and then to repeat the same or complain how nothing changes . Thusly , ageing allows for that developmental process to be ever more thorough . To be not just available to us , because time inevitably passes , rather if we use the time wisely , seek out more teaching while listening more and talking less . Aging can be the most educating , guiding and building process that an individual has available to them . If we look at life as such , we are literally going to school for life !
Now this friends , is what I mean when I say “ the evolution of ageing “. For if we do not evolve as we age by growing , learning , adapting and modifying everything that we are and do . In our sport and lifestyle of Nutrition , the body , physique development and fitness we do this . Teaching and training our body ’ s response to everything we are influenced by . If we maintain the ignorance of youth , and we cannot hide in that innocence because we don ’ t have that luxury , we fail our body ’ s ability to develop and stay healthy . So innocent no , we left that behind long ago , choosing ignorance and futility is much more common as I see in myself as I look back . Now if we are critically involved all measures of our existence in the human experience , we will be able to IMPROVISE , ADAPT and OVERCOME all , while conquering most everything we face .
HOWEVER , One thing is we cannot avoid , no matter what , is aging , we must evolve with it . Easy right ? No , absolutely not ! It ’ s taken me a long time to first recognize , and then accept this fact , after much resistance . I must evolve with my age . We can only then begin to dig deep into these layers , understanding that it ’ s in my power to be the absolute best that I can be in Health , Mind , Body and Soul , as I evolved with my age . At any age !
So for all the young bucks out there , this is for you . For all of you out there that are close to my age or older and I ’ ve been doing this for over half your lives this is for us . So sit back and let me share with you a little of my person experience regarding just this , maybe insightful , helpful or at very least entertaining as you come with me on the twisty turning 4x4 trail of reflection .
Remember being young and it ’ s “ Off-Season ” Those good old days eating for the sake of eating , EAT TO GROW ( eating whatever you wanted just lots of it ) training with that ballistic style , ridiculous , heavy weights and not really paying a whole lot of attention to proper warm-ups , readiness training or prehabilitation , let alone what was done the day or week before nutritionally or supplementally . Just flat out balls to the wall GET SOME !
I remember being in my mid 20s ( 27 actually ) off-season in GROW MODE for the BC provincial championships prep to start in eight weeks . Being in peak off-season that year , while not my heaviest , I got up to 278 LBS . Getting ready for nationals 2009 I was 289 LBS , and that was my heaviest weight ever looking back so silly was I . Anyway , Ok so let me tell you , I had some older guys that I knew respected and trusted , telling me that I didn ’ t need to get that heavy . How it was too hard on my heart , needed to really watch my blood pressure even though I was young . “ It catches up ” they said , “ the stress to my organs , getting heavier did not mean being better necessarily ”, and I could do a great deal of service to myself if I just went slower took another year or two and gained strategically and stayed leaner . One main proponent of this and the loudest voice in my ear was my coach . My trusted guide teacher and mentor . He gave me a myriad of reasons , but I just heard a noise in my head that said “ isn ’ t it the point to get as big as possible , look how big you are Mr . 5 foot 6 280 lbs IFBB PRO , to train as heavy as possible and then diet down to even bigger and greater than last year ?” This was my internal Voice from my ego and inexperience So clearly I thought I knew better , I can actually remember thinking that “ they are missing something ”, that they legitimately were from a different time and therefore were behind the times and didn ’ t know what they were talking about .
I was huge , but I didn ’ t feel adequate , I had full abs , my back was fat though , And the heavier I got even though I was bigger I just felt fatter and worse . I have always carried weight in my back and glutes more than anywhere else . But , I tried to convince myself hey , if I can see my abs I ’ m still in shape ! SMH at the young Jed . Ultimately , I didn ’ t like how I looked , I just