Is it possible the dedicated just made home gyms during covid? Maybe they should get back in the public eye and show them how it’s done. Or complain that they can’t get in the zone surrounded by pencilnecks and stay away.
You know what, I didn't even consider this point!!!! Hahahahaha you're absolutely right my man, holy shit that must be what happened. This perfectly explains what's happening in the gyms, which was NOT like this pre-C.
its true. I've started working out at late lockdown then over time little by little bought a power rack, a barbell and dumbbell set that goes up to 106kg, i'm still relatively new to lifting, but fueled by insecurities and a drive to become the best, i can never let myself sandbag a single set. either failure or die. I never signed up for a gym since i've got what i need here, and i dont need a 12-station circuit to pointlessly isolate single muscle groups. thats just me however, the only way to reliably tell is seeing how much gym equipment sales have risen since covid
Yeah idk. I beleive I did alot of brutal effort stuff in my mid 20s but probably didn't eat enough or something , never really got good or where I wanted to be , have a really bad hip , can't run anymore, the reward from effort was an illusion in my case.
@MarcoFeldman Maybe I'm remembering wrong. The point is, I've seen you a lot, to the point that instantly recognized your pfp. (NH is Natural Hypertrophy)
Oh man that commercial gym point… the best gyms have the worst atmosphere. Spot on. With the basement flooded the last couple weeks I’ve spent more time in the commercial gym, effort levels are disappointing to say the least. Gyms went from hardcore, to only a few big guys, to only a couple guys that even train like they want to be big. Hopefully if the pendulum can swing this way it can swing back
I’m an old man nowadays, but I get stared at when I hit the gym, due to the grunting and breathing I guess. People get intimidated by intensity, for some reason, but that’s what it takes to make progress (or in my case, keep it around as long as possible).
We have a ton of locally owned gyms still. One of them is still known as the bodybuilding and now influencer gym if that's your thing. Personally I hate that atmosphere so I got to another smaller privately owned gym where it's more chill.
@@thetowndrunk988 I'm one of the few harder working people at the private gym I go to and I always get stared at and I'm thinking to myself "this is just consistent hard work anyone should be able to do".
@@ChicagoScorpion Exactly. It’s the same thing that makes Planet Fitness such a joke. I went there a few times, and got talked to about grunting…..like WTF do you think is gonna happen when you’re really pushing? Grunting comes with straining.
I see this all the time in gym. MFs lifting the same weight 3x12, with the same fast af tempo and no signs of slowing down in sight and expect to get big. Everybody wanna get jacked but nobody is willing to put in the effort.
On the contrary I don't think there's many people who are lifting the same weight gor 3x12 with no reduction alteration to form, who have the desire to "get bigger". That sounds like maintainenance work. But I do see many people go to failure around 12 and be able to reach failure with the same rep count. Alot of people have more muscular endurance than they do explosive strength.
always thought he has a variety of accents that he's used over the years. check out his videos from like 12 years ago, they are the 'gangster' accent. nowadays it's a 'southern baptist preacher' accent.
Alex, I’d argue you’re one of maybe 3-4 influencers who tell the unbridled truth, and definitely the one to trust for info. You’re exactly right about the grind to go over 315. I got to 315 within a few years. To hit 405 took another 11, plus in my case, it took me getting close to 300 pounds to slay that white whale. The fact you did it at a relatively healthy weight, all while remaining natural, imo makes you the foremost expert on how to grind for progress.
Big respect to you for a decade grind to the big 4 plates!!!! You're on a different level that 99% of lifters will never relate to, and I'd trust your advice over most fitness influencers who brag about their first bouncy, grindy 315.
Steroid use is getting WAY too normalized around these parts. If you're not watching a video with usage, you're one video recommendation away. Exactly why Alex is such a respected voice.
Its a symptom of the global culture reflective in gaming, so many people want to take an easy way out/cheat or straight up cheer from the sidelines instead of putting the work in themselves.
It’s a symptom of global culture… period. It’s just surprising at times how “comfort culture/world is relative abundance compared to the past” bleeds into everything including areas that appeared to be more secluded from the mainstream.
@@AlexLeonidas Yo Alex you can't really be a DBZ brotha like Omni and myself unless you get some tats! 😅 j/k but yeah DBZ got me obsessed with my own power level 4sho! I pay homage on my channel too.😉#RIPAkira
I think the word optimal fucked my generation of lifters. Science is good, but the basis of science is that is meant to be challenged. The lifter that is consistent, puts the effort and is not afraid to explore will always be the best lifter. It is that simple, you can make mistakes, they will teach you and make you better
Also, no-one ever thinks about what they mean with optimal. Optimal for what? Hypertrophy? Strength? Where does this fit in the whole training routine? There is too much variables to just call a lift optimal without giving context.
For example: Deadlifts definitely are optimal. They provide high stimulus for hypertrophy and are great for strength gains if needed. Yes, one needs to supplement it if hypertrophy is the goal since it's too taxing to spam multiple times a week, but they're definitely worth it. But the "optimal bro" will say that it has low SFR and it doesn't stretch "the muscle" (
@@paavoilves5416Optimal bros are afraid of deadlifts, despite all the old school greats doing deadlifts. They build thickness in your back like no other lift.
@@lashedandscorned Yep. I've been doing deficit RDL's for a couple months now, focusing on the stretch etc. Switched it to deficit deadlifts this monday and my back was hella sore for like three days!
I think the most damaging mindset shift that happened was people looking for more efficient ways to train while thinking, “How can I find a way to make my training EASY for the SAME gains?” When they should be thinking: “How can I train more efficiently so that I can train HARD and get MORE results?” These are the people who, if they had access to a gravity chamber like Vegeta would think, “Hooray! Now I can take it easy and make the same progress I was making before going harder.”
I'm 17, late novice and thanks to you I avoided the "optimal exercises" and program hopping trap. When i was listening to the optimal guys, i literally spent over a grand on a dual pulley machine to do their fancy cable motions and avoid the hardcore fundamentals. Made no gains whatsoever, spinned my wheels, skipped workouts. Not to mention being feared mongered by the youtuber we all know of into avoiding not only behind the neck stuff but even wide grip benching. Proud and grateful of having chosen old school, hardcore, long term training in my garage gym with basic equipment (barbell, bench, dumbbells, pullup bar, ghetto pulley). Never looking back !
I love the point made about the exercise tier lists being used as an example when fitness influencers put excercise that didn’t build their physique above ones that did. Like how people will say a chest press is far superior than a bench press.
"But Mike Mentzer method" as if there aren't any new research of today's era where it shows that hitting the muscle twice per week introduces more growth.
100% man. The level of effort and passion I see in my gym is laughably low. And to add insult to injury, they're putting that 0 effort and passion into optimal bro exercises when they haven't even built their first 15-20lbs of muscle.
In my opinion this is one of your best video's yet. There is a lot to un-pack, I am amazed at how a lot of the kids today have no idea how hard the old school lifters like George Hackenschmit, Bob Hoffman, George Jowett, and Fred Roland worked out, and how strong they were. As a kid, my hero's were Steve Reeves, Reg Park, Reg Lewis, Dave Draper, Vince Gironda, and John Grimek. I also think that drugs or steroids wrecked the sport of bodybuilding. I consider myself a student of "physical Culture, and Physical culture is about obtaining "health and strength". Very different than the drug bodybuilders on you tube.
Love the differentiation with the term "Physical Culture". I may need to bring back that term because it accurately represents what we stand for. Your heroes also inspire me, those were real men.
@@AlexLeonidas I thought you were a student of "physical Culture" when I saw some of your video's on your channel. The chest expander was the first work out equipment I ever got, back when I was around 10 years old. That and doing push up's was one of the reason's I was a lot stronger than my size showed. Also, I have a theory on the chest expander. The reason it fell out of favor was most of the chest expanders were not built that well. Plastic handles, and three springs as a max. Now with Robert Baraban's Chest Expander it is made solid, and you can add springs. Add "The Rolland" Robert Baraban's Chest Expander to the work out plus the foot handle, and anyone can do a serious workout with, or without weights! And it is not a toy chest expander like many can buy today! At 66, I work out 7 days a week with the chest expander, and three days a week I work out - full body with weights in my basement gym. My nutrition is meat, cheese, raw milk and eggs.🥩🥚🥓🍗🍖🧀🍶 Best ahead, cheers!
It’s akin to the MMO lifecycle - at first, everything is new & exciting; experimentation, individuality, and tenacity are encouraged. Then, as the community gets oversaturated with knowledge, only the ‘most optimal’ is accepted and anything else is shunned. But it’s alright, the pendulum will keep swinging
Since listening to you I got the best gains of my life. I'm now at the middle of a bulk heavier than ever and still look leaner than I've looked 15 pounds less few years ago. Thank you Alex!
Been lurking on your channel for months, you earned my sub with this one. Been hearing too much noise in this space when in reality it’s simple and intuitive
alex thanks to you I an now a late intermediate when it comes to strength and am one of the strongest dudes in gym despite being young, last time around on push day I was logging my lifts when a older friend of mine asked if that was 'necessary'. the same dude saw my amrap set 10 minutes later and was shocked at my progress and claimed that I have 'very good' genetics. but like you said I credit everything to the nuanced way of thinking that made me progress this far.
Bro when I found the Yakuza series in 2018, it gave me a similar kick to DBZ and I've been a big fan ever since. Too underrated, keep grinding brother!
Ok I really took this to heart. I realized I just wasn’t training hard enough. today I switched to a strength training routine instead of a hypertrophy routine because I felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere. Not only did I up the weight significantly, I found that I could do roughly the same amount of reps I was doing with lighter weights before. Also, I almost felt like I was gonna throw up during today’s workout, and that hasn’t happened in a long time. Thanks for this video!!
You either relish the grind or don't. It's temperamental for the most part although you can modify it to some extent through habit, consistency, etc. Both men and women like us are just on the extreme end of the distribution curve and most social contexts like a commercial gym represent the full spectrum: time wasters, triers, grinders and everything in-between. Also, different gyms have different environments. If you go in trying to beat yourself you're never alone, wrong or in need of some outside stimulus to motivate you (not that there's anything wrong with that). However, it is always a good thing socially to spread the word, rant or otherwise!
Bro it's so good to see this video. With all the fluff training videos that keep showing up on here, we need something to remind us that the bro's that went as hard as they could in the gym got it right.
I've noticed the average "trendy" "nice" looking gyms tend to bring a bunch of "soft" gym bros. The more rugged and "old school" gyms tend to bring in folks who are more serious.
Thank you for your Service Alex, I’ve been watching your for 5 Years now, you saved me from that Athlean-X Skinny Pencil Neck Phase in the beginning and introduced me to old school training & the Noble Natty Community. To serve lost beginners like I was once, I‘ve been uploading consistently videos that would‘ve helped me a long time ago, aspiring to reach the level of experience to spread advanced knowledge. I want to help expand the message of real lifetime naturals preaching hard shit that work! I couldn‘t imagine myself doing anything else. All thanks to you and all the other noble nattys!
I was doing pull-ups the other day and saw a guy dragging a bench to the cable next to me and doing the "iliac fiber pulldown". I was just disappointed.
Its the difference between being process oriented vs results oriented. We love lifting for the sake of lifting not trying to get optimal results. Why? Because we know in 5 years we'll still be in the gym. These people dont have that mindset and want to hyper optimize everything to get some physique goal that in the end wont make them happy anyway.
You said what I've been thinking for a while now I train at home because I hate the while gym culture; I only have dumbbells, an Olympic bar with couple of plates, a backpack and a concrete bench - and I have a way better physique than 90% of gymgoers that use all those fancy machines Why? I like to think because I go hard, I scream, yell, almost sometimes weep on some exercises that STING like lat raises; I prioritize form, yes, but also explosiveness, aggressiveness while lifting I blast my alt metal songs on the backyard, the wind blows heavily at night and the passing clouds are the only thing I see when I bench; when it rains, still workout, when it's too cold, still workout Keep preaching the no bs, hard and aggresive style of training, Alex, please
Fucking love this guy, been following for what's got to be 10 years now after Candito, and this guy knows wtf he's talking about. Please link up with Chris Jones, you two are UA-cam diamonds.
You've been here since the start and that means the world, wow did 10 years fly. Much love to you, super OG. I'd love to meet Chris this year, he also inspired me early on. I watched him daily way back in high school.
Effort trumps everything. Gotta go hard or go home. Nothing feels better than a brutal set of deadlifts that make you grunt & yell out trying to lock that shit out. I've only been lifting for 1.5 ish years, but I fucking love it. In it for the long haul.
I’m not elite by any means but because I train the way you are preaching in this video I’m like the baddest man in my gym and I always get asked questions by guys that spend 2hr workouts entirely on cables doing every bicep variation known to man without touching a single weight or going to failure. Usually a common theme as well for these young guys to constantly talk about injuries or joint problems that they really don’t have, they just avoid basic principles and keep tryna find what’s optimal
Very motivational episode, Alex You are right , in the old days we only did compound exercises and the base, new generation waste time with all the machines and exagerated influencers fool people Tried them all out of curiosity, no progress! As I returned to the base, the progress reappeared. ❤
Bro I fell off about a year after i followed your channel and experienced them crazy gains. Ur Yolked out man! Inspirational shit. You chest caught up with your back and it was always crazy.
You should do a video on gym accessories, like weight belts for dips/ pull ups, torso belts for deadlifts & general heavy lifting, elbow and knee braces, and others. Tell us the pros and cons, when too use them how too use them etc.
Been watching for almost 2 years now back when you went by alpha. You helped me so much by just giving me someone who’s information I can trust and makes complete sense. You installed in me something that is hard to explain but the closest word I can draw to it is intensity. Thank you for your work man seriously
Expert lifting showing the safest and most effective exercises but the most important thing for beginners is getting as strong as possible (through compounds that don't get unsafe until intermediate level)
Between you, BOM, and GVS I have cut out all the fat from my programming and went back to the basics that work. I have never been a cardio guy but I'm curious and would like to know how to start
You've got a very dramatic way of talking. That's not new, but it's really evident in this video. Eccentric as it is, it might lead you to some big opportunities in the future. That "good enough" mentality really is a spoke in the wheels of greatness. It's true that most people are just trying to cheat their way through life, putting a lot of effort in to put as little effort in as possible and just getting by instead of blossoming. It's like they're trying to avoid really living life. Achieving something exceptional.
As an older lifter who always trains old school and hardcore I totally agree with you , todays gym goers don’t love training and hate the effort and time involved to achieve naturally ! Hence the drug use amongst lifters who have only trained for a year or so ! Average testosterone in males is vastly reduced and still plummeting and men are more feminine than ever , the blood& guts recordings that inspired many will look like a horror movie to most of todays soft easy does it lifters! I hope your influence Alex will help turn the trend and once again one day men will be men !
Big barbells, heavy dumbbells, smith machine, linear hack squat, cables, calisthenics. I have them ALL, I use them all, I love them all. Go crazy bros.
Alex with the Cross Chain? Didn’t ya say you were an atheist or agnostic (one of the two) during one of your livestreams? Looks sick tho with the cut ngl
I’ve got a cross tattoo and I’m agnostic. I wonder if that could be the case for Alex. Even if I don’t believe in anything transcendental, I really like the cross symbol.
Speaking of spreading the truth... I have noticed that neck training has been getting more popular the last year or so, as well as prioritising pulling over pressing for shoulder health. Both of which you have been preaching for a decade! OG follower here since 2015. Always giving the best advice, keep it up bro.
5:40 You're going to make me sentimental. Just wanted to properly thank you for all the knowledge you've been sharing for free. I've learnt a lot from you and implemented a lot of your training tips and recommended exercises, just today I tried the Pendulum sissy squat for the first time :) I've always trained at home, too. Thank you, Alex. You're a real gem for the dedicated fitness community :)
I've been working out at my home gym for about 5 years now with only dumbbells and a barbell. Sometimes when a friend invites me I go to a public gym, one of the big city ones, and let me tell you man, I don't think I've ever seen someone pushing 3 plates on the bench and I could probably count the times I've seen someone rep out 2 plates on 1 hand. It's depressing seeing the gym always be full of people but the benches and power racks are empty most of the time, it's the cables and other soft machines that are always taken. When I load up more than 225 on a bent over row and rep it out i get stares lol, I swear, lots of these people go there not to get better but to be seen by others as responsible or something.
I feel the exact same way man, sometimes I'll spend months (or years like in 2020-2022) training all out at home, then go to a gym out of excitement, only to be immediately disappointed. At this point, the incentive to train there is quite low.
I’ve been watching you since 2016 and if I would’ve kept with everything you’ve been preaching I would be right there with you. Consistency in the gym plaques me
This came at the perfect time, im planning to slowly bulk for one year, been at the same weights for the last years. Deep down knowing that i have to REALLY chase it to get bigger, no more "is it going to hurt my back" and more just getting after it, preach it !
No matter if you train to failure or a few reps in reserve, the most important thing is to keep progressing. If you hit a plateau, try the other approach. If you keep progressing, your routine is probably working well enough and you don't need to OPTIMAL it any futher.
Lifters are definitely soft. I remember when overtraining was the big bad buzzword in the lifting community and lifters were afraid of hitting the same muscle twice or more a week. When I got my first factory job, I realized how flawed that reasoning was. Your body can be pushed beyond what you think it can be pushed to, but most people do not do that. A lot of popular UA-camrs also profit from keeping people at the beginner level.
When I started going to the gym my only concern was just simply to be bigger and stronger, now I see newbies more concerned with the proper lighting and angle for their mirror pics 💀
Lately I have been feeling stuck in training because people have told me that I have been overtraining, I am ashamed that I seemingly forgot all that I have learned. This video was a great video and wake up call
Hi Alex, do you still do direct neck work or traditional yoke training? Been a viewer from way back in the day and found my way back here after being absent from the fitness world for a while. Respect the grind and all the work you have put in over the years!
Jeez man, I stepped out of my home gym for the first time in years to coach a bunch of novice lifters from work. The rant and comments really hit hard; it seems like true meathead training is a rarity now, leading to fewer jacked naturals in the gyms.
Thanks for the motivation to go hard. I'm 45, and got back into lifting june 2023. Just dumbells, barbells, and a simple bench. As someone who's always ate just enough to stay healthy, the hardest part has been eating enough. So far, gained about 14 lbs, and at 5'9" 175lbs I'm at my heaviest ever(which is still small). I'm also entering intermediate territory with alot of my lifts.
tellement de bon sens dans cette vidéo. Rien ne remplace les basics et le hard work. Pense-tu qu'il est possible d'atteindre un très bon physique uniquement au poids de corps en allant chercher les variations les plus dures ou la case poids est obligatoire à partir d'un moment? Merci pour tout ce que tu fais pour la communauté!
De mon expérience pour le haut du corps c'est tout à fait possible avec les anneaux qui t'offrent des progressions infinies pour devenir énorme, tu peux même isoler tes bras avec. Pour les jambes tu as les sissy squat et nordic curls, hyperextensions etc. Mais beaucoup plus dur. Personnellement je fais mon haut du corps avec les anneaux mais je suis obligé d'aller à la salle pour mes séances jambes 2x par semaine, c'est juste plus simple avec des poids. Je suis en upper/lower
Is it possible the dedicated just made home gyms during covid? Maybe they should get back in the public eye and show them how it’s done. Or complain that they can’t get in the zone surrounded by pencilnecks and stay away.
You know what, I didn't even consider this point!!!!
Hahahahaha you're absolutely right my man, holy shit that must be what happened. This perfectly explains what's happening in the gyms, which was NOT like this pre-C.
it is what I did. fuck commercial gyms.
its true. I've started working out at late lockdown then over time little by little bought a power rack, a barbell and dumbbell set that goes up to 106kg, i'm still relatively new to lifting, but fueled by insecurities and a drive to become the best, i can never let myself sandbag a single set. either failure or die. I never signed up for a gym since i've got what i need here, and i dont need a 12-station circuit to pointlessly isolate single muscle groups.
thats just me however, the only way to reliably tell is seeing how much gym equipment sales have risen since covid
Nothing like screaming unknown words in a cold garage to build character and passion.
Being able to go Stick-mode in the garage gym makes it hard to go back to a commercial gym
"Many lifters are soft, and do not want to do things that require brutal effort." THAT PART! 💪
Hell yeah bro. Good to see you in here too
That's where weighted pushups pullups and dips come in 💪🏾
brother you are literally on steroids, doing shortcuts while calling others soft
Yeah idk. I beleive I did alot of brutal effort stuff in my mid 20s but probably didn't eat enough or something , never really got good or where I wanted to be , have a really bad hip , can't run anymore, the reward from effort was an illusion in my case.
@@xan187 Quite a claim to make and lets see your physique dude. Bet you a skinny ass dude.
The home gym lighting is elite
DBZ GRAVITY LIGHTING LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Benching in the gravity chamber would be insane
most people won't be able to do bodyweight pushups in the gravity chamber@@motanaibijuu3740
I've been seeing you all the time under Alex's and NH's videos over the past 2 years @MarcoFeldman 😂
@MarcoFeldman Maybe I'm remembering wrong. The point is, I've seen you a lot, to the point that instantly recognized your pfp.
(NH is Natural Hypertrophy)
Oh man that commercial gym point… the best gyms have the worst atmosphere. Spot on. With the basement flooded the last couple weeks I’ve spent more time in the commercial gym, effort levels are disappointing to say the least. Gyms went from hardcore, to only a few big guys, to only a couple guys that even train like they want to be big. Hopefully if the pendulum can swing this way it can swing back
I’m an old man nowadays, but I get stared at when I hit the gym, due to the grunting and breathing I guess. People get intimidated by intensity, for some reason, but that’s what it takes to make progress (or in my case, keep it around as long as possible).
We have a ton of locally owned gyms still. One of them is still known as the bodybuilding and now influencer gym if that's your thing.
Personally I hate that atmosphere so I got to another smaller privately owned gym where it's more chill.
@@thetowndrunk988 I'm one of the few harder working people at the private gym I go to and I always get stared at and I'm thinking to myself "this is just consistent hard work anyone should be able to do".
@@ChicagoScorpion Exactly. It’s the same thing that makes Planet Fitness such a joke. I went there a few times, and got talked to about grunting…..like WTF do you think is gonna happen when you’re really pushing? Grunting comes with straining.
Could you please rename your channel either FloodedBasement or CommercialBodybuilding?
Looking forward to 18" in any case.
I see this all the time in gym. MFs lifting the same weight 3x12, with the same fast af tempo and no signs of slowing down in sight and expect to get big. Everybody wanna get jacked but nobody is willing to put in the effort.
Everybody wanna get big but nobody wanna lift these heavy ass weights!
@@justin_6381 Its easy to do that, go to failure however less sets must be utilized. Thats what I did.
@@justin_6381 Lightweight baby
Do what works for you. All kinds of training styles / tempos can get me big. Just go hard on each set.
On the contrary I don't think there's many people who are lifting the same weight gor 3x12 with no reduction alteration to form, who have the desire to "get bigger". That sounds like maintainenance work.
But I do see many people go to failure around 12 and be able to reach failure with the same rep count. Alot of people have more muscular endurance than they do explosive strength.
The tempo and everything makes this sound like a sermon but I’m here for it
always thought he has a variety of accents that he's used over the years. check out his videos from like 12 years ago, they are the 'gangster' accent. nowadays it's a 'southern baptist preacher' accent.
It's become clearer a bit more paused, so yeah it makes sense lmao
CAN I GET AN AMEN MY BROTHERS@@rinkuhero
@@rinkuherolmao
Everyone turn to the book of gainz chapter 10 verse 1 lol
@@rinkuherowhich kind of gangster? Like Peeky Blinders or the gangs from GTA?
Information can’t replace heart.
Word 💯
Information leads to a change of heart
@@apocalypse487 Usually, the inverse is true. Heart pushes a person to acquire information.
Yep. And you can be told something a million times. But realizing it is a whole different thing
We at the buffet right now 🤯
The best "hardcore" environment to make gains! 😂😂😂
Watchu got over there Phil
@@donclarence3644 all kinds of protein😂😂
@@donclarence3644sum chick'n
yeuuuuh
yeuuuuuuh look a dat
Hahahah, love that clip
The shoulder separation during those barbell curls is actually insane
Oh yessss the striations are finally coming in, and it seems like my delts don't store much fat
Look at it!!
Alex, I’d argue you’re one of maybe 3-4 influencers who tell the unbridled truth, and definitely the one to trust for info. You’re exactly right about the grind to go over 315. I got to 315 within a few years. To hit 405 took another 11, plus in my case, it took me getting close to 300 pounds to slay that white whale. The fact you did it at a relatively healthy weight, all while remaining natural, imo makes you the foremost expert on how to grind for progress.
Big respect to you for a decade grind to the big 4 plates!!!! You're on a different level that 99% of lifters will never relate to, and I'd trust your advice over most fitness influencers who brag about their first bouncy, grindy 315.
@@AlexLeonidas Hard work trumps all, brother. No one proves that more than you
Steroid use is getting WAY too normalized around these parts. If you're not watching a video with usage, you're one video recommendation away. Exactly why Alex is such a respected voice.
Its a symptom of the global culture reflective in gaming, so many people want to take an easy way out/cheat or straight up cheer from the sidelines instead of putting the work in themselves.
That too, modern gaming is a handholding, checkpoint walking simulation.
It’s a symptom of global culture… period.
It’s just surprising at times how “comfort culture/world is relative abundance compared to the past” bleeds into everything including areas that appeared to be more secluded from the mainstream.
Try escape from tarkov@@AlexLeonidas
Physique in thumbnail looks absolutely insane Alex. Bravo
I loved this one brotha - I remember we talked about this a while back.
Much love brotha, been bottling this up for months. The modern gym culture needs a wakeup call, and now is the time.
@@AlexLeonidas Yo Alex you can't really be a DBZ brotha like Omni and myself unless you get some tats! 😅 j/k but yeah DBZ got me obsessed with my own power level 4sho! I pay homage on my channel too.😉#RIPAkira
I think the word optimal fucked my generation of lifters. Science is good, but the basis of science is that is meant to be challenged. The lifter that is consistent, puts the effort and is not afraid to explore will always be the best lifter. It is that simple, you can make mistakes, they will teach you and make you better
Also, no-one ever thinks about what they mean with optimal. Optimal for what? Hypertrophy? Strength? Where does this fit in the whole training routine? There is too much variables to just call a lift optimal without giving context.
For example: Deadlifts definitely are optimal. They provide high stimulus for hypertrophy and are great for strength gains if needed. Yes, one needs to supplement it if hypertrophy is the goal since it's too taxing to spam multiple times a week, but they're definitely worth it. But the "optimal bro" will say that it has low SFR and it doesn't stretch "the muscle" (
@@paavoilves5416Optimal bros are afraid of deadlifts, despite all the old school greats doing deadlifts. They build thickness in your back like no other lift.
@@lashedandscorned Yep. I've been doing deficit RDL's for a couple months now, focusing on the stretch etc. Switched it to deficit deadlifts this monday and my back was hella sore for like three days!
Alex went from The Meme to The Man right before our eyes. A young master in physical culture
I think the most damaging mindset shift that happened was people looking for more efficient ways to train while thinking, “How can I find a way to make my training EASY for the SAME gains?”
When they should be thinking: “How can I train more efficiently so that I can train HARD and get MORE results?”
These are the people who, if they had access to a gravity chamber like Vegeta would think, “Hooray! Now I can take it easy and make the same progress I was making before going harder.”
I'm 17, late novice and thanks to you I avoided the "optimal exercises" and program hopping trap. When i was listening to the optimal guys, i literally spent over a grand on a dual pulley machine to do their fancy cable motions and avoid the hardcore fundamentals. Made no gains whatsoever, spinned my wheels, skipped workouts. Not to mention being feared mongered by the youtuber we all know of into avoiding not only behind the neck stuff but even wide grip benching. Proud and grateful of having chosen old school, hardcore, long term training in my garage gym with basic equipment (barbell, bench, dumbbells, pullup bar, ghetto pulley). Never looking back !
An old MMORPG that never goes out of style… this man is on OSRS 110%
200m in strength
You already know 💯
@AlexLeonidas afking sandcrabs between sets goes crazy
Buying gf 5k
I love the point made about the exercise tier lists being used as an example when fitness influencers put excercise that didn’t build their physique above ones that did. Like how people will say a chest press is far superior than a bench press.
Exactly. The bench press gets crap'd on a lot nowadays but it's built my chest a lot and I've never did dumbbell presses ever.
Builds enormous chest with bench press
Puts a shitty cable press as S-Tier, bench as B or C tier. Absolute lunacy.
at this point, there are more gain killers than makers xdxdxd.
In this modern gym culture, there's some truth to that statement. Scary stuff.
"Training is KILLING your gains."
- Athleanx
I think it's more so that training is much easier to mess up than to get right, at least for beginners
"But Mike Mentzer method" as if there aren't any new research of today's era where it shows that hitting the muscle twice per week introduces more growth.
@@kaprelim8135 By now, we all know that the training hard aspect is what makes Mentzer's method work, not the 1 set aspect.
100% man. The level of effort and passion I see in my gym is laughably low. And to add insult to injury, they're putting that 0 effort and passion into optimal bro exercises when they haven't even built their first 15-20lbs of muscle.
Yeah there should be way stronger and more hard working people at gyms than there are now.
That too, even on the "optimal" exercises that allow for greater motor unit recruitment on paper... they still FAIL to train hard!!!
This is the most motivating lifting video I have seen in a long time.
I'm honored
People stare at me like I'm a psychopath when I take sets to failure, grunt a tiny bit and make straining faces.
I feel you man, the soft vibe is what's really crazy as hell
They just pussies leave em in the dust brother 💪🏼
yeah but 1 or 2 years from now and they won't be any bigger and you will
I do the same and not a single person even notices that I exist, unless they want to use my machine.
Maybe they feel inferior
In my opinion this is one of your best video's yet. There is a lot to un-pack, I am amazed at how a lot of the kids today have no idea how hard the old school lifters like George Hackenschmit, Bob Hoffman, George Jowett, and Fred Roland worked out, and how strong they were. As a kid, my hero's were Steve Reeves, Reg Park, Reg Lewis, Dave Draper, Vince Gironda, and John Grimek. I also think that drugs or steroids wrecked the sport of bodybuilding. I consider myself a student of "physical Culture, and Physical culture is about obtaining "health and strength". Very different than the drug bodybuilders on you tube.
Love the differentiation with the term "Physical Culture". I may need to bring back that term because it accurately represents what we stand for. Your heroes also inspire me, those were real men.
@@AlexLeonidas I thought you were a student of "physical Culture" when I saw some of your video's on your channel. The chest expander was the first work out equipment I ever got, back when I was around 10 years old. That and doing push up's was one of the reason's I was a lot stronger than my size showed.
Also, I have a theory on the chest expander. The reason it fell out of favor was most of the chest expanders were not built that well. Plastic handles, and three springs as a max. Now with Robert Baraban's Chest Expander it is made solid, and you can add springs.
Add "The Rolland" Robert Baraban's Chest Expander to the work out plus the foot handle, and anyone can do a serious workout with, or without weights! And it is not a toy chest expander like many can buy today!
At 66, I work out 7 days a week with the chest expander, and three days a week I work out - full body with weights in my basement gym.
My nutrition is meat, cheese, raw milk and eggs.🥩🥚🥓🍗🍖🧀🍶 Best ahead, cheers!
we winnin the slam broetry competition with this one 💪
😂😂😂💯
You were already among my favorites in the fitness industry but YAKUZA FAN TOO? HELL YEAH BROTHER!
Kiryu FTW!
Yakuza has such goofy comedy its an amazing game
"The best gyms are often the worst" Theere is a lot of truth from that statement
It’s akin to the MMO lifecycle - at first, everything is new & exciting; experimentation, individuality, and tenacity are encouraged. Then, as the community gets oversaturated with knowledge, only the ‘most optimal’ is accepted and anything else is shunned. But it’s alright, the pendulum will keep swinging
Since listening to you I got the best gains of my life. I'm now at the middle of a bulk heavier than ever and still look leaner than I've looked 15 pounds less few years ago. Thank you Alex!
Been lurking on your channel for months, you earned my sub with this one. Been hearing too much noise in this space when in reality it’s simple and intuitive
alex thanks to you I an now a late intermediate when it comes to strength and am one of the strongest dudes in gym despite being young, last time around on push day I was logging my lifts when a older friend of mine asked if that was 'necessary'. the same dude saw my amrap set 10 minutes later and was shocked at my progress and claimed that I have 'very good' genetics. but like you said I credit everything to the nuanced way of thinking that made me progress this far.
Well done, you'll be a source of inspiration to your younger peers, keep it up man I'm proud of you for embracing THE REAL early on :)
Yakuza 8 was great. The muscle gains have also been going GREAT thanks to changing up a few things in my training. Keep up the great work
Bro when I found the Yakuza series in 2018, it gave me a similar kick to DBZ and I've been a big fan ever since. Too underrated, keep grinding brother!
Ok I really took this to heart. I realized I just wasn’t training hard enough. today I switched to a strength training routine instead of a hypertrophy routine because I felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere. Not only did I up the weight significantly, I found that I could do roughly the same amount of reps I was doing with lighter weights before. Also, I almost felt like I was gonna throw up during today’s workout, and that hasn’t happened in a long time. Thanks for this video!!
I'm infatuated with the vision. Absolutely obsessed
Someone once said: TikTok exercises won't make you look huge.
Well said!!
You either relish the grind or don't. It's temperamental for the most part although you can modify it to some extent through habit, consistency, etc. Both men and women like us are just on the extreme end of the distribution curve and most social contexts like a commercial gym represent the full spectrum: time wasters, triers, grinders and everything in-between. Also, different gyms have different environments. If you go in trying to beat yourself you're never alone, wrong or in need of some outside stimulus to motivate you (not that there's anything wrong with that). However, it is always a good thing socially to spread the word, rant or otherwise!
Bro it's so good to see this video. With all the fluff training videos that keep showing up on here, we need something to remind us that the bro's that went as hard as they could in the gym got it right.
I've noticed the average "trendy" "nice" looking gyms tend to bring a bunch of "soft" gym bros.
The more rugged and "old school" gyms tend to bring in folks who are more serious.
Thank you for your Service Alex, I’ve been watching your for 5 Years now, you saved me from that Athlean-X Skinny Pencil Neck Phase in the beginning and introduced me to old school training & the Noble Natty Community.
To serve lost beginners like I was once, I‘ve been uploading consistently videos that would‘ve helped me a long time ago, aspiring to reach the level of experience to spread advanced knowledge.
I want to help expand the message of real lifetime naturals preaching hard shit that work!
I couldn‘t imagine myself doing anything else.
All thanks to you and all the other noble nattys!
I was doing pull-ups the other day and saw a guy dragging a bench to the cable next to me and doing the "iliac fiber pulldown". I was just disappointed.
I feel like this video came at a great time, I speak for myself but I'm sure a lot of lifters needed to hear that right now.
Its the difference between being process oriented vs results oriented. We love lifting for the sake of lifting not trying to get optimal results. Why? Because we know in 5 years we'll still be in the gym. These people dont have that mindset and want to hyper optimize everything to get some physique goal that in the end wont make them happy anyway.
This is so real Alex. I’m glad from the beginning of my training I had good influences like you, I cannot imagine not training hard.
You said what I've been thinking for a while now
I train at home because I hate the while gym culture; I only have dumbbells, an Olympic bar with couple of plates, a backpack and a concrete bench - and I have a way better physique than 90% of gymgoers that use all those fancy machines
Why? I like to think because I go hard, I scream, yell, almost sometimes weep on some exercises that STING like lat raises; I prioritize form, yes, but also explosiveness, aggressiveness while lifting
I blast my alt metal songs on the backyard, the wind blows heavily at night and the passing clouds are the only thing I see when I bench; when it rains, still workout, when it's too cold, still workout
Keep preaching the no bs, hard and aggresive style of training, Alex, please
Fucking love this guy, been following for what's got to be 10 years now after Candito, and this guy knows wtf he's talking about. Please link up with Chris Jones, you two are UA-cam diamonds.
Whatever happened to Candito and Chris Jones
@@StrongerThanBigfoot Chris Jones is still here just not on pump chasers. I dont know what happened to Candito though.
You've been here since the start and that means the world, wow did 10 years fly. Much love to you, super OG. I'd love to meet Chris this year, he also inspired me early on. I watched him daily way back in high school.
Effort trumps everything. Gotta go hard or go home. Nothing feels better than a brutal set of deadlifts that make you grunt & yell out trying to lock that shit out. I've only been lifting for 1.5 ish years, but I fucking love it. In it for the long haul.
Yes, yes more rants! Love it when you tell the truth the passion, just like you used to.
I’m not elite by any means but because I train the way you are preaching in this video I’m like the baddest man in my gym and I always get asked questions by guys that spend 2hr workouts entirely on cables doing every bicep variation known to man without touching a single weight or going to failure. Usually a common theme as well for these young guys to constantly talk about injuries or joint problems that they really don’t have, they just avoid basic principles and keep tryna find what’s optimal
1:10 OSRS 😂❤
Very motivational episode, Alex You are right , in the old days we only did compound exercises and the base, new generation waste time with all the machines and exagerated influencers fool people Tried them all out of curiosity, no progress! As I returned to the base, the progress reappeared. ❤
Bro I fell off about a year after i followed your channel and experienced them crazy gains. Ur Yolked out man! Inspirational shit. You chest caught up with your back and it was always crazy.
Fell off for 3 months I’m getting back on the horse
You should do a video on gym accessories, like weight belts for dips/ pull ups, torso belts for deadlifts & general heavy lifting, elbow and knee braces, and others. Tell us the pros and cons, when too use them how too use them etc.
Been watching for almost 2 years now back when you went by alpha. You helped me so much by just giving me someone who’s information I can trust and makes complete sense. You installed in me something that is hard to explain but the closest word I can draw to it is intensity. Thank you for your work man seriously
Thank you so much man 🙏
Expert lifting showing the safest and most effective exercises but the most important thing for beginners is getting as strong as possible (through compounds that don't get unsafe until intermediate level)
Absolutely beautiful, thank you from all my heart for what you do man, I wouldn't be where I am without you
Between you, BOM, and GVS I have cut out all the fat from my programming and went back to the basics that work. I have never been a cardio guy but I'm curious and would like to know how to start
The clip of the dips is insane. Respect
You've got a very dramatic way of talking. That's not new, but it's really evident in this video. Eccentric as it is, it might lead you to some big opportunities in the future. That "good enough" mentality really is a spoke in the wheels of greatness. It's true that most people are just trying to cheat their way through life, putting a lot of effort in to put as little effort in as possible and just getting by instead of blossoming. It's like they're trying to avoid really living life. Achieving something exceptional.
adding this video into my gym music playlist.
tom platz goin' ham to - If Ever You're in My Arms Again is just 👌
Spot on video man you nailed it
My man, let the old school vibe shine brighter than ever!
liking those zercher reverse lunges. Gonna steal that one.
This is why I love my home gym, I can blast music and grunt. That’s not acceptable at the YMCA lol
As an older lifter who always trains old school and hardcore I totally agree with you , todays gym goers don’t love training and hate the effort and time involved to achieve naturally ! Hence the drug use amongst lifters who have only trained for a year or so !
Average testosterone in males is vastly reduced and still plummeting and men are more feminine than ever , the blood& guts recordings that inspired many will look like a horror movie to most of todays soft easy does it lifters!
I hope your influence Alex will help turn the trend and once again one day men will be men !
You know guys are more feminine nowadays when they're wearing dresses and high heels in magazines.
Preach OG, I couldn't agree more and thank you!!!! Doing my best to make the fitness world a better, tougher place.
I love training hard but nutrition is hard to maintain
12:20 - 13:10 is Alex's poem titled "I get off to hard training." Haha. What a work of poetry, it is art my friend.
Currently grinding that last 15% at age 45. The effort required is *indescribable* your insight adds to my mind power 🙏🏻
Big barbells, heavy dumbbells, smith machine, linear hack squat, cables, calisthenics. I have them ALL, I use them all, I love them all. Go crazy bros.
Alex with the Cross Chain? Didn’t ya say you were an atheist or agnostic (one of the two) during one of your livestreams? Looks sick tho with the cut ngl
I’ve got a cross tattoo and I’m agnostic. I wonder if that could be the case for Alex. Even if I don’t believe in anything transcendental, I really like the cross symbol.
14:01 Leroy Davis is one of the best training partners ever, up there with Arnold's partner Franco Columbu who was extremely strong
Fuck yeah, when you started talking about DBZ. That's why we all started in the first place.
Pure passion running through your veins mate. Inspirational as always
Speaking of spreading the truth... I have noticed that neck training has been getting more popular the last year or so, as well as prioritising pulling over pressing for shoulder health. Both of which you have been preaching for a decade! OG follower here since 2015. Always giving the best advice, keep it up bro.
Great timing! I was playing some classic wow after the gym and eating my post work out meal and then you posted. Thanks!
Ahhhh what a great way to chill after training hard!
5:40 You're going to make me sentimental.
Just wanted to properly thank you for all the knowledge you've been sharing for free. I've learnt a lot from you and implemented a lot of your training tips and recommended exercises, just today I tried the Pendulum sissy squat for the first time :) I've always trained at home, too.
Thank you, Alex. You're a real gem for the dedicated fitness community :)
Thank you Santiago, I'm proud of you for embracing the hardcore mindset and exercises :)
Now, THIS is seriously motivational! And i can't agree more with you, Alex!
I've been working out at my home gym for about 5 years now with only dumbbells and a barbell. Sometimes when a friend invites me I go to a public gym, one of the big city ones, and let me tell you man, I don't think I've ever seen someone pushing 3 plates on the bench and I could probably count the times I've seen someone rep out 2 plates on 1 hand. It's depressing seeing the gym always be full of people but the benches and power racks are empty most of the time, it's the cables and other soft machines that are always taken. When I load up more than 225 on a bent over row and rep it out i get stares lol, I swear, lots of these people go there not to get better but to be seen by others as responsible or something.
I dont know what kind of gyms you are going to but in my gyms in the city people gladly squat and bench press or any other basic exercises
I feel the exact same way man, sometimes I'll spend months (or years like in 2020-2022) training all out at home, then go to a gym out of excitement, only to be immediately disappointed. At this point, the incentive to train there is quite low.
Most people I know at my gym,
don't want to squat, overhead press or do pull ups.
Always looking for the easy options.
I’ve been watching you since 2016 and if I would’ve kept with everything you’ve been preaching I would be right there with you.
Consistency in the gym plaques me
Glad you pointed out people aren’t A. Listening B. Not implementing the advice given. Or C. Want it bad enough to try. Not all not all but most..
This came at the perfect time, im planning to slowly bulk for one year, been at the same weights for the last years. Deep down knowing that i have to REALLY chase it to get bigger, no more "is it going to hurt my back" and more just getting after it, preach it !
No matter if you train to failure or a few reps in reserve, the most important thing is to keep progressing. If you hit a plateau, try the other approach. If you keep progressing, your routine is probably working well enough and you don't need to OPTIMAL it any futher.
Excellent video! Preach!
God damn looking crazy in that thumbnail. Print and frame it bro you're looking amazing!
The science community has everyone terrified is what it is.
Lifters are definitely soft. I remember when overtraining was the big bad buzzword in the lifting community and lifters were afraid of hitting the same muscle twice or more a week. When I got my first factory job, I realized how flawed that reasoning was. Your body can be pushed beyond what you think it can be pushed to, but most people do not do that. A lot of popular UA-camrs also profit from keeping people at the beginner level.
81 year old Leroy having bigger arms than the 20 year old optimal trainee. 😭
maxed out my bench yesterday at 175. Lets go!!!!!
99% of people in my gym do some pathetic 2 hour cable/machine workouts. No grit. So rarely do you even see people actually sweating profusely
When I started going to the gym my only concern was just simply to be bigger and stronger, now I see newbies more concerned with the proper lighting and angle for their mirror pics 💀
Lately I have been feeling stuck in training because people have told me that I have been overtraining, I am ashamed that I seemingly forgot all that I have learned.
This video was a great video and wake up call
Hi Alex, do you still do direct neck work or traditional yoke training? Been a viewer from way back in the day and found my way back here after being absent from the fitness world for a while.
Respect the grind and all the work you have put in over the years!
Jeez man, I stepped out of my home gym for the first time in years to coach a bunch of novice lifters from work. The rant and comments really hit hard; it seems like true meathead training is a rarity now, leading to fewer jacked naturals in the gyms.
Long video. Lets go!
Classic exclusive long, enjoy brother!!
Well said brother , I tend to comment only when I disagree but I feel like this one was very well spoken
This is my favorite content of 2024 across all subject areas thus far.
Absolutely love this rant! had me laughing out loud and so true Alex, respect and thanks for all your knowledge!
Keep it up Alex thank you for all your content bro!
It's my pleasure to serve, thank you Dominic!
I just got a chest expander to help teach myself how to strain. Idc if I get weird looks at the gym using an expander, I’m at the gym to get gains.
You already won, trust!
Thanks for the motivation to go hard. I'm 45, and got back into lifting june 2023. Just dumbells, barbells, and a simple bench. As someone who's always ate just enough to stay healthy, the hardest part has been eating enough. So far, gained about 14 lbs, and at 5'9" 175lbs I'm at my heaviest ever(which is still small). I'm also entering intermediate territory with alot of my lifts.
tellement de bon sens dans cette vidéo. Rien ne remplace les basics et le hard work. Pense-tu qu'il est possible d'atteindre un très bon physique uniquement au poids de corps en allant chercher les variations les plus dures ou la case poids est obligatoire à partir d'un moment?
Merci pour tout ce que tu fais pour la communauté!
De mon expérience pour le haut du corps c'est tout à fait possible avec les anneaux qui t'offrent des progressions infinies pour devenir énorme, tu peux même isoler tes bras avec.
Pour les jambes tu as les sissy squat et nordic curls, hyperextensions etc. Mais beaucoup plus dur. Personnellement je fais mon haut du corps avec les anneaux mais je suis obligé d'aller à la salle pour mes séances jambes 2x par semaine, c'est juste plus simple avec des poids. Je suis en upper/lower