Intro

Let me start off by saying that there is no single straightforward path to forging a perfect physique. There are endless ever changing variables to account for, unique body types to understand, different diets to digest, and strange ideas to be sampled. The fitness journey is a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week mystery, full of trial and error. What works for Chad J. Thundercock, may not work for you. In actuality, it may be counter productive and kind of stupid. Below are random thoughts and observations I've made that may be beneficial to some.

Body

Buy a Full Length Mirror

How often do you critique your naked body from head to toe? And not just for a split second. Do you observe your figure from different angles? Do you know what your hamstrings look like, or your glutes? If you're like most men I know, you're likely just looking at the upper half of your torso while you brush your teeth in the morning or shave your face before the shower. Start observing yourself in its entirety, it'll pay dividends when you start to put slabs of muscle on parts of your body that you didn't even know existed.

Try Squatting Barefoot

There's a reason why bodybuilders buy flat soled shoes. Many people don't realize the difference their shoes can make, especially when weight lifting. I see a lot of people wearing high arched running shoes while trying to perform heavy squats. This is dangerous. Sometimes I'll just remove my shoes altogether and squat barefoot. I recommend it.

Watch Videos of Professionals Before a Workout

Lets say its Back day, I just got home from work and I'm drinking my pre-workout. I already know how to perform the exercises I plan on doing at the gym, because I've already done them thousands of times. It doesn't matter. I'll type in one of my favorite fitness personalities on youtube, and watch them exercise whatever body part I plan on training that day. I'll watch, observe, study the movements, and observe some more. Constantly watching these videos before working out will slowly start to leave small imprints on your brain. I'm certain your form will get better subconsciously.

Wear a Hoody To The Gym

Want to stand out from the crowd of tank tops and ugly T-shirts? Be the guy who comes to the gym in a hoody and sweats his ass off. As long as you're getting busy, you'll be seen as a workhorse who isn't there for self admiration.

Know Who to Follow

If you're on social media and have an Instagram I recommend following these fitness personalities/bodybuilders, if you're shooting for the stars, its nice to know where to aim:

Phil Heath (7x Mr. Olympia)
Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) Calum Von Moger (Fitness Personality) Jeremy Buendia (4x Mr. Olympia Classic Physique) Artemus Dolgin (Fitness Personality) Kali Muscle (Fintess Personality) Mike O'hearn (Magazine cover record holder) Jeff Seid (Natty Lifter) Jon Skywalker (Fitness Personality) Sadik Hadzovic (Bodybuilder) Kai Greene (Bodybuilder) Smith Julien (Fitness Personality)

All of these guys are constantly posting videos and workouts, that in my opinion is valuable study material.

End

Hopefully one of these random thoughts or tips will help a younger guy getting started in the gym. Again, take any fitness advice with a grain of salt. It's up to you and you alone, to discover what works for your body, and what doesn't.