muscles. They do train with a certain amount of exertion, but there is a big difference in doing sets of ten then doing several sets at 90%. Athletes are training their nervous system, which is much different that what a bodybuilder is doing. So while it may look like an athlete should be able to do more volume, based on the bodybuilding research, in reality, it is not the astronomical increase that people would have you believe. Being "on" does not mean you can handle more volume. Most of the people that I know that are "on" are very experienced lifters and don't do as much volume as they once did. This is because of their training age. Most people that delve into the "dark forces" are experienced lifters (at least the ones that I know) and have already paid their Schwarzenegger (volume) dues. Also, conditioning during a workout has a lot to do with bodyweight. Being "on" usually increases your bodyweight and thus many times, your conditioning level goes in the crapper. So, you can't do as much as you did before you started. If you think I'm bullshitting you, try putting a 30-40lbs weight vest on and doing your standard workout. Welcome to the land of good stuff. Also, as anyone with half a brain can tell you, taking orals is a great way to screw up your conditioning. D-bol/Anadrol will definitely make you out of breath. So while in theory, taking drugs will be able to increase your workload, I've seen results that say otherwise. I also think that a lot of the ideas on drugs are being put forth by bodybuilders, who train the muscle, not the CNS.
Jason: What kind of recommendations would you make to some one coming off steroids? What should they do to keep their gains and how should they alter their training?
Jim: The most important thing is that they are mentally ready to get off. You can have all your clomid and HCG lined up and ready, but if you aren’t mentally ready to get off, then you are going to have problems. You can visit any steroid forum for advice on what drugs to take afterwards but here is some unique advice. I’ve already stated that the mental portion of getting off drugs is the most important. What you need to do is attack your mental problem areas one by one and see what you can do to correct them. This is the most important thing. If you are not ready for a diminished sex drive, getting weaker and losing mass then this can be very difficult. For example, if you are worried about losing sensations in your nether region, then take some Tribex. For losing weight and strength some creatine would work pretty well, also. If you have one body part that makes you feel ?big?, then devote some more time to this area (or do whatever you need to do) to keep it pumped and keep it bigger. The bottom line is that you need to attack this mentally rather than physically.
Jason: I noticed you doing lots of mobility and flexibility work earlier today. Was this always important to you or is becoming more important now because you are more focused on feeling better and not ending up like Dave?
Jim: I used to do a lot of this and then listened to all of the experts and stopped doing it. What a massive mistake. I started stretching again, despite the warnings, about three years ago and things have gotten better. I did the basic toe touches, groin stretch, hip flexor stretch, the same stuff that you did when you were in pee-wee football. This was the only way that I could squat. I have very tight hips. I can’t sit for prolonged periods of time without extreme discomfort. This is not good when I’m on a plane. Do I want to end up as banged up as Dave? Hell no. A lot of this stuff is preventive medicine.
Jason: When we were on the beach before you mentioned how some experts have said that running in sand has a negative impact on athletic ability and that you did not agree. Can you share those thoughts with our readers as well as name a few of the biggest myths and misconceptions that you do not agree with?
Jim: Here’s where I’m going to go with this answer. No matter what training or diet advice you can get, there is going to be someone or something to dispute it. Now you are left confused. So you are left basically doing nothing. Everything is great and everything sucks. After awhile, people will do two things; train the way they know or give up. For example, all through high school I ran hills. I grew up just outside of Chicago so Walter Payton was a huge influence on me. Now I know that running hills isn’t supposed to be the greatest activity, especially because it messes up your mechanics or whatever. But guess who was in better condition and had stronger legs? Now was it the most effective? You’re goddamn right it was. Mentally, I thought I was the baddest SOB on the field. Who ditched all of the Friday night parties to run hills on Saturday morning? Who left most of their lunch on the hill after the workouts? So while it may have not been what a sprint coach would prescribe, for my situation it was what I needed. You give a kid strength is his head, and you have strength in the body. You just need to know how to tap into this. Fast forward to 2005. According to every chart and every book, the way that I trained was wrong. I didn’t do a ton of accessory work, and very little speed work. Yet I still had my best meet ever. It’s more important to do WHAT you need to do, rather then what you are supposed to. I have talked to James Smith about how we forget the most important factor of sports: the mental portion. I talked to him about this the other day and I will use Ray Lewis as an example. Here is a guy that is a leader; there is no doubt about it. The Ravens defense is based around him and he takes charge. I guarantee that if someone is not doing their job or not giving 100%, he will call him on it. And he expects the same out of himself. Is he the fastest linebacker? No, but he’s certainly quick. Is he the strongest? No, but he’s not weak. What he has is a personality that allows him to get the most out of himself AND his teammates. Instead of looking at him physically, look at him mentally. Find out what makes him so good. This is so overlooked.
Jason: That’s a great point that I think people miss all too often and needed to be said.
Okay, enough about training. I think we’re both to drunk for anymore of that talk so let’s move on. How has having a family changed your views on training, work, life, etc.?
Jim: The first thing that I learned was that I was no longer the center of the universe. For almost 30 years, it was all about me. Now I have two people that rely on me to live. I also have a responsibility to both my wife and son to set the right example. I may not always do it, but I try. And maybe the right example isn’t correct in some people’s eyes, but if they want to start pointing fingers they can start by looking in the mirror.
When it comes down to it, I want to give my family a life of laughter and comfort.
I know some people seem to think that because of my family that I was “forced” to retire. They obviously don’t know much. My wife has been and always will be supportive. As stated before, I wasn’t having much fun anymore and that’s the real reason.
Jason: In Jim Wendler’s opinion, what is the meaning of life? What is most important to you and what are some of the biggest problems in the world today?
Jim: The meaning of life? Wow. I had a long talk with my wife the other night and we talked about this. Now this is my opinion so many people might not agree with me. The meaning of life, according to me, is to make the world around you a better place. Let me explain. I hear all the time how people need to “make a difference” and “lend a hand”, etc. The problem with this is that most people think that in order to make a difference you need to cure cancer or save a starving nation. They feel like they can’t make a difference. The key is the phrase “the world around you”. This needs to be clarified. The world around each person is different. You don’t have to venture to unknown lands to make a difference. Let’s examine Dave Tate. Dave started EFS and has helped thousands of people reach their training goals. He has answered countless e-mails, phone calls and coached at many seminars. He has helped the lifters at Westside Barbell as well as visitors and coaches that came in. Without realizing it, this helped his business grow. In doing so, he has had the ability to hire more people (let’s use me as an example) and help them achieve a great life. Of course, there is his family and friends, but you get the point. Dave, in the world around him, is making things better.
Even simpler, just thank the people that serve you on a regular basis. Thank the waiter/waitress and the people at the bank. A smile isn’t that difficult.
Understand that we all have a different world that surrounds us. Let’s be honest and say that most lower/middle class people have little shot at being President of the United States. You have to have money to win. But those that choose to embrace that potential role need to take into account that their world is now vastly different than most of ours. But, and I digress, the values of those in the political machine are so vastly different than most Americans, that I wonder if they even realize when they are doing something wrong. I will use Woody Allen as an example. When he married his adopted daughter, everyone thought he was a sick bastard. But sometimes I wonder if Woody Allen’s morals, having been away from the normal world for so long, were so skewed that it really didn’t phase him. The same can be said with many of those in the federal government. How long do you have to be part of the process that everything you were taught when you were young goes out the window?
As far as the biggest problems today - I think the biggest thing is the lack of spirituality in the world. Now this may surprise some people because I have a huge pentagram tattooed on my arm and other assorted “evil” goodies. But again, let me clarify. Spirituality can have a religious context, but it doesn’t have to. What I see around me is a lot of people who are relying on physical objects for emotional well-being and self worth. They believe that by having X car or X house that their life will be better. Look at all the credit card debt and all the commercials on TV that are trying to sell you something. They aren’t selling you a product, they are trying to make you feel guilty if don’t have the correct pair of jeans. They want to make you feel that if you don’t have something, you are worthless. The best thing I ever did was severely limit my TV watching and start going outside more. I don’t get caught up in petty gossip and try to stay away from negative people.
I used to get really mad about some of the above things, but realized that I have a family that I need to take care of and these values are something that I need to pass on. I can’t clean the world if my own house is a mess.
Jason: Wow. Great stuff bro. Let’s see you tackle this one. If you were president, how would this country be different?
Jim: What a question. The thing that I would focus on the most would be education and getting our priorities straight in that department. I’ve been in high schools that have weight rooms in their bathrooms because of no funding. The plumbing has not been updated in decades and they are just NOW getting rid of the asbestos. What a joke. The school lunches are full of crap and the idea of standardized testing has forced the educational system to focus on them, rather than education. You have schools in Ohio that had to cancel all sports, all after school activities because of budget problems. I can’t imagine going through high school with no sports or no dances. These things are important to kids and sometimes we forget that.
Things such as art, music and gym class have all been left hanging. What a tragedy. These things are essential in developing the person. It’s funny how everything seems to revolve around the advancement of technology but as soon as I got rid of our telephone, our home computer and almost all T.V., our lives have changed for the better. Makes you wonder why our system is so geared for “making our lives simpler” when all it does is make things complicated.
The key is to stop pointing fingers and do something about this. Maybe it’s the Democrats or maybe it’s the Republicans. Who cares, really. The problem is that most of us have no idea how politics really work. The solutions that seem so simple are wrapped in so much red tape that it’s almost impossible to get anything done. Do we attack everything independently or do we do a complete wash of everything? I think we’ve taken an approach to problems similar to that of a competitive athlete that is injured. Instead of looking for the cause of the real problem, we simply put a wrap on it, tape it up, take some painkillers and hope it can last for awhile. This works for awhile, but it always causes more problems.
Both of my parents were teachers. The thing that I’ve learned from them is that education starts at home. When parents don’t take the initiative to teach their children, even if it’s very basic stuff, then this is when education starts to break down. This doesn’t mean teaching a kid how to split the atom, but simple things can go a long way.
This is still the best country to live in. While I was getting my last tattoo, I had the privilege to speak to a Marine that was home from Iraq. He commented to me that he wasn’t quite sure about the reason of why he was over there, but he did his job and spoke with great pride. You could tell from his eyes that he was proud of serving his country. This was refreshing and gave me more confidence in the American people that ever before.
Look at the response to the tragedy of 9/11. New York responded, as did our whole country, and this speaks volumes of our citizens. It was not the politicians that did this, but the people of the country. People put aside the B.S and worked to make things better. Not for themselves but for others. This is what this country is about.
Jason: And people wonder why I love you. Before I start singing the national anthem with tears in my eyes lets shift gears to some lighter topics. You mentioned your last tattoo and I must say that the new ink looks sick. You beat me to it but I still want to get that kind of lettering done so I hope you don't mind if I bite your style. Where do you get all your stuff done and what do you have planned next
Jim: Everything but the lettering on my forearms was done by Beef Stu. He’s a tattoo artist that is located in Austin, Texas. He used to work in Lexington, Kentucky and that’s where I first met him. I came to him with some twisted stuff and he jumped on it. He was sick and tired of doing dolphins, college logos, roses and other assorted mainstream goodies. What I do now is get a couple of ideas and let him run with it. When I sit down with him, we have a general idea of what’s going to happen, but there’s some improv. Since we both know what we want, it’s really easy. We have such a wonderful relationship. (massive sarcasm)
Jason: How does that go over with the in-laws?
Jim: I don’t know about the in-laws. I don’t think they like it too much, but I refuse to live my life by someone else’s standards. They have always been great to me, so I can’t complain.
Jason: I know Whitney is cool as hell and you guys have a great relationship so she won't mind me asking this. Who are the top five hottest girls out there right now?
Jim: I’m very lucky to have Whitney. She’s secretly crazy. To be honest, I haven’t the faintest clue on who’s hot and who’s not. But I will say that Kate Hudson is pretty damn hot. The fact that I can’t answer this question makes me feel old.
Jason: Kate Hudson?! I don’t know about that pick. I’d opt for Jessica Alba or Jessica Biel any day over Kate Hudson.
Jim: But Kate married a stoned out singer, so she can’t be all bad.
Jason: Good Point. I know you’re a big movie guy so what are your top five movies of all time?
Jim: I am a movie snob. If I’m going to sit down for two hours of my day and watch something, then it better be good. I have no problems turning a movie off. With that being said I’m going to list two movies that I think most people don’t know about but should see. Keep in mind that I am very picky about movies and have different tastes. The first movie is Zero Effect. One of the funniest, wittiest movies I’ve seen. The second movie that no one has seen is The Spanish Prisoner. It was written by David Mamet and the dialogue is certainly different. If anyone’s ever seen Oleanna than they know what I’m talking about.
As far as more mainstream movies, I’m a huge fan of Usual Suspects. That movie knocked me on my ass. I stayed up all night watching that movie; I got a D on a quiz in college because I didn’t read part of Homer’s Odyssey.
Jason: That’s definitely one of my all time favorites.
Jim: I loved “O Brother, where art thou?” because of the dialogue. I’ve watched that movie more times than I care to admit.
It seems like Hollywood has put out the same movie for the past 20 years. They are kind of like AC/DC. They change the actors and the time period, but it just gets too boring. I want a movie that will kick me square in the crotch and I still want to come back for more.
Jason: What about your top five books?
Jim: The Demon by Hubert Selby, The Fermata by Nicholson Baker, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, The Stand by Stephen King.
There is something to be said for an author that can tell a story and you never want to put the book down.
Jason: I hear ya. On one final note here to wrap this up let me ask you this. I know we covered this a bit earlier but when it’s all said and done, how do you want Mason to think of his dad? What do you want him to say were the most important things you taught him and what would you like to hear him say when reminiscing about the time he spent with you?
Jim: I want him to think of his Dad the same way that I think of my father; a man that has helped me through bad times, picked me up when I was down, and put me in my place when I was too high. Someone that gave me money when I was hungry, taught me how to throw a baseball and told me that anything less than my best was/is unacceptable. A father that co-signed for my first guitar, listens to my weekly rants and nods his head even if he thinks I’m way off base. A man that came to every single game, even when I was in college, and always reserves judgment until he has the facts; I hope that my son is as lucky as I have been.
Lately I've been having some real challenges with eating clean and growing.
I can do 225 @ 5' 9" - 10% but adding clean calories if anything has just sped up my metabolism.
I'm getting stronger and the muscle shape is visibly improving but the scale refuses to move even with a couple of grams of aas and 4-5k calories a day.
I am starting to believe that there is a point where serious big eating may be the best solution to the problem.
-------------------------------------------
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/jim2.htm
Interview with Jim Wendler, Part II
By Jason Ferruggia
For www.EliteFTS.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason: What is any strength coach’s most important responsibility to his or her athletes?
Jim: To prepare the athlete for their given sport. Some may say injury prevention, but it’s hard to get injured sitting on the bench. Remember that a strength and conditioning coach is only one piece of the puzzle, but still an important piece. The key is have the athletes ready to play at their highest possible level for their game/match, etc. This could mean a ton of different things, but the bottom line is if the athletes are ready for their competition, and are as physically and mentally ready as possible, then you have done your job.
Jason: What does it take to be a good strength coach or trainer?
Jim: I’m going to first say that I have been out of the strength coach/trainer game for quite some time. So I’m not an expert by any means. But looking back, and talking with coaches on a regular basis, I think the most overlooked thing is NOT education but communication. I know a lot of people that can tell you everything and write a book or article on it, but what happens when 30 swimmers show up unexpected and the head swimming coach wants to train forearms? How do you approach it? How do you approach a misguided sport coach? How do you maintain your integrity without telling the coach that he’s a moron? This is the key to communication. A coach that believes in his program is terrific; how he is able to effectively manage all the people around him (and for a strength coach there are a lot of people to deal with) and foster relationships that promote trust is the key.
Jason: Well put. If you were going to outfit an athletic training center what equipment would you get in order of importance?
Jim: The most important pieces would be a rack w/ a chin up bar, bench, a bar, plates and a set of dumbbells. A lifting platform would also be great. I think med balls are a terrific tool for athletes. Once you have the basics, then you can start branching out into more specialty items such as a glute ham raise or a 45 degree back raise. The key to setting up a training center is look at your philosophy and build around it.
Jason: Some guru's tell us that it's possible to gain huge amounts of muscle and still eat extremely clean and stay under ten percent body fat all year. What's your opinion of this?
Jim: I don’t think that’s possible to gain huge amounts of muscle without the use of G.H. and anabolic steroids. This is especially true for an advanced athlete that eats very clean. For most people, that’s just not reality. There are genetically gifted people that can do this, but let’s be honest; how many people do you know that can achieve this?
Jason: What are some of the best weight gaining foods out there?
Jim: In my experience, large amounts of red meat, milk, and a lot of rice and potatoes. This has always worked for me. It’s just a matter of doing it, which isn’t always the easiest.
Jason: Do you have any weight gain tips and tricks you could share?
Jim: This is what I did to gain a ton of weight. It’s not healthy, but it worked. Breakfast: 1 lb of ground beef plus 2 cups of rice
Snack: Weight gain shake
Lunch: Whatever – usually another 1 lb of beef
Snack: Weight gain shake
Dinner: 1 lb of ground beef plus 2 cups rice
Snack: Weight Gain shake
3 A.M feeding: Weight gain shake
I felt like crap doing this but I got strong as hell.
Jason: How does being on steroids affect your ability to train? Should your volume be higher or lower and what other considerations must be made? I know there are many common misconceptions here and would like to hear your opinions on them.
Jim: I find this issue to be strange. First, most of the “research” on anabolics was done on bodybuilders. They train their muscles. They do train with a certain amount of exertion, but there is a big difference in doing sets of ten then doing several sets at 90%. Athletes are training their nervous system, which is much different that what a bodybuilder is doing. So while it may look like an athlete should be able to do more volume, based on the bodybuilding research, in reality, it is not the astronomical increase that people would have you believe. Being "on" does not mean you can handle more volume. Most of the people that I know that are "on" are very experienced lifters and don't do as much volume as they once did. This is because of their training age. Most people that delve into the "dark forces" are experienced lifters (at least the ones that I know) and have already paid their Schwarzenegger (volume) dues. Also, conditioning during a workout has a lot to do with bodyweight. Being "on" usually increases your bodyweight and thus many times, your conditioning level goes in the crapper. So, you can't do as much as you did before you started. If you think I'm bullshitting you, try putting a 30-40lbs weight vest on and doing your standard workout. Welcome to the land of good stuff. Also, as anyone with half a brain can tell you, taking orals is a great way to screw up your conditioning. D-bol/Anadrol will definitely make you out of breath. So while in theory, taking drugs will be able to increase your workload, I've seen results that say otherwise. I also think that a lot of the ideas on drugs are being put forth by bodybuilders, who train the muscle, not the CNS.
Jason: What kind of recommendations would you make to some one coming off steroids? What should they do to keep their gains and how should they alter their training?
Jim: The most important thing is that they are mentally ready to get off. You can have all your clomid and HCG lined up and ready, but if you aren’t mentally ready to get off, then you are going to have problems. You can visit any steroid forum for advice on what drugs to take afterwards but here is some unique advice. I’ve already stated that the mental portion of getting off drugs is the most important. What you need to do is attack your mental problem areas one by one and see what you can do to correct them. This is the most important thing. If you are not ready for a diminished sex drive, getting weaker and losing mass then this can be very difficult. For example, if you are worried about losing sensations in your nether region, then take some Tribex. For losing weight and strength some creatine would work pretty well, also. If you have one body part that makes you feel ?big?, then devote some more time to this area (or do whatever you need to do) to keep it pumped and keep it bigger. The bottom line is that you need to attack this mentally rather than physically.
Jason: I noticed you doing lots of mobility and flexibility work earlier today. Was this always important to you or is becoming more important now because you are more focused on feeling better and not ending up like Dave?
Jim: I used to do a lot of this and then listened to all of the experts and stopped doing it. What a massive mistake. I started stretching again, despite the warnings, about three years ago and things have gotten better. I did the basic toe touches, groin stretch, hip flexor stretch, the same stuff that you did when you were in pee-wee football. This was the only way that I could squat. I have very tight hips. I can’t sit for prolonged periods of time without extreme discomfort. This is not good when I’m on a plane. Do I want to end up as banged up as Dave? Hell no. A lot of this stuff is preventive medicine.
Jason: When we were on the beach before you mentioned how some experts have said that running in sand has a negative impact on athletic ability and that you did not agree. Can you share those thoughts with our readers as well as name a few of the biggest myths and misconceptions that you do not agree with?
Jim: Here’s where I’m going to go with this answer. No matter what training or diet advice you can get, there is going to be someone or something to dispute it. Now you are left confused. So you are left basically doing nothing. Everything is great and everything sucks. After awhile, people will do two things; train the way they know or give up. For example, all through high school I ran hills. I grew up just outside of Chicago so Walter Payton was a huge influence on me. Now I know that running hills isn’t supposed to be the greatest activity, especially because it messes up your mechanics or whatever. But guess who was in better condition and had stronger legs? Now was it the most effective? You’re goddamn right it was. Mentally, I thought I was the baddest SOB on the field. Who ditched all of the Friday night parties to run hills on Saturday morning? Who left most of their lunch on the hill after the workouts? So while it may have not been what a sprint coach would prescribe, for my situation it was what I needed. You give a kid strength is his head, and you have strength in the body. You just need to know how to tap into this. Fast forward to 2005. According to every chart and every book, the way that I trained was wrong. I didn’t do a ton of accessory work, and very little speed work. Yet I still had my best meet ever. It’s more important to do WHAT you need to do, rather then what you are supposed to. I have talked to James Smith about how we forget the most important factor of sports: the mental portion. I talked to him about this the other day and I will use Ray Lewis as an example. Here is a guy that is a leader; there is no doubt about it. The Ravens defense is based around him and he takes charge. I guarantee that if someone is not doing their job or not giving 100%, he will call him on it. And he expects the same out of himself. Is he the fastest linebacker? No, but he’s certainly quick. Is he the strongest? No, but he’s not weak. What he has is a personality that allows him to get the most out of himself AND his teammates. Instead of looking at him physically, look at him mentally. Find out what makes him so good. This is so overlooked.
Jason: That’s a great point that I think people miss all too often and needed to be said.
Okay, enough about training. I think we’re both to drunk for anymore of that talk so let’s move on. How has having a family changed your views on training, work, life, etc.?
Jim: The first thing that I learned was that I was no longer the center of the universe. For almost 30 years, it was all about me. Now I have two people that rely on me to live. I also have a responsibility to both my wife and son to set the right example. I may not always do it, but I try. And maybe the right example isn’t correct in some people’s eyes, but if they want to start pointing fingers they can start by looking in the mirror.
When it comes down to it, I want to give my family a life of laughter and comfort.
I know some people seem to think that because of my family that I was “forced” to retire. They obviously don’t know much. My wife has been and always will be supportive. As stated before, I wasn’t having much fun anymore and that’s the real reason.
Jason: In Jim Wendler’s opinion, what is the meaning of life? What is most important to you and what are some of the biggest problems in the world today?
Jim: The meaning of life? Wow. I had a long talk with my wife the other night and we talked about this. Now this is my opinion so many people might not agree with me. The meaning of life, according to me, is to make the world around you a better place. Let me explain. I hear all the time how people need to “make a difference” and “lend a hand”, etc. The problem with this is that most people think that in order to make a difference you need to cure cancer or save a starving nation. They feel like they can’t make a difference. The key is the phrase “the world around you”. This needs to be clarified. The world around each person is different. You don’t have to venture to unknown lands to make a difference. Let’s examine Dave Tate. Dave started EFS and has helped thousands of people reach their training goals. He has answered countless e-mails, phone calls and coached at many seminars. He has helped the lifters at Westside Barbell as well as visitors and coaches that came in. Without realizing it, this helped his business grow. In doing so, he has had the ability to hire more people (let’s use me as an example) and help them achieve a great life. Of course, there is his family and friends, but you get the point. Dave, in the world around him, is making things better.
Even simpler, just thank the people that serve you on a regular basis. Thank the waiter/waitress and the people at the bank. A smile isn’t that difficult.
Understand that we all have a different world that surrounds us. Let’s be honest and say that most lower/middle class people have little shot at being President of the United States. You have to have money to win. But those that choose to embrace that potential role need to take into account that their world is now vastly different than most of ours. But, and I digress, the values of those in the political machine are so vastly different than most Americans, that I wonder if they even realize when they are doing something wrong. I will use Woody Allen as an example. When he married his adopted daughter, everyone thought he was a sick bastard. But sometimes I wonder if Woody Allen’s morals, having been away from the normal world for so long, were so skewed that it really didn’t phase him. The same can be said with many of those in the federal government. How long do you have to be part of the process that everything you were taught when you were young goes out the window?
As far as the biggest problems today - I think the biggest thing is the lack of spirituality in the world. Now this may surprise some people because I have a huge pentagram tattooed on my arm and other assorted “evil” goodies. But again, let me clarify. Spirituality can have a religious context, but it doesn’t have to. What I see around me is a lot of people who are relying on physical objects for emotional well-being and self worth. They believe that by having X car or X house that their life will be better. Look at all the credit card debt and all the commercials on TV that are trying to sell you something. They aren’t selling you a product, they are trying to make you feel guilty if don’t have the correct pair of jeans. They want to make you feel that if you don’t have something, you are worthless. The best thing I ever did was severely limit my TV watching and start going outside more. I don’t get caught up in petty gossip and try to stay away from negative people.
I used to get really mad about some of the above things, but realized that I have a family that I need to take care of and these values are something that I need to pass on. I can’t clean the world if my own house is a mess.
Jason: Wow. Great stuff bro. Let’s see you tackle this one. If you were president, how would this country be different?
Jim: What a question. The thing that I would focus on the most would be education and getting our priorities straight in that department. I’ve been in high schools that have weight rooms in their bathrooms because of no funding. The plumbing has not been updated in decades and they are just NOW getting rid of the asbestos. What a joke. The school lunches are full of crap and the idea of standardized testing has forced the educational system to focus on them, rather than education. You have schools in Ohio that had to cancel all sports, all after school activities because of budget problems. I can’t imagine going through high school with no sports or no dances. These things are important to kids and sometimes we forget that.
Things such as art, music and gym class have all been left hanging. What a tragedy. These things are essential in developing the person. It’s funny how everything seems to revolve around the advancement of technology but as soon as I got rid of our telephone, our home computer and almost all T.V., our lives have changed for the better. Makes you wonder why our system is so geared for “making our lives simpler” when all it does is make things complicated.
The key is to stop pointing fingers and do something about this. Maybe it’s the Democrats or maybe it’s the Republicans. Who cares, really. The problem is that most of us have no idea how politics really work. The solutions that seem so simple are wrapped in so much red tape that it’s almost impossible to get anything done. Do we attack everything independently or do we do a complete wash of everything? I think we’ve taken an approach to problems similar to that of a competitive athlete that is injured. Instead of looking for the cause of the real problem, we simply put a wrap on it, tape it up, take some painkillers and hope it can last for awhile. This works for awhile, but it always causes more problems.
Both of my parents were teachers. The thing that I’ve learned from them is that education starts at home. When parents don’t take the initiative to teach their children, even if it’s very basic stuff, then this is when education starts to break down. This doesn’t mean teaching a kid how to split the atom, but simple things can go a long way.
This is still the best country to live in. While I was getting my last tattoo, I had the privilege to speak to a Marine that was home from Iraq. He commented to me that he wasn’t quite sure about the reason of why he was over there, but he did his job and spoke with great pride. You could tell from his eyes that he was proud of serving his country. This was refreshing and gave me more confidence in the American people that ever before.
Look at the response to the tragedy of 9/11. New York responded, as did our whole country, and this speaks volumes of our citizens. It was not the politicians that did this, but the people of the country. People put aside the B.S and worked to make things better. Not for themselves but for others. This is what this country is about.
Jason: And people wonder why I love you. Before I start singing the national anthem with tears in my eyes lets shift gears to some lighter topics. You mentioned your last tattoo and I must say that the new ink looks sick. You beat me to it but I still want to get that kind of lettering done so I hope you don't mind if I bite your style. Where do you get all your stuff done and what do you have planned next
Jim: Everything but the lettering on my forearms was done by Beef Stu. He’s a tattoo artist that is located in Austin, Texas. He used to work in Lexington, Kentucky and that’s where I first met him. I came to him with some twisted stuff and he jumped on it. He was sick and tired of doing dolphins, college logos, roses and other assorted mainstream goodies. What I do now is get a couple of ideas and let him run with it. When I sit down with him, we have a general idea of what’s going to happen, but there’s some improv. Since we both know what we want, it’s really easy. We have such a wonderful relationship. (massive sarcasm)
Jason: How does that go over with the in-laws?
Jim: I don’t know about the in-laws. I don’t think they like it too much, but I refuse to live my life by someone else’s standards. They have always been great to me, so I can’t complain.
Jason: I know Whitney is cool as hell and you guys have a great relationship so she won't mind me asking this. Who are the top five hottest girls out there right now?
Jim: I’m very lucky to have Whitney. She’s secretly crazy. To be honest, I haven’t the faintest clue on who’s hot and who’s not. But I will say that Kate Hudson is pretty damn hot. The fact that I can’t answer this question makes me feel old.
Jason: Kate Hudson?! I don’t know about that pick. I’d opt for Jessica Alba or Jessica Biel any day over Kate Hudson.
Jim: But Kate married a stoned out singer, so she can’t be all bad.
Jason: Good Point. I know you’re a big movie guy so what are your top five movies of all time?
Jim: I am a movie snob. If I’m going to sit down for two hours of my day and watch something, then it better be good. I have no problems turning a movie off. With that being said I’m going to list two movies that I think most people don’t know about but should see. Keep in mind that I am very picky about movies and have different tastes. The first movie is Zero Effect. One of the funniest, wittiest movies I’ve seen. The second movie that no one has seen is The Spanish Prisoner. It was written by David Mamet and the dialogue is certainly different. If anyone’s ever seen Oleanna than they know what I’m talking about.
As far as more mainstream movies, I’m a huge fan of Usual Suspects. That movie knocked me on my ass. I stayed up all night watching that movie; I got a D on a quiz in college because I didn’t read part of Homer’s Odyssey.
Jason: That’s definitely one of my all time favorites.
Jim: I loved “O Brother, where art thou?” because of the dialogue. I’ve watched that movie more times than I care to admit.
It seems like Hollywood has put out the same movie for the past 20 years. They are kind of like AC/DC. They change the actors and the time period, but it just gets too boring. I want a movie that will kick me square in the crotch and I still want to come back for more.
Jason: What about your top five books?
Jim: The Demon by Hubert Selby, The Fermata by Nicholson Baker, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, The Stand by Stephen King.
There is something to be said for an author that can tell a story and you never want to put the book down.
Jason: I hear ya. On one final note here to wrap this up let me ask you this. I know we covered this a bit earlier but when it’s all said and done, how do you want Mason to think of his dad? What do you want him to say were the most important things you taught him and what would you like to hear him say when reminiscing about the time he spent with you?
Jim: I want him to think of his Dad the same way that I think of my father; a man that has helped me through bad times, picked me up when I was down, and put me in my place when I was too high. Someone that gave me money when I was hungry, taught me how to throw a baseball and told me that anything less than my best was/is unacceptable. A father that co-signed for my first guitar, listens to my weekly rants and nods his head even if he thinks I’m way off base. A man that came to every single game, even when I was in college, and always reserves judgment until he has the facts; I hope that my son is as lucky as I have been.