You do realize that folks who don't train with weights think that your obsession with weight training is a little strange, right?
They think that it's strange when you sit down at night and plan your workout routine for the next day.
Or that you have to get your training in, no matter if its four in the morning or midnight.
They don't understand why you have to have protein at every meal.
They think that it's weird that you know all about Tom Platz's best squat sessions, including the weights and reps used. And maybe even the years that he did them.
Or why you will never set foot in a gym that won't allow chalk or death metal music or that doesn't have a squat rack in it.
They think its weird that you decided to get diced for the summer so you eat the same three foods for three months. Or why you decided to put on thirty pounds in your pursuit of a better total or to reach your lifetime goal in the squat.
They don't get it that you have boxes and boxes of old muscle magazines and Powerlifting USA magazines and you treasure that collection.
Or why in the hell you would ever admire people like Starr, Pearl, Kaz and Dimas.
They find it odd that you know exactly how many grams of protein are in eight ounces of steak.
They find it off putting that you have certain clothes and music for certain days. For example, Squat day calls for those old Converse and your ripped sweat shorts, and Far Beyond Driven must be played on that day.
They definitely don't understand how anyone in their right mind will watch YouTube videos of lifters training. For hours. Or drive hours just to watch a great lifter/bodybuilder train. Just to watch them? Yup, just to watch them.
They question why anyone would want to be that big and/or strong, or why anyone would pay to enter a power lifting meet when you could just max in the gym for free.
They don't understand why you eschew self help books or meditation or any of the feel good trends that regular citizens swear make them a better person. You always knew that the best remedy for what ails you mentally lies in the barbells and dumbbells that you lift.
And they don't get why you are so happy walking out of the gym after sweating and straining and why you like that your knees buckle while walking to the car after a leg workout.
It's odd to them that you will go to the gym even when you feel sick and probably should stay in bed.
It is strange to them that you train when traveling, that the first thing you do when deciding on a place to stay on the road is finding out about the quality of the hotel gym or what gyms are local that are worth a damn.
And it’s strange to you that folks say that they are too busy to lift weights or
that they accept their weak selves
Or that they just eat whatever the hell they want and have no idea how much protein or carbs or fats are in what they just ate.
Or that watching Pumping Iron doesn't fire them up so much that they want to run to the gym and start squatting like Arnold and Ed Corney.
It's like there are these two separate races of people, those that train hard and are obsessed with the whole process and those that think that Alan Alda from the MASH days looks like a real man should look.
But that's ok. I like it that they don't understand. If they all did, it wouldn't be as enjoyable listening to them talk about the latest viral video or the latest song by some spindly armed pretty boy while you nod your head and pretend you are listening and wondering if you should do front or back squats the next day and if you cooked enough beef for the next two meals.
