Been training since 1993. I've switched from powerlifting, to pure hypertrophy, to a 2 year obsession with running. Since 2015 or so, I've been back to powerlifting. Now I'm 46 and absolute strength is the only quality that I can actually improve, barely. It sucks, but my speed qualities and ability to build muscle, particularly in the quads, is quite diminished. The one constant: no one gives a shit, but me. My wife, kids, and colleagues could care less about my squat PR or that I can't dunk anymore. I've never missed a family dinner or anything, training is just like brushing my teeth. I just like it more.
This is the reality of letting go. I'm 43 soon and missed my window for some of my failed (and unfulfilled) potential. But my 7 year old doesn't care. Neither does my wife. Only a few disintegrating gym bros. I try to do a few things here and there. I hope that you live long in health sir.
@@samuelsontraining i started late, hit my strength peak in my mid to late 40s (competed) and now in my early 50s I am still pretty strong. There's no way I could run fast, or long, like I did in my 20s and 30s. I know some people do, but I don't see it for me. Also, did BJJ for many years. Gave that up too!
@@IMFAEmperor I agree that most people make too much excuses, but sooner or later you'll realize you can't constantly redline, and that optimizing everything about your lifestyle just to chase some arbitrary numbers in the gym isn't really sustainable long term. There's no point forcing yourself through an exercise regime that you dread all the time unless you're a professional athlete, which I assume you're not. Consistency and a good balance of life and training is key. I have a friend that started going to the gym just before me and convinced me to go too. He went 7 times a week, meal prepped, bought expensive supplements and stuff. Eventually he burnt out and quit. I wasn't that obsessed and never went more than 3 times a week, never changed anything about my diet apart from eating an extra plate at dinner (never counted calories or macro's), and probably progressed slower than ideal because of it. But that is a good balance for me and allows me to stay consistent.
We’ve watched Alan grow on social media for the last 10 years. Life has ebbs & flows. Alan has shared his ebbs & flows with us every step of the way with integrity, honesty and humor. The one constant is always his passion for “lifting.” I still go back to your how to deadlift video from time to time. Keep training untamed Alan and keep evolving🦾
"Sometimes in an attempt to make things perfect all the time, you only become fragile when things aren't perfect." This really, really resonated with me. When I was big into Starting Strength, I felt like if I wasn't eating 4,000 Calories a day on my novice progression, I was a failure. How "strong" is someone squatting 300 lbs but who has to eat three times as much as the average person just to maintain that strength?
You said it very well: "The gym is your sanctuary" or something like that. I agree 100%. In the end of the day, if you are doing any type of training that your actually enjoy, than you should be feeling great and confident. If you feel overly stressful or even like garbabe at the end of your training session, something is wrong, specially if you are running to bigger numbers just for the sake of it.
It's been inspiring seeing you grow wiser ! As a new father I relate a lot to your message. You can still train hard and with passion without letting the whole thing consume your life. We all started lifting to better our lives!
So much I feel this. I don’t want to hate the gym or dread it. So doing things that are fun and enjoyable makes me want to go. Like I always tell people who ask: the best exercise is the one you’ll do. Also, I kept hurting my back on squat, became terrified of the movement, and just realized it doesn’t have to be done. And the world went on. It was amazing. Now I do leg stuff that’s awesome and can protect my back.
If you’re having trouble with going to a session throughout the week just add a few exercises that you love doing and feel great doing to the exercise session. You’ll be pumped for each session because you want to do good during these exercises and will feel good doing them. No anguish and stress. Just breath and enjoy the forms.
Yup this is why I like 531. I'll do my programmed sets for squat/deadlift/press and then I'll just wing it and do 50 reps for push/pull/core/single leg, then some conditioning. It makes my gym sessions much more bearable when I can do whatever.
This! I did starting strength in my youth and totally bought in to the “do the programme” mentality and sometimes, I’d like to have done some curls, but didn’t because of what Rip said… as I got older, I realised I should have added a bit do spice and wouldn’t have hated those workouts as much.
That’s a great workout mind set. I have found that I really enjoyed the powerlifting and power building movements until my body was getting hurt too often. I try to workout in ways that I find fun and keep me motivated.
Loved the video Alan. As a 43 year old man who has been training consistently for over 25 years, Im starting to deal with declining strength, aches and pains, and other issues. It gets frustrating sometimes but it’s just part of getting older. Thanks for the perspective.
The best video out there ...I haven't seen a whole video in youtube for years (especially that long) but this one...oh boy, I've watched every single minute! Every lifter should watch it. It was so revealing for me. Thanks Alan! I am watching you from your very beggining. You taught me the big 3 movements in an easy way. I loved your sense of humor and motivated me even more. Every single word in this video was such an apocalypse for me because I am in your shoes a few years now....a hard working mother/wife, that tries really hard to not collapse and keep doing what she loves....
I just passed my first year in the gym, and your videos got me into powerlifting early on. Your deadlift video helped me get past the initial "I looked at a barbell and hurt my back," and I recently hit a 2x bodyweight deadlift. (Thanks for getting me on the right track there, BTW.) But I also don't enjoy the bench press, so being a competitive powerlifter ain't an option. I discovered that I really enjoy the Olympic lifts, so that's where I'm putting my effort these days.
I love the signature train untamed outro. What a throwback. Been watching for years. Anyone that complains about other people changing may need to do some introspective analysis.
Its great to see that his mentality evolved. Too many lifters who came up in the early years of RUclips fitness (from 2012 on) Got stuck in one mentality and never progressed. He arguably looks better than he did when he was only chasing numbers. excellent progression!
This is something you have to learn over time when lifting. How to still train hard while being injured. If you currently can't hit shoulders hard you have a lot of other bodyparts that you might be able to train hard.
Pressing horizontally (bench press) is in the middle of pressing vertically up (overhead press) and down (dip). I promise you, if those two movements do not hurt your shoulder, and you increase your numbers there- your bench will improve without ever laying down on it!
I’m 46 and was a weightlifter throughout my 20s. I still lift, but definitely have earned the pale shadow of my former self award. I still love it though and will do my best to keep going.
Great video and advice everyone outside of the select few who are training for a very specific event or lift should follow. Stop beating yourselves up over not hitting a PR, over feeling weak, over subbing in a different exercise because you weren't feeling the other one. Do what makes you feel good and satisfied.
Dude this is awesome and inspiring. I remember watching some of your stuff like 10 years ago and it's super interesting to see how your routine has changed. I'm in my thirties now and my whole mindset has evolved as well. Especially section 5. I've learned to chill out about PR's and how much I'm pushing. Listening to your body is so key in maturing when it comes to any sort of exercise. I still have those days though where everything is not going well and I take it out on the weights. I don't think that will ever leave me.
I've had to recently learn to "care a little less," after my gym got evicted suddenly, and a hamstring problem decided I needed a break from deadlifting and squatting heavy. It took a while to accept that no one cares what my numbers are, vocalizing it is only part of that process. Definitely good advice, considering most of us are just regular people trying to fit our love of the gym into the work / life balance.
As I've aged I have realized the most important thing is that I keep working out. The best way for me to do that is to enjoy what I do. That for me means training in a similar way you described.
Forget the stupid comments, I’ve been following you since 19 years old and I was a former fatty. Like fat asf. TIL this day my entire fitness education was birthed by you and IT WORKS, I wouldn’t care if things changed or didn’t. YOU KNOW, what you’re doing so please keep this channel up forever !
I'm happy for anyone that wisens up and finds what's best for them. But I've been noticing all of the strength guys transitioning. One by one, all of the strength focused channels I followed religiously on RUclips are moving on to new areas of fitness, which again is totally awesome, but man I don't want it to happen to me. Maybe it's inevitable. Many of these people were competitive powerlifters (or strongmen) though, which I think contributes to the fatigue and need of change of pace. Thrall has helped me reach so many PRs that I'll always be appreciative and support his next move.
Just you sharing your experiences, mentoring and educating while playing video of you doing different workouts is the perfect format. I mostly have your videos playing the background while I workout instead of music. I pick up different tips each time. The thing that has made a change for me from this video is what you said about "chasing numbers on the bar". I've been doing that for too long and now starting to focus on "adjust intensity at xx reps" and have a new joy of gaming my workout.
This is some fantastic advice. The older I get( 45yrs old) the harder parallel is on LOW bar squats. Not to mention that rep ranges other than 1-5 really help fitness as well too. I still try to “lean” on my squats but I have to really slow it down to eliminate the stretch reflex on squats. The lean is still good for flexibility but I can’t take the “ bounce” at the bottom. Keep it up Alan Thrall.
Another late 40s guy here in the comments saying that I feel this so much. I remember vividly about 7 years ago leaving my wife and daughter behind at a family Christmas lunch so that I could go home to train. I remember struggling to get in and out of my car because of an ongoing hip complaint from squatting. I remember being constantly sleep deprived and in pain. And why? I'm not even that strong. But for years I pushed through, comparing myself to other people on the internet and believing that weight on the bar was all that mattered. But eventually I realised nobody gives a crap except me, and even my care factor was for the wrong reasons. I've transitioned now to a place where all that matters is I get in and train as hard as I can on that day. To make that happen I need to select loads and movements that feel good based on where I'm at, and not arbitrarily locking myself into the big three and their variations. I still get anxious about going to the gym, I still don't always feel motivated, but it usually gets done and my quality of life outside of the gym has been better for it.
great advice. I am still young in the powerlifting scene and I am still chasing those numbers. But I recognize what you are saying and I agree with a lot of it. I have always wanted to run a marathon, but have put it off for years due to my powerlifting goals. I will continue to do so, because I still love chasing the numbers too much, but I can tell that in a few years, I will want to really change the way I train.
A bit of retired competitor mindset in here. Still loads of good advice. I have been watching this channel since 2014 or 2015. Shit loads of quality content and Alan as a person is such a beautiful human being.
While this is great insight into the mind of a mature lifter, and I thank you for it, I still think you have the luxury of having this mindset now because you've accomplished so much in terms of numbers. If your all time squat pr was 315 I doubt you'd be satisfied enough with your fitness journey to train like you currently are.
Alan's relationship with bench press reminded me of my relationship of squat. I didn't like it and only did it because I wanted to be viewed as hardcore. I train in my garage gym and bought a combo hack squat/leg press machine and switched to doing those exercises rather than barbell squat and I no longer dread leg day. Its liberating.
Judging by the comments for lifters who have been in the gym for the last 30 years this is a great reminder of many of the things we have learned through experience. For any younger lifters though this is a free (and pain free) life lesson. Ask the guys who have been lifting a while and who you respect and I think you see that many of these experiences are pretty universal. Might as well get a jump on decades of learning.
Love how you are always learning and evolving and using good science and logic to explain your rationale! Thanks for sharing good content! God bless you!
Agreed! OHP is my prioritized pressing movement now, because it's just much more fun. Fun is where it's at for longevity, I think. I still bench though, but just for volume to add to the OHP.
You said it all. After 43-plus years of training, that´s exactly what I'm doing. For instance, having some fun chopping wood has been part of my training lately. Thanks for the video!
Alan, I can't really put it in words but such videos of yours always make me question myself and my training philosophy and I can say that good questions leads to good answers. For example, I think that I am stuck at 100 kg squat for a year now but I couldn't be more wrong about it. Now I weigh around 8 kg less...can run 8 kms under 46 minutes and also snapped my back in between, learnt about rehab and new nuances about training and also not to mention that I managed to do all that when I moved out for college and had barely any time but still managed to squeeze 2 or 3 full body sessions per week. this video of yours was really a wakeup call.
Respect for making this video. I could totally relate to it. Evolution as a trainer is important. Getting older and wiser as a lifter does have its advantages.
The message of this video is so reassuring to me. I have tried so many times following various powerlifting programs and although I have gained a decent amount of strength, I have not been able to finish a single program without sacrificing my health in some other way (low back issues being the most common). I have started replacing some exercises with more bodyweight/calisthenics work, but I still feel guilty when I am unable to finish my squat sets/reps at the prescribed weight. I think following a more movement and feel based routine (by that I mean focusing on quality of movement and not overexerting myself when I already feel drained) works much better for me (aka average gym enthusiast), but it is much harder to stay true to myself and not make excuses when there is no definitive amount of weight and reps for me to do.
I started running @NaturalHypertrophy Novice program on Boostcamp and have noticed some of the points you mention, Alan. Biggest one was that my workouts were good and I felt like I got good work in, but I wasn’t beat up and unable to move or have energy for my family. I didn’t realize that when I was doing powerlifting style training that it was running me into the ground so much. I wasn’t much of a powerlifting because I’m small framed but I could tell the eating got me fatter and not leaner like I wanted. Now my training is much more what kind of intensity am I going for, and I’m doing it for health reasons instead of number chasing. I’ve also started rucking and I’m loving it and look forward to strapping on my backpack for a ruck. Great video and thanks for sharing awesome content like this for us.
Muscle maturity not a lot of people get this when they get older You learn to adapt you learn what you like you learn what you want to do and you change and how you think training should be A lot of people are just so wrapped up of just doing one way of training and especially with the internet telling everyone how to do everything
If you're training for health and to look good, not for sports, you should be implementing all sorts of varied training styles on a cyclical basis over the years. People do Starting Strength or Stronglifts (which are absolutely what I recommend for a beginner to the gym) and see results in the gym for the first time ever and think that powerlifting must be magic, when really it's just the first time they've ever progressively overloaded
"It(exercise) makes them more independent". Exactly! Lack of muscle mass is one of the leading predictors of mortality among old people. I work out because I don't want to be in that group that cannot move or do anything by themselves.
I think one thing Alan is touching on here is finding your identity outside of lifting. Is there more to you than just weight on the bar? Of course there is.
Alan, I'm up in Yuba at Ironborn. I'd love to take a crack at getting you to 400 in a way that works with your present programming and that you feel is enjoyable, pain free. I've had athletes who hated bench come around and love it, look forward to it. I hit 424 in Australia at 48 years old.
I agree, I wish I could transfer my passion to lift to others. when asked a couple of days ago, I responded, that I still get butterflies when I'm heading into a session after 30 years of training. I admire your evolution. It's inspiring. I would have never guessed your thoughts on bench press. I started doing bench after many years of not doing them due to shoulder pain. Honestly, I want to say about 2 years ago you made an updated tutorial on the bench. I studied that video closely and that's what got me into bench I'm pretty much only doing Larsen's as I'm more on the body-building side. Thank you! Oorah!
Thanks for making this video. I'm still really enjoying my workouts (mostly) but this is definitely something to think about. I've been trying to not be so rigid in my exercise, so it helps to hear it from someone else with more experience.
I can relate to so many things you've said Alan. I used to only blast the big 5 barbell lifts but feel sore for days because I had to hit that weight and rep range and I couldn't even run for 10 minutes. I'm now a father and I still train, just with different priorities, mobility is also something I take seriously in order to perform optimaly and I can run for 30 minutes and I don't feel like death.
I've been perhaps a little too invested in comps and records, but it's a great motivator, esp if you are heading interstate with a friend or three to compete nationally/internationally. I've never been competitive in anything else at all, let alone to that level. I guess there is some sunk-costs fallacy there, but there has been quite a lot of positives along with the pain and tweaks and stuff. On the other hand, I very much resonate with those statements about bench! If I hold together 'til next month, I have good shot at taking out all four records in my age and weight class. Sure, someone can come along and obliterate them shortly thereafter, but for a brief while you can show people that, at least under these specific conditions, you got your shit together enough to be pretty bloody good at something ;) And then after that I will follow Alan's lead and just do pump and fluff stuff and get wicked bicep veins😁
Thanks for this Alan. I’ve been experiencing most of what you discussed including getting away from bench lol. I’m glad to know it’s not just me but a natural happening. Time to figure out how I want to train for the rest of my life. Again thanks for the inspiration it’s been a long time coming.
I want an entire movie with Alan playing every single character a la Eddie Murphy. We'll call it Natty Professor: The Pumps.
The Nutty Brofessor
And bloach being the final boss
Ello Ychub
It's pasta time
Alan thral or natural hypertrophy collaboration with DR Mike Israel from RP training?
First time I’ve seen his wife on camera, I gotta say, she’s quite the catch
A total ma'am
Get in line buddy
Does Mrs Adam Paul have a sister?
You mean she resembles a fish?
Why am i so excited and needing alone time to think about her?
Alan probably has the healthiest mindset of any fitness social media person online
Agreed, been watching his journey for years and he's a damm good human 🫡
One of the few people in the industry who is not a total snake oil seller
Agreed homie
can confirm he is very wholesome in real life
Look for Ben Carpenter, definitely recommend him as health and honest fitness social media person
"he's not even that good" was so perfectly delivered, it caught me right off guard
This video is equivalent to therapy mate. I 1000% Agree with the point that " the gym should be your sanctuary not a 9 to 5 job you hate ".
Been training since 1993. I've switched from powerlifting, to pure hypertrophy, to a 2 year obsession with running. Since 2015 or so, I've been back to powerlifting. Now I'm 46 and absolute strength is the only quality that I can actually improve, barely. It sucks, but my speed qualities and ability to build muscle, particularly in the quads, is quite diminished. The one constant: no one gives a shit, but me. My wife, kids, and colleagues could care less about my squat PR or that I can't dunk anymore. I've never missed a family dinner or anything, training is just like brushing my teeth. I just like it more.
This is the reality of letting go. I'm 43 soon and missed my window for some of my failed (and unfulfilled) potential. But my 7 year old doesn't care. Neither does my wife. Only a few disintegrating gym bros. I try to do a few things here and there. I hope that you live long in health sir.
@@samuelsontraining i started late, hit my strength peak in my mid to late 40s (competed) and now in my early 50s I am still pretty strong. There's no way I could run fast, or long, like I did in my 20s and 30s. I know some people do, but I don't see it for me. Also, did BJJ for many years. Gave that up too!
@@rdeloges7957 Nice!
Colesterol 315, Hell yeah brothe’😂
When everything is a PB, because big number are good numbers! 🤣
Better the cholesterol is 315 than his testosterone 😂
Swolesterol
Do you even eat yolks, bro?
Legendary intro I must say
Had no reason to hit this close to home tho
Not the first time you shared that quote: "Have you tried caring less". It's one to remember, in all aspects of life.
Why don’t you care more and put in the prep and work… excuses
A quote that I like is “every dead body on Mount Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe relax every once in awhile” 😁
The great Austin baraki?
@@IMFAEmperor I agree that most people make too much excuses, but sooner or later you'll realize you can't constantly redline, and that optimizing everything about your lifestyle just to chase some arbitrary numbers in the gym isn't really sustainable long term. There's no point forcing yourself through an exercise regime that you dread all the time unless you're a professional athlete, which I assume you're not. Consistency and a good balance of life and training is key.
I have a friend that started going to the gym just before me and convinced me to go too. He went 7 times a week, meal prepped, bought expensive supplements and stuff. Eventually he burnt out and quit. I wasn't that obsessed and never went more than 3 times a week, never changed anything about my diet apart from eating an extra plate at dinner (never counted calories or macro's), and probably progressed slower than ideal because of it. But that is a good balance for me and allows me to stay consistent.
@@micahhlopez7678The one and only. Austin “deadlifts-700-pounds-in-slides” Baraki 🩴 🩴 😎
We’ve watched Alan grow on social media for the last 10 years. Life has ebbs & flows. Alan has shared his ebbs & flows with us every step of the way with integrity, honesty and humor. The one constant is always his passion for “lifting.” I still go back to your how to deadlift video from time to time. Keep training untamed Alan and keep evolving🦾
I mean this sincerely, Alan is pound for pound best fitness RUclipsr
Iron wolf right up there
"Sometimes in an attempt to make things perfect all the time, you only become fragile when things aren't perfect."
This really, really resonated with me. When I was big into Starting Strength, I felt like if I wasn't eating 4,000 Calories a day on my novice progression, I was a failure. How "strong" is someone squatting 300 lbs but who has to eat three times as much as the average person just to maintain that strength?
Alan is undefeated when it comes to dropping the exact video I need as both a lifter and trainer
You said it very well: "The gym is your sanctuary" or something like that. I agree 100%. In the end of the day, if you are doing any type of training that your actually enjoy, than you should be feeling great and confident. If you feel overly stressful or even like garbabe at the end of your training session, something is wrong, specially if you are running to bigger numbers just for the sake of it.
It's been inspiring seeing you grow wiser ! As a new father I relate a lot to your message. You can still train hard and with passion without letting the whole thing consume your life.
We all started lifting to better our lives!
2:08 Was totally expecting Adam Paul to tell the doc, "You wish your bench was as high as my cholesterol"
😄😄👌
Everyone who watched Westside vs. the World knows that the first bit isn’t even hyperbole
The bit when Louis has had a tracheotomy and his gym bro is like “you’re fuckin maxing out today” made me cry laughing
Glad to see that you have managed to find peace in life.
So much I feel this. I don’t want to hate the gym or dread it. So doing things that are fun and enjoyable makes me want to go. Like I always tell people who ask: the best exercise is the one you’ll do.
Also, I kept hurting my back on squat, became terrified of the movement, and just realized it doesn’t have to be done. And the world went on. It was amazing. Now I do leg stuff that’s awesome and can protect my back.
If you’re having trouble with going to a session throughout the week just add a few exercises that you love doing and feel great doing to the exercise session. You’ll be pumped for each session because you want to do good during these exercises and will feel good doing them. No anguish and stress. Just breath and enjoy the forms.
Yup this is why I like 531. I'll do my programmed sets for squat/deadlift/press and then I'll just wing it and do 50 reps for push/pull/core/single leg, then some conditioning. It makes my gym sessions much more bearable when I can do whatever.
This! I did starting strength in my youth and totally bought in to the “do the programme” mentality and sometimes, I’d like to have done some curls, but didn’t because of what Rip said… as I got older, I realised I should have added a bit do spice and wouldn’t have hated those workouts as much.
Thanks for all you do brother. can't tell you how much i've learned from you over the years
That’s a great workout mind set.
I have found that I really enjoyed the powerlifting and power building movements until my body was getting hurt too often. I try to workout in ways that I find fun and keep me motivated.
Loved the video Alan. As a 43 year old man who has been training consistently for over 25 years, Im starting to deal with declining strength, aches and pains, and other issues. It gets frustrating sometimes but it’s just part of getting older. Thanks for the perspective.
The best video out there ...I haven't seen a whole video in youtube for years (especially that long) but this one...oh boy, I've watched every single minute! Every lifter should watch it. It was so revealing for me. Thanks Alan! I am watching you from your very beggining. You taught me the big 3 movements in an easy way. I loved your sense of humor and motivated me even more. Every single word in this video was such an apocalypse for me because I am in your shoes a few years now....a hard working mother/wife, that tries really hard to not collapse and keep doing what she loves....
I just passed my first year in the gym, and your videos got me into powerlifting early on. Your deadlift video helped me get past the initial "I looked at a barbell and hurt my back," and I recently hit a 2x bodyweight deadlift. (Thanks for getting me on the right track there, BTW.) But I also don't enjoy the bench press, so being a competitive powerlifter ain't an option. I discovered that I really enjoy the Olympic lifts, so that's where I'm putting my effort these days.
Bro. That skit was gold! Kind of reminds me someone. Thanks for the great content through the years.
If I was the last man on Earth, I would only bench with spotter arms.
One of the most evolved mindsets on lifting that I have ever heard! Thank you Alan…🎉
I love the signature train untamed outro. What a throwback. Been watching for years. Anyone that complains about other people changing may need to do some introspective analysis.
Every single video Alan Thrall posts I say he is so real for that
Absolutely love this perspective man. Many people will soon as welll
Mindfulness and intentionality matter!
Its great to see that his mentality evolved. Too many lifters who came up in the early years of RUclips fitness (from 2012 on) Got stuck in one mentality and never progressed. He arguably looks better than he did when he was only chasing numbers. excellent progression!
Wow it's been years since I've been recommended one of your vids and it was so good to hear that "TRAIN UNTAMED" at the end
“Have you tried caring less?” is some of the best advice, when taken the right way. Austin Baraki is a modern day sage
I genuinely needed to hear this today. I've been chasing the 1000-lb club to the detriment of my shoulder, and I need to cut back for a while.
This is something you have to learn over time when lifting. How to still train hard while being injured. If you currently can't hit shoulders hard you have a lot of other bodyparts that you might be able to train hard.
Do and chase whatever you like. If a simple video can change your your goals, then was not important for you
@@kapoioBCSBruh. Knowing when to pull back when an injury is possible is wise. Keeps you lifting for decades. Lol.
Pressing horizontally (bench press) is in the middle of pressing vertically up (overhead press) and down (dip).
I promise you, if those two movements do not hurt your shoulder, and you increase your numbers there- your bench will improve without ever laying down on it!
I’m 46 and was a weightlifter throughout my 20s. I still lift, but definitely have earned the pale shadow of my former self award. I still love it though and will do my best to keep going.
Hey, my favorite "fitness" chanel, i have learned a lot with Alan.
Keep Going my friend!
Great video and advice everyone outside of the select few who are training for a very specific event or lift should follow. Stop beating yourselves up over not hitting a PR, over feeling weak, over subbing in a different exercise because you weren't feeling the other one. Do what makes you feel good and satisfied.
Dude this is awesome and inspiring. I remember watching some of your stuff like 10 years ago and it's super interesting to see how your routine has changed. I'm in my thirties now and my whole mindset has evolved as well. Especially section 5. I've learned to chill out about PR's and how much I'm pushing. Listening to your body is so key in maturing when it comes to any sort of exercise. I still have those days though where everything is not going well and I take it out on the weights. I don't think that will ever leave me.
I've had to recently learn to "care a little less," after my gym got evicted suddenly, and a hamstring problem decided I needed a break from deadlifting and squatting heavy. It took a while to accept that no one cares what my numbers are, vocalizing it is only part of that process. Definitely good advice, considering most of us are just regular people trying to fit our love of the gym into the work / life balance.
This is one of your best videos ! Still making great content this many years late is impressive.
As I've aged I have realized the most important thing is that I keep working out. The best way for me to do that is to enjoy what I do. That for me means training in a similar way you described.
Forget the stupid comments, I’ve been following you since 19 years old and I was a former fatty. Like fat asf. TIL this day my entire fitness education was birthed by you and IT WORKS, I wouldn’t care if things changed or didn’t. YOU KNOW, what you’re doing so please keep this channel up forever !
great video as always, love ur relationship with training
I get an Alan thrall vid in my feed every year or so and every time hes on some completely new arc
zen and the art of fitness
Definitely impressed with your mindset. As I get/got older my priorities changed and became less rigid and believe it or not progress still continued.
I'm happy for anyone that wisens up and finds what's best for them. But I've been noticing all of the strength guys transitioning. One by one, all of the strength focused channels I followed religiously on RUclips are moving on to new areas of fitness, which again is totally awesome, but man I don't want it to happen to me. Maybe it's inevitable. Many of these people were competitive powerlifters (or strongmen) though, which I think contributes to the fatigue and need of change of pace. Thrall has helped me reach so many PRs that I'll always be appreciative and support his next move.
Just you sharing your experiences, mentoring and educating while playing video of you doing different workouts is the perfect format. I mostly have your videos playing the background while I workout instead of music. I pick up different tips each time. The thing that has made a change for me from this video is what you said about "chasing numbers on the bar". I've been doing that for too long and now starting to focus on "adjust intensity at xx reps" and have a new joy of gaming my workout.
Think I've been watching you for close to 10 years. So cool to see you mature and grow as a dude and as a lifter. Happy for you.
This is some fantastic advice. The older I get( 45yrs old) the harder parallel is on LOW bar squats. Not to mention that rep ranges other than 1-5 really help fitness as well too. I still try to “lean” on my squats but I have to really slow it down to eliminate the stretch reflex on squats. The lean is still good for flexibility but I can’t take the “ bounce” at the bottom. Keep it up Alan Thrall.
Another late 40s guy here in the comments saying that I feel this so much. I remember vividly about 7 years ago leaving my wife and daughter behind at a family Christmas lunch so that I could go home to train. I remember struggling to get in and out of my car because of an ongoing hip complaint from squatting. I remember being constantly sleep deprived and in pain. And why? I'm not even that strong. But for years I pushed through, comparing myself to other people on the internet and believing that weight on the bar was all that mattered. But eventually I realised nobody gives a crap except me, and even my care factor was for the wrong reasons.
I've transitioned now to a place where all that matters is I get in and train as hard as I can on that day. To make that happen I need to select loads and movements that feel good based on where I'm at, and not arbitrarily locking myself into the big three and their variations. I still get anxious about going to the gym, I still don't always feel motivated, but it usually gets done and my quality of life outside of the gym has been better for it.
great advice. I am still young in the powerlifting scene and I am still chasing those numbers. But I recognize what you are saying and I agree with a lot of it. I have always wanted to run a marathon, but have put it off for years due to my powerlifting goals. I will continue to do so, because I still love chasing the numbers too much, but I can tell that in a few years, I will want to really change the way I train.
Thanks for sharing your life with us for our edification. It has been educational and entertaining. Youre one of my favorite RUclips channels
A bit of retired competitor mindset in here. Still loads of good advice. I have been watching this channel since 2014 or 2015. Shit loads of quality content and Alan as a person is such a beautiful human being.
While this is great insight into the mind of a mature lifter, and I thank you for it, I still think you have the luxury of having this mindset now because you've accomplished so much in terms of numbers.
If your all time squat pr was 315 I doubt you'd be satisfied enough with your fitness journey to train like you currently are.
Alan's relationship with bench press reminded me of my relationship of squat. I didn't like it and only did it because I wanted to be viewed as hardcore. I train in my garage gym and bought a combo hack squat/leg press machine and switched to doing those exercises rather than barbell squat and I no longer dread leg day. Its liberating.
Judging by the comments for lifters who have been in the gym for the last 30 years this is a great reminder of many of the things we have learned through experience. For any younger lifters though this is a free (and pain free) life lesson. Ask the guys who have been lifting a while and who you respect and I think you see that many of these experiences are pretty universal. Might as well get a jump on decades of learning.
I love this, thanks for sharing. There's a lot of guys, myself included, who still have a passion for fitness but don't destroy themselves in the gym.
Much more balanced and realistic perspective compared to 98% of social media. The gym ain’t my job bro!
Can't say enough that I appreciate this video and Alan's continuing open dialogue about his perspective on fitness, health, and being human.
Words of wisdom. Thank you for sharing, Alan.
Love how you are always learning and evolving and using good science and logic to explain your rationale!
Thanks for sharing good content!
God bless you!
Very similar thoughts on bench. Overhead press is just a lot more fun. Also, looking jacked!
Agreed! OHP is my prioritized pressing movement now, because it's just much more fun. Fun is where it's at for longevity, I think. I still bench though, but just for volume to add to the OHP.
You said it all. After 43-plus years of training, that´s exactly what I'm doing. For instance, having some fun chopping wood has been part of my training lately. Thanks for the video!
Alan Thrall is someone who’s videos I’ve peeked in on every once in a while, for probably a decade.
This one is my absolute favorite.
i like the message behing the vid, but it's important to not forget you got to the place you are in right now because you did the stuff you did before
Alan, I can't really put it in words but such videos of yours always make me question myself and my training philosophy and I can say that good questions leads to good answers.
For example, I think that I am stuck at 100 kg squat for a year now but I couldn't be more wrong about it. Now I weigh around 8 kg less...can run 8 kms under 46 minutes and also snapped my back in between, learnt about rehab and new nuances about training and also not to mention that I managed to do all that when I moved out for college and had barely any time but still managed to squeeze 2 or 3 full body sessions per week.
this video of yours was really a wakeup call.
This is pure gold. Thanks a lot for the way you share things.
Respect for making this video. I could totally relate to it. Evolution as a trainer is important. Getting older and wiser as a lifter does have its advantages.
Best thing was question „what are your biggest accomplishments in life“ and he instantly talks about his gym PRs.
I'll be coming back to this video every once in a while.
The message of this video is so reassuring to me. I have tried so many times following various powerlifting programs and although I have gained a decent amount of strength, I have not been able to finish a single program without sacrificing my health in some other way (low back issues being the most common). I have started replacing some exercises with more bodyweight/calisthenics work, but I still feel guilty when I am unable to finish my squat sets/reps at the prescribed weight. I think following a more movement and feel based routine (by that I mean focusing on quality of movement and not overexerting myself when I already feel drained) works much better for me (aka average gym enthusiast), but it is much harder to stay true to myself and not make excuses when there is no definitive amount of weight and reps for me to do.
Probably one of the best videos you have made, very relatable as I went through something similar.
I started running @NaturalHypertrophy Novice program on Boostcamp and have noticed some of the points you mention, Alan. Biggest one was that my workouts were good and I felt like I got good work in, but I wasn’t beat up and unable to move or have energy for my family. I didn’t realize that when I was doing powerlifting style training that it was running me into the ground so much. I wasn’t much of a powerlifting because I’m small framed but I could tell the eating got me fatter and not leaner like I wanted.
Now my training is much more what kind of intensity am I going for, and I’m doing it for health reasons instead of number chasing. I’ve also started rucking and I’m loving it and look forward to strapping on my backpack for a ruck.
Great video and thanks for sharing awesome content like this for us.
Muscle maturity not a lot of people get this when they get older
You learn to adapt you learn what you like you learn what you want to do and you change and how you think training should be
A lot of people are just so wrapped up of just doing one way of training and especially with the internet telling everyone how to do everything
I had similar shift in my training metodology, great video I totally agree !
If you're training for health and to look good, not for sports, you should be implementing all sorts of varied training styles on a cyclical basis over the years. People do Starting Strength or Stronglifts (which are absolutely what I recommend for a beginner to the gym) and see results in the gym for the first time ever and think that powerlifting must be magic, when really it's just the first time they've ever progressively overloaded
Great insight and motivational discussion
My wake up call was throwing a fit about going on a walk with my wife before a priority deadlift session.
Pathetic on my part
"It(exercise) makes them more independent". Exactly! Lack of muscle mass is one of the leading predictors of mortality among old people. I work out because I don't want to be in that group that cannot move or do anything by themselves.
I think one thing Alan is touching on here is finding your identity outside of lifting. Is there more to you than just weight on the bar? Of course there is.
The rapid eye blinking of Kid Paul while processing the question was performed by someone who, in real life, definitely spends time with his kids.
This might be one of the most beneficial videos I’ve seen in a long time. Thanks Alan
Baseline vs peak is such an underrated concept. Peak 1rms are like a trophy you put on your wall. They have nothing to do with what you can do now.
Alan, I'm up in Yuba at Ironborn. I'd love to take a crack at getting you to 400 in a way that works with your present programming and that you feel is enjoyable, pain free. I've had athletes who hated bench come around and love it, look forward to it. I hit 424 in Australia at 48 years old.
I agree, I wish I could transfer my passion to lift to others. when asked a couple of days ago, I responded, that I still get butterflies when I'm heading into a session after 30 years of training. I admire your evolution. It's inspiring. I would have never guessed your thoughts on bench press. I started doing bench after many years of not doing them due to shoulder pain. Honestly, I want to say about 2 years ago you made an updated tutorial on the bench. I studied that video closely and that's what got me into bench I'm pretty much only doing Larsen's as I'm more on the body-building side. Thank you! Oorah!
Thanks for making this video. I'm still really enjoying my workouts (mostly) but this is definitely something to think about. I've been trying to not be so rigid in my exercise, so it helps to hear it from someone else with more experience.
Your upper body looks INCREDIBLE! Compared to the past. What was that staggered front squat stance for??
Finally Adam Paul is back.
I can relate to so many things you've said Alan. I used to only blast the big 5 barbell lifts but feel sore for days because I had to hit that weight and rep range and I couldn't even run for 10 minutes. I'm now a father and I still train, just with different priorities, mobility is also something I take seriously in order to perform optimaly and I can run for 30 minutes and I don't feel like death.
If you’re running you are improving your blood flow and ability to oxygenate the muscles, also expanding blood vessels etc, it for sure helps lifting.
I agree. Never liked bench, haven't benched serious weight in many years as part of my routine.
I've been perhaps a little too invested in comps and records, but it's a great motivator, esp if you are heading interstate with a friend or three to compete nationally/internationally. I've never been competitive in anything else at all, let alone to that level. I guess there is some sunk-costs fallacy there, but there has been quite a lot of positives along with the pain and tweaks and stuff. On the other hand, I very much resonate with those statements about bench! If I hold together 'til next month, I have good shot at taking out all four records in my age and weight class. Sure, someone can come along and obliterate them shortly thereafter, but for a brief while you can show people that, at least under these specific conditions, you got your shit together enough to be pretty bloody good at something ;) And then after that I will follow Alan's lead and just do pump and fluff stuff and get wicked bicep veins😁
That B stance front squat is nice, Alan.
As a new father of two little girls, this was exactly what I needed to hear.
Some people still think this is a fitness channel.
This is a (great) life advice channel.
Your wisdom is amazing, thank you
Thanks for this Alan. I’ve been experiencing most of what you discussed including getting away from bench lol. I’m glad to know it’s not just me but a natural happening. Time to figure out how I want to train for the rest of my life. Again thanks for the inspiration it’s been a long time coming.